Australia dump Mark Waugh from ODI squad

World Cup champions Australia dropped veteran batsman Mark Waugh from their one-day side on Monday when they named a 15-man squad for the two forthcoming series against South Africa and Zimbabwe.

Mark, 36, Steve Waugh's twin brother, is the fourth highest scorer in one-day internationals with 8,500 runs at 39.35 in 244 matches, including 18 centuries.

The Australian Cricket Board (ACB) made the shock announcement last month that Steve, the 1999 World Cup-winning captain, would not be included in the one-day squad and 27-year-old number three batsman Ricky Ponting would be the new skipper.

The move to dump the Waugh twins signals an Australian shift towards youth ahead of next year's World Cup defence in South Africa.

Australia included two uncapped players, off-spinner Nathan Hauritz from Queensland and Tasmania all-rounder Shane Watson, who is currently touring South Africa with the Test side.

Left-handed opening batsman Jimmy Maher, 28, was also chosen alongside his Queensland team mate and Test opener Matthew Hayden.

Hayden, 30, the leading run-scorer in Test cricket in 2001, has struggled to establish himself in Australia's one-day side, with wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist normally opening the batting alongside Mark Waugh.

Mark made just 126 runs at an average of 21 in the recent triangular limited overs series against New Zealand and South Africa, in which Steve Waugh's home team failed to make the finals.

GOOD MIX

"We think we have chosen a squad that has a good mix of youth and experience, and giving the side a chance to play together in South Africa and Zimbabwe will prepare it well for next year's World Cup," Australia chairman of selectors Trevor Hohns said in an ACB statement released on Monday.

"Mark has been an outstanding player for Australia at the one-day level, one of our finest, which made the decision to leave him out of this squad a difficult one," Hohns added.

"However, given the enviable depth of talented cricketers around the country, we feel that the time is now right to introduce the next generation of players into the side."

The Waugh twins were key players in Australia's 1999 World Cup success, as was leg-spinner Shane Warne, 32, who has been retained despite taking only six wickets at an average of 54 in the recent triangular series.

Australia's seven-match one-day series against South Africa starts on March 22 followed by three one-day games against Zimbabwe in April.

Test captain Steve Waugh, opening batsman Justin Langer and reserve leg-spinner Stuart MacGill will return to Australia at the end of the three-Test series in South Africa, the ACB said.

Hauritz, 20, took 17 wickets at 19.76 during the 2001-02 interstate limited overs season, including four for 47 in the final against New South Wales in Brisbane in February.

Watson, also 20, made an impressive 100 not out off 96 balls on Sunday in Australia's 574 for nine declared in the four-day tour match against South Africa A in Port Elizabeth.

Squad: Ricky Ponting (captain), Adam Gilchrist (vice-captain), Michael Bevan, Andrew Bichel, Jason Gillespie, Ian Harvey, Nathan Hauritz, Matthew Hayden, Brett Lee, Darren Lehmann, Jimmy Maher, Damien Martyn, Glenn McGrath, Shane Warne, Shane Watson.

Mail Cricket Editor