Clarke's personal life is not a concern for Black Caps: Taylor

Sydney, May 18 (ANI): New Zealand batsman Ross Taylor has welcomed Michael Clarke back to international cricket, and said that the Australian vice-captain's personal life is of no concern to the Black Caps.

Clarke ended his public silence on Wednesday on his broken engagement to bikini model Lara Bingle, saying he was keen to get back onto the field for Friday's first Test against New Zealand.

Clarke, who skipped the last three games of Australia's ODI series in New Zealand to see Bingle in Sydney last week, says he expects to be sledged by the home side on Friday.

But Black Caps' vice-captain Taylor said the players will be keeping things nice.

"It's good to have him back and I'm sure he'll add a bit more to the series. I can't help what the punters in the crowd say to him. But I don't think the team will be saying anything to him. I don't think what happens off the field in their own personal lives are any business of ours," Taylor said.

Taylor admitted that the Kiwis will have enough problems of their own with top-order trio BJ Watling, Tim McIntosh and Peter Ingram having played only 14 Tests between them.

Taylor said the Kiwis are expecting plenty of bouncers from Australia's pace attack, led by the in-form Mitchell Johnson.

"It's about getting forward until getting pushed back, because Australia in the past can come at us hard and bowl a lot of short deliveries and put pressure on us that way," Taylor said. (ANI)