Injury concerns plague Australia, India

Australia drop injured duo Nathan Hauritz and Mike Hussey. India’s Praveen Kumar declared unfit to play.

SYDNEY: Australia dropped injured duo Nathan Hauritz and Mike Hussey from their World Cup squad, calling up Callum Ferguson and Jason Krejza to replace them at this month’s showpiece tournament which is due to start on February 19.

Hussey and Hauritz were both in doubt after undergoing surgery on injuries and chief selector Andrew Hilditch said officials had decided to replace them and take a fully-fit squad to the World Cup which is starting in less than two weeks.

“The selectors have determined that the best strategy to ensure a successful campaign is to enter the tournament with a fully-fit squad,” said Hilditch.

Veteran batsman Hussey, felled with a hamstring tendon injury, has been replaced by the 26-year-old Ferguson, who was recently called up for the final two matches of Australia’s One-Day International (ODI) series against England.

And despite only making his ODI debut last Sunday, Jason Krejza, 28, will step in for Hauritz, who dislocated his shoulder in the first ODI against England.

India suffer blow as Kumar out of World Cup

Meanwhile, India’s preparations suffered a setback when fast-bowler Praveen Kumar was declared unfit to play after failing to recover from an elbow injury.

“He has been ruled out,” said Indian cricket board secretary N Srinivasan. Kumar, looking to make his World Cup debut, was replaced with fast-bowler Shanthakumaran Sreesanth.

“The International Cricket Council (ICC) has confirmed that Kumar can be replaced in the squad by Sreesanth,” said the statement.

Morgan ruled out of World Cup due to broken finger

England batsman Eoin Morgan has been ruled out of the World Cup with a broken finger, said coach Andy Flower.

Morgan’s place in the England World Cup squad will be taken by Essex all-rounder Ravi Bopara.

Former Ireland international Morgan missed England’s final ODI against Australia on Sunday with the injury, a fractured middle finger of his left hand, which he suffered in the fourth ODI in Adelaide last month.

“Morgan will not be going to the World Cup with us,” confirmed Flower. “He needs to be operated on. That is definitely a serious loss.

“However, Bopara, who is an exciting young cricketer in his own right, will be joining us instead.”

Bangladesh eye quarter-final spot

Bangladesh captain Shakibal Hasan said his team were aiming for a quarter-final place and warned they were capable of “something big” on home turf. The ace all-rounder said his side had grown in confidence recently after posting back-to-back victories over New Zealand and Zimbabwe in home series.

“We’ve been playing well for the last 15 months,” said Shakib. “I think we’ve improved a lot. If we qualify for the second round, why not think of something big. We have to win at least four matches to win a place in the second round. It is not difficult.”

Eden Gardens back in the game

Kolkata is likely to host its remaining three World Cup matches after being stripped of the high-profile game between India and England due to unfinished renovation work.

“We are quite pleased with the progress made since January 25 and if that pace of work is maintained, we are pretty sure that the stadium will be ready for the games scheduled in March,” said ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 9^th, 2011.