Ponting Injured as well

[stan]

From Cricket Australia

Australian captain Ricky Ponting is in doubt for the remainder of the one-day series after straining his abdominal muscles at training on Saturday.

Scans have revealed that Ponting, who missed Australia's series-opening loss to South Africa, has a low-grade muscle strain, joining Andrew Symonds (hip strain) and Stuart Clark (rib) on the sidelines.

While Symonds and Clark are chances to play the second one-dayer on Friday, Ponting was under tremendous doubt, with abdominal strains usually requiring a fortnight to recover from.

Australian team physio Errol Alcott said the injury prevented Ponting from completing any of the disciplines in cricket.

"It is a painful condition which is central to all movement so it affects his batting, bowling and running - pretty much everything," Alcott said.

"He will undergo intensive treatment and will be reassessed late next week."

Ponting said: "As always it is disappointing to miss a game, particularly a tour opener."

"The positive is that it is a good opportunity for some of the guys to move up the batting order and show us what they can do."

Australia suffered a six-wicket loss in the first one-dayer after losing by two runs in the tour-opening Twenty20 international.

[Rik E Boy]

As long as he's fit for the real stuff Stanley.

regards,

REB