Struggling Cosgrove still in the mix

South Australia have given up on placing weight and fitness restrictions on Mark Cosgrove but the batsman is still in danger of missing out on the state's opening games due to form concerns. Cosgrove, the most recent South Australia batsman to play for Australia, was dropped from the first-class team towards the end of last season.

Despite working solidly on his game and his fitness during the off-season, he was not chosen in a 16-man squad that played a series of practice matches in Queensland during the past week. Jamie Cox, South Australia's high performance manager, said Cosgrove needed to find form but remained in the mix for the Redbacks' first Sheffield Shield and FR Cup games of the summer.

"We want Mark back playing and playing well, we know that he's a very fine player," Cox told AAP. "But Mark's currency is runs and last year he did not score a hundred in any form of the game and for a bloke of Mark's talent that was seen as not quite good enough.

"We know Mark is an exceptional talent and he will be judged exactly the same way as every other player is judged when it comes to picking teams. From his perspective he missed the opportunity to get some practice up north. His preparation may be affected but I know the selectors have him firmly in mind for any teams that may be picked within the next few days."

Cosgrove played three one-day internationals in 2006 - he was only 21 when he made his debut - and was viewed as a potential future regular in the Australia setup. However, keeping trim has been an ongoing battle for him, as has maintaining the high batting standards he set early in his career.

South Australia begin the season with a one-day game against Victoria in Adelaide on Sunday followed by a Sheffield Shield match also against the Bushrangers. Younis Khan, their star recruit, will be unavailable due to his commitments with Pakistan, but the Redbacks will be boosted by the return of Shaun Tait after his self-enforced break from the game.

"To get him back at his best would solve an enormous amount of anyone's woes," Cox said. "He's not only a premier fast bowler in this team, he's one of the heartbeats, one of the real soul brothers of the team that the guys love to play around."