SYDNEY (AFP)
Steve Waugh vowed to return to Australia's international one-day cricket team despite being dumped by selectors. The Australian Cricket Board (ACB) announced at a press conference the decision to drop the much-respected skipper of the limited-overs team, but the selectors made it clear Waugh's reign as Test captain would continue.

It was the first move to reshape Australia's 2003 World Cup campaign. Waugh's position as national one-day skipper has been under scrutiny after Australia failed to reach the finals of the one-day tournament with South Africa and New Zealand this month. The move is the most significant personnel change in Australian cricket since Mark Taylor was dumped as one-day captain almost five years ago in favour of Waugh.

Former Australian captain Allan Border admitted feeling "physically ill" when he joined an unanimous national selection panel vote to dump Waugh from next month's South African one-day series after 325 ODI matches.

Waugh, who led Australia in 106 one-day internationals, said he saw his axing as "a setback and a challenge" but he would definitely remain available for selection in the one-day team. "I was disappointed and probably a little bit shocked, as anyone is when they are dropped from the side, particularly when you are captain," Waugh told the press conference.

"It is a big decision and impacts on a lot of people. I'll definitely remain available for Australia for one-day cricket - I'd love to be part of that World Cup campaign. I see this as a setback and a challenge, I've never shied away from a challenge. I'm a pretty determined sort of a person and I believe I will do everything in my power to get back into that one-day side."

Chairman of selectors Trevor Hohns said the new captain would not be named until the one-day squad for the South African tour was chosen within a week. Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist and Shane Warne are among the favourites for the job.

Hohns said Waugh had been dropped as the selectors made the 2003 World Cup title defence a priority after the disappointment of not making the finals of this month's VB Series against South Africa and New Zealand.

"Our job as selectors, whether we like it or not, is to pick a team which in our judgement is the best available to represent Australia and to ensure the team has on-going success in the future," Hohns said. "It was the selectors' unanimous view that there were now other players ahead of Steve for a place in the one-day team."

Hohns added: "We are very hopeful this decision will prolong Steve's Test career."

Waugh's dumping means Australian cricket will split its Test and one-day leadership roles for the first time in three years. Waugh follows the same path as his predecessor Mark Taylor, who was replaced by Waugh as the one-day captain in 1997. That move reinvigorated the team ahead of the 1999 World Cup triumph and the ACB will hope for a similar result in South Africa next year.

The sacking comes on the eve of Waugh leading the Australian team to South Africa for a three-Test tour. Those Test matches will be followed by a six-match one-day international series.

Waugh has played 325 one-day internationals and was in Australia's 1987 and 1999 World Cup-winning sides. He has scored 7,569 runs at 32.90 and taken 195 wickets at 34.67. He is second only to Indian Mohammad Azharuddin (334) in the most number of ODI's played since making his debut against New Zealand in Melbourne in 1985-86.

The latest news follows an ACB announcement that Waugh and his deputy Adam Gilchrist would not act as selectors on overseas tours, commencing with this month's tour of South Africa.

Waugh's dumping could precede more key changes, with other senior and ageing players' places in doubt after a poor domestic summer. His leadership has been unquestioned, especially after he guided Australia from near-disaster to win the 1999 World Cup, and he has become a fixture of Australian cricket for many fans.

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