MARGAO: Still looking for its first win in the ongoing tour of India, the depleted Australian cricket team today lost two more key players in pacer Doug Bollinger and batsman Mike Hussey for the deciding third and final one-dayer here on Sunday. While Bollinger has been forced out due to a stomach muscle strain, Hussey will have to be available for a Sheffield Shield match for Western Australia as part of the Ashes preparations.
Bollinger did not play in Australia”s five-wicket loss to Mahendra Singh Dhoni”s men in Visakhapatnam last night. "Bollinger reported some minor abdomen discomfort in an area unrelated to the original injury that ruled him out of the second Test and second ODI of the tour," Cricket Australia said in a statement.
"We do not think the new issue is serious however it will prevent him from achieving the workloads necessary for him to be available for selection in the third one-day match in Goa," added CA physiotherapist Kevin Sims. National Selection Panel Chairman Andrew Hilditch said, "As part of the ongoing individual work load management ahead of a an exciting Australian Summer and the ICC Cricket World Cup in the subcontinent, Mike Hussey will not play in the third one-day game in India and will return home to Australia.
"Australia are 0-1 down in the three-match series after the opening game in Kochi was washed out. The Aussies are yet to see a win in the ongoing tour as they were blanked 0-2 by India in the Test series.
The ODI team is being led by Michael Clarke after regular skipper Ricky Ponting was rested. The Aussies are also without star all-rounder Shane Watson and pace spearhead Mitchell Johnson, both of whom have been rested. (PTI)
