Clarke hails Aussie Ashes heroes

Michael Clarke is hailing Australia’s Ashes victory as a special achievement to compare with their whitewash of England in 2006/07.

Australia have defied general expectations of a closely-fought contest this winter by hammering England three times to regain the urn before Christmas.

After their latest win – by the smallest margin yet, of ‘only’ 150 runs at the WACA – Clarke was careful to pay due respect not just to Ricky Ponting’s 5-0 class of 2006/07 but also the opponents he and his team-mates had again thoroughly outplayed.