Waugh pessimistic about his WC chances

Australia's 1999 World Cup-winning captain Steve Waugh said on Thursday he knew he had little or no chance of forcing his way back into the side for his country's defence of the title in South Africa next year.

"It's not a matter of proving the selectors wrong," Steve Waugh told reporters in Sydney on Thursday.

"It's a matter of getting myself in contention and if there needs to be a change I'm available.

"Realistically there won't be too many changes for the squad to South Africa.

"It would probably be a 50 per cent chance and probably a lot lower than that. It's a pretty low chance."

Waugh, 37, who remains Test captain, was dropped from the one-day side for a seven-match series in South Africa in March.

Ricky Ponting replaced him as captain.

Waugh's twin brother Mark, another veteran of the 1999 World Cup triumph, was also dropped from the one-day side this year and earlier this week retired from international cricket after selectors overlooked him for the first Test of the upcoming Ashes series.

Mail Cricket Editor