Clarke clears the air following Katich's axing

An open meeting of the Australian team called by the captain Michael Clarke has cleared air that might easily have turned poisonous, following the ructions caused by Simon Katich's removal from the list of Cricket Australia contracts.

Meeting in Brisbane for a training camp over four days, Clarke commenced proceedings with a chance for team-mates to air any grievances, problems or questions they may have had as the group warmed up for a difficult summer that commences late this month with a tour of Sri Lanka.

In Clarke's eyes the results of that meeting, which allowed players to be re-acquainted and reunited in their goals and ambitions, were writ large across three days of focused and intense training at Allan Border Field, concluding with the announcement of the Twenty20 and limited overs squads for the early part of the tour.

"We had a couple of really good meetings on Sunday night, which were really open in an environment where guys could voice their opinion," Clarke said. "An environment where everyone can say what they think is very important and over the last couple of days with our training the break has obviously helped, and freshened everybody up.

"The meetings were very positive. It was an open forum where the boys could feel free to voice their opinions on a number of topics, and we all walked out of the meetings looking forward to what's in front of us.

"I think it happens generally when you have a camp there are a couple of meetings to start off, I think a big part of it for me was giving everyone the freedom and the opportunity to say what they had to say and taking it on board as a group and remembering the common goal is to become the best team and the best individual players we can be."

Katich's words had revealed plenty of unease within the Australian Test team about selection decisions and CA priorities in the recent past, but Clarke pressed the case that his was a group that would not be perennially looking over its shoulders.

"Not at all, I think the group is very comfortable," he said. "The reality is you score runs or take wickets, otherwise someone else is going to take your spot and I think it's been the same way your whole career, and fortunately at the moment we've got guys fit after a bit of a break and so there's always pressure on you.

"That is part of playing at the highest level, what's important for this team is not only some hard work but also all the guys getting behind each other for us to have as much success as we can. Unfortunately in this game people do get dropped, but it's about supporting your mates and trying to get the best out of each other for the team.

"It's about a lot of hard work for all of us, I've said before we've got to go back to basics, the three core skills, batting, bowling and fielding we've got to get better and all of that as a whole, and individually we're no different."

With the benefit of a few months to think about where he wanted to take the team, this Australian side is now definitively Clarke's, leaving Ricky Ponting the freedom to train and bat. According to Clarke, the change has been greatly beneficial.

"[Ponting] said he enjoyed the opportunity without the stress and worry of the captaincy, and I hope his batting continues to grow," Clarke said. "I certainly see him playing a big part in one day cricket and Test cricket going forward in this team, and I certainly hope he can keep putting runs on the board."