Tough battle for one-day spots - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

Tough battle for one-day spots

By Adam Cooper 30/12/2003 06:43:20 PM Comments (0)

One-day regulars Brad Hogg and Ian Harvey face an anxious wait to see if they've retained their spots when Australia's limited overs cricket squad for next month's tri series is named on Wednesday.

Earning a berth in a side which has won 29 of its past 33 matches won't be easy, with some big names expected to be missing.

The 13-man squad will be used for the first four matches of the series which sees Australia play its opener against India on January 9 at the MCG before meeting Zimbabwe at the SCG two days later.

While the core of the squad that won six of seven matches in India recently is expected to be retained, Hogg may be in danger given his indifferent form for Western Australia since his return from the subcontinent.

The legspinner has struggled for the Warriors to such an extent that WA coach Wayne Clark recently said Hogg was on notice to lift his game or face being dropped from the state side.

Hogg has enjoyed an excellent past year in the Australian one-day side in the absence of Shane Warne, and played a crucial role in the side's World Cup triumph in South Africa in March.

But with Warne only six weeks away from returning from a one-year dug ban, selectors might go without a legspinner this series or try a long-term option in the interim - such as Victoria's Cameron White - if Warne decides to revive his one-day career.

Harvey is also under pressure, having endured a horror run with the bat since the India tour.

Harvey has bowled well in the four domestic matches he has played since, but has scored just nine runs - and three ducks - and could be overlooked in preference to fellow allrounder Andrew Symonds.

Symonds and the in-form and in-favour Michael Clarke both bowl tidy off-spin and Symonds' ability to match that with medium pace when needed will give captain Ricky Ponting plenty of bowling depth.

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