PLAYING for Australia sounded good in theory to Michael Clarke. But as the time drew nigh, it began to sound more like a nightmare. Pressure, expectation, obligation, criticism, intrusion. He was repeatedly warned by managers, players, ex-players and hangers-on that life would never be the same, there would be no more privacy, no more innocence, no more fun.
Then he met Shane Warne.
"Rubbish," Warne told Clarke, who was about to become a young upstart in a team of greats. "You're going to have the time of your life. It's great fun. Enjoy the ride."
It was advice Clarke has remembered ever since he scored 151 on debut more than four years ago. And it is advice the Australian captain-in-waiting kept revisiting during a 12-month stretch of amazing highs and lows.
"Warney often reminds me that it's all about remembering how you felt as a kid," Clarke says. "He played international cricket for 15 years simply because he loved it. There wasn't much else to it for him and I think that's a great example for me to follow. After the 12 months I've just had, especially, it was a great way to approach things."
Clarke was a star in 2008. The vice-captain struck four centuries and a 98 in 13 Tests. He began 2009 with a 138 and 41 against South Africa. Privately, his year was made when he received a "yes" after asking Lara Bingle in March to become his wife.
But there were tough times ahead. Clarke opted out of the Indian Premier League, revealing that his father, Les, had cancer. He then pulled out of the start of the West Indies tour in May when Bingle's father, Graham, became critically ill, also with cancer. Graham, 55, died that month.
After supporting Lara through her loss, Clarke knew what he had to do.
"After Graham passed away, I knew the best thing for me was to get straight back into cricket as soon as possible," he says. "Playing cricket is the most peaceful thing in the world. You've got no mobile phones ringing, no one can get to you when you're out there batting. It's just you and your mate out there, concentrating, and nothing else matters."
He and Bingle shared an intimate dinner on New Year's Eve and looked back on their roller-coaster year.
"It was a great year in a lot of ways but very difficult as well," Clarke, 27, says. "Last year changed my life. I think my personal success on the field kept my spirits high. But if there's one important lesson I learnt, it's that it's just a game. The sun always comes up the next day."
Clarke is optimistic about 2009. Les Clarke will have a scan next month and the family hopes his treatment has been successful. Michael says his father has gained weight, is back working on his charter boat business and attended each day of the Sydney Test. That pleases Warne, as he is now a close family friend.
Clarke's link to Warne began when they played at Hampshire in 2004. They had similar characters and became good friends almost immediately. Warne took the promising batsman under his wing.
"I wanted him to know what can easily happen to someone living in the spotlight, living the roller-coaster life of an international cricketer," Warne told The Sun-Herald.
"I was pretty successful and I thought he could learn from me, including the other side, the dark side of being in the limelight. Because you're a professional cricketer, representing your country, there are certain boundaries that shouldn't be crossed, but unfortunately they sometimes are. I've wanted to teach him through some of the things that had happened in my life, learn from the things that were good, bad and otherwise in my career."
It's not all heavy. Warne and Clarke talk every day, but often their chats have nothing to do with cricket.
"Most of the time I'm just an ear for him," Warne says. "I just listen. Often we'll hang up and realise that we've just talked about cars for half an hour and he feels better for it.
"He sorts most things for himself. But if he's not quite sure about a certain thing, he might bounce it off me. He might just take a part of my advice or we'll throw things around and see what comes up.
"He's got a very good head on his shoulders. He knows where he's at, knows his plan, his future - he knows what he wants. It's sometimes a matter of working out how to get there and just the finer details."
It hasn't always been a smooth friendship.
"I haven't been scared to get in his face at times and be a bit brutal with him," Warne says.
"At Hampshire I reminded him that he hadn't had to struggle too much cricket-wise. He got rushed in averaging mid-30s in first-class cricket and then scored a hundred in his first Test. I remember around that time saying to him, 'Mate, you've never had to struggle on the cricket field. It's always been easy for you'. I think that caught him out a bit.
"Overall, though, the thing I liked about Michael early on was that he had a lot of respect for the game, for senior players and just his attitude towards life in general was very good. He's very positive and he plays the game the right way. He's an entertainer, the way he bats, bowls, fields - and that's the way I liked to see myself."
Clarke realises the value of his friendship with Warne.
"What Warney's trying to do is help me learn from his mistakes," Clarke says. "He was an amazing cricketer, but the whole world knows there were some incidents off the field which weren't good.
"He's trying so hard to make sure I don't make the same mistakes. It would be silly for me to not listen to someone who has been so successful and been through so much. He's had a huge impact on my life."
Which is probably why Clarke so often seems to be enjoying himself.
Warne says: "I've explained to him that he should remember when his mum and dad used to drop him at the cricket when he was 11 or 12. He didn't play because it might be financially rewarding. He played because he had a passion for it and loved the game. Being in the contest was something to enjoy. You never know what's going to happen when you walk onto the field.
"I've explained to him that if you have that mentality, of having fun, enjoying it and try to remain consistent when there are ups and downs, you'll be a happy person. Cricket's not a job. To me it was a hobby, a passion. Cricket is about enjoyment. I think that's how Michael sees it." CLARKE'S GOLDEN 2008
TESTS: 13 Tests, 1063 runs, average 50.61,
four 100s, five 50s, 10 wickets, best bowling 3-5.
ONE-DAY INTERNATIONALS: 18 matches,
471 runs, average 31.40, four 50s, 10 wickets, best bowling 3-26.
TWENTY20 INTERNATIONALS: Two matches, highest score 37 not out.