MICHAEL CLARKE is looking for big runs against Essex - in both forms of the game.

The 23-year-old scored his third half century in four national league innings when he hit a quickfire 54 in the 28-run win against Warwickshire at the Rose Bowl on Sunday.

He has found runs harder to come by in the county championship, failing to reach 50 in eight innings since the eye-catching 75 he made on his debut against Durham two months ago.

"I haven't made too many runs in the four-day stuff and am definitely disappointed with the way I've been going but in the last game I got a couple of good balls and at Headingley the conditions were pretty tough," said the New South Wales star, who made his maiden one-day hundred for Australia against an albeit understrength Zimbabwe attack last month.

"I'm hitting the ball pretty well and thought I batted pretty well for Australia but the conditions were obviously a lot different over in Zimbabwe," he said.

Clarke, who is averaging 44.50 in the National League compared to 21.44 in the county championship, was touted as the best young Australian cricketer since Ricky Ponting when he arrived at the Rose Bowl in April.

Paul Terry added: "I remember the Australians talking about 'Pup' four or five years ago and, if you're a good enough player, you can handle that. He batted beautifully again against Notts but got two of the better balls and he was good enough to nick them.

"He's doing all the right things and is pretty down that he hasn't scored as many runs as he'd like to in four-day cricket but he contributes in a lot of other ways and I wouldn't be surprised if he's going to get some big runs fairly soon.

"There's no doubt that he's a quality player but the rub of the green hasn't gone his way yet. I don't think the wickets we've played on have been fantastic and he just needs a little bit of luck.

"But he's a pretty easy-going bloke, it won't worry him too much."