`Pup’ Clarke in doubt for first Oz-Windies Test
November 5th, 2009 - 12:39 pm ICT by ANISydney, Nov.5 (ANI): Australian vice-captain Michael Clarke’s back injury is healing slowly and there is a doubt over him taking his appointed place in the national squad for the first test against the West Indies, which starts from November 26.
Australia’s team physiotherapist Alex Kountouris last night could not guarantee he would be fit for the first Test.
‘He gets back soreness that usually only takes him two or three days to get over. That is what has made this one unusual. It didn’t come right so quickly. He’s not doing anything too elaborate right now. He’s running again, which is a good sign. He still has 20 or so days before the Test, but I can’t say anything is certain,’ The Age quoted Kountouris, as saying.
Clarke’s last innings for Australia was in a one-dayer against England in September. If he’s forced out of the shield game for NSW starting in 12 days, he will need to take on the Windies without having played a first-class innings for more than three months.
Siddle is among four injured players sent home from India, joining vice-captain Clarke, pacer Nathan Bracken (knee) and young batsman Callum Ferguson (knee) on the sidelines.
Wicketkeeper Tim Paine busted a finger and all-rounder Moses Henriques has been brought down by a hamstring.
Australian Cricketers’ Association chief executive Paul Marsh said the alarming body count should serve as a wake-up call to the cricket officials who are drawing up a Future Tours Program to replace the existing one from 2012.
‘If you ever needed evidence of the impact of such an enormous workload, we’re seeing it now,’ Marsh said.
Australia’s program is particularly gruelling this year because the Champions Trophy and a limited-overs tour of Pakistan were deferred until 2009 for security reasons.
Australia will have played a record 40 ODIs in the calendar year, as well as 13 Tests and a World Twenty20 championship.
Marsh said the national teams’ performances would suffer unless there was a substantial reduction in the amount of cricket. Player representatives recently implored the ICC to address these concerns or risk more players retiring from Test cricket to focus on the shorter forms. (ANI)
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- Harris returns to Australia Test squad - Dec 30, 2011
- Ashes: NSW's Usman Khawaja called in as cover for injured Clarke - Nov 22, 2010
- Harris, Starc dropped from Windies tour, Haddin recalled - Feb 29, 2012
- Australia name unchanged XI for second Test - Jan 02, 2012
- Ponting hindering renewal of Oz team by not giving up skipper's job: Chappell - Dec 30, 2010
- Oz cricket greats back Clarke as Ponting successor - Nov 05, 2010
- We can chase anything under 300, says Sehwag - Dec 28, 2011
- Rookie Victorian spinner included in Oz squad for ODI tour of India - Oct 09, 2009
- Ferguson has all the ammo to make a very good captain, says Border - Oct 25, 2010
- Oz all-rounder Henriques also ruled out of fifth ODI - Nov 04, 2009
- Clarke quits T20 cricket to focus on Tests - Jan 07, 2011
- Clarke owns up responsibility for Australia's 2-0 whitewash in India - Oct 17, 2010
- Ferguson banking on good CLT20 show to earn recall in Australian team - Sep 17, 2011
Tags: australian cricketers association, back injury, batsman, body count, callum, captain clarke, captain michael, champions trophy, dayer, enormous workload, future tours, henriques, michael clarke, nathan bracken, odis, paul marsh, sydney nov, team physiotherapist, tim paine, vice captain
