Clarke's form doesn't stress Ponting

The barren run of Michael Clarke is not worrying Ricky Ponting, who expects his junior partner to reignite for the Test series beginning on Thursday. After collecting only 128 runs in his past eight Tests, Clarke also spent limited time at the crease during the two one-day series in England and is desperate to hit back.

The streak prompted Clarke to have a lengthy discussion with John Buchanan on the dressing room balcony after the drawn match against Leicestershire, where he made 9 while Ponting, Langer and Martyn added centuries. "A lot of the batsmen are in the same boat," Ponting said in The Courier-Mail. "We have had to bat on some very difficult wickets and then on the last two one-day wickets at Lord's and The Oval, which were very good, he did not get a hit. [At Leicester] he got one that stayed pretty low."

Ponting said he had "no worries with him at all". "He is a class player and I am sure if he keeps his head down he will score runs in the Test series."

The more immediate concern for Ponting is which bowler to leave out at Lord's. Brett Lee appears to be a clear choice as Glenn McGrath's partner and the debate over Michael Kasprowicz or Jason Gillespie did not ease during the tour match.

"It's not that clear to me just yet," Ponting said. "I will try and finalise the XI as early as we can but there is a lot of thinking to do. I have been pretty happy with what Jason and Michael have done in the last couple of one-day games."