'I feel really good, thank you' - Clarke

It is a seven-and-a-half hour flight from Auckland to Perth, and the time difference is five hours. Michael Clarke has said before that he needs more time than others between getting off a plane and training at full intensity.

Last year, he traveled to the UAE a week before anybody else for the series against Pakistan. Saturday's game against New Zealand was Clarke's first in the World Cup after a long rehabilitation period following hamstring surgery. And so the issue of Clarke's fitness once again dominated at a Clarke press conference, where the captain said that he was feeling fit, and spoke about the importance of recovery.

"I feel really good, thank you," Clarke said when the inevitable question was broached ahead of Australia's World Cup group game against Afghanistan. "It was a long flight, so the last two days have been really important recovery-wise to make sure, like everyone, we're doing everything we can to be a hundred percent fit for tomorrow.

"Fortunately, I was able to have a really good training session yesterday as well. I think that was good for my body, and I feel great today. So plenty of recovery again this afternoon, and look forward to getting back out there tomorrow."

Australia are headed to Sydney next, where they play Sri Lanka four days after Afghanistan in Perth, which follows four days after New Zealand in Auckland. It is difficult, but something other sides and players have had to go through as well in the World Cup. However, given his recent injury woes and his long-standing back problem, Clarke was asked just how hard it was to pull himself up for a game after so much travel.

"I've got no idea. I've never done it before, so I'm about to find out," Clarke said. "Obviously, seven-and-a-half-hour flight, yeah, it takes some time to recover from that. But I think the boys have certainly done that full recovery, rehab, individual recovery as well as guys getting what they need.

"We've got a lot of resources as well. We've got so much staff. There are massage therapists, physios, doctors, strength and conditioning, whatever you need, it's there. We're staying in a magnificent hotel too. They've got great facilities, gym, pool. We're very lucky.

"I think all the guys have trained really well today, so that's probably the best sign that we'll be able to walk out and train at full intensity today. It shows the boys have recovered well and are ready for tomorrow."

The queries kept coming about the same issue. Had he learned from his past experiences with long flights? Did he do something different now to recover? Clarke was a touch sarcastic by the end, but stressed on how recovery had always been important for him from the early years of his career.

"It's the same as I've done the last 12 years. Try to sleep when I can. Watch a movie when I can. Get up and walk when I'm sick of watching movies. Eat as much food as possible. Don't drink alcohol. There is nothing in particular. Yeah, we haven't got the massage tables on the flight at this stage, as good as Qantas are. But, yeah, I just try to do the same things I've done my whole career.

"I don't think there is any proof that I've had injuries from flying. I think recovery has always been an important part of my cricket. I've had a back injury since I was 17 years of age, so my treatment and my preparation and my training hasn't changed since then and won't change until the end of my career.

"We just continue to learn from other people and take their expertise and experience in regards to people that have had chronic back injuries and see if it helps me. But like I say, I feel as fit and as healthy as I've felt in at least five years, so that's a real positive sign. I've just got to keep my maintenance up, keep listening to the medical staff and doing as they ask, because I feel like it's helping me at the moment, that's for sure."