Clarke 50-50, Starc to sit out

Australia’s Chairman of selectors John Inverarity, has declared Michael Clarke only had a 50-50 chance of playing the Boxing Day Test and said Mitchell Starc was almost certain to be rested due to his heavy workload.

On Sunday, Clarke jogged at half pace on the MCG under the watchful eye of the team physio Alex Kountouris, as he continued his recovery from the hamstring injury that forced him to retire hurt while batting during Australia’s win over Sri Lanka in Hobart.

Clarke did not bat at training on Sunday and had his troublesome muscle, strapped with an ice-pack while his team-mates worked in the nets in Melbourne’s extreme heat.

He took part in long discussions with Inverarity and the Coach Mickey Arthur, and while Clarke remains in contention to lead the side on Boxing Day, Inverarity said a conservative approach would be taken regarding Clarke’s fitness.

Shane Watson will Captain Australia if Clarke is ruled out, and he would become the 44 man to lead Australia in a Test. It is an elite group that does not include some of Australia’s greats Victor Trumper and Shane Warne, to name just two men who did not captain Australia in Tests.  

And Watson said he had learnt plenty about leadership while filling in for Clarke during eight one-day internationals earlier this year.

Should Starc sit out, that would mean a Test debut for the Tasmania fast bowler Jackson Bird, who would join Peter Siddle, Mitchell Johnson and Nathan Lyon in the attack.

The backup batsman in the squad, Usman Khawaja, batted in the nets on Sunday and even sent down a few off spinners, preparing for what will be his first Test in more than a year, if Clarke is ruled out.