State captaincy could be Clark's next test

Stuart Clark will be happy to lead New South Wales when Simon Katich is away this summer, but the downside of a possible promotion is it will mean he's not in the Test side. With Australia's selectors currently besotted by the trio of Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus - Brett Lee is hovering as well - Clark is facing an uncertain international season.

However, if he is overlooked for the first Test against West Indies at the Gabba on November 26 he is a serious option to become a rare fast-bowling leader of a first-class side. Matthew Mott, the New South Wales coach, gave Clark the captaincy in a couple of warm-up games before the Champions League Twenty20 success and the 34-year-old enjoyed the experience, increasing his chances of taking over the back-up leader's duties from Dominic Thornely.

Clark impressed the team management with his tactics and could step in when Katich is opening the batting for the national side - although he hopes he's not available for his state. "I'm still very focussed on getting myself into the first Test team," he said. "We'll have to wait and see what happens. But if I'm not in the Test team and New South Wales ask me to do the job, then I'd definitely do it."

Mott called Clark an "outstanding" thinker, which is not a surprise considering he has been doing a masters degree in commerce, and was happy with his work in the trials. "He brings a lot of experience and credibility and he's a deep thinker," he said. "He doesn't waste his words either."

Fast bowlers are as untrendy as wicketkeepers in captaincy circles, but the Blues used Geoff Lawson in the late 1980s and early 90s and Dave Gilbert, the chief executive, was also astute enough to hold on-field leadership roles before heading upstairs. "I think it's just hard bowling all the time, when you're tired and you've got to concentrate and move fielders," Clark said. "But I really enjoy the strategy point of the game, but that's me as a person, I enjoy strategy. It's not just cricket, but in life and business, it's a big part of my life."

If he takes on the role his time in the field will change significantly. "When you bowl, you just bowl and go down to fine leg and think about what you're doing next over," he said. "Then all of a sudden you're in the game all the time [as captain], pushing fielders left and right, thinking about who is going to bowl in 10 overs."

New South Wales have two Sheffield Shield and FR Cup games before the first Test so the team will continue to be Katich's until then. Thornely led at times last year but the batsman may find it hard to hold a spot throughout the summer given the squad's impressive list of well-credentialed run-makers. The opener Phil Jaques, who is in form at grade level following back surgery, is another contender being watched by Mott.

The Blues open their season on Sunday with a FR Cup game against Western Australia at North Sydney Oval before the Sheffield Shield fixture at the SCG from Tuesday. With the side fresh from winning the US$2.5m Champions League, it would be easy for the players to feel their season had already peaked. However, Clark is one of a group of men on the edge of the national team. They know the interstate arena is more valuable than their fortnight of success in India.

"It was great, but it's now finished," Clark said. "The guys are very committed to Twenty20 stuff but they also know that back home there's quite a lot of domestic cricket that's just as important, and probably more so for the guys who are on the fringe wanting to play for Australia."

Clark collected four wickets in Australia's previous two Tests, a win in Leeds and the lost Ashes conclusion at The Oval, but wasn't called for the following limited-overs encounters. Unlike many of the country's players, he has had a break and avoided injuries, allowing him to start the summer in prime shape. After 24 Tests he requires another six wickets to reach 100.

"I very much still want to play cricket for Australia," he said. "I'm not sure where I sit with all of that at the moment, but I still haven't given up playing Test cricket for Australia. With New South Wales, we have a pretty good team, if we keep some of our older players with our youth, I think we'll do alright, definitely better than last season." They were last in both the Shield and FR Cup, but this summer Clark might have a greater say in the recovery.