Australia coach plays down worries over Michael Clarke's back problem
by Andy Wilson
Cricket news, scores and fixtures | Sport | The Guardian
• Darren Lehmann unperturbed by captain's comment
• I don't know when I will be back playing cricket, Clarke said
Darren Lehmann will not panic yet about suggestions Michael Clarke may not have recovered from his latest back problems in time to lead Australia in the first Test of the return Ashes series in Brisbane next month.
Clarke, who has tended to talk down his chronic back complaint whenever it has become an issue, was unusually downbeat at a media function in Sydney on Thursday, admitting: "I don't know when I'll be back playing cricket."
But Lehmann, while unable to provide any firm guarantees of Clarke's fitness for the Gabba, put the comments into perspective. "It's a long way off," said Australia's coach – the first Test does not start until 21 November. "Hopefully with all the medicos behind him ... he should be fine."
The recent history of Clarke's back troubles underlines the threat. After he was forced to fly home from Australia's disastrous Test tour of India in March, he did not play again until the first four-day match of their Ashes tour in late June, having been ruled out of the Champions Trophy – although that was down to a recurrence suffered after the Australians had arrived in England.
This time he has been ruled out of a seven-match one-day series in India for which Lehmann and the team fly out later this week. George Bailey will assume the captaincy, as he did in the Champions Trophy, and he has been told by Australia's selectors that good performances on the tour will boost his prospects of earning a place in the middle order for the Ashes.
Clarke will be anxious to return in time to play some first-class cricket for New South Wales in the build-up to the first Test, having stressed the importance for Australia's batsmen of building form in the Sheffield Shield.
Australia's bowling options have suffered one further blow with confirmation that James Pattinson, who was the first of several seamers forced to leave the Ashes tour early – with back problems after the second Test defeat at Lord's – will not be fit for the start of the series. Pattinson has also admitted that he may struggle to make the second Test in Adelaide in early December and although he remains hopeful of being in contention for the third Test in Perth, there must be a danger that he will struggle to force his way back into the team for the whole series.
Michael Clarke
Darren Lehmann
Australia cricket team
Ashes 2013-14
The Ashes
England cricket team
Australia sport
Cricket
Andy Wilson
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