Clarke focused on first Test

Michael Clarke's split with Lara Bingle has overshadowed Australia's build-up for the first Test against New Zealand

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Australia vice-captain Michael Clarke is confident the dramas in his personal life have not affected his preparation for the opening Test against New Zealand.

The match gets under way tomorrow at Wellington’s Basin Reserve, but the build-up has been overshadowed by Clarke’s high-profile break-up with model Lara Bingle.

He called off their engagement at the weekend but has been the subject of intense media scrutiny since leaving New Zealand midway through the one-day series to deal with matters across the Tasman.

He returned to Wellington on Monday, took part in his first training session with team-mates the following day and insists he is in the right frame of mind heading into the first Test of the two-match series.

“I obviously made a decision, firstly to go home, but then to come to New Zealand knowing that there was a big Test match starting on Friday. I knew I’d be capable to get up for that,” Clarke said.

“Preparation has been very important to me throughout my whole career and it’s no different now.”

Earlier in the week Australia coach Tim Nielsen insisted it was business as usual for his side despite the distraction of the Clarke situation, and the batsman himself admitted the intense media scrutiny was part of the job.

“Being a professional athlete it’s not just about what you do on the field, it’s about what you do off the field as well,” Clarke said.

“We have to accept that. For me it was important for me to do what I had to do in my personal life and it’s important now to be back with my team-mates and make sure I’m concentrating on playing in a Test match for Australia.”

Australia have been on a diet of Twenty20 and one-day cricket since their 231-run win against Pakistan in mid-January in Hobart, where Clarke made his highest Test score of 166.

“I’m very keen to get back out there and play some Test cricket,” he said. “We haven’t played Test cricket for a couple of months now so the guys are pretty excited.”

Doubts remain about New Zealand’s ability to take 20 wickets without the pace of Shane Bond in the Test line-up.

The 34-year-old is concentrating on the shorter form of the game after a career ravaged by injuries.

New Zealand batsman Ross Taylor is hoping that he and his team-mates can occupy the crease for long periods at the Basin Reserve

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But Clarke remains wary of their opponents despite his absence and New Zealand’s lack of experience at the top of the order, where BJ Watling, Tim McIntosh and Peter Ingram have just 14 Test caps and one century between them.

“I still think they’ve got plenty of talent with both bat and ball,” Clarke said. “I think conditions will play a part, especially if there is a bit of rain around.

“Their opening bowlers can swing the ball and I guess that’s one area of our game we’ve had to work really hard on as a batting unit.”

New Zealand’s problem has been the inability of batsmen to enjoy prolonged spells at the crease but Ross Taylor hopes a new approach to training and help from former Black Caps batting great Martin Crowe will help them overcome that.

“We’re trying to simulate as much of a game condition as we can – batting and simulating drinks breaks and session breaks as well,” the 26-year-old explained.

“I guess quite often you can bat very well for a session and then come out and lose a wicket straight away.

“We’re training for three and a half, four hours because traditionally if you want to get a Test hundred you’ve got to bat for over four and a bit hours to do that. It’s been good and hopefully it works.”

Taylor expects Australia will stick to their traditional method of trying to intimidate batsmen with short-pitched deliveries.

He said: “If the practice wickets (at the Basin Reserve) are anything to go by then the wicket will have a bit of bounce and true bounce at that, so we’re expecting that.”

Ricky Ponting’s Australia are likely to have a well-rounded attack of Doug Bollinger, Mitchell Johnson, Shane Watson, Nathan Hauritz and Clint McKay or Ryan Harris, who is uncapped at Test level.

Johnson has been earmarked for the first-change role and is likely to enjoy having Wellington’s notorious wind at his back.

Taylor added: “They’ve used Mitchell Johnson as an attacking weapon and quite often when he’s come back he’s picked up a wicket and then Ricky’s taken him off. He’s going to be a big factor for them.”