Clarke fields latest World Cup queries

For all the batting and bowling requirements he is slowly ticking off as part of his recovery program, Michael Clarke believes it’s his capacity to field at full throttle that will largely dictate when he returns to international cricket.

Clarke fronted a media conference today ahead of Australia’s first warm-up match of their World Cup campaign against India at the Adelaide Oval on Sunday to provide what’s become a daily update on his rehabilitation from hamstring surgery.

And while revealing he “pulled up well” after making 34 as an opener and sending down a few gentle over of left-arm spin for a Cricket Australia XI in yesterday’s warm-up match against Bangladesh in Brisbane, he acknowledges the sizeable intensity gap between that fixture and a cut-throat one-day international.

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And because it was the seemingly innocuous act of bending to field a ball and prevent a quick single that caused the damage that led to his hamstring surgery, it was the sharp catch he took at slip yesterday that perhaps gave him the greatest satisfaction.

Certainly the 33-year-old, who has not played international cricket since he ripped his right hamstring in that Test match against India in early December, recognises that his mobility in the field might loom as the decisive factor in meeting the February 21 recovery deadline imposed upon him.

He said the additional work he undertook with the Australia squad’s fielding specialist Mike Young at Allan Border Field yesterday helped instil in him greater confidence that he will be right to resume for the February 21 World Cup group game against Bangladesh in Brisbane.

“My running is close to full speed now so I’ll keep doing some work there, keep working hard on my strength and doing as much cricket-related stuff as possible will get me to that intensity I need to be,” Clarke said today

“Fielding with Mike Young yesterday at Allan Border Field was a real good start.

“I think that’s probably the area that I need to be 100 per cent satisfied that my body can cope with going 100 miles an hour.

“That’s the way I’ve always played my cricket and how I want to continue to play.

“I don’t want to be restricted in where I field and how I field, I want to be able to play the kind of cricket I’ve played my whole career.

“I’m always been a believer in fielding being a massive part of having success in any format of the game.”

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While Clarke continues to exceed expectations as to the rate of his recovery from the surgery less than eight weeks ago, team officials have not shifted from their initial deadline by which time Clarke must be ready to play or be ruled out of the World Cup.

In releasing an update on Clarke’s rehabilitation last week, Bupa Support Team Physiotherapist Alex Kountouris stated “he remains on target to return as per our original schedule, for the second match of Australia’s ICC Cricket World Cup campaign, against Bangladesh in Brisbane on 21 February”.

Asked today if, given the current rate of his recovery, he gave himself any chance of being fit and considered for Australia’s blockbuster World Cup opener against England at the MCG next Saturday (February 14) Clarke declined to speculate.

“I think you should ask that question to the medical staff,” he said.

“I don’t know the answer to that question.

“I’ve been following their guidelines since day one and I’m extremely grateful and thankful that I sit in this position now because of their advice and guidance, so I will 100 per cent be dictated by what they feel and believe.

“The gap between me playing yesterday for the CA XI and me walking out and playing a one-day international – there’s still a gap there.

“But I’ll close that gap with the work I do off the field and then once I set foot on the ground I don’t hold anything back.

“I give it 100 per cent and I back the work I’ve done.”

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He was less equivocal when asked if the historic issues he’s faced when training or playing in close proximity to lengthy plane travel stints – a problem he ascribes to his chronic back condition – would impact upon his availability once he returns to action.

Following the February 21 match in Brisbane, Australia travels direct to Auckland for their match against New Zealand (Feb 28), from there to Perth to play Afghanistan four days later and then to Sydney to tackle Sri Lanka four days after that.

Given the tight tournament schedule means there is no opportunity for Clarke to travel earlier than his teammates in order to physically acclimatise, there have been suggestions he might be better advised to sit out perhaps the Afghanistan match and prepare in Sydney for the Sri Lanka match instead.

But while conceding any final decision would rest with the team management and medical staff, Clarke effectively ruled out that scenario by saying he aimed to play every match in the six-week tournament once he was passed fit to return.

“I hope not,” he said when asked if there was a possibility he might sit out a match or two along the way to ensure he was in the best physical shape for the title-decider matches at the business end of the campaign.

“I’ve missed enough cricket over the last six months.

“As soon as I can get back on the park I’m keen to play every game for Australia.

“But again, if I’m told otherwise than that’s what I’ll do but I hope that once I get back on this parkI’ll be given every opportunity to play as much as I can for Australia.

“I’ve got the Australian medical staff here with me (in Adelaide) so they’ll dictate what I’m doing on a daily basis (but) I’ve got time before I’m required to play so I just keep taking each step.”