Sunday 1 February 2015 09:33, UK
Australia captain Michael Clarke has made his return to action after hamstring surgery and dismissed reports there is a rift between him and his international team-mates.
Clarke was forced to pull out of Australia’s Test series against India in December after he was injured in the first Test and has been given until their second World Cup pool match against Bangladesh on February 21 to prove his fitness.
He scored 51 and batted for almost three hours on Saturday in a rare appearance for club side Western Suburbs.
But Clarke was forced to speak about matters off the pitch after making his comeback, amid suggestions his team-mates and Cricket Australia are unhappy with the decision to choose an isolated rehabilitation programme.
It's water off a duck's back for me, I've copped it my whole career. It's another day, another newspaper sold. I don't really care.
Steve Smith has proved to be a popular captain in Clarke’s absence, with suggestions he may even be retained as skipper in the long term.
Clarke was keen to dismiss the idea of a rift in the Australia camp, though, which he believes has been created by some sections of the media.
"It seems like some people in particular are going to write what they want to write,” he said.
"I'm really happy and comfortable with my relationship with Cricket Australia firstly, certainly with my team-mates.
"It's water off a duck's back for me, I've copped it my whole career. It's another day, another newspaper sold. I don't really care."
Clarke was pleased to spend some time out in the middle as he attempts to prove his fitness ahead of the February 21 deadline but warned he has a way to go before he can represent his country again.
"There's still a long way to go before I can walk out in an international and represent Australia," he added.
"It's nice to be in a position where the Australian medical staff can allow me to come back and play for my grade club, but it's one day at a time.
"My goal is to get fit as soon as I can and then obviously there's a time frame set by Cricket Australia and the selectors that I certainly understand and respect."
