Katich cleared to play third Test

Simon Katich has been passed fit and will take his place in the third Test in Hobart starting on Thursday after surviving a long net session on Monday and further training on Tuesday. Katich missed the Sydney Test with an elbow injury and the opener Phillip Hughes took his spot, but has now been released from the squad following Katich's progress.

"I wasn't hampered at all so it's amazing what a week can do," Katich told reporters after Monday's training. "The pain subsided, the swelling has gone down, and it feels good again."

That means Katich for Hughes is likely to be the only change to Australia's line-up after the struggling Marcus North was guaranteed to play. The offspinner Nathan Hauritz has a cracked thumb after taking a searing return catch off Mohammad Yousuf in Sydney, but the physio Alex Kountouris said Hauritz was not in doubt.

"There's a crack in the top of his thumb but we're treating it like a bruise. It won't stop him from playing," Kountouris told the Australian. "The thumb is more painful where the ball tore the nail back."

Australia have the chance to take the series 3-0 and win a fifth Test for the summer after beating West Indies 2-0. The wicketkeeper Brad Haddin said the squad was optimistic, despite being outplayed for the majority of the match at the SCG.

"We wanted to dominate the series and come away three-nil and we've got the opportunity to do that here in Tasmania," Haddin said. "We have to make sure we're continually improving. We're only a young side and obviously there can be inconsistencies with that as well but we're starting to form our own identity a bit. We're starting to believe that we do belong in Test cricket and we can beat anyone who comes our way."