da supremo： Australia has named a twelve-man squad for the second Standard Bank one-dayinternational against South Africa on its Travelex Tour, to be played atCenturion Park on Sunday 24 March, it was announced today
Media Release23-Mar-2002Australia has named a twelve-man squad for the second Standard Bank one-dayinternational against South Africa on its Travelex Tour, to be played atCenturion Park on Sunday 24 March, it was announced today.Shane Warne will once again sit out the match as he rests his minorhamstring strain and he will be joined on the sidelines by batsman MichaelBevan and all-rounder Ian Harvey.Both Harvey and Bevan sustained injuries during Friday’s 19-run win overSouth Africa at The Wanderers, with Bevan picking up a minor strain to ahamstring tendon in his left leg while batting and Harvey suffering a minorligament injury in his right shoulder as he dived to stop a ball late in thematch.The duo will miss the match at Centurion as a precaution and will bereviewed by Australian team physiotherapist Errol Alcott on an ongoingbasis.The absence of Bevan and Harvey allows batsman Jimmy Maher and all-rounderShane Watson to be included in the squad with a decision on a final elevento be made on the morning of the match.For Maher, inclusion in that starting line-up would mean a return to theside for the first time since the Carlton & United Series against NewZealand and South Africa in 1997/98.If Watson plays he will win his first cap after being part of the Test squadthat recently won the three-match series with the Proteas 2-1.Commenting on his inclusion in the twelve, Watson said: “It’s a big thingfor me and I’m really looking forward to tomorrow, especially if selected.”It’s a good opportunity for me and if I’m picked I’ll be giving it all Ican, just trying to enjoy myself as I always do and then just see whathappens from there.”Earlier in the tour we had a team meeting that defined my roles with batand ball and as a batsman a key job will be for me to rotate the strike togive the main batter as much of a look-in as possible, as well as looking toscore myself.”I think my bowling has come on really well. I’ve worked with Glenn McGrathand Jason Gillespie and I can feel the improvement there, I think myconsistency has gone up and now it’s a case of trying to take that into agame, if selected.”I really enjoyed my first game in Port Elizabeth. It all just went my wayand now it’s just a case of trying to maintain that momentum and play mypart for Australia.”It was great to see us win in Johannesburg. I think we were a bit rustywith the bat but maybe that’s understandable coming off a Test series as wedid, but we’re keen to improve and put some good numbers on the board and Ihope I can play my part in that at some stage.”I’ve already learnt so much on this tour. It’s not only been talking tothe other players that has helped but training too by working with theseguys and seeing how they prepare.”I can feel the improvement and now I hope to take that into a game.”It was great to see Haurie (Nathan Hauritz) do so well in Johannesburg.We’ve played most of our junior cricket together so to see him go so wellwas brilliant. It would be great to follow him and get my chance but that’sup to the selectors now.”As for the pitch, it looks as though it’s got some more pace than somewe’ve seen but it also looks flat, as most one-day pitches do.”Australia (from): Ricky Ponting (captain), Adam Gilchrist (vice-captain),Matthew Hayden, Damien Martyn, Darren Lehmann, Jimmy Maher, Shane Watson,Andrew Bichel, Jason Gillespie, Nathan Hauritz, Glenn McGrath, Brett Lee.