Hilditch backs Clarke as Twenty20 captain

Australia's chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch has defended Michael Clarke's position in the Twenty20 team and said he brings plenty to the side despite a disappointing record in internationals. Clarke will captain Australia at the ICC World Twenty20 in May and until then has five games to lift his output.

He has played more Twenty20 internationals than any other Australian batsman, yet in 19 games he is yet to pass fifty and averages 19.63 at a strike-rate of 102. By comparison, David Warner averages 34 at a strike-rate of 139, Cameron White 41 at 150, and even Michael Hussey averages 25 at 134.

Clarke is Australia's full-time Twenty20 captain since Ricky Ponting retired from the format and he will be charged with taking the side further than the first-round exit inflicted on them at last year's World Twenty20. His preparation for the tournament in the Caribbean begins with Friday's game against Pakistan in Melbourne and Hilditch said he was confident Clarke was the right man for the job.

"It's going to be a very big tournament for Michael and he's really looking forward to it,'' Hilditch told AAP. "He's one of the best players in world cricket at the moment in Tests and one-day internationals and we hope he can transfer that form into Twenty20.

"He's going to captain the side, he's a brilliant fielder and he bowls left-arm orthodox as well, so it's an exceedingly good all-round package he brings. Everybody is going to need to perform at their best, but the fact is players haven't played a lot of international Twenty20s. But I am sure Michael is going to have an impact in the next Twenty20 World Cup."

In the West Indies, Clarke is likely to be heading a squad featuring several new faces after the selectors decided to give some of the better domestic Twenty20 performers opportunities this week. His vice-captain is White, who is just starting to find his niche in the ODI team but is considered one of the most dangerous Twenty20 batsmen in the world.