Cricket: Clarke back to rejoin Aussies

Michael Clarke. Photo / Getty Images

Michael Clarke returns to New Zealand today to prepare for the two-test cricket series as his Australian teammates vow to rally around their troubled vice-captain.

Clarke has dominated the news for reasons other than cricket in the past week after he rushed home on the eve of Tuesday's third one-day international in Hamilton to deal with a nude photo scandal involving his fiancee, model Lara Bingle.

His management later confirmed the pair had split, and Australian captain Ricky Ponting said after Saturday's final ODI that Clarke would return to Wellington today with the rest of the test squad before Friday's first test at the Basin Reserve.

"It has obviously been a tough time for him in the last few days at home," Ponting said.

"He'll come back being the vice-captain and an experienced player for us in the test side and we'll give him as much support as he needs when he joins the group again and make sure he's ready to go."

The media feeding frenzy over the Clarke/Bingle story continued across the Tasman yesterday.

The Sunday Telegraph reported Bingle's brother and mother had approached magazine editors asking for more than $130,500 for a tell-all interview detailing how Clarke, 28, allegedly treated Bingle, 22, and the couple's "living relations".

The Sun-Herald quoted an employee from a plumbing company who claimed they were summoned in the early hours to the Sydney apartment the couple shared because "someone had placed something, worth a lot of money, down the toilet" - possibly Bingle's $260,000 diamond engagement ring.

Clarke's Australian teammate Mike Hussey said he wanted his vice-captain back in the squad as soon as possible and hoped he could quickly deal with his personal issues.

"We haven't really spoken much about it at all. It's pretty much him dealing with his issues off the field," Hussey said.

"To be honest it's probably none of our business, really.

"We want him back as quickly as possible because he is an integral part of our team and a very fine player.

"We want him back and 100 per cent focused on playing well for Australia.

"Hopefully, he can get through his issues as quickly as possible."

- NZPA