Clark will cherish Sydney Test

Stuart Clark

Stuart Clark © Getty Images

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Paceman Stuart Clark will treasure the fifth and final Ashes Test in Sydney, win, lose or draw, but is hopeful Australia can give retiring heroes Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath the perfect send-off.

Clark believes the emotion surrounding a final Test win, which would give Australia a 5-0 series sweep against England, would make the celebrations in the past two Test victories pale in comparison.

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"We saw what happened in Perth and we saw what happened in Melbourne with Warney, but I think if we win here and play some good cricket it will almost double the emotion and those celebrations," Clark said on Sunday.

"It will be the last time you see Warney in an international arena, and it will definitely be a Test match for Glenn … you look at the Steve Waugh finale and I think it will be something to rival that.

"I can't wait for it, walking around with Glenn and Shane in their last game. It is something I will be able to tell my kids about ... I am not sure I can hoist (McGrath) up on my shoulders - he is a big bloke.

"They deserve everything that is coming to them. Hopefully we win the Test match and see the jubilation on their faces as well."

Glenn McGrath & Shane Warne

Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne will play their last Test, at Sydney © Getty Images

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Meanwhile, Clark is still in disbelief that he is already being compared to some of the greats of Australian fast-bowling.

The New South Wales native, who is the joint-leading wicket-taker in the Ashes series with Warne on 21 wickets, only made his debut in the South African Test series earlier this year where he was named man-of-the-series.

He is now looking forward to teaming with speedster Brett Lee in the years to come.

"Brett is the (only) out and out fast bowler in the world at the moment," said Clark. "He bowls fast and is an attacking type of bowler whereas I keep it nice and tight and try and frustrate the batsmen into mistakes."

"We do compliment one another very well and it can be very useful in trying to get someone out."

When comparing himself to the great Australian quicks of the recent and distant past though, Clark remains humble: "To be mentioned in the company of (Jason) Gillespie, McGrath, Merv (Hughes), (Craig) McDermott and (Dennis) Lillee and Thommo (Jeff Thomson), I pinch myself when they mention my name with those guys."

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