Third Ashes Test: Five players who need to stand up and be counted

1. Michael Clarke

The Ashes are on the line. Its as simple as that.

There comes an occasion in every cricketer’s life, when there is greatness ahead. Clarke will be immortalized in Australian history if he can bring back his beleaguered side, which at the moment looks to be on the brink of defeat. The honeymoon patch of 2011-12, when he could do no wrong, is over.

Batting at number five, he will have to be the bridge between the top order and the middle. Being the number one batsmen in the side after the retirement of Ponting, he has proved in the past that once he is in, he can be extremely hard to dislodge. There can be no better place to bat in the batting order to control the innings.

If its going to happen, the greatest fightback of our times is going to be led by Michael Clarke.

Let the action begin.