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Colombo, Mar. 5 (ANI): Australian captain Ricky Ponting has downplayed the likelihood of veteran Mike Hussey playing in the World Cup, though he expects the selectors to make a decision on who will replace injured fast bowler Doug Bollinger soon.

Ponting said a decision was likely to be made after Australia’s match against Sri Lanka.

‘I don’t think we can afford to wait that long. In this part of the world, you can have a couple of guys go down overnight, and the last thing you want, is to be caught short going into any game in the World Cup,’ the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Ponting, as saying.

He was responding to a pre-match question on whether Australia could delay sending a replacement until the March 19 match against Pakistan.

‘I’d be surprised if the announcement is not made straight after this game. I think someone will be named soon after this game’s finished and that will give them a chance to arrive in Bangalore and be able to get a couple of days’ training under their belt if they’re required,’ he added.

Ponting had earlier predicted that Bollinger would be replaced by a bowler, and not necessarily by Hussey.

He admitted that the ‘one thing’ Australia was missing at the moment was a left-handed batsman in the middle order - a role Hussey would fill perfectly, but he doubted the veteran would be selectors’ first choice.

“I’d probably expect that it’s more likely to be a bowler than a batsman, but it’s nice to know we’ve got a couple of options in the wings,” Ponting said. (ANI)