Australia allow Tait to have wide role

Shaun Tait knows he will always spray his deliveries © Getty Images

Troy Cooley, the Australia bowling coach, does not plan any major rebuilding of Shaun Tait's action despite him averaging five wides a game. Tait is currently the second-most successful fast man at the World Cup with 16 wickets at 22.12 and his strike-rate is one reason why his waywardness is not a major concern.

Tait has delivered 41 wides in his eight World Cup matches, including 15 in the past two games, but Cooley, who is also watching Shane Watson recover from a calf injury, said he was doing his job. "One big thing you've got to remember is you're in the tournament and you're not trying to rebuild a chassis in the middle of the tournament," Cooley said in the Sydney Morning Herald. "He has a number of unique assets that we don't want to change and a few key things he is working on already."

Tait knows he will always spray his deliveries and Cooley said his personality was suited to coming back from early knocks. "He doesn't necessarily enjoy bowling the wides," he said, "but if you look at his career he has had a few wayward patches and he comes back and has an impact."

Adam Gilchrist, the vice-captain, said Tait's unrefined action was part of his appeal and he was never going to be as consistent as Glenn McGrath. "There are not many things that can scare you more as a batsman than raw pace and he has got that," Gilchrist said in the Courier-Mail.

"He has been known to bowl the odd wide and that is what is likely to come with that style of bowling. But we feel that is a balance with the impact he has. It is well worth taking on that perspective on a couple of extras."

Watson's injury is improving and he will come under consideration for Australia's final Super Eights game against New Zealand in Grenada on Friday. Cooley said he was pleased with the way Watson was progressing from the problem he suffered against Bangladesh more than two weeks ago. "He's ticked one box," he said. "Hopefully he will tick another one and then we can create another nightmare for the selectors."