Nielsen, team management to discuss Clarke issue ahead of Test

Wellington, Mar. 16 (ANI): Australian cricket team coach Tim Nielsen has said that the team management will be discussing vice-captain Michael Clarke's recent personal leave, but claims it will have no major effect on the composition of the squad.

Clarke left the team a week ago to sort out his relationship with model Lara Bingle. The two eventually decided to split.

Clarke's management announced on Friday that the celebrity couple's engagement was off.

Clarke returned to Wellington yesterday skipped a team function later in the evening and is expected to train with the Test squad this afternoon at Wellington's Basin Reserve ahead of Friday's first Test.

Ricky Ponting's squad will have a team meeting before their training session.

"We'll have a chat about it all today. There's no real effect," Nielsen told reporters at the team hotel.

"He (Clarke) is a player going through a personal issue like players tend to every day of the week. It's just that we happen to do it in a public forum, pretty much. We're all supporting him and he's comfortable where he's at," the Daily Telegraph quoted Nielsen, as saying.

"We're looking forward to getting into the cricket this afternoon and getting back to what we do best," he added. (ANI)