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Clarke still has role to play: Border

Australia's most capped leader says Clarke has earned the right to call time on his own terms

Australia’s most capped captain Allan Border says Michael Clarke should continue to lead his country beyond the Ashes as the tourists fight for survival in the fourth Test at Trent Bridge.

Clarke’s tenure as captain has come under intense scrutiny as he battles to rediscover his world-beating form in a batting order that has been bossed by England’s relentless seam bowling attack.

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Australia are on the brink of surrendering the Ashes for the fourth consecutive time on foreign soil after going down 2-1 in the series with emphatic losses in Cardiff and Birmingham and conceding a 331-run first innings deficit at Trent Bridge after being bowled out for 60 in the morning session of day one.

Clarke's Ashes woes continued in Nottingham, scoring 10 and 13 to take his series total to 117 runs in eight innings at an average of 16.71.

But Border, who captained Australia a record 93 times, says Clarke still has a role to play in the current set-up and has earned the right to call time on his career when he chooses to walk away.

“I wouldn’t (hope there’d) be any knee-jerk reactions on his situation,” Border told cricket.com.au on day two in Nottingham.

“He’ll know himself if he wants to keep going and if he’s got the hunger for it.

“He looks like he’s under pressure but that’s understandable with his circumstances and the team’s circumstances.

“And he wants to perform well. He’s a very passionate bloke, he works hard at his game and he likes to be leading from the front like he has been.

“It hasn’t quite worked out and I understand all that, but I don’t think we’re ready for that change just yet unless he thinks it’s time.

“He deserves the opportunity to go out on his own terms.”

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"You live by the sword, you die by the sword," Clarke after his first innings exit at Trent Bridge // Getty Images

Clarke has made it clear his hunger has not waned despite his lean run with the bat.

In the customary captain’s press conference on Test match eve, Clarke could not have been firmer when asked if the fire to play cricket for his country still burned.

“I've had this (scrutiny) a number of times throughout my career," Clarke said on Wednesday.

“It's not new to me.

“That's what playing sport at the highest level is about, it's the rollercoaster ride.

“The highs and lows, being able to pick yourself up when things don't go to plan and find a way to get through that.

“I've still got that love, desire and passion.” 

Cook juggles Clarke in second innings

While Clarke is set on continuing after the fifth Ashes Test at the Oval, Border says the national selection panel, led by chairman Rod Marsh, will look to freshen up a squad that originally had eight out of 17 players aged 33 years or older.

Opening batsman Chris Rogers has indicated he will likely retire following this series, while the Test futures of axed players Shane Watson and Brad Haddin remain unclear.

And while Australia has already lost Ryan Harris to injury, Border doesn’t expect a mass clean out even if the Ashes are lost. 

“We’ve got an ageing group that’s done us proud for a long time now,” said Border.

“All those eras come to an end. The selectors will be looking at refreshing (the squad) regardless whether we’d won or lost.

“There’s probably three or four spots there they’d like to move on.

“Maybe the selectors have more ammo if you’re not playing as well as we have been.

“It’s not saying wholesale changes but just a few tinkerings here or there, a few younger players brought into the group.

“This group have served us well, they’ve been great, but it’s been a slightly disappointing series in an Ashes sense the way things have panned out over the four Tests to date.”

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