A frustrated Ricky Ponting admitted Australia's preparations for the opening ODI against India were unsettled by New South Wales' success in the Champions League Twenty20. Brett Lee, Nathan Hauritz and Doug Bollinger arrived on the eve of Sunday's match following their state side's million dollar payday on Friday.
The trio flew from Hyderabad to Vadodara and landed after Australia's team meeting for the series opener. "There's no doubt those guys playing in the final hindered our preparation," Ponting told AAP. "We had three players fly in and get to the hotel at 8.30pm Saturday night and we're leaving the hotel at 7am on match morning. There was not much time for us to get our team tactics in order - we had a team meeting after training and those blokes were not even here. It hindered our preparation and theirs."
Lee was able to deliver only six overs in the first-up win before complaining of an elbow injury while Hauritz picked up 1 for 34 off nine overs and Bollinger didn't play. Lee's problem will be examined before Wednesday's second ODI in Nagpur.
"He got a little bit sore in his elbow towards the end of his second bowling spell," Ponting said. "He came off and had it looked at then came back on and fielded for the rest of the game but right at the moment we are not sure."
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