WELLINGTON - Michael Clarke arrived back in New Zealand yesterday the same way he left a week ago, with his head down and trying to avoid attention.
As plumbers at his Bondi flat searched for Lara Bingle's engagement ring, Clarke was hoping the media wouldn't plumb new depths seeking news on the celebrity couple's split.
Unfortunately for the Australian cricket vice-captain, his Sydney flight QF47 included a camera crew from Channel Seven joining him in business class, which reportedly pleased him not at all.
This couldn't be confirmed with Clarke, because he offered no comment upon arrival in Wellington for the two-Test series starting on Friday.
Clarke was met by a media scrum of 20 reporters and camera crews at Wellington airport at 2.10pm NZ time (12.10pm Tastime).
The vice-captain had skipped the last three games of Australia's five-match one- day series against the Kiwis to sort out his relationship with bikini model Bingle.
Clarke's management announced on Friday that the pair's engagement was off, and now the 28-year-old is keen to turn his focus back to cricket.
Clarke was flanked by officials including team manager Steve Bernard as he negotiated the two-minute walk to the car park.
Looking drained and under siege, he threw his sunglasses on and repeated the line "no comment, sorry guys" at least six times.
"What's it like to be back at work?" reporters asked.
The jostling for position was becoming quite a challenge for a crew from Christchurch working for Channel Nine, who were dropping equipment amid much pushing and shoving.
Within 20 minutes Clarke was in a more comfortable environment at the team hotel.
After he made front-page news in Sydney for getting into an argument over a woman taking his photo at a nightclub on Saturday night, the relative quiet of the New Zealand capital must have been appealing.
Clarke was met at the hotel by batting coach Justin Langer, who gave his former teammate a big hug as Clarke flashed a grin.
Skipper Ricky Ponting was also waiting for his deputy and offered a welcoming handshake before the pair started catching up on events of the past week.
Two hours later the Australian Test squad assembled in the foyer in their suits for a diplomatic function.
Clarke didn't attend and was having physio treatment, a team spokesman said.
Pace bowler Doug Bollinger said his NSW and Test teammate would be fine for Friday's match.
"It will take his mind off everything that's going on and I reckon it'll be great for him," Bollinger said.
"He'll be great around the group and great playing cricket. He'll be all right, he'll be fine."
Test teammate Mike Hussey has paid tribute to Clarke's mental strength, while saying that Kiwis sledging the vice- captain over his personal dramas would be "below the belt".
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