Calcutta: Michael Clarke feels he may not be fully ready for the World Cup opener against England but the foundations are now in place for the Australian captain to play a major role in the tournament.

Clarke continued his push to prove his fitness by bowling two overs and fielding in multiple positions in a warm-up match against Bangladesh XI on Thursday.

Under the inscrutable gaze of national coach Darren Lehmann, Clarke bowled, fielded and then batted with increasing fluency at Allan Border Field in Brisbane on Thursday.

The 33-year-old has until Australia's second match of the tournament, against Bangladesh on February 21, to prove his fitness after surgery on a torn hamstring.

He played a club game in Sydney at the weekend and then turned out for the Cricket Australia XI against Bangladesh XI on Thursday.

Clarke had expected to play just a limited part in the game, but bowled two overs of his left-arm spin and was fielding in the slips and on the boundary. His hamstring was well tested as he took a low catch in the slips to dismiss Bangladesh captain Shakib-al Hasan and spent two hours in total on the field. He also returned to bat and made 34 from 36 balls, including six fours, and looked in no discomfort.

Clarke was reluctant to declare himself over the line, saying he would leave his fate in the hands of medical staff, who rushed him in for massages the moment he walked through the white picket fence.

'In my opinion, there's still a gap between where I am now and playing a one-day International for Australia,' Clarke, who will head to Adelaide on Friday to join the rest of the Australian squad, told reporters in Brisbane.

'But the fortunate thing is I've got plenty of time to close that gap. I'm trying to get fit and healthy as soon as possible, and then the experts will make those decisions.

'I would have liked a few more runs but it's been nice. I've just got a bit more treatment now but I've pulled up pretty well.'

'The ideal world was to field for at least half the game. I think I fielded for 32 overs, which was nice, then to have a bat as well. It is positive. It's another step forward.'

Asked if he felt he would be fit to take on England at the MCG, Clarke said that may be a bridge too far, with the second match in Brisbane against Bangladesh (February 21) a more realistic prospect.

'It's really dictated by the medical staff. I'm trying to get fit and healthy as soon as possible and then the experts will make those decisions,' Clarke said. 'They probably would have liked 100 today. They probably would have liked me to field for the whole 50 overs as well.'

About the only thing missing from Clarke's display was any sign of sprinting at top pace, for in the leisurely surrounds of the practice fixture he was able to do most of his work by jogging in the field or between the wickets. However his willingness to bowl will be seen as significant by Lehmann and others.

Fitness has not been the only issue for Clarke, with Australian media reporting he could lose the captaincy to either stand-in George Bailey or Test skipper Steven Smith.

Coach Darren Lehmann and Clarke have both said in recent days it was not an issue, while opening batsman Aaron Finch added the team would not have a problem following any of the three men at the February 14-March 29 tournament.

'I don't think it makes much difference to the players - we've played under them all,' Finch told reporters in Melbourne earlier on Thursday.

'Michael has done an unbelievable job for a long time and so has George in one-day cricket. Steve is just starting out in his captaincy career - I suppose it's important that we don't let it distract us. From the players' point of view, I don't think it will.'

Finch also shared a sympathetic word for Bailey, who has found his run-making form deserting him ahead of the Cup. 'George's form hasn't been great, he knows that,' Finch said.

'But he's a class player, I think he averages high 40s in one-day cricket at a strike rate of 95, so that speaks for itself.'