Doctor warns Symonds about early return

Australia's team doctor has added to the warnings about Andrew Symonds returning too soon by saying the allrounder could lose strength in his throwing arm if he hurts it again. While Symonds, who was named in the World Cup squad, is aiming to play against South Africa on March 24, Dr Trefor James said there was a "small risk" of him being re-injured.

"The longer [the injury] is left, the less the risk becomes," Dr James said in The Age. "There will always be some risk."

Symonds, who had surgery on the torn biceps almost two weeks ago, said this week it would be okay if the tendon snapped again because it would heal, but Dr James has concerns over the power of his throwing if the problem comes back. "The effect of that, from a theoretical point of view, is that it may lead to approximately a 10% reduction in strength, and that may be something he notices more with throwing than anything else," he told the paper.

"But it wouldn't mean that he wouldn't be able to continue playing cricket at the level he is playing. The thing is that his throwing is such a wonderful part of his skills that if he did lose that, it might make him more at the level of other cricketers rather than stop him from playing." Symonds can be replaced in the World Cup squad if the injury does not heal, but he is hopeful of playing in at least the second half of the tournament.