Clarke and Hussey steer Australia to 324-6

Michael Clarke’s 93 helped Australia overcome a mid-innings wobble as the champions made 324 for six against Kenya in a World Cup Group A match on Sunday.

Vice-captain Clarke and the returning Michael Hussey (54), in for dropped younger brother David, shared a stand of 114 after Australia had lost three wickets for just 16 runs to be 143 for four.

Clarke, on the ground where he made a hundred on Test debut against India in 2004, took 52 balls over his first fifty with only three boundaries.

But he then cut loose before he holed out off fast bowler Nehemiah Odhiambo, who led Kenya’s attack with three for 57.

Victory for Australia would see the title-holders, unbeaten in 32 matches at the World Cup dating back to 1999, into the quarter-finals.

Australia captain Ricky Ponting won the toss and elected to bat against Kenya.

Michael Hussey, recovered from a hamstring problem and called into the Australia squad as a replacement for injured fast bowler Doug Bollinger, was selected for his first match of this tournament.

The experienced left-handed batsman replaced younger brother David in the Australia line-up.

Victory for Australia, bidding for a fourth straight title and fifth in all, would see Ricky Ponting’s men into the quarter-finals and extend the champions’ unbeaten streak at the World Cup to 33 games, a sequence dating back to 1999.

Kenya, by contrast, have lost all four of their group matches at this tournament to date, including a five-wicket defeat by fellow non-Test nation Canada last time out.

This is effectively Australia’s first match for more than two weeks after last weekend’s clash against co-hosts Sri Lanka ended as a no-result washout.

Australia: Brad Haddin (wkt), Shane Watson, Ricky Ponting (capt), Michael Clarke, Cameron White, Michael Hussey, Steve Smith, Mitchell Johnson, Brett Lee, Jason Krejza, Shaun Tait

Kenya: Maurice Ouma (wkt), Alex Obanda, Collins Obuya, David Obuya, Tanmay Mishra, Thomas Odoyo, Rakep Patel, Jimmy Kamande (capt), Nehemiah Odhiambo, Elijah Otieno, James Ngoche

SCOREBOARD

Australia innings

S. Watson c Ouma b Odhiambo 21 B. Haddin c Patel b Kamande 65 R. Ponting lbw b C. Obuya 36 M. Clarke c Patel b Odhiambo 93 C. White b Kamande 2 M. Hussey c D. Obuya b Odhiambo 54 S. Smith not out 17 M. Johnson not out 12 Extras (b 2 lb 5 w 16 nb 1) 24 Total (for six wickets; 50 overs) 324

Fall of wickets: 1-38 2-127 3-131 4-143 5-257 6-304

Did not bat: B. Lee, J. Krejza, S. Tait

Bowling: Odoyo 10-0-50-0 (1w), Otieno 8-0-75-0, Odhiambo 10-1-57-3 (2w), Ngoche 8-0-56-0 (1w), Kamande 10-0-46-2 (2w), C. Obuya 4-0-33-1 (1nb, 1w)

Kenya: Jimmy Kamande (captain), Maurice Ouma, Rakep Patel, Collins Obuya, David Obuya, Alex Obanda, Tanmay Mishra, Thomas Odoyo, Nehemiah Odhiambo, Elijah Otieno, James Ngoche.

Australia won the toss and elected to bat