Injured skipper Ricky Ponting could miss the entire five-match one-day series against South Africa with a painful stomach muscle strain that could take up to three weeks to heal.
Ponting did not train yesterday and is certain to miss both tomorrow's one-day match in Cape Town and the next match in Port Elizabeth on Sunday.
In-form left-hander Phil Jaques, who arrived yesterday, will slot into a rearranged batting order.
Team physiotherapist Errol Alcott said he hoped Ponting would not miss the entire one-day tournament but admitted it was possible.
That would leave the skipper in cotton wool until the brink of the first Test in Cape Town on March 16, with only net practice under his belt.
"I think he's struggling for this weekend, that's for sure," Alcott said.
"The trouble is we play Fridays and Sundays, so if you miss one week he might miss three games straight away.
"He's still pretty tender in the spots that showed up on the scan. In his everyday movements he's feeling improved, which is a good sign.
"But as far as being out in the middle playing for Australia, that's a different stress, so I've got to make sure that we push on when his signs improve and that we minimise his time away from being out in the middle."
Andrew Symonds (thigh strain) trained for the first time this week but was limited in his movements and is also an unlikely starter for tomorrow's clash.
"We put him in the nets to do some straight-line hitting but he was aware of some discomfort, so I'll get him back in the workshop and keep working on him," Alcott said.
"It's a strong muscle for him, and strong muscles tend to take a bit longer."
Ponting's injury is a bad one for the helter-skelter confines of one-day cricket where explosive movement is an essential requirement.
In better news, paceman Stuart Clark (sore ribs) will be considered for selection.
Clark is viewed as a Glenn McGrath line-and-length clone and says he has often sought help from the ace quick as the duo live five minutes away from each other in Sydney.
"I saw him before I left. He said to me I can call him or contact him at any time, but I've stayed away from that at the moment because of his family problems," Clark said.
- BEN DORRIES