Australia will be a batsman short in Thursday's one-day cricket match against Zimbabwe as it settles its bowling line-up for the upcoming finals.

All-rounder Ian Harvey and paceman Andy Bichel will take the places of Andrew Symonds and Jason Gillespie for the day-nighter at the MCG.

Australia leads the tri-series and will meet India in the best-of-three finals series, which will start in Melbourne on February 6.

"It probably means we go into the game one specialist batsman down, but it gives a few of the all-rounders a real chance to have a bit of a hit," said captain Ricky Ponting.

After Thursday, Australia plays its last pool match against India on Sunday before the finals.

Ponting said Australia probably would not play four fast bowlers in the finals series, meaning its performances in these next two games will be vital.

"I've been really happy with the way Brett (Lee) has progressed over the last couple of weeks, his bowling in the last couple of games especially has been very good, getting back to his best," Ponting said.

"Gillespie is obviously going along nicely, Williams has done a good job, `Bich' has sort of been in and out of the side, he obviously has another chance tomorrow to work on things."

Ponting added out-of-form batsman Damien Martyn "is still under a little bit of a cloud" after falling ill on Monday in the Adelaide one-dayer against Zimbabwe.

Martyn did not train on Wednesday morning as a precaution.

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