Yes, no. Wait! The Michael Clarke hamstring saga took another ungainly twist on Monday, ending with his hopes of playing the first Test seemingly dashed.
Clarke was included in Australia’s 12-man squad for the opening match of the four-Test series against India, which starts in Brisbane on Thursday week.
To stay in the squad, chief selector Rod Marsh noted the captain must be ready to go for a tour match starting in Adelaide on Friday.
“He’s got to play the two-day game here for him to prove his fitness,” Marsh said of Clarke, recovering from a third hamstring setback since August.
“That’s really important.”
Approximately six hours later, Clarke confirmed he would not be ready on Friday.
“The medical team in the Australian cricket team have ruled me out of that game,” he told reporters at a promotional event in Sydney.
But the 33-year-old, yet to miss a Test on home soil because of his chronic back problem, would not yield.
Clarke remains determined to play with club side Western Suburbs on the weekend, viewing it as a chance to show he is right for December 4.
“The next game that I am available for, if I can be fit, is grade cricket on Saturday,” he said.
“Hopefully I can make myself available then it is completely up to the selectors to work out what to do.”
That match is the subject of a Cricket NSW investigation, with Wests having declared at 0-17 to give Clarke a better chance of batting on Saturday.
“I don’t really know the full extent of where that’s at and how that happened, all I know is that the (Wests) captain there better be careful. That looks like match-fixing to me,” said Brad Haddin, the man set to captain Australia next week if Clarke does not play.
Clarke added he was running at “about 50 per cent” on Monday.
“I had my first run today, and touch wood, I’m feeling pretty good,” he said.
Cricket Australia high performance chief Pat Howard suggested last week his organisation would look at the “long-term and medium-term picture” in terms of Clarke’s rehabilitation, mindful of next year’s World Cup and Ashes series.
Marsh agreed CA’s medical team may be more cautious than usual given the recurring nature of the injury.
“Given what’s coming up I think the medicos may go down that route – that’s their area. I wouldn’t be at all surprised,” he said.
“With his recent history, we can’t have him breaking down in the first innings of a Test match.”
Clarke suggested once he was fully fit, the risk of damaging his hamstring would not change “whether I play then, wait a week, wait a month, or wait six months”.
“So my focus is listening to the experts,” he said.
“Over the last 10, 12 years I’ve been playing for Australia, I don’t think I’ve ever walked onto a field not being 100 per cent fit to perform.
“I would hope with my experience that the selectors, my teammates, Cricket Australia staff (all) respect my opinion.”
There were few surprises in the squad announced on Monday, with Shane Watson and potential debutant Josh Hazlewood added to the XI that lost to Pakistan in Abu Dhabi.
Watson is set to replace Glenn Maxwell at No.3, while Mitchell Starc has been squeezed out of Australia’s pace attack.
Bearfax
Guest
As an admirer of Phil Hughes i just want to say on this very dark day for him and his family, that I pray for his recovery and pass on my full sympathy for his family. What a dreadful accident to occur. And accident it was. Young Abbot should not take on the responsibility for the incident. Certainly there should be an examination of the helmets which should have been designed to protect the vulnerable area where he was struck, but hopefully common sense will prevail and that will be addressed post haste. But whether you are an admirer of Hughes like I am, or just a casual observer, I am sure that you would all wish and hope Hughes will recover physically and psychologically from such a life threatening accident . I'm not a religious person Phil, but my thoughts and hopes are with you
Johnny Spina
Guest
Bob, Hughes has made 23 runs at present That is enough to be selected as Clarkes replacement Burns, Ferguson and Kawaja could all get triple centuries and be knocked back\ same old BS from the aussie selectors Pathetic!
Bob Sims
Guest
Well, what I'm hearing is that he's definitely out. But what I'm also hearing is that they're considering Shaun Marsh as his replacement. Shaun Marsh???? What about Hughes, Ferguson, Burns? When do we get the news? Will they wait until this Shield round is over? If so, why couldn't they have waited that long to choose the whole squad?
Bob Sims
Guest
Is that definite - or only definite maybe perhaps?
Johnny Spina
Guest
Another good call on Watson! Put the guy out to pasture
Johnny Spina
Guest
The dirty mungrel has now been ruled out of the first test!!! Who will the selectors choose instead? I am guessing Hughes even if say Burns made a double century They had a hard on for that bloke
Gremlins
Guest
I'm beginning to mix up Clarke and James Hird. Has one of them been cloned? I'd like a breather between the footy and cricket seasons, please.
Johnny Spina
Guest
Good call Bob! The guy will get out for cheap anyways with his bad back and torn hamstringers Bin him! Move on! Look to the future not some selfish, beaten up, snobby, rude, arrogant, sly, conniving, scheming, wild-child, chunky yet belligerent player!! Go Aussies!
Bob Sims
Guest
Interesting! I'd go Hughes but would be happy with either of the other two. I'd bat him at #3 and push Watson, who shouldn't be there anyway, down a spot. All this talk about Hughes being an opener only is bullshit and just another smokescreen to keep him out of the side - precious little difference between opening and batting at #3 most of the time anyway.
Bob Sims
Guest
Nailed it, Don! Just tell him he's out and let's move on. Not fit by Friday but OK to play on Saturday reads to me like Clarke and Kontouris realise that a flight to Adelaide closely followed by a flight to Brisbane will do his back no good at all. If it's that dodgy he should be out, plain and simple. If Clarke's main stated aim is true, to lead Australia to the World Cup and then on to the Ashes, then just have the guts to sit out the entire series if that proves necessary. Anyone with just a modicum of medical knowledge will know that a problem such as Clarke has, needs time to get better every time it recurs, and regardless, is slowly deteriorating. I wonder if Clarke realises that he is losing the support of the very people who put him on his pedestal, with these crazy, selfish antics.
Bearfax
Guest
P.J. Hughes....yeh. But I'd be OK with Burns but definitely not Ferguson, yet another 30 something sub 40 average batsman...havent we learned yet.
Bearfax
Guest
That's all the batsmen we'll have ak the way the selectors are going. Warner, Rogers, Smith....
Johnny Spina
Guest
Great to see that everyone else is sick of hearing about Clarke and his nancy boy antics Make him sit out!! Get Freguson or Burns in the side and get rid of the whinge machine Clarke Who are you all predicting to take his spot? Please dont say P.J. Hughes
Don
Roar Rookie
FFS! Just make Clarke sit out the first test and be done with it. I think his ego may be playing a part in this and he wants to exert some of his influence that seems to have diminished over the past year. He can't play a CA tour match on Friday but can play a club game on Saturday? Is it the couple of hours on a plane that makes the difference? It has the aroma of someone who will not be told what he needs to do... I like Clarke as a player and respect him as a captain but seriously, his hammy is dodgy and there are bigger goals than beating India ahead of us over the next year that we need him fit for. They should have just ruled him out and everyone could be singing the same song publicly.
Shortfineleg
Guest
Just when exactly did Australian test cricket become Clarke's private fiefdom?
Shortfineleg
Guest
Emperor Clarke has got himself ruled out of the tour match and will have a stroll in grade cricket Saturday to prove his fitness. Denying the wishes of selectors. It's all about Clarkey. Meanwhile, Harris volunteers to do the right thing.
Johnnyball
Guest
Get rid of this drama queen! Team far better settled without him
dingleberry
Guest
“I don’t really know the full extent of where that’s at and how that happened, all I know is that the (Wests) captain there better be careful. That looks like match-fixing to me,” said Brad Haddin Glad someone has said it.
Justin3
Guest
Appears a fallout between Clarke and the selectors sure to the Pakistan series. That's what happens when maxwell bats 3 in a test!
ak
Roar Guru
Clarke can afford to rest for the entire series. The opposition is such that only 3 to 4 batsmen are more than enough.