MELBOURNE, Dec 24: Australia fast bowler Jason Gillespie said he was shattered after he broke down with injury during training Monday and was ruled out of the second Test against South Africa starting Wednesday.

Australia team physiotherapist Errol Alcott said Gillespie had complained of shoulder soreness after the fourth day’s play in the first Test in Adelaide earlier this month.

“He was still able to bowl with it on day five and his pace was still up and I think he got a couple of wickets too,” Alcott said.

“But I just don’t think it’s fair on him or the rest of the team for him to go into a new Test match with a problem like that,” added Alcott who made the final decision to withdraw Gillespie from the team for the match at Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Gillespie, 26, has taken 115 wickets in 30 Tests at an average of 25.37 and is an integral member of world number one Australia’s pace trio alongside Glenn McGrath and Brett Lee.

“I’m shattered,” Gillespie said. “I feel I could bowl my first spell okay but I wasn’t completely sure if I could come back after that.

“This is such an important Test match and I was keen not to let any of the guys down so it was the sensible decision to step down.”

Victory in the second Test in Melbourne or the third Test in Sydney starting Jan 2 would allow Australia to keep their world number one ranking.

Scans Monday cleared Gillespie of any significant injury, the Australia team said in a statement.

Gillespie has been troubled by back and ankle injuries and a broken wrist during his career. In September 1999 he collided with captain Steve Waugh attempting a catch in the outfield during the first Test against Sri Lanka in Kandy.

He broke his leg in the incident and Waugh suffered a broken nose.

Gillespie returned to Test cricket in December 2000 in the second Test against West Indies in Perth. The match was the first of his 16 consecutive Tests, including the first Test against South Africa.

Australia named uncapped Western Australia state fast bowler Brad Williams, 27, in their 12-man squad although fast bowler Andrew Bichel, 12th man in three Tests against New Zealand in the past two months, is expected to be included in the 11 ahead of Williams.

“It’s a little bit disruptive but it gives someone else an opportunity,” Waugh said of Gillespie’s injury.

Meanwhile, South Africa are waiting on a medical report on footsore Allan Donald.

Donald, 35, South Africa’s most successful bowler with 325 wickets in 69 Tests, missed the first Test with a foot problem and failed to shake it during a wicket-less performance against New South Wales state in Sydney last week.

South Africa are keen to get Donald back into their side, possibly at the expense of Makhaya Ntini who took 0-77 from 27 overs in Adelaide.

South Africa are also nursing number six batsman and fast-medium bowler Lance Klusener, who contributed two wickets and 40 runs in Adelaide.

“I’m sure Lance’s confidence is a little bit down. As cricketers and as sports people you are going to have periods where you don’t go too well,” Pollock said.

“He’s performed well for us all around the globe (78 wickets at 37.34 and 1,897 runs at 34.49 in 47 Tests). He’s just an all-round contributor.

“If you can’t get excited and ready to perform at Melbourne, then you’re going to struggle elsewhere,” Waugh said.

Pollock said losing the first Test had been bad for morale on tour but things had improved despite the added burden of going straight into a four-day match against New South Wales state in Sydney last week, two days after the first Test.

“We never expected an easy tour coming to Australia and we are prepared to dig deep and fight again.”

Teamd (from):

Australia: Steve Waugh (captain), Matthew Hayden, Justin Langer, Ricky Ponting, Mark Waugh, Damien Martyn, Adam Gilchrist, Brett Lee, Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath, Andrew Bichel, Brad Williams.

South Africa: Shaun Pollock (captain), Gary Kirsten, Herschelle Gibbs, Boeta Dippenaar, Jacques Kallis, Neil McKenzie, Lance Klusener, Mark Boucher, Claude Henderson, Makhaya Ntini, Nantie Hayward, Steve Elworthy, Jacques Rudolph, Justin Ontong.—Reuters