Clark vows to lift his game

A disappointed Stuart Clark will use the off-season to work on his one-day bowling after failing to make the 15-man World Cup squad. Clark was omitted on Tuesday in what Andrew Hilditch, the chairman of selectors, said was "as hard a decision as you could make".

Shaun Tait, who played his first two one-day internationals during the CB Series, was preferred for his extreme pace - he clocked 160kph during his second game - and an ability to bowl bouncers and yorkers to unsettle the batsmen. Despite leading the wicket list in the Ashes and taking ten in six CB Series games, Clark was overlooked because of a predictable armoury and an expensive strike-rate.

"I am very disappointed but understand why the selectors have not selected me," Clark said in the Daily Telegraph. "It just means I am going to have to work on my game in the next six months so that I can place myself in the best possible position to be selected in the future. I wish the boys the very best defending and bringing home the World Cup for Australia."

Tait told The Advertiser he would try to "shake up" the batsmen in the Caribbean. "It's the same attitude Brett Lee has," Tait said. "You have one or two bowlers who can run in and stir the pot a bit with the new ball. I suppose I add something different, which was probably the attraction."

Brad Hodge, whose unbeaten 99 was the highlight of his CB Series, earned a spot in the squad at the expense of his Victoria team-mate Cameron White. White scored quickly when he had opportunities, but he was unable to make an impact with the ball and was replaced as the allrounder when Shane Watson returned. If Andrew Symonds fails to regain fitness after an arm injury White is likely to be the replacement.

"I feel extremely disappointed for Whitey, naturally," Hodge said in the Herald Sun. "I suppose he can look at me as a mate and an example of a path to take. I know exactly how he feels right now, but he's young enough and certainly good enough to achieve what he wants in the long run."

Brad Haddin, the back-up wicketkeeper, said he had tried to keep a low profile when being talked about as a World Cup contender. "I've just been concentrating on playing well for New South Wales, and hoping my stats would warrant the selectors taking a close look," he said in The Australian. "I'm ecstatic about it." The squad leaves for the Caribbean at the end of the month and will play two warm-up games in St Vincent before the opening match against Scotland on March 14.