'Pup' training went well with Hampshire

Clarke will begin his last championship match of the season against Glamorgan tomorrow, before flying out to Holland to prepare for next month's ICC Champions Trophy with the rest of the Australia squad next week.

He will be back with Shane Watson on September 13, when Australia play the USA in the second of the Rose Bowl's five ICC Champions Trophy games.

And do not be surprised if he returns next summer as a member of his country's Ashes squad after four months on county cricket's learning curve.

"I came here with a purpose and I think I've definitely learnt a lot from being here," said Clarke, who is known as 'Pup' in the dressing rooms of New South Wales, Australia and now Hampshire.

"I'll go home a much better player, I've learnt a lot about my own cricket and about county cricket which is 90 per cent of why I came here.

"When I arrived I didn't know what to expect, I didn't know how good the standard of cricket was or what the facilities were like, but I'd give ten out of ten to this place.

"It's a brilliant place to play cricket and the standard has been very high."

Clarke showed his class in his debut innings for Hampshire, when he scored 75 against Durham at the Rose Bowl in April.

But after a promising start he struggled in the championship.

He was out for ducks in his next two innings and a 69 at Essex in June was his only half century in seven matches.

The statistics show Clarke has struggled to make an impact in front of his own fans but has fared better away from home.

He only averages 21.50 from 12 innings at the Rose Bowl - compared to 63.71 away from Southampton!

In all, he averages 37.05 in the championship from 19 completed innings.

It was at Nottinghamshire three weeks ago that he hit his maiden hundred, and when he followed up with another in the second innings before a match winning 109 against Glamorgan at Cardiff, he became the first Hampshire player to score three tons in as many championship innings since Gordon Greenidge in 1986.

"I felt I was batting well and felt it was just a matter of time before Nottingham. I'd been training as hard as I ever have in the gym and the nets and when you're working as hard as you can off the field performances on the field will just happen.

"The wicket was very flat in Nottingham but it was good to finally get some runs and my first 100 for Hampshire. I had never scored 100s in both innings before either.

"But Glamorgan was probably the toughest innings - and it was good to make some runs against my Australian friend Michael Kasprowicz."

Clarke hopes to leave Hampshire with a maiden Rose Bowl 100 against Kasprowicz and the rest of the Glamorgan attack this week.

But adapting to his county's home ground has not been as easy for Clarke as it was for Simon Katich last season.

"It has been tough. I've never played on a wicket anywhere near like this before but I think it's helped me," he said.

"The wicket did a little bit more than I expected but it was a good test, a good challenge, and I feel like I've come out of it a better player.

"It's very different cricket here to the Pura Cup and that's mainly because of the conditions - there's been a lot of rain.

"Before I came over I asked Simon Katich for some advice, about the people here, the ground and the wicket and he told me that this would be the best thing for me.

"He was sure I'd have a great time and that my cricket would improve and he's right."

A lengthy Test career will inevitably restrict Clarke's availability in future seasons. But the 23-year-old would like nothing more than to return to the Rose Bowl at some stage.

"Whether or not I come back or not I'll have to see what happens with my season back in Australia, how my body's going and how I am mentally.

"There's a lot of cricket played over here, but Hampshire is a club I want to stay in contact with and hope I get the chance to come back.

"It's hard being away from family and friends, but I've enjoyed myself not just on the field but off the field, which is important, if not more important, when you're away.

"Some people can do it and others can't, but it's a long time away and I'm the sort of person who loves to be around my mates and my family.

"It's been difficult but this is my chosen job, I wouldn't swap it for the world, and I've met a lot of great friends at Hampshire, guys I'll definitely come back and see more of in the future."

Hampshire's dressing room camarederie has been the best cure for any home sickness - and so has the presence of his country's most famous cricketer.

"One of the highlights has to be the team song. We've got a great team song and we've sung it a fair few times, I've enjoyed that as well as everybody's attitude and commitment - and having the world's best spin bowler in our team.

"His commitment has been unbelievable. Every training session he's here first and leaves last, he's a great example to young guys like myself."

Katich will replace his New South Wales teammate Clarke for the last four championship games of the season - away to Somerset, Durham, Leicestershire and Derbyshire.

"I'm very confident that Simon Katich will fill my shoes pretty easily, he's a fantastic player.

"With him here we can end the season by winning something."