(Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)
It's a question that has been on the lips of many England fans around the country, "should Stuart Clark be allowed to play for Kent just months before the Ashes?"
Many believe he shouldn't. Stuart Clark is a world class cricketer and will no doubt be a talismanic figure with the ball come the summer in an Australian side no longer boasting the nagging accuracy of one Glenn McGrath. The issue, therefore, is whether him being able to accustom himself to English conditions, as well as getting plenty of cricket under his belt to aid his return from injury, should be allowed.
The man himself has been quoted as being "stunned" by the response of senior ECB officials and believes there comments have been "over the top" while Australian captain Ricky Ponting has argued the hypocrisy of the England Cricket Board who not so long ago sent now captain Andrew Strauss on an 11-match stint with New Zealand state side Northern Districts.
Regardless of these opinions, Clark has finalised his deal with Kent, and will join them from the middle of this month.
It seems also he won't be the only Australian player to be "acclimatising", as news has come in of Phillip Hughes the young New South Wales opening batsman has just signed a short deal with Middlesex under the advisement of Australian legend Mark Waugh. it is understood that Hughes will also seek advice from former test opener Justin Langer, currently on the books at Somerset.
All of this spells for a very interesting few months county cricket and is building nicely towards an extremely intriguing Ashes summer, one which will be as hard fought as ever but more closely fought than the last.
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