Australia captain Clarke skips training to rest ankle

Australia captain Michael Clarke skipped training to rest his injured ankle on Tuesday but Cricket Australia said he would be fit to face England in this week's second Ashes at the Adelaide Oval.

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Clarke, his country's best batsman, rolled his right ankle in training on Monday but later batted in the nets without obvious signs of discomfort.

"Michael Clarke is not training today," a team spokesman told reporters in Adelaide, where the second Test starts on Thursday.

"His ankle is a bit stiff, sore. He will train tomorrow and will play in the game."

Australia is used to pre-test concerns over the fitness of Clarke, who has suffered from a degenerative back condition for several years.

The hosts, aiming to prevent England from claiming a fourth successive Ashes series, won the opening test by 381 runs in Brisbane to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.

Image: Michael Clarke

Photograph: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images