We’ll give the skipper as long as possible says Mickey Arthur – Cricket News Update
Despite injury cloud hanging over Michael http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758.
Clarke’s fitness remains the only major concern for the Aussie camp, at least for now, after they confirmed the inclusion of fast bowler http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Jackson-Munro-Bird-c65187 in the playing line-up, while further revealing their decision to omit Mitchell Starc.
The skipper hobbled off the field in the middle of what should have been a record-breaking century on day 4 of the opening Test. Having amassed 57, Clarke was 55 short of matching http://www.senore.com/Cricket/RT-Ponting-c2377’s feat of over 1500 runs in a calendar year, but a hamstring strain while running ended such hopes, albeit for the time being.
However, with him struggling to recover in time, it puts added pressure on the management in terms of not only naming a successor, but a player who could emulate his batting prowess. Arthur nonetheless, revealed that the skipper has made serious progress over the past week, and has returned to the nets, where he has been under the supervision of batting Coach, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Alex-Kountouris-c43123.
Clarke further faced the likes of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Nathan-Michael-Lyon-c78822 in the nets, along with some light running. A clearer picture however, will only come on the morning the match.
"We'll give the skipper as long as possible," Arthur said. "That might only be on the morning of the game. But we'll give him right until the very last before we make that call.
"I'd love http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Mitchell-Aaron-Starc-c76392 decision, of the amount of important cricket that we've got coming up. We've got to be intelligent with the decision we make. But if I was a betting man I'd bet on Michael Clarke leading the team out on Boxing Day."
If unfit, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Usman-Khawaja-c2729 in his absence.
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