Michael Clarke is cricket?s new hot property

Adelaide: Australian batting whiz kid Michael Clarke is trying to maintain his positive focus while the cricket world continues to shower him with praise and sponsorship dollars.

The 23-year-old prodigy swung last week?s first Test in Brisbane away from New Zealand with an exhilarating 141 on his home Test debut in a 216-run, sixth-wicket stand with Adam Gilchrist (126) as Australia claimed a crushing innings and 156 runs victory inside four days.

Clarke showed no fear when he raised his second Test hundred ? he scored 151 on debut in India last month ? with an audacious four off the last ball before lunch on the third day and has now scored 541 runs in nine Test innings at a stunning 67.62 average.

His big task now will be to blot out the clamour for his time and keep his feet firmly on the ground, but the Sydney youngster is humble about his achievements ahead of the second Test with the Black Caps, starting at the Adelaide Oval on Friday.

?I?m definitely enjoying myself and as long as I continue doing that and having fun, training hard and hopefully I can continue scoring runs out in the middle,? Clarke told reporters after training here on Wednesday.

?So far it?s been all positive. It?s very easy in a great team, you have plenty of people to lean on, to talk to about on-field and off-field stuff, so hopefully I can continue playing well.?

Clarke, who is seen as the future of Australian cricket and even one day Test captain, said he has been receiving tremendous support and counselling from his elder teammates on how to cope with his instant fame.

?All the guys are very supportive, so if you need them for anything they?re more than happy to help,? he said.

?I have my mother and father and my best mate, my manager, back at home who I use a lot, there?s so many people you can go to in such a great team. I don?t know exactly how many calls he?s (manager) had, it?s got a lot to keep him busy, so hopefully people can keep calling. I?m just trying to hit that little red ball at the moment and whatever else happens he can take care of that.?

Clarke, preparing for just his sixth match this week, is realistic enough to know that his magical introduction into Test cricket won?t last and on Wednesday spoke of his character-building spell with Hampshire in English county cricket this year.

?I had a pretty tough time in England, I really enjoyed Hampshire, and I think it really helped me as a person and a cricketer,? he recalled.

?I had about eight games there where I didn?t score more than 50 runs so it was a pretty tough time, but enjoyable.

?It was great to come out the other side, to go through that rough patch but come out on top of it and score three hundreds in a row... Shane Warne was a great help to me while I was there.?

Clarke is expecting a sterner challenge from the battered Black Caps in the second and final Test of their series.