Red ball prep no worry for Clarke

Australia captain Michael Clarke says he has no choice but to accept the late arrival of a number of his players in the West Indies.

Australian cricket captain Michael Clarke

Michael Clarke has no concerns about a lack of red ball preparation for a number of his key players. (AAP)

Australia captain Michael Clarke has no concerns about a lack of red ball preparation for five key players going into next month's Test series against the West Indies.

Mitchell Starc, Steven Smith, Mitchell Johnson, Shane Watson and David Warner have all been rested for the first match of the Caribbean tour.

The quintet were all active in the recently completed Indian Premier League and will sit out a three-day match against a West Indies Cricket Board XI in Antigua starting on Wednesday.

That means all five will head into the first Test against the Windies in Dominica on June 3 having not played long-form cricket for nearly five months.

But Clarke says there's little that can be done about that situation and he's confident the players will adapt quickly.

"There's no choice is there, it's the way it is with the structure of cricket that goes on around the world," Clarke said.

"We've got used to that over the past few years and this will be no different."

Clarke's biggest concern is the pitch at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, which he hopes will be in a suitable condition to ensure enough of a hit out for those players taking part.

"There's a lot of grass on it and I tried to have some throwdowns on it yesterday but the ball was going through the top so it was a little dangerous," Clarke said.

"I hope it's better than that come game day.

"I think England played a West Indies 2nd XI here and the three-dayer was over in one-day. Let's hope it's a little bit better than what that was."

Smith and Warner, who had both been on light duties following their arrival in the Caribbean, trained fully with the squad on Sunday.

Starc and Watson are the only players yet to arrive with both expected in the next couple of days.


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Source: AAP


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