With Michael Clarke fit to play in first Gabba Test, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 prepares for Ashes
Australian vice-Capitan Michael http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Clarke-c51120 is considered fit to play in the opening Ashes Test at the Gabba in Brisbane this Thursday. Clarke attended sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday after recovering from a reoccurring back injury.
Australian captain Ricky Ponting said that he is confident that Clarke will perform well in the opening test, “Michael Clarke has got through his work particularly well the last couple of days and had a long, solid bat in the nets," he told the press.
Meanwhile Pakistani born Batsman http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Usman-Khawaja-c2729 loses his chance to debut internationally, and paceman Peter Siddle has been chosen over Doug Bollinger, who is nursing a side injury.
The 23-year-old Khawaja has been on standby since Clarke went to the hospital with a reoccurring back condition, which resurfaced 10 days ago while he was batting for http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-South-Wales-c823.
Ponting says he believes he made the right choice in letting Clarke back into the game, and says the player has been in good form since his return, "I wouldn't have thought there would be a risk involved,” he told BBC Sport. "It's a big game for us at
the start of the series, and you don't want to go with a cloud hanging over anybody.
According to Ponting, proper preparation is key, "That was why he was asked to do as much batting as he did yesterday, and again today," he said. "We couldn't afford to leave any stone unturned as far as preparation is concerned."
Clarke has a chronic back problem that has resurfaced on several occasions, but never to the point where he has been unable to play. "He has had injections. He had injections a little while ago, I think, almost immediately after the Shield game when he pulled
up sore," Ponting said. The Aussie captain noted that, "His history is that he's had these type of back complaints for most of his career."
According to the captain, Clarke usually gets through his games and then spends some time recovering when he feels pain in his back, but Ponting still believes that Clarke in fit enough to play, "I'm not sure what the long-term prognosis for this one is.
All I know he's ready to go for this game."
Ponting told the press that he left out Bollinger because of a “lack of bowling” but the player’s side injury is also a likely factor.
The Australia team is practically the same as it was in 2009 with the exception of Xavier Doherty, and Ponting is convinced that he has a winning combination. "We think this attack is good enough to take 20 wickets at the Gabba."
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