‘Clarke batted with fractured shoulder in Cape Town Test’

A team doctor says Australia captain Michael Clarke had a broken shoulder when he scored 161 runs during his team’s decisive win over South Africa in their three-test series earlier this month.

Team physiotherapist Alex Kountouris said Monday that scans had confirmed the fracture to his left shoulder, which occurred when Clarke was hit by a bouncer from South Africa fast bowler Morne Morkel during his innings in the third test.

Morkel tested Clarke with a barrage of bouncers, striking him on the forearm, elbow, shoulder and helmet on the first day and on the thumb when he returned with the second new ball.

Clarke’s 27th test century helped Australia take the third test and complete a 2-1 series win over the South Africans.