"The best course for us." Michael and Kyly Clarke have split after seven years of marriage.

Former Australian cricket captain Michael Clarke and his wife Kyly have separated after seven years of marriage.

The couple issued a joint statement to The Australian on Wednesday night.

“After living apart for some time, we have made the difficult decision to ­separate as a couple, amicably,” it said.

In 2016 Michael Clarke went on the Kyle and Jackie O show to share the story of his first date with Kyly. Post continues below video.

“With the greatest of respect for each other, we’ve come to the ­mutual conclusion that this is the best course for us to take while committed to the co-parenting of our daughter.”

The newspaper reported the couple had been living apart for five months, after Michael moved out of their $12 million home in eastern Sydney suburb of Vaucluse home into their Bondi beachfront home, worth $8 million, and they had reached financial and co-parenting arrangements.

The divorce is reportedly worth around $40 million.

“We’d like to acknowledge the wonderful support we’ve had from family and friends, and at this time request privacy so that we can manage this next stage of our lives,” the pair said in a statement.

It is understood they are amicable, still train at the gym together, and there is no third party involvement.

The couple, both 38, married in 2012 in a secret ceremony in the Blue Mountains after a low-profile two year relationship.

They first met more than two decades ago as classmates at Parramatta Westfields Sports High School in Sydney's west, before reconnecting following Clarke's 2010 break-up with then-fiancé Lara Bingle.

In November 2015, the couple welcomed daughter Kelsey Lee.

 

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Always having a blast together @michaelclarkeofficial . . . . . . #family #goodtimes #happiness #blessed #ridetogether #clarkes

A post shared by ???? K Y L Y ???? (@kylyclarke) on Nov 27, 2019 at 2:48am PST

In 2019, the Clarkes sat down for an interview with A Current Affair, recalling the terrifying moment Kelsey Lee suffered a serious asthma attack aged three-and-a-half.

"I think the scariest part for me was the unknown. I didn’t know exactly what was wrong," the former Test captain said. "All I could see, hear and feel was that she was having trouble breathing."

Just over a year ago in January 2019, Kyly rubbished suggestions of a split when speaking to the Daily Mail.

"We're not, never were and never will be splitting," she told the publication.

Michael retired from all forms of cricket in 2015 and took on a role in Nine's commentary team before it lost cricket rights in 2018, and was part of the official commentary team for 2019's Cricket World Cup. He will soon join rugby league legend Laurie Daley on Sky Radio’s Big Sports Breakfast radio show.

In October 2019, Kyly was announced as one of the judges on Seven's House Rules. She also owns candle and homewares brand Lyfestyled.

Feature image: Instagram.