Mark Waugh splits finger webbing, may not bat

MUMBAI, India - Mark Waugh is likely to go into the first cricket Test against India without any batting practice after splitting the webbing between two fingers in his left hand in the three-day match that began against Mumbai here today.

Waugh needed three stitches to the tear, which came after he got only his little finger to a catch off the bowling of Damien Fleming.

Waugh didn't play in the opening tour match and coach John Buchanan said he would not bat in Australia's first innings tomorrow.

The way things are likely to pan out, Australia probably won't have much of second innings after Mumbai batted all day today making 9-328.

Buchanan said the injury would make it too hard for Waugh to hold the bat as his two smallest fingers on the left hand were taped together.

"Technically it will be a bit hard for him to hold the bat so it's unlikely he'll bat tomorrow but we're hopeful he'll be fine for the Test match which is still five days away," Buchanan said.

The Australians also had a minor scare with Jason Gillespie, who needed a cortisone injection in his ankle this morning.

Gillespie suffered the strain because the powdery pitch at Nagpur tended to crumble away under his foot strike, giving him an uneven landing area as the match wore on.

Australian physiotherapist Erroll Alcott said the injury was not serious but that Gillespie felt some tenderness in the ankle this morning.

The fast bowler is sitting out the current match against Mumbai but is expected to be fit for the Test match starting on February 27.