Australian quicks Brett Lee and Mitchell Johnson are facing a race to be fit for the start of the tri-nations one-day series in Melbourne on Friday after both were ruled out of last night's Twenty20 international at the SCG.
Lee came down with a chest infection on Monday night, while Johnson suffered a strained stomach muscle. Both are undergoing treatment in a bid to have them fit for the one-dayer against England at the MCG.
While team physiotherapist Alex Kountouris yesterday said the pair's ailments were not causing deep concern, the fact there is only two days to go before the key match means the two will need to improve quickly to be able to play.
With Australia also facing a quick back-up for their second match, on Sunday against New Zealand in Hobart, team medical staff will be reluctant to take risks with two such key members of the team's attack.
"Brett is suffering from a chest infection that has developed over the last 24 hours and he will be assessed by a doctor," Kountouris said yesterday. "Mitchell has a minor abdominal strain, which occurred late Monday and, as a precautionary measure, we have decided it best for him not to play the Twenty20 match.
"The assessment of both players will continue over the next few days to determine whether they will be fit for the … match against England in Melbourne."
Victoria paceman Shane Harwood and Queensland all-rounder James Hopes were flown to Sydney yesterday to join the Twenty20 squad as replacements for Lee and Johnson.
Cricket Australia did not make clear how Johnson suffered his injury. But he trained on Monday morning with the rest of the squad before being involved in a promotion for the Twenty20 match on Monday afternoon at a driving range near the SCG, where he hit a number of golf balls with a golf club and a cricket bat.
In any event, his injury could scarcely have come at a worse time. The 25-year-old will be itching to play on Friday, having been close to making his Test debut in the Ashes series but ultimately being named 12th man for all five Tests.
The left-armer has played three matches for Queensland in each of the two main interstate competitions, taking a handy 12 wickets at 24 runs apiece in the first-class competition but only two wickets at 67 in the 50-over competition.
While those one-day figures are hardly impressive, Johnson emerged as a dangerous one-day bowler for Australia last year. In five one-day internationals across two tournaments - a tri-series in Malaysia and the Champions Trophy in India - Johnson took 11 wickets at just 17 runs apiece, and at a strike rate of one every 20 balls. His victims included Brian Lara, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Kevin Pietersen.
While not as quick as his reputation suggests, usually bowling in the high 130kmh range, Johnson's dangerous bounce and seam movement have proved a handful for the world's most capable batsmen, and he is shaping as a key figure in Australia's World Cup plans.
Lee has continued to impress as one of the world's finest one-day bowlers and would be sorely missed if ruled out. He was the fourth highest wicket-taker in ODIs in 2006, with 44 from 26 matches.
Still, Australia have left-armer Nathan Bracken, who finished second on the ODI wicket-takers list last year with 46 from 23 games. Glenn McGrath and Stuart Clark also give Ricky Ponting some more than useful pace bowling options.
Meanwhile, Australia's greatest ever one-day side will be announced at a ceremony in Sydney on February 27 to farewell Ponting's World Cup side before it leaves for the Caribbean.
The country's greatest one-day side will be decided after a vote from every one of the 160 men to have played that form of the game for Australia, who have been asked to nominate their best XI in batting order. CA and the Australian Cricketers' Association will stage the farewell dinner at Luna Park.
-TREVOR MARSHALLSEA