Sydney, Dec 10 (IANS): Australian cricket captain Michael Clarke has sold his Sutherland Shire home for $2.55 million after it was in the market for around three years.

The buyer was a young family from the eastern suburbs who signed the property papers Tuesday when Clarke was playing in the first Test match against India at Adelaide.

Clarke bought the 1670 square metre waterfront property in 2006, paying $2.87 million for the residence.

The five-bedroom home, which was listed through Matthew King of McGrath Brighton Le Sands, actually went to auction in 2009 but failed to sell at $3.4 million and then earlier this year the property was left unsold at an auction at $2.7 million.

The property was given on rent since he had not been living there too often, and then Clarke listed the home via private treaty for 131 days with a price guide of "over $2.4 million" as was published in news.co.au.

In recent years Clarke has been on a real estate spending spree, having acquired a property in the Southern Highlands near Berrima for $3.25 million in August 2012 and a Vaucluse mansion in May for $8.5 million.

He reportedly still owns a Bondi Beach apartment, for which he paid $6 million in 2009.