Stuart Clark out of Champions Trophy

Stuart Clark, the Australian fast bowler, will not figure in Australia's campaign for the Champions Trophy. Cricket Australia announced that Clark had sustained a thigh injury while playing club cricket at home.

Clark suffered a tear in his left quadriceps and will take at least four to six weeks to recover, according to Alex Kountouris, the Australian team physio. "The decision was made for him to stay in Australia and undergo treatment to maximise his chances of a full recovery before the Ashes series," said Kountouris. The selection panel is yet to decide on a replacement.

Clark was obviously disappointed to miss out on a major one-day tournament involving all the Test-playing countries and said that all he could do was look forward to a full rehabilitation. "I am confident that I will be back playing as soon as is possible and will be doing everything in my power to ensure that I'm fully fit ahead of the Ashes series," he said.

Meanwhile Ricky Ponting, the Australian captain, felt that the team had all the bases covered for the Champions Trophy. "We have been knocked out in the semi-final in the last two Champions Trophies, but we definitely have the squad and the players to challenge seriously this year," Ponting told AFP. "We've played some good cricket in Indian conditions before so we can go there now with confidence."

Australia will have the services of young talent like Shane Watson and Mitchell Johnson for the tournament. In the DLF Cup in Malaysia, Australia's last one-day tournament, Watson opened the batting in two matches, scoring a 79-ball 74 against India in a match that eventually got washed out. Apart from that he bagged seven wickets from four games at an average of 16.42.

Ponting said that the experimentation with the batting-order had been successful. "It's been a really good exercise. Having had a look at a few extra players in different roles, we have lots of different bases covered.

"We've got a pretty good structure in place and if each guy looks after themselves and keeps trying to make themselves better day in and day out, then we will go a long way in the Champions Trophy."

Glen McGrath, Australia's key bowler for many years, coming back from a long lay-off to be with his recuperating wife, had a poor outing in Malaysia, getting one wicket from four games. Yet he felt that he was heading in the right direction. "India is probably the toughest conditions for a fast bowler," he said. "The wickets are pretty flat over there and the conditions are reasonably pleasant to bowl in."

Australia play their first game of the Champions Trophy on October 18 in Mumbai against one of the two qualifiers from the preliminary round