Bevan and Harvey to sit out SuperSport Park ODI with minor injuries

Australia has named a twelve-man squad for the second Standard Bank one-day international against South Africa on its Travelex Tour, to be played at Centurion Park on Sunday 24 March, it was announced today.

Shane Warne will once again sit out the match as he rests his minor hamstring strain and he will be joined on the sidelines by batsman Michael Bevan and all-rounder Ian Harvey.

Both Harvey and Bevan sustained injuries during Friday's 19-run win over South Africa at The Wanderers, with Bevan picking up a minor strain to a hamstring tendon in his left leg while batting and Harvey suffering a minor ligament injury in his right shoulder as he dived to stop a ball late in the match.

The duo will miss the match at Centurion as a precaution and will be reviewed by Australian team physiotherapist Errol Alcott on an ongoing basis.

The absence of Bevan and Harvey allows batsman Jimmy Maher and all-rounder Shane Watson to be included in the squad with a decision on a final eleven to be made on the morning of the match.

For Maher, inclusion in that starting line-up would mean a return to the side for the first time since the Carlton & United Series against New Zealand and South Africa in 1997/98.

If Watson plays he will win his first cap after being part of the Test squad that recently won the three-match series with the Proteas 2-1.

Commenting on his inclusion in the twelve, Watson said: "It's a big thing for me and I'm really looking forward to tomorrow, especially if selected.

"It's a good opportunity for me and if I'm picked I'll be giving it all I can, just trying to enjoy myself as I always do and then just see what happens from there.

"Earlier in the tour we had a team meeting that defined my roles with bat and ball and as a batsman a key job will be for me to rotate the strike to give the main batter as much of a look-in as possible, as well as looking to score myself.

"I think my bowling has come on really well. I've worked with Glenn McGrath and Jason Gillespie and I can feel the improvement there, I think my consistency has gone up and now it's a case of trying to take that into a game, if selected.

"I really enjoyed my first game in Port Elizabeth. It all just went my way and now it's just a case of trying to maintain that momentum and play my part for Australia.

"It was great to see us win in Johannesburg. I think we were a bit rusty with the bat but maybe that's understandable coming off a Test series as we did, but we're keen to improve and put some good numbers on the board and I hope I can play my part in that at some stage.

"I've already learnt so much on this tour. It's not only been talking to the other players that has helped but training too by working with these guys and seeing how they prepare.

"I can feel the improvement and now I hope to take that into a game.

"It was great to see Haurie (Nathan Hauritz) do so well in Johannesburg. We've played most of our junior cricket together so to see him go so well was brilliant. It would be great to follow him and get my chance but that's up to the selectors now.

"As for the pitch, it looks as though it's got some more pace than some we've seen but it also looks flat, as most one-day pitches do."

Australia (from): Ricky Ponting (captain), Adam Gilchrist (vice-captain), Matthew Hayden, Damien Martyn, Darren Lehmann, Jimmy Maher, Shane Watson, Andrew Bichel, Jason Gillespie, Nathan Hauritz, Glenn McGrath, Brett Lee.