“I’m looking forward to it”: Joe Clarke opens up on doing full-time wicket-keeping for Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League

Big Bash League: English opener Joe Clarke is set to be the full-time wicket-keeper for Melbourne Stars in BBL 11.

English opener Joe Clarke is all set to don the Melbourne Stars colours in BBL 11. Clarke had a brilliant summer in the English T20 Blast, whereas he also had a spell in PSL 2021.

In T20 Blast, Clarke scored 408 runs at a strike-rate of 180.53, whereas he also played a knock of 136 runs in 65 balls. He has been regarded as one of the best hitters in English cricket. In the last season, he played for the Perth Scorchers in BBL, as a replacement player of Jason Roy.

However, he needs to fulfill the role of a full-time wicket-keeper in the upcoming BBL. Stars’ keeper Seb Gotch is nursing a finger injury and is set to miss the tournament this season. It is worth noting that Clarke has just kept for just 11 times in his professional career. He has kept in five T20s, all in the PSL this season for the Karachi Kings. For Nottinghamshire, Tom Moores is the regular keeper, whereas Clarke did the duty in just a single game this season.

Big Bash League: Joe Clarke ready for the wicket-keeping challenge in Melbourne Stars

Joe Clarke agrees that he has not been at the keeping forefront, but he can do the job for the Melbourne Stars. He needs to do the job with spinners like Adam Zampa and Qais Ahmad.

“Obviously my keeping was something that has sort of been on the on the backburner last couple of years,” Clarke said.

“I went to Pakistan to play in the Pakistan Super League and was keeping for that, it’s something that I’m looking forward to doing as well over here.”

Melbourne Stars does not have a full-fledged wicket-keeping staff, but David Hussey and Ben Rohrer are doing the duties. Clarke insists that he is enjoying working with them.

“I’ve really enjoyed working with them so far,” Clarke said.

“Although obviously [they] didn’t do too much with keeping in their day, [they] just facilitate with me and do the drills that I do back home and stuff like that and just make me feel as best prepared as I can be.”

Head Coach David Hussey believes that Joe Clarke is set to make an incredible opening partnership with Marcus Stoinis.

“Joe Clarke’s been outstanding for Notts for many a year opening the batting,” Hussey said.

“So hopefully they gel very, very quickly and they can open the batting and set a nice foundation for our middle order players.”