World Cup not a farewell tour

Adam Gilchrist says Australia are prepared to make the "hard call" if a senior player is not performing in the lead-up to the World Cup. Gilchrist, who will captain the team in Ricky Ponting's absence on Friday, said the reputations of long-term stars such as Glenn McGrath would not make the tournament in the West Indies a farewell tour.

"There's absolutely no doubt that the selectors and team management, if the hard call had to be made throughout the tournament on one of the more experienced players, they would make it," Gilchrist told The Australian. "And I don't want to just single out Glenn.

"Whether it's a batsman or a keeper-batsman, that call will be made, there's no doubt about it. It's not a farewell tour for Glenn. Everyone's aware of that and no-one more so than Glenn."

McGrath is expected to return to the side at the Gabba on Friday when Australia face England, who will be led by Andrew Flintoff. Brett Lee is likely to be cleared after a chest infection ruled him out of the opening two games and Shane Watson also trained with the squad in the hope of returning to Brisbane club cricket this weekend.

Gilchrist said McGrath was "going fine" this season. "Inevitably, everyone is starting to scrutinise his performances and all the senior guys as we start to get a bit older," he told the paper. "That's particularly so with all the retirements towards the end of the Test series.

"He's travelling along nicely. I don't see any evidence that he's going backwards and he has the great advantage of being so accurate. One-day cricket is a tough game to judge anyone, particularly the bowlers. But from where I stand Glenn's still got that accuracy there and that little bit of venom."

McGrath retired from Tests at the SCG and will bow out after the World Cup. However, he faces pressure to retain his spot ahead of the improving Mitchell Johnson and Ben Hilfenhaus. Hilfenhaus impressed on debut at Hobart on Sunday while Johnson is developing strongly alongside Nathan Bracken and Stuart Clark.

"He knows that competition's there," Gilchrist said. "He's going to be helping these young guys but he's also aware that these young guys are nipping at his heels so it's going to keep him up for that battle."