He will return to his old team Western Suburbs to play Randwick-Petersham from Saturday.
He will return to his old team Western Suburbs to play Randwick-Petersham from Saturday.
Former Australia captain Michael Clarke makes his return to cricket this weekend in a Sydney club competition, but with his eyes on some unfinished business in the Twenty20 format.
The 34-year-old, who bowed out of the game in August after the disastrous Ashes series in England, will return to his old team Western Suburbs to play Randwick-Petersham from Saturday.
One of the outstanding batsmen of his generation, he said he -"missed the game-", and now he is free of international demands he wants to have a crack at making his mark in T20s.
-"I spent the last 13 years staying away from T20 cricket so I could be the best Test and one-day player I could possibly be,-" Clarke told Sky News on Thursday.
-"Now I probably have more time and opportunity, if I do miss the game and love the game, to be able to focus on that and improve.
-"I didn't perform in that format as well as I would have liked, so now I've got the time to work on my game in that format.-"
While Clarke played in 115 Tests and 245 one-day internationals, he only took part in 34 T20 internationals during his first-class career.
T20 cricket can be a big money-spinner for players, with Australian veteran Shane Watson netting a US$1.4 million contract at this month's Indian Premier League auction.
This week Clarke is looking to help his old club -- winless and in last place - take on their stronger neighbouring club Randwick-Petersham in a two-day match.
-"I know a lot of the boys and they are all good guys, so it's great to be back here,-" he told the Sydney Daily Telegraph. -"Wests has always been a great club and we've got a lot of younger players coming through now, so like a lot of clubs it's a bit about rebuilding now and then we'll be back to our best for sure.
-"I just want to come back and hopefully I'll bring some experience and hopefully I'm not too rusty.-"
Clarke added: -"Most of all, I'm just looking forward to playing.
-"I haven't played a lot of cricket recently and I'm proud of every game and it's great fun to be playing for the club that has been so good to me since I was a 13-year-old.-"
Wests are captained by Fabian Cowdrey, the 23-year-old grandson of English great Colin Cowdrey in what will be his final game in Sydney before he returns to county cricket with Kent.
-"It's just an absolute privilege,-" Cowdrey said of playing with Clarke. -"It's my last game here and then I head back to play county cricket, so I'm just hoping to learn a bit and definitely enjoy it.-"
