Injured Ponting still a doubt for second one-dayer

CAPE TOWN, March 2 (Reuters) Australia captain Ricky Ponting faces a race to be fit for the second one-day international against South Africa tomorrow.

Ponting missed the first match, which South Africa won by six wickets in Centurion on Sunday, because of injured abdominal muscles.

''If I come through today okay then I'm sure I'll have to go through some kind of test to see if I am right,'' Ponting told a news conference today.

''Right at the moment I feel it might be a line-ball decision for Friday.

''The injury has come a long way, and it has come a long way quickly. If it improves a bit more today then hopefully I'll be right.'' With allrounder Andrew Symonds suffering with a thigh strain and Stuart Clark ruled out with bruised ribs, Ponting admitted that the injuries had unsettled the Australian camp.

''We haven't got off to a great start, we've had a few little setbacks in the group - myself and 'Symo' and 'Stuey' Clark not being available for selection for the first game sat us on the back foot a little bit it.'' Ponting said bad weather and poor facilities had hampered his team's preparations early in the tour.

''We didn't have great preparation leading up to the first game, with the weather in Jo'burg the way it was ... (the wickets) weren't up to standard and we didn't get much out of it.

''But we've made the most of it here.'' REUTERS SC PM2034