<p>Australia captain Michael Clarke will not play his country's World Cup opener against arch-rivals England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday, coach Darren Lehmann said today.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Clarke made a steady comeback from his hamstring surgery, hitting 64 in a World Cup warm-up tie against the UAE and Lehmann said the 33-year-old will miss the first game to ensure he is 100 per cent fit for Australia's second game against Bangladesh on February 21.<br /><br />"He's not playing Saturday. We're really happy with his progress. We're going to stick with the plan and he's going to play against Bangladesh," said Lehmann.<br /><br />"He's very keen to play against England. We had a chat. We're making sure he's 100 per cent ready to go for Bangladesh. We're really comfortable with the decision."<br /><br />Lehmann said Clarke still has a few fitness tests to pass before the second game in Brisbane.<br /><br />"The way he batted, ran, fielded, bowled (on Wednesday), ticked all the boxes. He's still ticking those (boxes) off along the way. He has a few tests today to do but he'll pass those no dramas," the coach said.<br /><br />"It's making sure he gets into the fielding side of it in the next week and just ticks that off."<br />Clarke exceeded all expectations in his recovery from hamstring surgery and remains vital to Australia's hopes of clinching an unprecedented fifth World Cup title. <br /></p>
<p>Australia captain Michael Clarke will not play his country's World Cup opener against arch-rivals England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday, coach Darren Lehmann said today.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Clarke made a steady comeback from his hamstring surgery, hitting 64 in a World Cup warm-up tie against the UAE and Lehmann said the 33-year-old will miss the first game to ensure he is 100 per cent fit for Australia's second game against Bangladesh on February 21.<br /><br />"He's not playing Saturday. We're really happy with his progress. We're going to stick with the plan and he's going to play against Bangladesh," said Lehmann.<br /><br />"He's very keen to play against England. We had a chat. We're making sure he's 100 per cent ready to go for Bangladesh. We're really comfortable with the decision."<br /><br />Lehmann said Clarke still has a few fitness tests to pass before the second game in Brisbane.<br /><br />"The way he batted, ran, fielded, bowled (on Wednesday), ticked all the boxes. He's still ticking those (boxes) off along the way. He has a few tests today to do but he'll pass those no dramas," the coach said.<br /><br />"It's making sure he gets into the fielding side of it in the next week and just ticks that off."<br />Clarke exceeded all expectations in his recovery from hamstring surgery and remains vital to Australia's hopes of clinching an unprecedented fifth World Cup title. <br /></p>