Captain Clarke returns for Australia tour match

(Reuters) – Australia captain Michael Clarke will make his return from injury in the tour match against Somerset starting on Wednesday, the BBC reported yesterday.

Clarke missed the final test against India this year and the entire Champions Trophy with a back injury, sparking oncerns he would not be fit for the first Ashes test against England starting at Trent Bridge on July 10.

Clarke’s return will be a welcome boost for the beleaguered Australians who sacked their coach Mickey Arthur on Monday and failed to reach the Champions Trophy sem-finals.

Batsman David Warner was suspended until the first test after punching England batsman Joe Root during a night out in a Birmingham bar.

Australia team – Ed Cowan, Shane Watson, Usman Khawaja, Phillip Hughes, Michael Clarke, Brad Haddin, James Faulkner, Peter Siddle, Nathan Lyon, James Pattinson and Mitchell Starc.