Vice-captain Adam Gilchrist will be available for Australia's entire World
Cup campaign following the birth of his third child, Archie, on Saturday.
He missed the recent Chappell Hadlee Trophy series defeat to New Zealand,
to be with his wife, Melinda.
But he is now expected to arrive before his team's first warm-up
game against Zimbabwe in St Vincent on 6 March.
Gilchrist said: "Melinda and Archie are fit and well and our thanks go
to all the staff at the hospital."
Australia's second warm-up match is against England on 9 Friday
before they kick off their World Cup campaign proper against Scotland in St
Kitts on 14 March.
The absence of Gilchrist, who opens the batting in one-day
internationals and has scored 8,585 runs with 14 centuries, would certainly
have hampered Australia's preparations.
And initially it was thought he may not be available until the third, and most
important group game - against South Africa on 24 March.
The situation prompted the selectors to pick a reserve wicket-keeper,
Brad Haddin.
But Cricket Australia said in a statement: "Adam
will be available for selection for the entire 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup."
It is the first shred of good news for Australia in weeks.
The team faces an injury crisis with Brett Lee out and two players - Andrew
Symonds and Matthe Hayden - battling for fitness.
Results have also gone against them, with six defeats in seven games.
Before their whitewash to the Kiwis, they lost the Commonwealth Bank Series
finals on home soil to England.
Gilchrist, and captain Ricky Ponting, were rested for the matches
in New Zealand.
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