MICHAEL Clarke is now quite rightly regarded as one of the world’s best batsmen.

He is rated at number five in the ICC’s latest world rankings and even the hard to please Australian public are starting to warm to a player who they didn’t always get on with.

Most of the pundits who are in the know seem to think that Clarke is the Australians best hope of reclaiming the Ashes and they are looking to him to pile on the runs over the next two months.

England are right to be wary of the threat posed by Clarke – and if things start to go wrong for James Anderson and company, Alastair Cook could do a worse than ask former Lowerhouse bowler Jez Hope for a few tips.

Turn back the clock to the spring of 2002 and Clarke, then just 21 and looking ever inch the Pup that became his nickname, was professional at Ramsbottom.

He had a great season at Acre Bottom scoring almost 900 runs in the league. In just one game he failed to trouble the scorers.

And that game was against Lowerhouse when Hope, who is now 50, was the man to get the prized scalp of the pro.

And that wicket is one that he really treasures out of his 597 Lancashire League victims.

“Haha, I really do remember that one,” said Hope. “I have to be honest though and say that is probably wasn’t the best ball I ever sent down in my career.

“But he hit it straight at Chris Bleazard – and Blez was right on it to take the catch.

“Obviously Clarke has gone on to achieve so many great things in the game and is Australia’s number one batsman so it does make it a little more special that I can always lay claim to getting him out.”

So has Hope any tips to pass on ahead of the start of this morning’s first Test at Trent Bridge.

“I think I’ll leave that to the experts who are playing now,” he laughed. “But if they are struggling, you can give Cook my number.”