A prayer for Clarke

The current Ashes series doesn't cease to amaze. Another brilliant performance from both the teams, but Australia held out, and not even "Freddie" Flintoff could help his team bridge that gap between the cup and the lip.

I thought Michael Clarke, for all that he is going through, proved the fighting spirit that the Aussies are the epitome of. A person with a career-threatening injury, who has been in the hospital for the the past two days... comes out and makes 39, more importantly, he has kept his wicket for more than an hour and a good 63 balls!

We may not like the Aussies - they just keep winning everything. They are bullies; their on-field talk reeks of expletives... But when a player's career might be cut short by injury, our hearts sincerely pray that this fine cricketer be well soon and resume playing. After all, a great fighter like Clarke cannot lose any battle if he is propped up by our prayers.

"More things are wrought by prayer

Than this world dreams of. Wherefore, let thy voice

Rise like a fountain for me night and day.

For what are men better than sheep or goats

That nourish a blind life within the brain,

If, knowing God, they lift not hands of prayer

Both for themselves and those who call them friend?"

- La Morte d'Arthur, Alfred Tennyson