Australia's Andrew Symonds throws a ball during a team training session in Basseterre, St. Kitts on Tuesday. - Reuters

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts (Reuters)

All-rounder Andrew Symonds could return to the Australia side for Sunday's World Cup Group A match against the Netherlands in preparation for the key clash against South Africa on March 24.

Australia captain Ricky Ponting told a news conference after his team's 203-run win over Scotland yesterday that Symonds, who is recovering from a torn right bicep muscle, had informed him he was ready to play against the Scots.

"He's getting seriously close," Ponting said. "There will be some discussion this week about him playing the next game against the Netherlands.

"We will just have to see how he comes along. He's got a bit of work to do yet, he's just starting rolling his arm over.

"The next three days, if he is going to play in the Holland game, will be crucial for him."

Ponting displayed dazzling footwork against Scotland to strike a fourth World Cup century and lead the world champions to victory. He lofted five sixes in his 113 from 93 balls. He also became the sixth person to score 1,000 World Cup runs with his opening boundary, a sweetly timed on-drive.

By the end of his innings he had scored a total of 1,111 World Cup runs, second only to India's Sachin Tendulkar.

Glenn McGrath, who needed 11 wickets before the match to overtake Wasim Akram's World Cup record tally off 55, then took three for 14 on a pitch freshened by rain as Scotland succumbed for 131 for nine in reply to Australia's 334 for six.