Stuart Clark will not draw a line on his top level career despite a back injury keeping him out of Australia's Test series against the West Indies. The seamer, 34, has been overlooked since playing in the Ashes series defeat to England earlier in the year. "It's disappointing not to be in the team but selectors have tough choices sometimes and I'm not always going to agree with what they say," he said.
"If I can come back and bowl well and a spot arises, maybe there's a chance of a return." Clark said he is mystified as to why he has fallen so out of favour in the eyes of the selectors. He has collected 94 wickets in 24 Test matches, but now has a long queue of preferred quicks in front of him. "It would be nice to be in the Australian team, but guys there have done a job and deserve their spot," said Clark.
"It's something I've dealt with, I'm very real about the fact I may never play for Australia again, but the furthest thing from my mind is retirement. I think I've still got something to contribute to NSW cricket and if that's all I do, well, I'll be happy." The planned comeback is on hold until next year, with Clark unable to resume light training until he has given his back time to heal. "Nobody's quite sure what the injury is," he said. "It's more how I feel over the next few weeks that will determine how quickly I can start playing again.
"I still want to play cricket and still have a lot of cricket to go [so the] sooner I get back out there doing something the better. I want to keep playing cricket for another couple of years and potentially go to England in the off-season and play county cricket." The third Test starts tomorrow at the WACA in Brisbane with Australia holding a 1-0 lead over the West Indies after the second Test in Adelaide was drawn.
West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Smith has signed with New South Wales to play in the Twenty20 Big Bash competition. The 26-year-old has played 10 Test matches and scored a century on debut against South Africa in 2004. But it is in limited-overs cricket where he excels and has represented the West Indies in 71 one-day internationals and five Twenty20 matches. "I'm really excited to be on board with the Blues for the KFC Big Bash," said Smith.
* PA Sport