It's just not cricket! Australia's World Cup chances are thrown into doubt after star player is ruled out of Pakistan clash and another faces the axe
- Marcus Stoinis has been ruled out of the next World Cup match against Pakistan
- Stoinis picked up a side injury in the match against India at The Oval on Sunday
- All-rounder Mitchell Marsh has been flown over to England as back-up
- Australia could replace Nathan Coulter-Nile with fast bowler Jason Behrendorff
It's definitely not good news for the Australian cricket fans.
All-rounder Marcus Stoinis has picked up a side injury and fast bowler Nathan Coulter-Nile could be dropped from the Australian team in their next World Cup match against Pakistan on Wednesday.
Stoinis, who has played in all three games for Australia in the tournament, picked up the injury in the match against India at The Oval on Sunday.
All-rounder Mitchell Marsh has been flown over to England as back-up, but the Australians will wait to make a call on whether he permanently replaces Stoinis in their 15-man squad.
All-rounder Marcus Stoinis (pictured) has picked up a side injury in the match against India at The Oval on Sunday. He will not be playing in the next World Cup match against Pakistan on Wednesday
'Marcus Stoinis has a bit of a side strain. He won't be available for tomorrow,' Captain Aaron Finch told a news conference in Taunton.
'So we're going to have to juggle around especially that all-rounder spot.
'We've got Mitch Marsh flying over just as a bit of a precaution. He was meant to fly over with the Australia A side on Friday.
'He's just coming a couple days early as a bit of precaution, if Stoinis doesn't recover quick enough or doesn't respond to treatment well enough over the next few days.'
All-rounder Mitchell Marsh (pictured) has been flown over to England as back-up, but the Australians will wait to make a call on whether he permanently replaces Stoinis in their 15-man squad.
The Australian team is also thinking of making a few changes in the squad.
Coach Justin Langer said the team considered replacing Nathan Coulter-Nile with fast bowler Jason Behrendorff in the match against India at The Oval.
'But we just felt with Coults, after his man-of-the-match performance and what he gives us as an all-round package we went with him,' Langer said.
'But I can see (playing Starc and Behrendorff together in the tournament), I can definitely see that. I know that Pakistan play two left armers.'
Coach Justin Langer said the team considered replacing Nathan Coulter-Nile (pictured) with fast bowler Jason Behrendorff in the match against India at The Oval. He may be dropped in the next match against Pakistan
Langer has also previously indicated he could rotate his bowlers through this period of the Cup, with Australia in the middle of their heaviest part of the schedule.
'We knew it was going to be a really tough four games in nine days,' Langer said.
'In perfect world, you just have the best team to play every game when you possibly can.
'It might be with the match ups, it might be the left-armers. We'll have a look at Pakistan.'
Australia made the controversial call to twice overlook regular quick Josh Hazlewood from the squad on his return from injury, both initially and when Jhye Richardson (shoulder) was withdrawn.
Meanwhile, the team travelled to their nearby base at Bristol on Monday and trained at the match ground in Taunton for the first time on Tuesday.
Australia have never played an international on the oval before, although Langer spent the latter years of his career with it as his home for Somerset.
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The venue has short straight boundaries much like Bristol, potentially lending itself to another high-scoring game.
The Aussies left themselves 11-an-over to get from the final 15 against India, and Langer said he was confident in sticking with a similar approach.
Australia made the controversial call to twice overlook regular quick Josh Hazlewood from the squad on his return from injury, both initially and when Jhye Richardson (shoulder) was withdrawn.
'If you look at (India), they were 0/40 after 10. We were 48 after 10. Even at the 38-over mark we still had the same amount of runs.
'So I'm not worried about game style, no way.
'We just lost three wickets in five balls at a stage were they got 113 in the last ten. At The Oval you can get 100 in the last 10 easy.
'The boys will do it differently we're not saying to preserve wickets means you've got to block. Players have different styles.
'But the philosophy is you can't make runs from the changeroom.'
