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Craig HillMichael Clarke Fit To Play
January 15th 2009 08:47
Despite some ongoing soreness, Australian vice-captain Michael Clarke has passed a fitness test on his injured thumb and will line up in the opening match in the ODI Commonwealth Bank Series against South Africa at the MCG on Friday night.
Twenty20 sensation David Warner, who had been placed on standby for Clarke, has been released from the Australian squad and was expected to return to Sydney on Thursday afternoon.
Queensland quick Ryan Harris has been left out of the 12 named for Friday night's match, with the make-up of the final 11 to be determined, according to skipper Ricky Ponting, by the conditions.
Clarke underwent a 30-minute test at the MCG on Thursday morning before joining his team mates in the nets.
"He'll be fine to play," said Ponting. "He's completed all his training well today."
"He's still got a bit of discomfort in his thumb but he's had that from the start of the Perth Test match and got through really well."
"It's good signs for us that he's fit for selection."
Ponting said he could feel the momentum building for Australia through the Test win in Sydney followed by successive Twenty20 victories over South Africa coming off the Test series loss to the tourists.
He said he didn't expect the Australians would have too much trouble adjusting to the ODI series in the wake of the back-to-back Twenty20s.
But he agreed that Twenty20 cricket will have a growing influence generally on the way the 50-over game is played.
Ponting said the Australians will need to be at their best to take out the Commonwealth Bank Series but he believes the squad is talented enough in the absence of injured regulars such as Andrew Symonds, Shane Watson and Brett Lee, to perform well.
"The energy and enthusiasm of some of the young guys around out squad has been terrific," Ponting said.
"We've got a very flexible squad, a lot of versatility around our group at the moment which is a massive bonus for 50-over cricket."
"Everything's heading in the right direction as far as our 50-over cricket is concerned."
Twenty20 sensation David Warner, who had been placed on standby for Clarke, has been released from the Australian squad and was expected to return to Sydney on Thursday afternoon.
Queensland quick Ryan Harris has been left out of the 12 named for Friday night's match, with the make-up of the final 11 to be determined, according to skipper Ricky Ponting, by the conditions.
Clarke underwent a 30-minute test at the MCG on Thursday morning before joining his team mates in the nets.
"He'll be fine to play," said Ponting. "He's completed all his training well today."
"He's still got a bit of discomfort in his thumb but he's had that from the start of the Perth Test match and got through really well."
"It's good signs for us that he's fit for selection."
Ponting said he could feel the momentum building for Australia through the Test win in Sydney followed by successive Twenty20 victories over South Africa coming off the Test series loss to the tourists.
He said he didn't expect the Australians would have too much trouble adjusting to the ODI series in the wake of the back-to-back Twenty20s.
But he agreed that Twenty20 cricket will have a growing influence generally on the way the 50-over game is played.
Ponting said the Australians will need to be at their best to take out the Commonwealth Bank Series but he believes the squad is talented enough in the absence of injured regulars such as Andrew Symonds, Shane Watson and Brett Lee, to perform well.
"The energy and enthusiasm of some of the young guys around out squad has been terrific," Ponting said.
"We've got a very flexible squad, a lot of versatility around our group at the moment which is a massive bonus for 50-over cricket."
"Everything's heading in the right direction as far as our 50-over cricket is concerned."
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