Australia's Andrew Symonds laughs during a team training session in Stubbs, St. Vincent, earlier this week. - Reuters

KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent, (CMC):

AUSTRALIA'S CAPTAIN, Ricky Ponting, says there is a good sign over injured key players Matthew Hayden and Andrew Symonds ahead of Cricket World Cup (CWC) 2007.

Symonds, with a bicep injury, and Hayden (fractured toe) missed Tuesday's warm-up match against Zimbabwe which the reigning CWC champions won by 106 runs at Arnos Vale.

But both have been in the nets this week and their prospects look good for the March 11 to April 28 tournament.

"Symonds and Hayden have been doing (a bit) of training over the last week since we've been here, they've both had bat in hand," Ponting said.

Good hits

"Matty's had a couple of really good hits in the last two days ... I think Andrew Symonds was having his first hit today against some spin bowling, so that's a good positive sign for us," Ponting added.Ponting also said he was delighted with the warm-up win over Zimbabwe, in which Michael Clarke scored 82 and Shane Watson 81 in a total of 290.Zimbabwe could only manage 184 for seven in reply off their 50 overs.

"Our batting was pretty good in pretty difficult conditions to bat in, and I thought our bowling was pretty good as well," he said. Australia's next practice match is against England tomorrow and they begin their title defence against little-rated Scotland next Wednesday in St. Kitts.