Aussies unleash their new blond bombshell

By the time he flew off to join his international team-mates, though, he'd overcome his teething troubles to such an extent that he became the first Hampshire batsman since Gordon Greenidge in 1986 to make three consecutive firstclass tons.

Thanks a lot, Hampshire. A cynic might suggest all they'd done was to help create a monster who could devour English attacks next summer. Terry, the former England batsman who runs a cricket school in Perth during our winter, smiles that if he does, at least it will be worth seeing. "He's one of those players you'd happily pay to see, a real crowd pleaser," said Terry. Like a Mark Waugh or a Michael Vaughan, he reckoned, mixing dash with irresistible elegance. It was a combination which has left Australia swooning over their new golden boy.

"It will be interesting to see what happens next summer. He's probably made life difficult for himself by starting his Test career so brilliantly because the expectations on him are pretty huge," said Terry.

Yet the 23-year-old appears to deliver every time he takes another step up the ladder. When he made his one-day debut at Adelaide against England last year, it took four matches and 208 runs before anyone could get him out.

Nothing seems to worry him, not even the expectation which comes with signing a £500,000 contract, the biggest sportsbrand sponsorship deal in Australian cricket history, with Dunlop-Slazenger even before he'd played a Test match.

Like a certain young Liverpudlian here, Rooney-style heroics are demanded of the boy from Liverpool, New South Wales.

"That's okay. I hope people do expect a lot of me," said Clarke at the time.

"All this money doesn't faze me."

No wonder Terry sees a touch of Warne's supreme confidence in the lad who was christened 'Pup' by the great leg-spinner.

"They didn't know each other that well before they came to Hampshire but they get on like a house on fire now," said Terry.

"I think Warney can see a bit of himself as a youngster when he looks at Michael.

"They're alike in many ways. Pretty extrovert, opinionated in a good way and great team men. They've got charisma too.

"Must be something about these blonds."

Ah, yes, the hair. We will have to get used to that.

Clarke hasn't yet dyed it gold and green but just wait.

Here's a boy racer who loves his fast cars, would happily be Michael Schumacher in another life and cites meeting David Beckham as an ambition in this one. His mates find it hard not to get swept up in his boyish enthusiasm even if Australian coach John Buchanan noted wryly last week: "He's even giving some of the senior players advice now."

The old boys recognise that this youthful brilliance cannot be halted.

Darren Lehmann, one of the thirty-something brigade, had already shrugged that he'd be happy to be sidelined if it meant having to give up his place for Clarke once captain Ricky Ponting returned from injury, probably for the fourth and final Test.

By then, the Australians, leading 1-0, may have wrapped up an historic series triumph and the way Clarke's balletic footwork has been helping neutralise the Indian spinners so far - he also impressed with his unbeaten second innings knock in the second Test before rain robbed us of a great finish - he may have paid off another huge chunk of that million-dollar-plus investment.

Come the Ashes, we just need to hope the Pup hasn't become a fully grown rottweiler.