Psychologist to help Clarke shrink his problems

A sports psychologist has flown to Wellington to help Michael Clarke and the Australian team prepare for the first Test against New Zealand.

On the day Clarke broke his 10-day silence via Twitter, Cricket Australia enlisted Ross Chapman to assist the Australian vice-captain and his teammates through the blinding media spotlight that began when he ended his engagement to model Lara Bingle.

One CA official last night said Chapman's arrival in New Zealand had been planned prior to Clarke's split with Bingle, but there is no doubting his brief has changed dramatically in the wake of the past week's media circus. Chapman was unavailable for comment last night.

Clarke has been similarly schtum since his arrival in New Zealand, but last night issued his first public comment since his split with Bingle. ''Great to back with the boys. Just home from a big training session. Thanks to all my followers for your support,'' Clarke posted on his Twitter page.

Chapman was a constant presence around the squad yesterday as Clarke joined teammates for his first training session since his return to the tour. Every player, plus coach Tim Nielsen and Chapman, attended an extended team meeting yesterday that caused a one-hour delay to the team's training session.

Clarke had become a virtual prisoner in his hotel room until security removed Australian TV crews camped in the foyer. He returned to the team fold at an all-in gathering to plan for the first Test and discuss the fall-out from the upheaval in his
personal life. Clarke avoided reporters when he arrived, sneaking from a team mini-bus to the dressing room without commenting.

When a throng of TV cameramen and photographers positioned themselves near the players' race to get footage of him entering the field, he appeared through a back gate, grinning broadly. He struck the ball firmly in the nets before leaving, again without saying a word.

Nielsen claimed the team was well-versed in dealing with intense media scrutiny.

''It's just what we do,'' he said. ''It's not about somebody's personal issues. It's about whether we play well or poorly. That's what is great about this game. That's why the best players and the best people are successful at this level, because they deal with these things and keep playing well. Michael made a personal decision to leave the tour, we supported that and he's back here ready to play.''

Asked if sledging of Clarke about personal issues would cross the boundaries of good taste, Nielsen said: ''You'd have to ask the individual player about that one, but as long as it's not overt and it's not so obvious for the public to see, I'm sure there are a lot of things said out there that nobody knows about. In the end, all sledging is trying to do is get inside your mind. Get you not thinking about cricket.''

New Zealand paceman Chris Martin insisted neither he nor his teammates would sledge Clarke because the Australian vice-captain never does it to anyone else. But Martin could not guarantee the partisan Wellington crowd would exercise such restraint.

''He treats people he plays against with respect and that should be the way he gets treated,'' Martin said. ''That's pretty much how it works.

''I think he'll just come back and play his game, get out on the park and enjoy his cricket. He's going to play his cricket and everyone will treat him the same, so I doubt there will be any problems there. The fans will probably have a ball but that has nothing to do with us.'' '

- © Fairfax NZ News