Waugh vows to win one-day place back as Australia arrive in South Africa

Steve Waugh flew into South Africa with his Australian Test team on Thursday and vowed to return for next year's World Cup by regaining his one-day place.

Waugh, unceremoniously dumped from Australia's one-day side earlier this week, said he wanted to be back in South Africa next year for his fifth World Cup. "I haven't given up hope of being here next year," he said. "I'm out of the side at the moment, but I plan on making the next World Cup, so I've got to score a lot of runs next year and force my way back into the squad."

While he said that there was never a good time to be dropped, Waugh also conceded that the timing of the his axing - announced the day before Australia left for South Africa - was "not ideal".

"We've just got to get together," he said. "They've hinted at more changes before the Test match series begins so we'll try and get those out of the way and get the guys concentrating on Test match cricket.The answer to that is no, it's not an ideal time."

Australian coach John Buchanan said that Waugh's dismissal from the one-day side had come as a shock to him. He suggested that he had not been consulted by the selectors about the decision. "In the end I'm not a selector so my opinion counts for nothing," said Buchanan.

"I'm just looking forward to the Test series," said Waugh. "I'm not in the one-day side any more and it's not really for me to comment on that from here on in. I just want to make sure that we're playing good Test match cricket. We're the number one in the world at Test matches and if we don't win here we go back to number two. My priority is really to focus on what we're doing in the next week."

Despite Australia resounding clean sweep of the Test series in Australia in December and January, Waugh said that Australia's success had been hard won. "It was a tough series," he said. "We won 3-0 but we played excellent cricket, as good as we've ever played. South Africa didn't play as well as they would have liked, but I know it's going to be a little different over here. They've got pride in their cricket. Shaun Pollock is a good leader, they've got some good young players and some experienced players, so we expect the series to be very tough."

He said South African crowds would provide a challenge for the Australians and felt that the wickets in South Africa would suit the home team.

The Australians drove straight out to Potchefstroom, 120km west of Johannesburg, from the airport. They have one warm-up match, a three-day game against a South African A team starting on Sunday ahead of the first Test which starts at the Wanderers next Friday.