Steve Waugh left out of early World Cup squad

BRISBANE - Steve Waugh's one-day international career is over after the Test captain was left out of the provisional 30-man squad for Australia's World Cup defence in Africa from February.

The 37-year-old Waugh had held slim hopes of fighting his way back into the team after he was dropped last February but the message was clear today when he was not included not among the top 30 Australian limited overs players.

Waugh's 10 teammates from yesterday's Ashes series triumph over England were named in the provisional World Cup squad along with some outsiders in young Victorian legspinner Cameron White, Tasmanian paceman Damien Wright, versatile South Australian Mark Higgs and former Test spinner Brad Hogg.

Selectors named three conventional allrounders in Shane Watson, Andrew Symonds and Ian Harvey while West Australian wicketkeeper-batsman Ryan Campbell was also included.

The squad will be trimmed to 15 players by December 31 according to the guidelines arranged between the World Cup's 14 participating nations.

Players can be brought in from outside the 30-man squad but that would be unlikely in Australia's case.

"This is really the first phase in selecting the squad to attend South Africa for the 2003 World Cup," chairman of selectors Trevor Hohns said.

"There are a number of players we need to continue looking at over the coming month as we move to cut the squad by half.

"That will be a challenging task because there are several players that could fill a variety of positions for us at the World Cup.

"So far we have selected a healthy mix of players - batsmen, bowlers, all-rounders and three wicket-keepers, which gives us a broad range to choose from when finalising our list."

The Australian side is scheduled to depart for the World Cup on January 29 next year following the Allan Border Medal presentation on January 28.

Australia's provisional World Cup squad: Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist, Michael Bevan, Andrew Bichel, Jason Gillespie, Matthew Hayden, Brett Lee, Darren Lehmann, Damien Martyn, Glenn McGrath, Shane Warne, Shane Watson, Justin Langer, Jimmy Maher, Greg Blewett, Nathan Bracken, Stuart Clark, Michael Clarke, Ryan Campbell, Nathan Hauritz, Brad Hogg, Michael Hussey, Ashley Noffke, Andrew Symonds, Brad Williams, Brad Haddin, Ian Harvey, Cameron White, Mark Higgs, Damien Wright.