Shane Watson has failed in his bid to play in the second Test against South Africa in Adelaide as Australia named an unchanged Test line-up.
Watson had been put through a number of fitness tests throughout the week in the lead-up to the crucial match starting tomorrow, but ultimately came up short in his recovery from a calf strain.
"He improved a lot over the last few days ... but is probably a few days short of being 100 per cent," captain Michael Clarke told a news gathering.
"We're doing everything in our power to give him the opportunity to be right for the third Test in Perth.
"He sees himself as an all-rounder, he wants to be an all-rounder, he knows the impact he has on this game with both bat and ball. He's a huge part of our squad when he's doing both.
"Our plans are to try get him to 100 per cent as quickly as we can, knowing that we've got eight days now until the Test in Perth."
Watson's omission means there is no change to the batting line-up, with under-pressure Dave Warner and Brisbane Test debutant Rob Quiney keeping their spots.
With the three-Test series locked at 0-0, Australia will be hoping both batsmen can get amongst the runs on Adelaide's batter-friendly pitch after Clarke, Ed Cowan and Michael Hussey showed them how it's done with big scores at the Gabba.
Clarke's magnificent 259 not out, alongside Cowan's 136 and Hussey's 100 saw Australia dreaming of an unlikely day-five win over the world's top Test side, but Warner (4) and Quiney (9) both failed.
Swing bowler Ben Hilfenhaus kept his place in the bowling attack after Mitchell Starc was touted as a possible replacement after some errant bowling in Brisbane.
With Starc kept on as 12th man, Clarke says he is confident in Hilfenhaus's abilities.
"I thought we did really well after ... day one, I thought the bowlers came back really well," Clarke said.
"We took 14 South African wickets, they took five of ours.
"We've got a good combination, we've got a good mixture of aggression but also bowlers that can bowl long spells and dry runs up if required out there on that wicket."
Meanwhile, South Africa has confirmed leg-spinner Imran Tahir and all-rounder Faf du Plessis will replace Rory Kleinveldt and the injured JP Duminy in its Test line-up.
Mixed messages abounded over whether Watson could play solely as a batsman if he was not fit enough to fulfil his bowling duties.
High performance manager Pat Howard was against Watson's selection unless he could bowl, while chairman of selectors John Inverarity was open to Watson playing as a specialist batsman.
While Watson insisted he would not bowl if he was selected, former captain Ricky Ponting said that would put too much pressure on his team-mates.
"No one can go into a Test match 70 per cent fit," Ponting said.
"I don't care if you're a batsman and a slip fielder. If you can't bat at 100 per cent, then you are putting pressure on other blokes as well."
Tags: cricket, sport, adelaide-5000, sa, australia First posted November 21, 2012 11:23:26
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