Australia begin mind games ahead of Ashes double-header with England and Test series against South Africa Clarke was speaking last week at Cricket Australia's inaugural "captain's address," which kicked off the Australia season under the banner "Cricket's Back." In an eight-minute speech described by the CA website as "stirring" and bearing scars on his forehead from what he has described as a "fight with branches" while doing some gardening, Clarke looked ahead to Australia's schedule over the next 15 months, which includes 20 Test matches, with three at home to Sri Lanka and four away in India to add to the three against South Africa and 10 against England. Clarke said: "Our goals are very clear - we want to be the best we can be. And if we are, that will take us back to where we want to be - the best in all three forms of the game. I make no bones about the Australian team getting back on top. Clarke's task is tricky, but not as tricky as George Bailey's. He is captain of the T20 side in case you didn't know. In that Australia are ranked seventh (England are fourth). In one-day internationals Australia are rated fourth (England are first!) and in Test cricket they are a place behind England's second. Yes, in case you didn't get that, England are in front in every format of the game. And actually their lead up to the Ashes is a good comparison in Test cricket. Can they fare better than England did last summer against a South African side Clarke describes as "as good as probably I've played in my career"? Then there is their trip to India next year following England's beginning next week. England's record in India is, of course, woeful, but so is Australia's. Since 1979 in nine series played there they have only won one - in 2004 - with just one of those drawn. Steve Waugh has always banged on about it being the "final frontier" he never conquered and he had one of the greatest spinners of all time, Shane Warne, in his side. Now the Australian selectors seem only to find spanners in their search for spinners. The incumbent wrench is off-spinner Nathan Lyon, who was comfortably outbowled by James Tredwell in the two unofficial Tests against England Lions at Old Trafford and Edgbaston last summer. Such has been the avalanche of advice given to Lyon his bowling has apparently become "muddled," to use the word of national selector John Inverarity. It has even been said that Mitchell Johnson, that paragon of bowling's simplicity and accuracy, has been offering Lyon counsel. Goodness me. Muddled should not now be the state of mind of the groundsmen at grounds like Old Trafford and the Kia Oval next summer. Their pitches must turn. Given Australia's spin shortage that shouldn't be a problem for England's batsmen, however they fare in India.