FOR a high-school dropout, Michael Clarke has found quite a niche as Australian cricket captain.
And for a bloke who has helped his father through two cancer battles, including Les Clarke's most recent ordeal with prostate cancer, it is testament to his mental fortitude that the batting phenom affectionately known as Pup should flourish as the top dog of Australian cricket.
Since formally replacing Ricky Ponting as Australian skipper after the World Cup fadeout 18 months ago, Clarke has turned the tide of public sentiment, re-shaping attitudes through sheer will and the only currency he knows - scoring runs.
As captain, he has blasted 1614 runs with six tons at a head-spinning 70.17.
He has a triple century and two double tons from his past seven Tests, including his sparkling 259 not out last week which broke South Africa's spirit in the first Test at the Gabba.
Not bad for a man once famously labelled a "tosser" who, in the eyes of his detractors, seemed more concerned with tattoos, flash cars and hot women than upholding the proud legacy of Australia's greatest leaders.
But beneath the veneer of Clarke's red-hot form, the skipper has carried a burden greater than any misgivings about his public reputation.
It concerns Les Clarke's fight to stay alive, how he has twice staved off cancer, and the special bond of a father and son.
"I'm very lucky, I've lost a couple of mates the last few years with different cancers and I wonder why I'm still here. Still alive. It's a lucky dip," said Les, who was in the Gabba stands last week as Clarke took the willow to the Proteas attack.
"Michael and I have had our talks and shed some tears. I remember, one day, just laying it on the line about my health, but I told Michael to get on with it.
"As I said to him, sometimes you just have to stand up and fight."
Speaking for the first time about the family ordeal, Les Clarke admits the odds have been generous.
In 2007, he was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma.
He still vividly recalls the day a Sydney surgeon sat him down and gave it to him straight: there was no guarantee he would pull through.
Even when he did survive, the cancer would return.
Two-and-a-half years ago, Les discovered problems with his prostate.
Yet there he is at the Gabba, steadfast as ever, watching the son who clearly adopts his father's fighting qualities.
"The first time around was scary," he says.
"I got told straight away the prostate cancer would not kill me but with the lymphoma...it was a different story.
"When a doctor gets you in a room, and says this is what you've got, this is the procedure ... I'm sorry, but I can't guarantee you will survive this.
"Michael was away a fair bit with cricket through that time. He found it hard. There were times when he would want to come home but I told him the best thing was for him to play cricket.
"At the moment, I'm going OK. I had 16 biopsies (for prostate cancer) and five came back positive. I had some metal pellets put in there and that releases radiation for a period of 12 months.
"Thankfully that has reduced the cancer... my readings are virtually down to zero now, but I still go for yearly checks with the doctor.
"It comes as no surprise to Les that his son now holds the highest office in Australian sport.
From the age of nine, this was Clarke's dream and destiny.
"He drove us crazy as a kid. He was a bloody pain in the neck," laughs Les.
"But he had tunnel vision, he had goals at a young age to play for Australia and he went after it.
"I remember when he was 16, he said, 'Dad, school is interfering with my (cricket) training, I want to leave school'.
"He had one goal and that was to play cricket for Australia.
"It was against our wishes. He argued with his mother. We wanted him to finish school but Michael was adamant about being a professional cricketer.
"I said 'mate if you're leaving school, you aren't going to work at bloody McDonald's.'
"A mate of mine got him a job at Kingsgrove Sports Centre.
"He would get a train at 5.30am and do two hours of batting practice in the nets there before he started work at 9am.
"Three months later, he rang me and said this kid is the best we've had.
"Right from the start, he had great drive. He wouldn't stop."
It wasn't long after Les first faced the dreaded C-word that his son was labelled the most over-rated Test cricketer in a nationwide survey of Australian cricket fans.
The results affected Clarke junior more than he let on, but Les hopes his son's recent performances have won over the public.
"I just find it hard when people criticise Michael without knowing him," he says.
"Growing up, I'd be at the cricket and you'd hear someone say 'I can't stand Dean Jones or Geoff Marsh' and I'm thinking well if you haven't met them, how can you dislike them?
"I can handle if people don't like Michael's cricket but when they get personal, when they get into his private life, that affects the family.
"I know at times it bothered Michael but I said to him, mate keep hitting that cricket ball and scoring runs and they will change their mind."
Asked why he thinks Clarke was on the nose, Les muses: "I have no idea really. There could be a few reasons, there was a lot of publicity a few years ago with his engagement to Lara (Bingle, former fiancee).
"Maybe all that celebrity stuff didn't help. But he's a married man now, Kyly is a great woman, they are very much alike and very suited.
"Taking over the captaincy has been the best thing for Michael. It could have gone the other way but Michael thrives on the pressure and I think he's more accepted now.
"You can take Michael as my son out of the picture.
"The Australian public likes our captains and sides to attack and win games, we might lose a few, but if you're going for victory the public like that and Michael is a very attacking captain.
"He likes to win games of cricket."
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