News APP

NewsApp (Free)

Read news as it happens
Download NewsApp

Available on  gplay

Rediff.com  » News » Australia name unchanged side

Australia name unchanged side

March 01, 2003 18:59 IST
Get Rediff News in your Inbox:

Australia named an unchanged side to meet England in their final World Cup Group A match on Sunday at Port Elizabeth when they will be bidding to clinch a record 12th consecutive one-day victory.

Fast bowler Jason Gillespie remains sidelined as he tries to shake off a sore right Achilles, but captain Ricky Ponting said the injury was "not a concern".

Australia, the only side to win all their games in the tournament, defeated Namibia by a record victory margin of 256 runs in Potchefstroom on Thursday, drawing level with West Indies, who won 11 one-dayers in a row in the mid-eighties.

"Gillespie's still got inflammation in his achilles," said Ponting. "It's a little bit of a worry that he said the injury was worse today than it was a few days ago.

"I don't think it is too much of a concern," added Ponting whose team has won all its five group matches so far and already qualified for the Super Sixes.

"Brett Lee will take the new ball. When you bowl at Brett's pace, over 150kph, there aren't too many batsmen good enough to pull you."

Ponting admitted he was concerned by the sight of Pakistan's Shoaib Akhtar breaking the 100mph mark earlier in the tournament as it could goad Lee into trying something similar to the detriment of the team.

"I don't like it at all," Ponting said. "I don't want Brett just to bowl as fast as he can for the sake of it. But he's grown up a lot and is more mature now."

Australia have strolled through the World Cup thus far and Ponting agreed they could have done with some tougher encounters.

Team:

Ricky Ponting (captain), Adam Gilchrist, Matthew Hayden, Damiem Martyn, Darren Lehmann, Michael Bevan, Andrew Symonds, Brad Hogg, Brett Lee, Andy Bichel, Glenn McGrath.

Get Rediff News in your Inbox: