Michael Clarke suffers new hamstring injury in Australia win

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Australia captain Michael Clarke and team-mates at the anthemsImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Clarke (left) was playing his 238th ODI for Australia

First one-day international, Perth:

Australia 300-8 (50 overs) beat South Africa 268 (48.1 overs) by 32 runs

Australia captain Michael Clarke could face another lay-off after further hamstring trouble in the first one-day international with South Africa.

It is the third time the 33-year-old has injured his left hamstring in the past six weeks, and he missed the recent one-day series with Pakistan.

"Whatever it takes for me to get back on the park, I'll do it," he said.

AB de Villiers made 80 and became the fastest to 7,000 ODI runs but could not prevent a 32-run win for Australia.

Fastest players to 7,000 ODI runs

Matches

Innings

From

To

De Villiers (SA)

172

166

2005

2014

Ganguly (Ind)

180

174

1992

2001

Lara (WI)

187

183

1990

2001

Haynes (WI)

188

187

1978

1991

Kallis (SA)

197

188

1996

2004

Clarke, who will have scans on his injured leg on Saturday, made 11 in his side's total of 300-8 before an attempted pull shot at paceman Dale Steyn flicked off his glove through to wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock.

"Early in my innings I took off for a run and just felt it grab," Clarke explained. "I've got my fingers crossed that it's not that bad. I've had a long stint of rehab trying to get it strong and unfortunately it's come back again, so that is not positive."

George Bailey stepped in as captain for the remainder of the match and is expected to retain the job for the five-match series, which continues in Perth on Sunday, if Clarke is ruled out long-term.

Bailey struck three fours and three sixes after Australia were put in at the Waca in Perth.

De Villiers, the world's top-ranked ODI batsman, hit four fours and a six in his 76-ball innings before he was run out in the 40th over, and South Africa were all out for 268 in the 49th, seamer Nathan Coulter-Nile taking 4-48.

After this ODI series, a four-Test series against India begins on 4 December and the World Cup, co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, commences on 14 February.

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