Clark navigates year of change

For the past year Stuart Clark has usually chosen the right path, but he suffered an irritating experience during the five-day pre-season camp when a rare case of poor direction led him into a thorny wait-a-while bush. A self-confessed "true-blue city slicker", Clark discovered through cuts on his wrist and forearm about the suitably named plant that forces immediate back-tracking and slow removal of its small spikes.

The scratches were a result of guiding his six-man group down the wrong track in Queensland's Lamington National Park, which cost them an hour and some skin as they scuffed around in circles. After deciding the best way back was straight through the forest, Clark trooped off into the foliage picking up sores that were still red during the national squad's luxury three-day debriefing on the Sunshine Coast. "I've decided I'm not built for the bush," Clark said.

Like the plant that caused him some problems, Clark has had to wait a while for his elevation from state to international level. At 30, he was the oldest Australian fast bowler to make his Test debut for almost 30 years and the promotion came after he spent a couple of series on the edge of the squad.

The road less taken provided immediate satisfaction as he collected 20 wickets at 15.75 in his first three Tests and was self-confident enough to tell his wife "I love you" during a globally televised acceptance speech for one of his prized awards in South Africa. Australia's selectors currently appear to feel the same way about his bowling.

Jason Gillespie's belief he is no chance for the first Ashes Test means Clark is currently pencilled in at first-change behind Brett Lee and Glenn McGrath. Clark always speaks common sense - he has already had a professional career in real estate and is studying for a masters of commerce - but is not publicly convinced by his ranking.

"I think there are a few of us in the same position," he said as he sat at the same table as Nathan Bracken, who is another contender. "I don't consider it a God-given right to be in the team. If I'm doing well I give myself the opportunity to be picked."

Despite his sudden rise in South Africa, which was followed by a brief fall in Bangladesh when he missed the second Test, he has not dwelled on the entry, although he admits it is hard to avoid the memories each time he visits his parents, who are still excited by his performances and tell him how well he did. The feelings of last year's Ashes tour are much easier to recall.

He spent the latter stages of the series on the fringes as injury cover and another option for the mis-firing attack, but was not an official member of the squad. While he didn't play, he still felt the pain of the 2-1 defeat at The Oval. "I wasn't part of the whole thing, but I had a taste," he said. "It hurt, and I don't think it hurt just the team. It hurt the whole of Australian cricket and as a group we're trying to overcome it."

The summer's on-field preparation has been combined with life as a first-time father following the birth of his son Lachlan. It had been two weeks since Clark had seen his son due to the bush camp and a lack of video coverage for his phone in the resort. "It's the first time I've experienced it," he said of the separation from his boy. "I miss my son and I miss my wife. We've talked about touring together this summer, but then we don't know if I'm in the team from one game to the next."

Clark is in the 18-man squad for the mini-series in Malaysia and after playing all of his 15 ODIs last summer would require a drastic dip to miss the Champions Trophy in October. As well as picking up parenting skills, he has added a couple of slower balls to his repertoire during the off-season while resisting the urge to tamper with his reliable action. "I'm very comfortable with what I do," he said. "I get in trouble when I try different things too much.

"There'll be subtle variations that I'll work on, but you're not going to see me bowl 170kph or bowl three bouncers an over with two men back. There's not going to be any name calling and I'm not going to grow a moustache to emulate Dennis Lillee." Unlike his bush adventures or his family plans for the summer, he knows exactly what he's doing.