Cracks showing long before Bingle debacle

Lara Bingle

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Lara Bingle and Michael Clarke

Michael Clarke quits cricket tour

Australian cricketers and their WAGs

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Haley Bracken, wife of Nathan Bracken, arrives for Cricket Australia's gala event, the presentation of the Allan Border Medal, in Melbourne.

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When Michael Clarke appeared for his final press conference as Twenty20 captain before Ricky Ponting arrived for the serious part of the tour, he sat down and declared: ''Ricky can have this back.''

The message was clear.

Clarke was tiring of the off-field commitments tied to the Australian captaincy even before the drama surrounding his fiance, Lara Bingle, became common knowledge. Clarke had already been in serious talks with Cricket Australia boss James Sutherland at a Wellington hotel. They were unlikely to have been discussing the weather.

Clarke's decision to leave New Zealand was in the wind for at least 48 hours before he packed his bags. Flying home to confront relationship issues with his fiancee was not as last-minute as portrayed.

CA knew of potential trouble in paradise a week ago and now, according to Cricket Australia operations manager Michael Brown, Ponting has decided he only wants Clarke back if his personal problems surrounding Bingle and the worth of their engagement have been resolved.

''He's only just arrived home, we'll give him time to make the right decisions,'' Brown said. ''There is no point in forcing any player to go back into a cricket team when he's not comfortable because the team won't be comfortable to have him. That's the message the captain has given me. He wants Michael back 100 percent committed to cricket.''

Brown fell short of officially endorsing Clarke as Ponting's successor. Here's why. The supremely gifted and resilient Ponting might play so long that Clarke is never offered the job. Ponting wants to continue playing until the 2013 Ashes by which time Clarke will be too old to take the reins.

''He'll continue to be vice-captain into the future,'' Brown said.

''It'd be a very brave man to determine when Ricky Ponting finishes.''

Was that hope in his voice? Asked during a press conference at the SCG if Cricket Australia could do without Bingle, Brown replied: ''That's a question for Michael and Lara.''

Clarke's stint as T20 captain ended before Bingle started making unwanted headlines. If the drama had erupted before Ponting got to New Zealand, Clarke would have been unable to hide, forced to talk to reporters as part of ICC requirements for skippers. Untenable. His return to New Zealand is imminent after he joined Steven Smith, Phillip Hughes and Ryan Harris as the most notable inclusions in the Australian squad named yesterday for the two-Test series beginning on March 19.

Smith's bowling has grown wings since a net session with Shane Warne during the Boxing Day test and Warne's mentor, Terry Jenner, believes Smith should be given a debut at Wellington next week because the Kiwis are famously inept at batting against quality leg-spin.

''Warney used to have a field day against the Kiwis - they cannot play leg-spin,'' Jenner told the Sydney Morning Herald from Mumbai. ''As long as they don't expect miracles from the kid, they should throw him in. If you were going to pick any team in the world for him to play against, New Zealand might be it. They've never been any good against leg-spin.''

Since working with Warne in the nets in Melbourne, Smith's Sheffield Shield bowling average has halved. He needs to edge Marcus North out of the Australian side to receive a baggy green cap at the Basin Reserve in Wellington.

Jenner's view of the Kiwis' weakness was backed up by statistics. Warne took 103 wickets in just 20 Tests against the Kiwis at an average of 24.37. In his first match against them at Christchurch in 1993, he took 7-86. The biggest series for Australia this year is the Ashes and England have a similarly poor track record against wrist spinners.

Hughes's selection meant that in the event of injury to any member of the top order, Shane Watson would most likely shift down the order and Hughes would open.

Harris said his inclusion was a dream come true. The paceman already has the number 169 tattooed on his left arm to commemorate the number of his one-day international cap. He might be getting 413 inked as well if he beats Clint McKay to the fast-bowling berth vacated by the injured Peter Siddle.

The fourth one-day match will be played today at Eden Park.

Australia's test squad: R Ponting (c), M Clarke, D Bollinger, B Haddin, N Hauritz, R Harris, P Hughes, M Hussey, M Johnson, S Katich, C McKay, M North, S Smith, S Watson.

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