By Tony Cozier
Three weeks before the first Test of the home series against West Indies in Brisbane, Australia’s injury list during their current series of seven ODIs in India continues to mount.
But two key players, vice-captain and middle order batsman Michael Clarke and fast bowler Brett Lee, are both expected to overcome their problems to be ready in time for the November 26-30 match.
Clarke, who will miss the entire series in India after coming down with a persistent back strain during the Champions Trophy in South Africa in September, could return to first-class cricket in New South Wales’ next Sheffield Shield match against Tasmania.
Lee, his New South Wales team mate, returned from the India series with an elbow injury but Cricket Australia physiotherapist Alex Kountouris is hopeful he could be back in action as early as next week.
Kountouris said Clarke’s back was responding well to a range of treatments and is “going really well now.”
“Hopefully he will play at least one game for New South Wales before the first Test, maybe two,” he added. “He’s going really well now.”
Kountouris revealed that a team of specialists was working on the 28-year-old to get him right.
“Some are doing strength, some are doing movement, some are doing massage,” he said.
“It normally takes him a few days to get over (the treatment) but this time it has taken longer.”Although Clarke has suffered from the back problem for many years, Kountourist said he did not believe it was getting worse.
Lee has been seen by a specialist and by Cricket Australia medical staff in Melbourne, Kountouris said.
“He had a scan that confirmed the cause of the pain as being a long-standing bone spur near the elbow joint,” he explained.
“It is felt there is no major problem with the joint and we are optimistic that he may be able to resume bowling fairly soon, possibly some time next week.”
In addition to Clarke and Lee, wicket-keeper Tim Paine (fractured finger) and fast bowler Peter Siddle (side strain) have been sent home from India for treatment. All-rounders James Hopes and Moises Henriques injured hamstring muscles during the same series but have remained on.
Brad Haddin, the first choice Test keeper, had an operation on a ring finger in August and has just returned to domestic cricket.
Left-arm swing bowler Nathan Bracken has had arthroscopic surgery in his right knee following the Champions Trophy in South Africa where young batsman Callum Ferguson so seriously injured a knee he will miss the entire 2009-10 season.
Australia play India in the fifth of their seven ODIs in Hyderabad today. The series is level 2-2.