Friday Fights | The Big ODI Fight - Kevin Pietersen vs Michael Clarke

Whilst that was a different game altogether, today, both of them would be taking each other on head-to-head in a bout of Friday Fights. The rules are easy - the one with the most points after a rigorous set of rounds would walk out as the winner and claim the ‘bragging rights.’ However, it is not going to be so simple, with both of them taking on each other only using their statistics. While one has over 7500 runs in ODI cricket, the other merely has just 4440 runs to his name. 

Bam, it didn’t take Michael Clarke time to get warmed up for this encounter, especially given that his former skipper and friend, Ricky Ponting is in the audience (well at least virtually). Clarke’s career average of 44.58 certainly helps him go past the South African-born Pietersen’s 40.73 in the first of 11 rounds. 

ROUND 2 -> AVERAGE IN FOREIGN CONDITIONS: CLARKE KEEPS IT COMIN’ 

It doesn’t matter if its career average or average in foreign conditions, where it is starkly different to back home in Australia, Michael Clarke continues to impress one and all. At 39, he’s surely still having the energy and stamina to back the talks. While Pietersen did try his level-best, with a half-baked jab, Clarke’s defence and offence - with an average of 45.49 over 43.29 -  was enough to give him a two-round lead. 

ROUND 3 -> AVERAGE IN FOREIGN CONDITIONS: HANG ON, HE’S GOOD AT HOME TOO!

Slowly yet steadily, the New South Wales man is creating himself a legacy that is all but ready to stand on its head. For now, though, let’s concentrate on the fight. It doesn’t really matter if it is home or away or if it's boxing or cricket, Clarke is always ready for the fight and it’s rightfully seen here! An average of 38.59 is enough to convincingly go past Pietersen’s 30.79.

ROUND 4-> 50 TO 100 CONVERSIONS (in %): KEVIN PIETERSEN CHAINSAW

Oh well, just like Michael Clarke’s IPL career never took off, Kevin Pietersen did not take off for three rounds - until this moment. Pietersen’s RCB days surely was in front of him, where he was just tonking the ball across all parts of the boundary in both India and South Africa. When that memory ringed in, it brought out the best in the English cricketer, who has converted nine out of his 34 half-century attempts into a century. On the other hand, a sorry Clarke has only converted eight of his 64 half-centuries. This must give him the boost of confidence that is required to bring back the contest to life. 

ROUND 5-> 50s IN WINNING CAUSE: PUNCHES COMIN’ IN TO AND FRO

This bout is just five-rounds old now yet the excitement in every round is just increasing on the go and the punches are coming in to and fro. While Pietersen pulled off a chainsaw-esque celebration after going past Clarke in the last round, the Australian, recalling the embarrassment, has put one right back at the former English captain. 43 fifties in winning cause, woah, that’s HUGE! From the other end, all that Pietersen could manage is eight, so you know who’s winning this one. 

ROUND 6-> STRIKE RATE IN SUCCESSFUL CHASES: CLARKE STRIKES IT SUCCESSFULLY

Now it’s no surprise for all of us who are hooked into this contest that Clarke has been there all the time with his uncanny punches and cheetah-like reflexes. Once again, he brings out his leopard-like instincts and preys on Pietersen’s slow moves. His strike rate of 87.41 helps him triumph his English counterpart in this round, who just has 81.52 against his name. 

ROUND 7 -> CAREER STRIKE RATE: DR.PETE IS BACK

All you English fans out there, don’t lose your hopes yet cause your man, the myth KEVIN PIETERSEN still has it in him. Looked tired, didn’t he? No worries as he puts on a fantastic display of bout-to-bout action. Uncanny foot movement and a clear strike were enough to separate him from his competitor Clarke. 

ROUND 8 -> NO OF FIFTY+ SCORES WITH 110+ SR: SORRY KP FOLKS, CLARKE’S BACK

That ends all the fun that the Englishman had in the past two rounds, with the two-time World Cup winner coming back strongly. This contest surely is going down-the-freakin-wire. From the outset, yes, Clarke has dominated most of the proceedings but a Pietersen cameo in between sparked the game back to square one. By just one fifty, the contest has narrowly come home to Australia’s former skipper. 

ROUND 9 -> AVERAGE IN MAJOR TOURNAMENTS: WHAT’S HAPPENING????

It’s just too much action at the moment in this boxing bout; every round is met by an equal and strong reaction. The 40-year-old now puts his hands up and rightly crashes one punch right past Clarke, who looks so clueless, that too in major tournaments. Despite two World Cup wins, his average of 49.21 in combined ICC competitions is not enough as the Englishman walks away with his 53.45, which looks godly!

ROUND 10 -> 100s IN WINNING CAUSE: IT HAS BECOME SO CONFUSING NOW!

The Australian pulls back things in his favour with this round, as he has five hundreds in winning cause against the four that the former RCB man has. Another successful round surely must put Clarke closer to victory than ever but only time will tell us!

FINAL ROUND -> AVERAGE IN SUCCESSFUL CHASES: WHO WINS?

Both of them have a high average of 40+ in their respective careers but in successful chases? It is definitely tight as both of them want a piece of the other as they land punches after punches. But remember, only one can come out as the winner and the crowd, and the crowd are still as pumped as they were right at the start of this starry contest. However, inside the ring, both of them look dead tired, understandably, as they are former cricketers after all. It comes down to this - average in successful chases. Who can win it? *Mic drop* *drum roll* it is Clarke who comes on top, as he averages two more than his counterpart in successful chases.

WINNER BY TECHNICAL KNOCKOUT - MICHAEL JOHN CLARKE 

FINAL SCORE: 95-99

It’s done, finally, after 11 rounds of an intense fight, we finally have a winner who has dominated the proceedings throughout the day. Yes, there was Pietersen who tried his level-best but as history has suggested, Clarke knows how to win a tough bout, be it the 2015 World Cup final at home or be it the 2007 World Cup in West Indies. The experience was in Pietersen’s favour but at the same time, Clarke’s younger arms and legs were enough for him to pull off a surprise.