Australia in India 2008-09

Clarke gets bowling tips from Warne

Brydon Coverdale in Darwin

September 6, 2008

	Michael Clarke has asked Shane Warne to help him with his bowling ahead of the India tour © Getty Images

Michael Clarke has enlisted the help of Shane Warne as he aims to take on some serious bowling responsibilities on the upcoming Test tour of India. Clarke's left-arm spin has always been useful and he picked up 6 for 9 in Mumbai on his first Test tour to India in 2004-05 as well as winning January's Sydney Test against India with three late wickets.

Australia are still uncertain on their slow-bowling attack for the four India Tests following the retirements of Stuart MacGill and Brad Hogg. Beau Casson and Bryce McGain are in the frame but both suffered niggling injuries in this week's Australia A match in Bangalore. In any case, both men are inexperienced at international level and Clarke knows his part-timers could be especially important on this tour.

"I spent four days in Melbourne with Warney before coming here," Clarke said after Australia wrapped up a 3-0 series win over Bangladesh in Darwin. "[We] did a lot of talking and going through a few field placements for my type of bowling, which I found really helpful.

"I'll be on the phone with him continuously and then I'll be trying to to prepare to bowl a few overs. I hope I do get a bowl [in India]. I see my part-timers as having some sort of role to play over there."

Clarke's spin could be even more valuable if his fellow part-timer Andrew Symonds does not make the trip. Although back problems limit the amount of serious bowling Clarke can do in the nets, he said the complaint had not been a major issue in recent months and he expected to send down plenty of overs in the Tests.

"I've always been serious about my bowling," he said. "The one thing I've always made clear to the world is I believe I'm a batsman who bowls. I'm a part-time bowler and I'm not going to try to be a frontline bowler, but there's a role for me to play as that part-time bowler."

Clarke is confident the one-day series against Bangladesh will hold the team in good stead for the India trip, despite the one-sided nature of the Darwin games. Australia's players now head home for a fortnight before flying out to India for a couple of weeks of preparation including two warm-up games prior to the first Test.

"We're still going to have enough time to prepare either now, when we're back home and definitely when we get to India," Clarke said. "We've got four or five training days and then a four-day practice match and then the lead-in to the first Test in Bangalore.

"I think everyone would be pretty happy with their preparation to date. The next two weeks will be important for everyone to make sure when they go home they're doing some form of training and then use the preparation well in India."

Brydon Coverdale is a staff writer at Cricinfo

© Cricinfo