Cricket World Cup, 2015: George Bailey to captain Australia in Michael Clarke’s absence

GEORGE Bailey says it will be no issue leading Australian Test skipper Steve Smith in next month’s World Cup if Michael Clarke is injured.

George Bailey vice-capt

GEORGE Bailey will lead Australia into next month’s World Cup, but the Tasmanian still faces the prospect of dropping out of the first choice batting order if Michael Clarke manages to prove his fitness.

Selectors felt Steve Smith may be too mentally exhausted from captaining in Clarke’s absence during the Test series and decided to stick with Bailey as the one-day deputy.

Clarke has already been ruled out of Australia’s opening clash against England on February 14 and will be scratched from the competition altogether if not fit for the second game on February 21 against Bangladesh.

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However, if Clarke does prove his fitness, Bailey faces the irony of potentially missing out on selection for the knockout matches if a full-strength batting order is available.

Marsh admits squeezing Clarke, Bailey and in-form run-maker Steve Smith into the same middle order may not be possible.

“Well that remains to be seen,” Marsh said.

“We just don’t know who is going to be in form come February 14.

“When the side runs out onto the park (for the start of the Cup) we’ll have the most in-form playing for Australia and that’s the only way we can do it.”

Bailey has a proven one-day record, but Smith has emerged as a must-have and Clarke is a world-class batsman.

The onus on form makes life difficult for Clarke, given he will miss the one-day tri-series warm-up tournament starting on Friday.

George Bailey played for Hobart hurricanes on Sunday before linking up with the World Cup squad. Picture: Luke Bowden.

However, either way Bailey’s first concern is getting his head around captaining Australia again.

Bailey says it will be no issue leading Australian Test skipper Smith in the World Cup, with selectors deciding not to promote the New South Welshman to vice-captain.

With Smith elevated to Test skipper, many thought he would lead the 50-over side in Clarke’s absence, but the selectors stuck with Bailey who has captained Australia 24 times in his 52 games due to Clarke’s injury woes.

Bailey, the Tasmanian and Hurricanes captain and former Australian T20 skipper, said on Sunday being in the same side with Smith would prove no issue.

“I don’t think that really comes into it,” Bailey, 32, said.

“Certainly in terms of a hierarchy you don’t walk about the field that way.

“Everyone is trying to do the best they can for the team.

“It is about coming up with ideas and tactics and a lot of them you come up with in team meetings and what not beforehand anyway.

George Bailey captained Australia against South Africa in November last year. Picture: Gregg Porteous.

“A lot of that work is done. Another thing you are hoping is that you’ve got the best 15 players in the country.

“In terms of those guys being able to execute their skills and come up with their own plans then hopefully we should be pretty good.”

Marsh said Bailey deserved the job.

“We took the view that George has done a wonderful job in Michael’s absence,” he said.

“You know what, after Steven has played three Test matches leading Australia in Test cricket, I think he’s pretty tired and I think he’ll relish the fact he can just go out there and play cricket. That’s the way we looked at it and George is an experienced campaigner in one-day cricket captaincy and we thought that’s probably the way to go.

“We don’t want to make it too hard on Steven just at this point in time because he’s in such a rich vein of form.”

Originally published as Cricket World Cup, 2015: George Bailey to captain Australia in Michael Clarke’s absence