Injured Bollinger out of World Cup

	Doug Bollinger joins Australia's long list of injured players© Getty Images

Australia's injury worries have worsened with Doug Bollinger to be sent home from the World Cup due to an ankle injury that may require surgery. The Australians came to India already missing Michael Hussey, Nathan Hauritz, Ryan Harris, Clint McKay, Xavier Doherty and Shaun Marsh due to injuries, but Bollinger is the first member of the squad to be flown home mid-tournament.

Bollinger suffered pain in his left ankle during the first warm-up game against India and although the soreness eased and he was available for Monday's match against Zimbabwe, the problem intensified when the team arrived in Nagpur. Peter Siddle would be the logical replacement for Bollinger, but the selectors have not yet decided on who should join the squad.

The ICC has also confirmed that withdrawn players can return to replace other injured men, meaning the door has been opened for Michael Hussey to make a potential dash to the World Cup. However, the Australians would most likely prefer a backup fast bowler to replace Bollinger, with John Hastings the only reserve seamer in the touring party.

"He's got a thing called posterior impingement," Australia's physio Alex Kountouris said. "Basically, the bones at the back of the ankle, when he lands to bowl, one bone hits another bone and the bone becomes really inflamed and irritated. It irritates all the soft tissue around it as well. It's fairly common in fast bowlers.

"Brett Lee has had five or six lots of surgery on that in the past. It's reasonably common but he [Doug] has never had it before, so we thought we'd push it for as long as we could go, and he just can't go any further at the moment. We need to take him out of cricket for a while, whether he needs just rest or needs other treatment, maybe even surgery, that will be decided in the next few days."

Bollinger will have scans in Australia to determine whether he will need an operation and if that is required, he will have several months to recover before Australia's next Test tour, to Sri Lanka in August. The problem first appeared towards the end of the recent one-day series against England, but the pain did not become significant until the team was preparing for the match against New Zealand.

"It was only when he bowled yesterday here it became really sore again," Kountouris said. "He tried bowling again today and he was really sore today, so based on that, based on the sort of injury it is we're going to send him back to Australia and look at what our options are for treatment."

Shaun Tait, Brett Lee and Mitchell Johnson, again proved themselves a formidable trio by dismissing New Zealand for 206 on Friday. The selectors will decide which player will join them over the next few days. © ESPN EMEA Ltd.

Siddle hat trick as Australia in Ashes command

Brisbane: Peter Siddle took six wickets, including a rare Ashes hat-trick, as Australia took command of the first test against England at the Gabba on Thursday by bowling out the tourists for 260. Siddle celebrated his 26th birthday in style by dismissing Alastair Cook, Matt Prior and Stuart Broad in successive deliveries after tea as England collapsed from a strong position at 197-4.

In pic:Peter Siddle celebrates the third wicket of his hat-trick

In reply Australia were 25-0 at stumps, with Simon Katich and Shane Watson on 15 and nine respectively. Siddle, who was surprisingly selected ahead of Doug Bollinger for his first test in ten months, earlier halted England's momentum in the second session when he took the wickets of dangerman Kevin Pietersen and Paul Collingwood, both nicking to the slips, in the space of 11 balls. He reaped rewards for a probing line outside off stump after tea getting Cook to edge to Shane Watson at first slip after a patient 67. Then Prior was late trying to prod the ball through the leg side and saw his off stump uprooted. And on the hat-trick ball, Stuart Broad was caught on the toe from a full delivery to make Siddle the 11th Australian to grab a test hat-trick and the fifth of his countrymen to do so in England-Australia contests. Broad challenged the decision, and - after the initial roar from home fans and celebrations on the pitch - there was a delay until the hat trick was confirmed by the TV umpire. Graeme Swann also fell to the same bowler being caught on the pad playing across the line. Four balls later, Brad Haddin could have completed a seventh wicket for him but diving to his left he dropped James Anderson.

The day began in a dramatic fashion when England captain Andrew Strauss, after winning the toss and electing to bat on a slow Gabba pitch, was dismissed without scoring from the third ball of the day, caught by Mike Hussey at third slip off the bowling of Ben Hilfenhaus. Midway through the first session Jonathan Trott was bowled for 29 between bat and pad by a Shane Watson delivery that seamed in off the pitch before hitting middle and off stump. Watson, who was the pick of the Australian bowlers in the morning session, was also unfortunate not to take the wicket of Cook who hit a loose cut shot on 26 to Xavier Doherty in the first session only for the debutant to drop the high chance.

Australia, who had come into this series amid doubts over player form and injuries, were not made to rue this drop, thanks to Siddle's efforts. The lone bright spot for England on the day was the form of Ian Bell who top-scored with a sparkling 76 before becoming the ninth man to fall when he lofted the ball to Watson at deep point, becoming Doherty's first test wicket. Although he failed earlier in his career batting at three, Bell's assured innings and impressive recent form may see him moved back up the order. Pietersen - booed as the man Australian fans love to hate - looked in good form but again failed to translate a strong start into a big score, extending his run without a century to 27 innings. Anderson became Doherty's second victim when he was the last man out bowled for 11 while attempting an ambitious reverse sweep. To complete a fine day for Australia, their openers didn't offer England's bowlers a chance in reaching the close unbeaten.