Clark heads for Kent to revive Ashes prospects

	Stuart Clark hopes to restate his credentials in county cricket © Getty Images

Stuart Clark has agreed to join Kent on a six-week deal, a stint in which he hopes to demonstrate his enduring class as a fast bowler, and revive his prospects of leading Australia's attack in the forthcoming Ashes in July.

"In Kent's situation, we were looking for a seam bowler of quality, and that is what we've got," Kent's chief executive, Paul Millman, told Cricinfo. "He has an excellent attitude, his work ethic is second-to-none, and he brings the professional qualities to our team that Graham Ford and Robert Key will need as we seek a return to first-division cricket."

Clark, 33, claimed 26 wickets at 17.03 in Australia's 5-0 whitewashing of England in 2006-07, but an elbow injury ruled him out of the current tour of South Africa and allowed the younger trio of Mitchell Johnson, Ben Hilfenhaus and Peter Siddle to stake strong claims for an Ashes berth.

Their combined successes in a memorable series triumph have left both Clark and his new-ball colleague, Brett Lee, fearing for their prospects this summer, but Clark maintains he still has enough credit with the selectors to force his way back into the reckoning.

"It's not going to come down to what I want or what Brett wants; it's going to be what the selectors want," Clark told the Sydney Morning Herald. "They are going to chose the top three fast bowlers for the team, and I think I have done enough with my time in the Test team. I feel personally that I am one of those top three at full fitness. I am feeling as fit as I ever have."

Clark is expected to make his Kent debut in the opening County Championship match against Northamptonshire at Canterbury starting on Tuesday, April 21, and a chance to hit a run of form in the English early-season could be exactly what he needs to persuade the selectors of his enduring merits.

"I have had success there before [with Middlesex], and I hope that counts in my favour. You have got to be playing well," he said. "I think I'm the only bowler with experience in those conditions. The only ground I haven't played at is Cardiff where we're playing the first Test [from July 8]."