Clark eyes county stint ahead of Ashes

Stuart Clark is aiming to regain his match fitness for the Ashes with a two-month stint in county cricket as he continues his recovery from elbow surgery. Clark has been out of action since early December, apart from an ill-fated comeback to club cricket late last month that left him with swelling and soreness in the elbow.

He was not considered for the Test tour of South Africa as the selectors were keen for him to take a no-risk approach to his return. Clark is aiming to play a Sheffield Shield match before the end of the season but he will need plenty more game time ahead of the Ashes.

"I'm looking to play county cricket in April and May and then have a month's rest before the Ashes starts," Clark told the Australian. He said he was feeling fit despite the complications in his grade cricket comeback, which left Cricket Australia's medical staff keen to avoid any chance of him aggravating the problem.

"I feel great but Cricket Australia are wanting me to take it easy," Clark said. "Because there's no Test cricket coming up in the near future [after South Africa] they don't want me to rush, which is frustrating because I'm actually feeling really good.

"I'm going to start bowling on Monday but rather than going from everything to nothing like I did last time, there is going to be a more structured program. It's slow, it's frustrating, it's annoying the hell out of me but that's what they want me to do."

Clark will gradually increase his workload in the nets with the aim of playing a club match in two weeks. He is likely to only make one first-class appearance for New South Wales before the end of the season.