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Moody makes the grade, McGill loses out

Veteran Tom Moody is the surprise inclusion in the Australian World Cup squad. And Stuart McGill, now in the middle of a fine run with the ball, is the surprise omission from the squad of 15.

Moody last played for Australia at the Commonwealth Games in September last year but has significant experience in England, which will host the Cup starting in May. Interestingly, Moody -- who led Western Australia to a Sheffield Shield win this season -- was not in the provisional list of 19 announced by the Aussie selectors earlier.

Test team openers Michael Slater and Matthew Elliott missed out, surprisingly. While Elliott is struggling on the ongoing tour of the West Indies, Slater has been in brilliant form since returning to the team last year, and will feel somewhat foxed at his exclusion.

Mark Waugh and wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist have stablished themselves as the one-day team's opening pair.

Leg-spinner MacGill, currently in better form than Shane Warne, has also missed out with the selectors opting for vice-captain Warne as the sole leg-spinner.

Australian squad: Steve Waugh (captain), Shane Warne (vice-captain), Michael Bevan, Adam Dale, Damien Fleming, Adam Gilchrist, Brendon Julian, Shane Lee, Darren Lehmann, Glenn McGrath, Damien Martyn, Tom Moody, Ricky Ponting, Paul Reiffel, Mark Waugh.

The 15 players will tune up by appearing for Australia in the seven-game ODI series in April, at the end of the ongoing Test series.