FORMER Ramsbottom professional Michael Clarke may have a job awaiting him as an England selector when his stint as Australia captain comes to an end after his prediction for the tourists’ XI for the first Test was proved correct.

Clarke quipped last week that he already knew what side England would line up with in Brisbane for the opening salvo of the five-match series.

Whether tongue-in-check, an attempt at mind games or something else, a smiling Clarke suggested England captain Alastair Cook had divulged his team when they spoke after Monday’s Remembrance Day service in Sydney.

The Australia skipper, addressing journalists at Cricket Australia’s international series launch in Brisbane, said he knew Michael Carberry would definitely open the batting, with Joe Root dropping down the order.

He also said Chris Tremlett had pipped Steven Finn and Boyd Rankin to the third seamer’s spot.

Both these points proved to be correct as England’s team was unveiled at the toss in Brisbane, and with wicketkeeper Matt Prior proving his fitness to take his place in the line-up, the XI Clarke named was entirely correct.

Clarke said at the series launch: “I saw Alastair Cook yesterday at a Remembrance Day ceremony in Sydney, and fortunately enough he gave me their team as well for the first Test match.

”So I know he hasn’t announced it yet, but I thought this was a good opportunity for me to announce it.”

Clarke went on to list a team sheet, reading Cook, Carberry, Trott, Pietersen, Bell, Root, Prior, Broad, Swann, Anderson, Tremlett.

”Now he doesn’t exactly know that yet, but I know that’s the XI that is going to take the field in the first Test - so we can start our preparations as of today,” he added.

”I’m very confident that will be the XI that England will play.”

That confidence proved entirely justified.