Clarke dropped for third Test

Australian batsman Michael Clarke’s poor run of form has seen him dropped from the Australian squad for the third Test against the West Indies starting on Friday in Adelaide.

Clarke makes way after a year in which he has failed to score a Test century and averaged only 28 since his last hundred against New Zealand in November 2004.

Opener Justin Langer has recovered from broken ribs and will return to the squad, with Mike Hussey and Brad Hodge retained after both made runs in the second Test at Hobart.

Nathan Bracken is in the squad but is expected to remain at 12th man with Stuart MacGill likely to keep his position on a spin-friendly Adelaide Oval wicket.

Australia squad: Justin Langer, Matthew Hayden, Ricky Ponting (captain), Brad Hodge, Mike Hussey, Andrew Symonds, Adam Gilchrist, Shane Warne, Brett Lee, Stuart MacGill, Glenn McGrath, Nathan Bracken.