Ponting's captaincy was criticised during the Ashes

Australia captain Ricky Ponting should return to full fitness in time for his team's World Cup defence after coming through a net session.

The 36-year-old fractured a finger attempting to take a catch in the third Ashes Test in Perth in December.

He recently underwent surgery and batted for the first time since that match in outdoor nets in Sydney.

Shaun Marsh will miss the rest of the one-day series against England with a hamstring tear.

Despite the injury, Ponting played in the Boxing Day Test but could not prevent England retaining the urn with an emphatic innings victory.

606: DEBATE Give your reaction to Ponting's return

Ponting, who averaged 16.14 runs in the series, aggravated the problem during the fourth Test in Melbourne, further displacing the bone fragment.

He was forced to miss the final Test in Sydney to have an operation.

Australia recovered from a disappointing Ashes to draw the Twenty20 series against England before taking an unassailable 4-1 lead in the teams' one-day meetings with a 51-run win in Brisbane on Sunday.

Marsh's second one-day international century helped his side to a victory in the second match of the series in Hobart, but he will play no further part after picking up a minor hamstring tear.

Callum Ferguson has been called up as a replacement for the Western Australia left-hander although, like Ponting, Marsh is expected to be fit for Australia's first match of the Cricket World Cup.

"He will be unavailable for the two remaining ODI games against England and his return to cricket will be determined by his progress over the next week," said Australia team physiotherapist Alex Kountouris of Marsh.

Ferguson, who averages 46.07 in 26 one-day internationals, made his comeback to the side against Sri Lanka in November after more than a year out following a knee injury suffered in 2009's Champions Trophy win over New Zealand.

Australia play Zimbabwe in their first match of the Cricket World Cup in Ahmedabad on 21 February.

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