Cameron White exclusion makes World Cup selection bid harder Cameron White's hopes for World Cup selection rest on the credits he earned during the past two domestic one-day tournaments. Australia's three looming one-dayers against South Africa are the last they will play before submitting a 15-man World Cup squad in mid-January. White, winner of back-to-back Matador Cup player of the tournament awards, was excluded despite there being a batting vacancy in the squad with the withdrawal of injured captain Michael Clarke. Selectors declared there were sufficient batting options within the squad, instead including bowling all-rounders James Faulkner and Kane Richardson. While Australia will play four, possibly five, one-dayers before the World Cup, they will come in the home tri-series against India and England, which does not begin until January 16, two days after the deadline for World Cup squads. Under ICC tournament rules, participants must submit a squad of 30 no later than 60 days before the start of the tournament and a final squad of 15 no later than 30 days beforehand, which is January 14. Over the past two seasons, when the domestic one-dayers have been played in a month-long tournament at the start of the season, White has scored 741 runs at an average of 67.36 for Victoria. The only player to have exceeded that tally is Usman Khawaja with 949 at 73. Based in Queensland, the injured Khawaja is poised to resume next week. White has not played a one-dayer for Australia since April 2011, in a series in Bangladesh that was Australia's first since their quarter-final exit at the 2011 World Cup, when the right-hander was still a first-choice player. One aspect that could count against White or Khawaja making Australia's final 15 is that both have thrived as openers, whereas in the current team David Warner, Aaron Finch and Shane Watson are all experienced openers. Vacancies are more likely to arise in the middle order, especially due to Clarke's nagging injury problems. White, 31, will be hoping selectors noted his unbeaten 41 at number six to clinch a series victory over South Africa in the recent Twenty20s.