Fletcher still supports Hussain as Test captain

Nasser Hussain's quest to stay on as captain of the England Test side appeared to receive one of the four votes it requires yesterday before the squad flew home when the coach, Duncan Fletcher, expressed his desire to keep working with the former one-day leader. During their four years in charge, Hussain and Fletcher have had a close and fairly successful working relationship during which England have won five and lost five of the 13 Test series they have played.

In one-day cricket, however, England have not progressed and this, as well as his poor form in the shorter form of the game, was why Hussain chose England's elimination from the World Cup as the moment to relinquish one of his two jobs. Whether the 35-year-old stays on as Test captain is in the hands of the International Teams Management Group. This committee is chaired by Dennis Amiss, the former England batsman, and consists of Tim Lamb, the chief executive of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB); David Graveney, the chairman of selectors; and Fletcher.

Although they have stated they are in no rush to make a decision, Fletcher said in response to questions about Hussain's future: "I really look forward to him staying on. I think as Test captain he does a huge job."

Graveney has previously expressed his support for Hussain and it is unlikely the Essex batsman will be replaced. However, there could be some dissenting voices following England and the ECB's less than united decision not to go to Zimbabwe. As well as the financial cost of this, which is yet to be announced, there could also be a social cost caused by the breakdown in trust between those directly involved in cricket at the ECB and those running the business. In some quarters this could be held against Hussain, who appeared consistent in his view not to go throughout.

The withdrawal of the Australian fast bowler Jason Gillespie from the World Cup with an Achilles tendon injury ensured England's defeated squad were not the only disappointed cricketers leaving South Africa.

"I'm shattered and disappointed," said Gillespie after failing a fitness test in Johannesburg, where Australia are preparing for their first Super-Six match against Sri Lanka tomorrow. "It's very disappointing it has happened to me, but I'm lucky it's not too serious. Injuries are part and parcel of being a fast bowler and I've had my fair share."

Indeed he has. This is not the first World Cup that injury has wrecked for Gillespie – he also missed Australia's triumph in the 1999 World Cup.

The Australian captain, Ricky Ponting, was equally upset by the news after losing his second major player of the tournament after Shane Warne went home having failed a drug test. "It's another big set back for us," Ponting said, " because coming into the World Cup you would have said that Glenn McGrath, Dizzy [Gillespie] and Warney would be three big players for us."

Australian fans should not worry too much, because the replacement for Gillespie in their full strength side is Andy Bichel, the man who took 7 for 20 and scored 34 valuable runs against England last Sunday. Bichel is also top of the World Cup bowling averages after taking 12 wickets in his three games at an astonishing average of 2.75. Replacing Gillespie in the squad is the New South Wales left-arm pace man Nathan Bracken.

India also had a scare when their opening batsman Virender Sehwag had an X-ray on his right index finger after misjudging a catch during fielding practice in Cape Town. There was no fracture and he is expected to play in India's first Super Sixes match against Kenya tomorrow.