HARARE // Australia captain Michael Clarke will return to action for Sunday’s triangular series match against hosts Zimbabwe after recovering from a hamstring strain, Cricket Australia said.
Clarke will bat at No 3 as Steve Smith sits out, with Phil Hughes retained as opener. Clarke said that Smith would feel hurt by his omission.
“He hasn’t had much of an opportunity in this series batting at six and seven, but he was picked in the [tournament’s] first squad as well, so he will obviously be very disappointed,” Clarke said on Saturday.
“But I got back in the team and someone had to go.”
Mitchell Marsh will drop down the batting order to six but will probably get a chance to bowl with the new ball, because Mitchell Johnson is being rested.
All-rounder Ben Cutting, who played the last of his three ODIs more than 18 months ago, will play his first match of the series at the expense of Kane Richardson.
Nathan Lyon, who missed Wednesday's seven-wicket loss to South Africa, was recalled for the match that will take place on spin-friendly conditions at the Harare Sports Club.
Clarke suffered a hamstring strain during his first training session in Zimbabwe last week and missed the 198-run victory over the hosts on Monday and the loss to South Africa in the opening encounters of the triangular series.
Clarke, 33, who is desperate to return to competitive cricket after a four-month break, endured intensive physiotherapy to regain match fitness.
Zimbabwe must win the game to have a realistic chance of making the final, after both Australia and South Africa recorded bonus-point wins against them in the first round of matches.
Although the hosts have, on occasions, held their own with the ball – Prosper Utseya's hat-trick against South Africa on Friday being their most obvious highlight – their batsmen have failed to compete with the high-level opposition.
Zimbabwe have crossed 200 once in their last six ODI innings, and they were bowled out for 152 in the first game against Australia.
“It comes down to being ruthless,” captain Elton Chigumbura said. “Once you get yourself in, you must take the team through.
“We are having guys with good starts, but they are not following up. That’s the major thing that we need to address.”
Wicketkeeper-batsman Richmond Mutumbami on Friday was ruled out of the remainder of the series after he suffered a fractured arm while batting in the nets, so Brendan Taylor will keep the gloves.
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