Potchefstroom, Feb. 20 (ANI): Australian cricket vice-captain Michael Clarke is reportedly suffering from a second injury to his back, putting in doubt his chances of playing in the Johannesburg Test next week.

According to The Australian, the team management is said to be extremely worried about the 27-year-old vice-captain injury.

The batsman and nominal successor to Ricky Ponting has suffered from a lower-back injury for his whole career. Now, he has a separate back injury that has the Australian camp holding its breath and hoping, according to coach Tim Nielsen.

"It''s a worry. He''s missed a couple of games, had a long flight and we had to get straight on a bus to get here. He''s getting better every day and hopefully we''ll see him run around and have a bat and a bowl, especially a bat. It''s a bit different to normal. It''s not his lower back from what I understand - it''s a different injury to what his normal problem is," the paper quoted Neilsen, as saying.

"We''re just being a bit careful because we don''t want to blow him out on the back of the plane trip and put him back another week and have real pressure on him to get ready for the Test (starting next Thursday).

"We''ll be guided by the medical staff. If he''s not quite right we''ll probably be pretty careful with him, put him on ice and make sure he''s ready to go in the Test." (ANI)