Elbow niggle puts Clark in doubt for Mohali

It8217;s not just India who are sweating over fitness of Kumble; Aussies are also sailing on the same boat in lead-up to Mohali Test.

It8217;s not just Team India who are sweating over the fitness of their skipper Anil Kumble; the Australian team is sailing on the same boat in the lead-up to the second Test. Paceman Stuart Clark is suffering from an inflamed elbow joint, and according to sources, looks a doubtful starter in Mohali.

8220;He8217;s not going to bowl at training tomorrow, just so we can maximise his recovery and give him the best chance to be able to play on Friday,8221; team physiotherapist Alex Kountouris told The Age. 8220;We will see how he pulls up and if he feels okay we will play him,8221; he added.

Clark threw underarm from the outfield and was restricted to 17 overs in the first innings and is likely to test out the elbow at training tomorrow after a day of intensive physiotherapy.

The visitors are already gearing up to put in another debutant as replacement with Peter Siddle being the overwhelming favourite against Doug Boullinger even as Clark battles against time to be fit by Friday morning.

White pleased with debut

Meanwhile, Cameron White, who was handed out the Baggy Green in Bangalore, is delighted about scalping Sachin Tendulkar as his maiden wicket and dishing out a decent performance. 8220;I8217;m happy to get it out of the road and relieved the game is finished. I felt under pressure the whole time and was pretty nervous the whole way through,8221; he said.

8220;I was happy with the way I bowled. It could have been better, could have been worse. We8217;ll see how it goes,8221; said White, who stepped into one of the largest cricketing boots 8212; Shane Warne8217;s. At this point, a comparison between two may seem outlandish, but White 1 for 88 did much better than what the legendary leg-spinner 1 for 150 had on his first Test against India.

Flattering, but White knows that it could just be the beginner8217;s luck, and the Indians aren8217;t done with him yet. 8220;I8217;m pretty sure they will probably do that the whole series, if I8217;m lucky enough to play,8221; he said. 8220;They8217;re always going to try to be attacking 8212; I8217;m the new spinner, and they8217;re trying to put pressure on me.8221;

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White, however, said he didn8217;t quite have butterflies in his stomach when he came out to bat. 8220;I8217;ve always felt not as nervous, and a lot more comfortable and confident, in my batting. I8217;ve never really had any dramas there.8221;

PRAISE FROM PONTING:

Skipper Ricky Ponting also heaped praise on the debutant. 8220;Cameron has come along in leaps and bounds in his bowling. He8217;s probably exceeded my expectations with what he8217;s done, although he didn8217;t take the wickets.

8220;From what I8217;ve seen in this game, he has got a lot more confidence in his bowling. Someone stepping up in a Test in his first game and being able to bowl as well as he did, is a real positive for us,8221; Ponting said, adding, 8220;To bowl against world-class players on foreign soil, it will do him the world of good.8221;