Clarke to test fitness on road to World Cup

SYDNEY: Australia captain Michael Clarke will bat in a local game this weekend as he embarks on a gradual return to competitive cricket in a bid to be fully fit for the World Cup after hamstring surgery.
Cricket Australia said the 33-year-old, who also suffers from a chronic degenerative back condition, would turn out for Sydney’s Western Suburbs on Saturday and Sunday.
Then, if all goes well, for a Cricket Australia XI against a Bangladesh XI on February 5, adding a limited fielding capacity to his batting.
“He remains on track for a return in Australia’s second ICC Cricket World Cup match on 21 February,” a statement said Friday.
“Michael is making good progress following his injury and the subsequent surgery six weeks ago,” said physiotherapist Alex Kountouris.
Clarke had surgery in December after badly tearing his right hamstring during the first Test against India.
That ruled him out of the following three Tests and threatened his involvement in the world one-day tournament which begins on February 14 in Australia and New Zealand.
Kountouris said Clarke was on track to play the second match of Australia’s World Cup campaign against Bangladesh in Brisbane on February 21.