By Jamie Pandaram
MARCUS NORTH has emerged as a shock contender for Australia's Test captaincy, as Michael Clarke's popularity within the side continues to wane following a bitter tour of India.
The team is not divided to the point of implosion, but a number of senior players remain firmly opposed to the idea that Clarke will succeed Ricky Ponting. Clarke has been able to harness great support among younger members of the team, who realise their backing would be rewarded should Clarke gain the captaincy full-time.
Australia's stand-in captain, Michael Clarke, shows his frustration.
The Age has been told the latest issues stem from comments he made regarding Mike Hussey and Doug Bollinger's Champions League participation before the first Test.
He is also said to have rankled Ponting when denied a chance to bowl in the final session of the fateful Mohali Test, which India won courtesy of a ninth-wicket stand between V.V.S. Laxman and Ishant Sharma. Clarke was desperate to bowl to Sharma.
Players and officials will not comment publicly, but the division within the camp has been apparent for years. The team will present a united front during the Ashes campaign, but the background manoeuvring presents an equally absorbing contest.
Selectors have been unwavering in their support of North, even as he continued a woeful run of form that threatened his position in the team, and it now seems there is more to their faith in the Western Australian skipper. North's leadership qualities and personable nature are admired by influential figures, and if he can find consistency with the bat he will be a strong chance to take over should Ponting retire before the 2013 Ashes - despite being older than Clarke.
Cricket Australia anointed Clarke as the heir-apparent years ago and has resisted swaying from that path, however, some in the anti-Clarke camp have been promoting other candidates including two not in the Test team, Callum Ferguson and Cameron White.
Some players were angered by Clarke's suggestions that Hussey and Bollinger had put cash before country by playing in the Champions League instead of preparing in Mohali for the opening Test. In fact, both players were forced by Cricket Australia to participate in the Twenty20 tournament, which is part-owned by CA.
Clarke had said: ''You don't have to play IPL. You don't have to play Champions League. For me, personally, right now it is about representing my country, and every game I can play for Australia, I will do that.''
Ponting made it clear to his team that Cricket Australia forced Hussey and Bollinger to play in the Champions League, and told reporters in India: ''I had to spell it out to the players when we got here that those guys wanted to be here, because there was a bit of talk around the group as well about how late they could arrive.
''So I made it really clear that those players wanted to be here and their contractual situation didn't allow that to happen.''
Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland was also forced to admit that this was indeed the case.