Symonds nears return from injury

Andrew Symonds is hopeful of making his first mark on the tour of South Africa on Friday in a change Michael Hussey believes will stabilise the batting order. Australia's plans were rattled by injuries to both Symonds and Ricky Ponting, who missed the first two matches, and Hussey said the expected comeback of Symonds from a hip-flexor problem in Durban would return the side to its usual capacity.

"For the last year our batting order has been very stable," Hussey told Reuters. "Each guy knew their specific role very well, and all the guys complemented each other. So having both Ricky and Andrew out has made a big difference and having them back in the team, hopefully for the next match, will give us a huge boost."

Ponting, who also expects Symonds to be cleared, proved his fitness for Sunday's "grand final" victory over South Africa at Port Elizabeth that gave Australia their first win of the tour and put the five-match series at 2-1. "Hopefully [Ponting] will go from strength to strength because he is the lynchpin of our batting order," Hussey said.

"[Sunday] felt like a grand final for us, and I know the guys were pretty nervous about putting in a good performance." The fifth game of the contest is at Johannesburg on Sunday before the first Test at Cape Town on March 16.