http://www.senore.com/Cricket/MJ-Clarke-c1978 faces race against time to be fit against England – Cricket news
Australian captain Michael Clarke is facing a race against time to get be fit for his side’s opening Champions Trophy fixture against hosts England, to be played at Edgbaston, Birmingham on Saturday, June 8, 2013.
Clarke is nursing a recurring chronic back injury which flared up late last month soon after his arrival in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750. He was
sent to London earlier this week to be assessed by a specialist and remained there until Thursday.
A decision on Clarke’s availability in the tournament opener is likely to be taken late today.
“We're hoping to make a decision on him reasonably quickly,” the Australia physio http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Alex-Kountouris-c43123 told media reporters ahead of the match against England.
“We are just trying to get him right. He has had this before so we know how it plays out and we know the treatment that he needs to get him right. But being such a short tournament we're racing against time to get him fit,” he added further.
The Australian physio said that although this is an important tournament and they want http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Clarke-c51120 to lead the side from the front, they would not take any risks. Kountouris further said that they will consider the New South Welshman for selection only after
he is pain free, but as of Thursday afternoon the middle order batsman was still experiencing pain.
The physio said that even after Clarke will be pain free, they will put him through a series of tests, including running and batting at full intensity before getting him on the park.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746, bidding for a third straight Champions Trophy title, may not risk playing him in the remainder of the tournament ahead of next month’s first
Ashes Test against England at Trent Bridge, Nottingham.
In the absence of Clarke, T20 skipper http://www.senore.com/Cricket/George-Bailey-c1480 led the side in the warm up fixtures and will in all probability continue with the stand in captain’s role in the tournament fixtures.
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