Scans have revealed Australian captain Michael Clarke played on with a fractured shoulder during his courageous Cape Town century which helped deliver Australia their 2-1 Test series win over South Africa.

Clarke weathered a fearsome barrage from South African paceman Morne Morkel during last month’s third Test, copping several body blows in one particularly brutal spell.

Clarke went on to score a brilliant unbeaten 161, hailed as the best and bravest knock of his decorated career, and scans in Sydney have now revealed he played on with a fractured left shoulder.

The injury means Clarke has been ruled out of the Sheffield Shield final, where it had been hoped he could play for NSW against Western Australia at Canberra’s Manuka Oval.

“Michael Clarke was injured as a result of being struck on the left shoulder during the third Test against South Africa in Cape Town,” said team physiotherapist Alex Kountouris in a Cricket Australia statement.

“We have since done a series of scans that have demonstrated a fracture near his shoulder joint.

“We expect that this will heal with a period of rest.”

Clarke was, however, cleared of any serious injury to his thumb, which was struck during another Morkel stint.

It was revealed later that pain from the battering Clarke sustained during the day one barrage prevented him from sleeping at all that night.

He had reached stumps on day one unbeaten on 92, before going on to bat the following day to complete the famous century.