Clarke remains off the field for Australia

Australia's Michael Clarke was ruled out of a second consecutive day of the third Test at Old Trafford, after being told to remain in bed and rest the back injury that he sustained during the opening exchanges of the match.

Clarke suffered the injury after five balls of the second over on Thursday, when he twisted as he threw in to the wicketkeeper and almost immediately pulled up. He left the field and his place was taken for the remainder of the day by Brad Hodge.

"Michael Clarke was reviewed by the team physio Errol Alcott during the lunch break," said a Cricket Australia spokesman. "Clarke has been ordered to remain at the team hotel for bed rest. He will continue to be treated and reviewed."

Clarke, who made a century on debut against India at Bangalore last October, normally bats at No. 5 but his absence means he is unlikely to be allowed to bat higher than No. 7.

His injury was diagnosed on Thursday as "lower-back pain caused by disc irritation". It is a condition he has suffered two or three times over the past three years.