February 26, 2006	Sunday	Muharram 27, 1427

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window)

CENTURION (South Africa), Feb 25: South Africa’s bowling woes continued on Saturday ahead of the opening clash of the five-match One-day International series against Australia on Sunday.

Key all-rounder Shaun Pollock, who was the country’s leading bowler after injuries ravaged the side during a recent series in Australia, will play on Sunday but could miss the rest of the series because of a right knee ligament injury which will require keyhole surgery.

South Africa have three Tests against Australia, starting on March 16, followed by three more against New Zealand.

Pollock will play on Sunday because two other front-line bowlers, Makhaya Ntini and Andre Nel, are still recovering from injuries.

Ntini, who suffered a knee injury during the second Test against Australia in Melbourne in December, returned to the side in a 20-overs international on Friday but conceded 44 runs in three overs and looked short of condition.

Nel, who returned to South Africa after the Tests in Australia in early January, was only due to play his first match of the one-day series in Cape Town next Friday but came through a net practice well and will be considered for Sunday.

South Africa drafted Roger Telemachus, who played on Friday, into the one-day squad in place of Charl Langeveldt, who was ruled out by a broken left index finger.

Australia are expected to field big-hitting Andrew Symonds, who did not play on Friday because of a thigh strain, and batsman Michael Hussey, who only arrived in South Africa on Friday after staying in Australia for the birth of his second child.

Australian captain Ricky Ponting was confident his team could bounce back after a two-run defeat in the 20-overs match.

Teams (from):

South Africa: Graeme Smith (captain), Boeta Dippenaar, Herschelle Gibbs, A.B. de Villiers, Ashwell Prince, Mark Boucher, Justin Kemp, Shaun Pollock, Andrew Hall, Robin Peterson, Johan van der Wath, Andre Nel, Makhaya Ntini, Roger Telemachus.

Australia: Ricky Ponting (captain), Adam Gilchrist, Simon Katich, Damien Martyn, Michael Clarke, Michael Hussey, Andrew Symonds, Shane Watson, Brad Hogg, Brett Lee, Nathan Bracken, Stuart Clark, Mitchell Johnson, Mick Lewis.

Umpires: Brian Jerling (South Africa) and Jeremy Lloyds (England).

TV umpire: Karl Hurter (South Africa).

Match referee: Chris Broad (England).

—AFP