Melbourne Stars court Clarke for Big Bash role

Australia captain Michael Clarke is being courted by the Melbourne Stars, club president Eddie McGuire has confirmed, while the Stars have not given up on re-signing Cameron White.

Clarke signed with the Sydney Thunder in 2012 but never played a game and cut ties last year to focus on international cricket.

He has yet to make an appearance in any KFC T20 Big Bash League game, and Sydney Thunder GM Nick Cummins admitted last year signing the Australia captain was a mistake from an on-field perspective.

McGuire confirmed on Triple M's Hot Breakfast that he was in discussions with the Australia captain but things were on hold during Australia's Cricket World Cup campaign.

"I've spoken to Michael, he's a friend of mine," said McGuire.

"We'll have further discussions once the World Cup is out of the way. That's where it is at the moment.

"I'm hopeful. He hasn't played Twenty20 Big Bash at all, he pushed that aside so he could concentrate on one-day internationals and his Test career.

"He's never played in the IPL for that reason, because he wanted to keep his body as good as it possibly could be.

"So let's see what happens after the World Cup. And if he does, I think he would be a very appropriate person to be at the Stars.

"He's the biggest star in Australian cricket and I'd love to see him alongside Kevin Pietersen."

Clarke, in fact, did make a limited appearance in the IPL in 2012, playing six matches for Pune Warriors.

But the 34-year-old has regularly turned down the riches of the Twenty20 game to focus on the Test and ODI formats, and he stepped down as Australia's Twenty20 captain over four years ago.  

McGuire added negotiations on a new contract for incumbent Stars captain White had stalled while the club searched for a new coach.

Former Black Caps skipper and Chennai Super Kings coach Stephen Fleming was named coach for the green half of Melbourne last month.

"We've been talking to his (White's) manager, his manager wanted to wait until a decision had been made on the coach, the coach has now been appointed – Stephen Fleming – so discussions will continue," McGuire said.

"I understand the Renegades, from the other side of town, are into him and others as well.

"He's a great player, but now we've got a coach in place we can move forward with all those decisions."