Gillespie, Miller out of Aussie Test team

Jason Gillespie's injury-jinxed career had another setback on Tuesday when he was ruled out of the Australian team for Thursday's opening cricket Test against the West Indies at the Gabba in Brisbane.

Gillespie, who spent the majority of last season recovering from a broken leg, is out with a right hamstring strain and was not considered fit to play against the tourists.

Colin Miller is also out of the original 13-man Test squad, with selectors releasing him to play for Victoria in a Sheffield Shield game against South Australia in Melbourne starting on Thursday.

With Gillespie and Miller both out of contention Andy Bichel and Stuart MacGill were named in a Test XI, with batsman Damien Martyn brought in as 12th man for the Gabba Test.

Gillespie, who the Australians anticipated forming part of a three-man pace battery with Glenn McGrath and Brett Lee, injured his hamstring while fielding for South Australia in a one-day game last Sunday against New South Wales in Sydney. He was assessed by team physio Errol Alcott Tuesday who said the paceman had not recovered as well as hoped and would have been a risk over a five-day Test.

A team spokesman said selectors wanted the versatile Miller to have more bowling and allowed him to return to his Victorian state side for extra match practice this week.

The Australia team: Steve Waugh (captain), Michael Slater, Matthew Hayden, Justin Langer, Mark Waugh, Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist, Andy Bichel, Stuart MacGill, Brett Lee, Glenn McGrath. 12th man: Damien Martyn.

Mail Cricket Editor