Brisbane, Australia: Michael Clarke still has a chance of playing in the Cricket World Cup following surgery on his right hamstring.
That was about the only good news for Australia on the injury front on Wednesday, when their bowling attack fell apart against India in stifling conditions on day one of the second Test.
All-rounder Mitchell Marsh limped off at the start of the second session with a right hamstring strain, Josh Hazlewood left the field with cramp late on the first day of his Test career, Mitchell Starc struggled with a sore back and ribs, and pace spearhead Mitchell Johnson was bothered by a sore finger on his bowling hand after fielding a ball in the first session.
Coach Darren Lehmann, already dealing with the absence of Clarke and veteran paceman Ryan Harris in Brisbane, relied on 12th man Peter Siddle in the field for most of the day, used a local grade cricketer as a substitute fielder, and said he had 44-year-old spin bowling coach John Davison in uniform ready to go on in case of further injuries.
“Haven’t experienced it as a coach or a player,” Lehmann said of the casualties. “An eventful day. That’s what it is sometimes in cricket. Hopefully it doesn’t happen again.”
Australian team management had physiotherapist Alex Kountouris scheduled to give a formal update on Clarke’s status in a post-play news conference. That turned into a running update of the triage in the dressing room.
Marsh was to have scans on his right hamstring and was expected to be able to bat in the match, but seemingly unlikely to bowl again in Brisbane.
Kountouris said Hazlewood had cramps all over his body and was unable to finish his 16th over, but should recover overnight and be able to bowl on day two.
Starc should also recover overnight and Johnson was yet to be assessed on a finger injury to his left hand.
On Clarke, Kountouris was more positive. The 33-year-old Test skipper had surgery on a tendon in his right hamstring.
“Speaking to the surgeon, everything went really well,” Kountouris said. “He found what he expected to find, there were no surprises, and he’s managed to do a good repair, and from that he’s very confident that Michael is going to make a good recovery.”
Kountouris couldn’t indicate when Clarke would be back, saying “there is no magic number that ends the rehab.”
“Our aim is for him to take part in the World Cup, so that will be the goal,” he said. “He’s had the surgery, he’s going to do the rehab with that intent, and we’ll only know that in the coming weeks when we know how he is recovering.”
Steve Smith has already been promoted to captain for the remainder of the test series against India, leaving Clarke to concentrate on preparing for the home World Cup starting in mid-February.
