Chappell queries Clarke's claims to captaincy

Michael Clarke will return to New Zealand in time for Australia's two-match Test series, but his dash across the Tasman to be at the side of his controversy-prone fiancee has prompted Ian Chappell to cast doubts over his suitability as a future Test captain.

The Sydney Morning Herald understands Clarke, who left the Australian squad on the eve of the third one-day international against New Zealand in Hamilton, will rejoin teammates next week. Clarke maintained a low profile upon his arrival in Sydney, while Lara Bingle made known her feelings over the naked photo scandal with a one-fingered salute to camera crews outside the couple's Bondi home.

Cricket Australia declined to comment on Clarke's hasty departure from the New Zealand tour, although sources confirmed the naming of the Test squad, originally slated for yesterday, had been delayed to today due to uncertainty over his availability.

Clarke now seems likely to play the first Test from March 19, but such assurances will do little to placate critics who have long questioned his position as Ricky Ponting's successor.

Ian Chappell, the former Australian captain, expressed concern at Clarke's ''stability and durability'' as a future Test leader, and said the move to rush to Bingle's side mid-tour was ''[not] doing him a lot of good''.

''The first thing you need in an Australian captain is someone who is going to be there all the time,'' Chappell told the Herald. ''In other words, you can't afford to have someone who gets injured a bit, like Michael does, or has other issues that occasionally need to be sorted out.

''I understand that situations can come along where things need to be sorted out domestically but if I was a selector, it would be in the back of my mind. I'd be thinking, 'Well, if we have another candidate the equal to this Michael Clarke, he might be worth looking at'. Stability and durability, to me, are very important factors in an Australian captain. They might not be right at the top of the list but they're right up there.''

Speculation mounted yesterday as to the reasons behind Clarke's sudden departure from Australia's team camp on Monday. His agent, Chris White, commented only that Clarke had returned to Sydney to ''support Lara through this tough time'' amid rumours that the Brendan Fevola photo scandal was not the only controversy engulfing Bingle.

Gossip columns have long linked Bingle to Kings Cross nightclub owner John Ibrahim, while Grazia magazine claimed late last year ''the fairytale romance of Lara Bingle and Michael Clarke is coming to an end'' after they were seen arguing after a match in Brisbane.

A similar story emerged after the pair were witnessed engaging in a tense exchange at the conclusion of a recent one-day international against the West Indies.

Ponting, the Australian captain, said the Australian team would give Clarke ''as much time as he needs'' to sort through his personal issues. ''I can't tell you anything [about the reasons for his departure],'' Ponting said. ''Most of the players either found out last night or this morning. You're always going to miss your vice-captain.

''I haven't heard from him today and don't really expect to. He knows, from all of us within the team, that he has our support. The last thing I said to him before he left was just to take as much time as he needed.''

Clarke's departure prompted selectors to rush Tasmania's George Bailey to New Zealand for the final two limited-overs matches of the Chappell-Hadlee series. It also prompted a 24-hour delay in naming Australia's Test squad, which Chappell hoped would include NSW youngster Steve Smith, whom he described as potentially the most exciting selection gamble since Doug Walters in 1965.

- © Fairfax NZ News