CricketZone.Com IndiaExpress.Com   ApunKaChoice.Com

Home | News | Players | Teams | Series | Live Cricket | Search

News Home| News Archives| Interviews| Columns| Off The Field|

NEWS Cricket World Cup 2007> Symonds could boost Aussies before South Africa match 02nd Mar 2007  14.02 IST By Agencies   Injured all-rounder Andrew Symonds , a key player for Australia's World Cup campaign, is hopeful of returning to the side before the pool match against South Africa. Symonds is believed to be well ahead of his scheduled rehabilitation programme and could be available before the March 24 match against the Proteas. "I reckon hopefully I will take part in that match. If not South Africa, then a bit before that. But we just have to wait and see how it progresses," Symonds was quoted as saying by the 'Sydney Morning Herald'. The March 24 match was initially considered an optimistic return date for Symonds after he ruptured his biceps tendon in a one-day match against England last month. But an assessment by a Brisbane specialist last Friday has given Symonds hope that he could ease his way back into the side for the preceding match against the Netherlands, on March 18, the newspaper report said. "I have been trying to get a bit of strength and bulk back into the muscle and I am ahead of schedule," Symonds said. "I am allowed to have a bat at the end of this week. I am allowed to hit some tennis balls. It will be like being in the backyard again. I am not lifting weights, but it nearly feels normal. I am really happy with how it feels and everyday I can feel it improving a bit," Symonds said. He, though, was aware that a premature return could render his shoulder permanently weakened. "If it goes again that will mean I can't throw like I used to. That's what we're trying to steer clear of, because hopefully I'll be playing a bit longer next season," he said. Meanwhile, Matthew Lawrence Hayden admitted he could only hope his broken big toe improved sufficiently to allow him to play in Australia's first cup match, against Scotland on March 14. "If you were a punter off the street it'd be 6 to 8-week injury. We will fast track that and hopefully make it two or three weeks," said Hayden, who will wear a protective cap over the toe in the tournament. "But it's not like I can get treatment. It's bone, and it's just got to heal," he added. Also View In-Depth Coverage: Cricket World Cup 2007 Team Page: Australia Team Page: South Africa

LIVE CRICKET COVERAGE NEWS ~ Gilchrist has no plans to retire after World Cup ~ Ganguly's new batting approach may cost him sixer record ~ India 'squash the Orange' in World Cup warm-up game ~ Symonds gets a new hairdo for World Cup ~ Dhoni readies himself for stand-up act at World Cup (more in NEWS) FACE-TO-FACE ~ 500-mark a possibility in World Cup: Hayden ~ Minnows add charm to World Cup: Dravid (more in FACE-TO-FACE) COLUMNS ~ Will Sri Lanka replicate 1996 World Cup success? (more in COLUMNS) OFF-THE-FIELD ~ Ganguly again the darling of corporate world ~ Ganguly roped in as brand ambassador of Puma (more in OFF-THE-FIELD) PLAYERS Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble (more PLAYERS) TEAMS India, South Africa, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Australia, West Indies, Zimbabwe, England, New Zealand, Bangladesh, Kenya, Holland