Tour match Clarke's only chance for Test

Cricket Australia was tonight standing firm in its view that captain Michael Clarke will need to play in a two-day tour match starting in Adelaide on Friday in order to prove his fitness for the first Test against India.

Clarke is racing the clock to be ready for the summer’s opening Commonwealth Bank Test starting at the Gabba on December 4 after suffering a recurrence of an injury to his left hamstring more than a week ago.

Having been ruled out of Sydney grade cricket last weekend and the round of Bupa Sheffield Shield matches beginning tomorrow, National Selection Panel Chair Rod Marsh announced today that Clarke would need to play in the upcoming tour game against India to show the injury could withstand the rigours of a Test.

Marsh also added that Clarke would need to resume running by Wednesday or the selectors would “safely assume he won’t be playing in the Test match”.

“My gut feeling all along was that he (Clarke) would be fit for the Test match, but now he’s got to play the two-day game here (against India starting Friday) for him to prove his fitness and I think that’s really important,” Marsh said in Adelaide this morning.

“Because with his recent history we can’t have him breaking down in the first innings of a Test match.

“I think we all realise that.”

Marsh’s comments were echoed by fellow selector Mark Waugh, who told a media conference in Sydney that the panel believed Clarke needed to play two days of consecutive cricket to prove that he was right to tackle a five-day Test.

When asked if – as Clarke had indicated – the captain would be able to play for his grade club in Sydney on Saturday if he was unavailable for the tour match in Adelaide, Waugh replied: "I wouldn't have thought so. No, I don't think so."

Earlier, Clarke told reporters he had consulted with team physiotherapist Alex Kountouris who had ruled him out of the tour match due to injury but indicated he would be available to turn out for Western Districts on the second day of their current two-day match against Parramatta on Saturday.

A statement released by Cricket Australia tonight reiterated the statements from Marsh and Waugh that the skipper would need to play for the Cricket Australia XI in Adelaide provided his recovery has reached a stage where he is able to run without restriction.

Should he be unable to meet that requirement he will be ruled out of all cricket for the coming week and the first of the four Test matches against India.

“CA’s position has not changed since our announcement of the Test squad this morning,” the statement said.

“That is, Michael is to continue undergoing daily treatment for his injured hamstring as well as his ongoing back condition, with the aim of increasing his running over the coming days.

“He is the Australian captain and one of the best batsmen in the world.

“We obviously want to do all we can to ensure he recovers from his injury with the aim of getting him ready to play for Australia as soon as possible.

“Should he be in a position to really progress his running in the coming days, our desire is that he plays for the CA XI in the two-day tour match against India at the Adelaide Oval this Friday.

“Accordingly, a final decision on his fitness has not yet been determined and he has not yet been ruled out of the tour match by the CA medical team.

“Should Michael play the tour match and recover well, the selectors have said he will take his place in the Test side.

“If he is not able to get up for the CA XI game, and given his history with this recurring injury, he will be ruled out of any cricket this week and the First Test and our focus will shift to getting him fit to play the second Test in Adelaide commencing on Friday 12 December.”

Clarke has been undergoing a detailed daily rehabilitation program in consultation with Kountouris, and told reporters it was on advice from the Bupa Support Team physiotherapist that he was not available for the tour match in Adelaide.

“I've been pulled out of, or passed unfit to play the game in Adelaide,” Clarke said at a sponsor event in Sydney this afternoon.

“Alex Kountouris and the medical team have ruled me out of that.

“My goal is to get myself fit to play (and) the next game I can be fit for is grade cricket (next Saturday).

“Ideally, if I can tick all the boxes along the way and make myself available then it's up to the selectors on what they do.

“Even if I play on Saturday there's still a long break (before the Test starts on December 4) there to recover and get myself right.

“My goal is to do everything I can to meet requirements from the Australian medical team.

“Alex has made it clear that extra time isn't going to help me.

“My focus is listening to the experts as I have done for ten and half years (as an Australian player).

“I don't think I've ever walked onto a field not being fit to perform, and there’s no way I will take that field for Australia if I will let anybody down.”

The Australian Test squad, which was named today including Clarke subject to proving his fitness, will assemble in Brisbane on Sunday to prepare for the start of the four-Test Commonwealth Bank Series against India.

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