Australia face tough selection decisions

BASSETERRE, St Kitts, Mar 15 (Reuters) Australia captain Ricky Ponting and chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch will decide their best World Cup XI over the next two days if all-rounder Andrew Symonds is fit to play against the Netherlands on Sunday.

Ponting told a news conference yesterday, after the world champions' 203-run win in their opening Group A match against Scotland, that Symonds was ''seriously close'' to making a return after tearing his right bicep muscle this year.

If Symonds is ready to play in a dress rehearsal for the key Group A match against South Africa on March 24, Australia will be able to select from a full squad of 15 for the first time since arriving in the Caribbean.

''That's going to be a tough decision to make,'' Ponting said.

''I will be doing a lot of thinking, I guess, over the next couple of days to try and really nut out what our best XI is going to be.'' Brad Hodge, as he himself said during the warm-up week in St Vincent, is the most likely player to make way for Symonds.

But the position has been complicated by Ponting's decision to use Hodge's off-spin bowling in the final warm-up match against England and again against Scotland.

Hodge bowled six overs for 17 runs and his first international wicket against the Scots.

''Hodgy had a good bowl,'' Ponting said. ''He is going to be someone we are going to use as the tournament goes on.'' If Hodge does hold down a spot at number five in the batting line-up Shane Watson, two places further down, may be the player to miss out.

An alternative view is that, with Michael Clarke certain of a place and able to bowl useful left-arm spin, Hodge is being groomed as an understudy for Symonds if the latter does not recover full fitness or breaks down again.

What is certain is that Ponting still believes spin will be crucial at the World Cup, even though yesterday's excellent pitch prepared by former West Indies' batsman Keith Arthurton, assisted the pace bowlers throughout.

''There's no doubt that they are sub-continental-type wickets,'' Ponting said.

''Spinners are going to play a huge part in the tournament. You might say that they are going to play more of a part later in the tournament when some of the wickets may be getting a bit old and a bit worn.'' The tournament in the Caribbean culminates with the final in Barbados on April 28.

Reuters DH DB2224