Former Australia captain Michael Clarke’s XI is certainly a competitive one, but were any South Africans included?

Good friends and fierce foes alike have been named in Clarke’s best Test XI, revealed in his autobiography My Story, with only four non-Australians cracking the nod.

The 115-Test veteran named Shane Warne his skipper, edging out spin rival Muttiah Muralitharan who would have to settle for 12th man.

Michael Slater and Matthew Hayden take the hypothetical new-ball duties with Ricky Ponting coming in at No 3, while a star-studded middle-order sees Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara and indeed legendary Proteas all-rounder Jacques Kallis take the helm at No 6.

More Australians form the middle-lower order with wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist coming in at No 7, followed by fiery left-arm paceman Mitchell Johnson. Despite a well-documented series of confrontations between the pair, Clarke extended an olive branch by including Dale Steyn in the lineup, which is completed with Glenn McGrath at No 11.

Clarke’s XI
1. Matthew Hayden
2. Michael Slater
3. Ricky Ponting
4. Sachin Tendulkar
5. Brian Lara
6. Jacques Kallis
7. Adam Gilchrist
8. Mitchell Johnson
9. Shane Warne (c)
10. Dale Steyn
11. Glenn McGrath

Photo: Manus van Dyk/Gallo Images