Top 5 batting performances - The Ashes in England 2013

2) Michael Clarke (187, 3rd Test, 1st innings)

Michael Clarke celebrates his century during day one of the 3rd Investec Ashes Test match between England and Australia at Old Trafford Cricket Ground on August 1, 2013 in Manchester, England. (Getty Images)

Back-to-back losses in the first two Tests had pushed the Australians to the wall. None of their batsmen had made centuries in the previous two games – a trend which could be extended to the previous India series where their captain Michael Clarke was the only one to make a century in the first Test.

Australia started well with Shane Watson playing like Chris Rogers and Chris Rogers playing like Shane Watson. But once Rogers fell for 84 with the scoreboard at 129 for 3, Australia seemed to be tracing the same route they had in their previous outings.

Only for Michael Clarke to step up to play a captain’s knock. With Steve Smith and Brad Haddin for company, Clarke stabilised the innings and then built it up step by step to record the first 400+ score of the series. He had come in at 82 for 2 and by the time he had departed the scoreboard read 427 for 6.

More than half of those runs had come from Clarke’s free flowing blade as the trio of James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Tim Bresnan were not only taken to the cleaners, but also thrown into the Laundromat. Haddin and Mitchell Starc added insult to injury by taking the score past 500, but the damage had already been done. Weather again put paid to Clarke’s chances of winning a Test after the England team were reeling at 37 for 3 in the second innings.