Hayden loses one-day spot

Matthew Hayden looks likely to have played his last one-day game for Australia

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Embattled opener Matthew Hayden has been left out of Australia's one-day international and Twenty20 squads to take on South Africa as speculation over his Test future intensifies.

Cricket Australia has announced 13-man parties for the upcoming Twenty20 internationals and the five-match Commonwealth Bank Series against the same opposition starting next week.

National selection panel chairman Andrew Hilditch revealed the squads were selected with an eye to the ICC World Twenty20 later this year and the 2011 World Cup.

Hayden, 37 years old and a veteran of 103 Tests, is in the winter of his long Australia career and Hilditch claimed that was the key factor in his omission - rather than his form during the recent three-Test series against South Africa when he averaged just 19.50.

“The omission of Matthew Hayden from the Twenty20 and Commonwealth Bank Series squads is not a reflection on his performances in the recent Test series but rather a strategic decision made by the national selection panel as we plan for these signature events,” Hilditch said.

“His possible selection for the upcoming tour of South Africa will be discussed as with all players when we select a squad after the round of interstate matches at the beginning of February.

“Winning a fourth consecutive ICC World Cup and our first ICC Twenty20 title is an ambitious project. For this reason there will be very few players selected from this point that we can not see playing a role in achieving this goal.”

Exciting New South Wales opener David Warner, who recently signed with Indian Premier League side Delhi Daredevils, gets his chance in the Twenty20 version of the game after an outstanding start to the season, while South Australia quick Shaun Tait has been named in both squads.

NSW's David Warner has been rewarded for a fine start to the season with a Twenty20 berth

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“Although he (Tait) has had some injury problems since playing a leading role in the 2007 ICC World Cup, he is an explosive weapon at his best and we hope he will play a key role in both forms of the game this summer," Hilditch added.

Test hero Mitchell Johnson will be rested from the Twenty20 matches and the first two one-day games after his heavy workload.

Michael Clarke is also unavailable for the Twenty20 clashes after sustaining ligament damage to his right thumb during the first Test against South Africa in Perth.

“This injury has required pain killing injections in every batting innings since and for this reason we have decided the best course of action is for him to miss the first two Twenty20 matches,” said team physiotherapist Alex Kountouris.

“We will continue to monitor the injury over the next four to five days and we are very hopeful of him being fully fit for the beginning of the Commonwealth Bank Series.”

All-rounders Andrew Symonds and Shane Watson are unavailable due to knee and back injuries respectively.

Australia will face the Proteas in Twenty 20 clashes in Melbourne on January 11 and in Brisbane two days later. The Commonwealth Bank Series will begin on January 16 at the MCG.

Twenty20 Squad: Ricky Ponting (captain), Michael Hussey (vice-captain), David Hussey, Ben Hilfenhaus, James Hopes, Nathan Bracken, Brad Haddin, Shaun Marsh, Shaun Tait, David Warner, Ryan Harris, Cameron White, Nathan Hauritz.

One-day Squad: Ricky Ponting (captain), Michael Clarke (vice-captain), Brad Haddin, James Hopes, Nathan Bracken, Shaun Marsh, Michael Hussey, David Hussey, Nathan Hauritz, Ben Hilfenhaus, Cameron White, Shaun Tait, Peter Siddle.