Clarke keen to play against SL

Australian cricket captain Michael Clarke speaks to the media in London June 13, 2013. Australia batsman David Warner has issued an apology for getting involved in a late night bar-room fracas with young England player Joe Root. Earlier, the batsman was suspended until the first Ashes test on July 10 and fined 11,500 Australian dollars ($10,900) for his part in the incident which occurred in the early hours of Sunday in Birmingham after Australia's Champions Trophy defeat by England. REUTERS

Australia captain Michael Clarke hopes to be fit to return for Monday’s final Champions Trophy Group ‘A’ game against Sri Lanka after missing the first two matches with a back injury.

"I'm hopeful, no doubt about that, but I really have to wait to see how I pull up tomorrow morning after training again today," he told a news conference on Sunday. "My back is certainly improving, which is a positive."

Australia lost their opener to England before their clash with New Zealand was rained off, meaning they sit bottom of the group with one point knowing defeat at the Oval on Monday will knock them out of the tournament.

Clarke's recurring back trouble has led to speculation he could be a doubt for some of the five-Test Ashes series in England which starts at Trent Bridge on July 10.
"Yes I'm confident (of playing in all of the Ashes), but I was confident I'd play every game in this series so you are asking the wrong guy," he said.

England have their own injury worries for the Ashes with their most dangerous attacking batsman Kevin Pietersen missing the Champions Trophy because of a knee problem.
Pietersen told a fan on Twitter on Sunday that he would return to county four-day action for Surrey against Yorkshire on Friday.