Clarke insists he won't be compromised by change

Michael Clarke insists he will not let his fledgling Australian captaincy, nor his rejuvenated batting, be compromised by worry over the myriad personnel and procedure issues swirling around the national team ahead of the tour to South Africa.

While Clarke made the ideal start to his time as Test captain by leading the team to a 1-0 series victory in Sri Lanka, something he secured with a rousing century on the final day of the third Test, he is facing further complications on his second tour with a back-room staff every bit as transitional as the team itself.

He takes a squad featuring an interim coach in Troy Cooley plus two possible contenders for the fulltime job in Steve Rixon and Justin Langer. The national selectors are also in a state of flux following the changes wrought by the Argus review, though it is understood that members of the current panel, none of whom will remain once their replacements are named, have agreed to spend time on the ground in South Africa.

Clarke's leadership on the field in Sri Lanka was exemplary, but success in South Africa will not simply be a matter of planning effectively for the Proteas. He will need to find enough space between his on-field duties and those of team organisation even as the ways and means of that organisation are changing.

"While you're winning you'll say it [the balance is right]. I don't think you ever know," Clarke said at the Australian Sports Commission Captains Forum in Sydney. "It is important for me that my preparation comes first - if I'm not scoring runs I'm not in the team so I can't be captain.

"So as long as I'm doing that, giving myself every chance to perform individually, and then putting my main focus on the team, how I can help them have success, then the stuff off the field I've got time for that, but I certainly won't be compromising the team or my individual preparation for anything off the field. It's been fine so far and I'm confident that will continue.

"There's going to be challenges along the way no doubt, as I've probably already experienced through the review, and with Troy coming in as our coach for South Africa there's a few things off the field happening, but as long as I've got time to do my own preparation and make sure I'm ready to walk out onto the field and perform individually and also help my team, I think it'll be fine."

Considered among the most hands-on of leaders, Clarke must at times be able to place his trust in other members of the tour party, so as not to be overburdened. Another key to this balance is Gavin Dovey, the team manager who replaced his long-serving predecessor Steve Bernard after a handover in Bangladesh in April.

"That's the important thing about having good people around you," Clarke said. "Shane Watson being my vice-captain, the support staff and now Troy as our stand-in coach, they all have roles to play and it's important I utilise their help, advice and a bit of their guidance as well to give me a hand because I certainly can't be doing everything.

"Troy's taken over the coaching role, there's been a lot of communication in the last week or so in preparation for South Africa. We've got really good people around with our support staff, Craig McDermott, Steve Rixon and Justin Langer, so they're going to play a big part in South Africa as well."

Australia's T20 squad depart for South Africa across the next 24 hours, with Clarke and other ODI squad members to join them from October 14. Clarke said the team's meticulous preparations for Sri Lanka needed to be replicated in order for the tourists to stand a chance against the South Africans.

"Our key to our success in Sri Lanka was our preparation," Clarke said. "The boys worked really hard and put a lot of time and effort into their training, so I'm sure South Africa will be exactly the same.

"All the boys are very keen to get to South Africa. We've got the T20s and the one dayers first and hopefully we can continue to build a bit of momentum from Sri Lanka and have some more success in South Africa and bring that back for the Australian summer."