Australia's World Cup injury curse struck again when batsman Damien Martyn was ruled out of Tuesday's semi-final against Sri Lanka, with a fractured right index finger.

A devastated Martyn, who suffered the injury while fielding against Kenya in last Saturday's Super Sixes match in Durban, learned of his forced omission after having X-rays on the eve of the game.

His place against Sri Lanka will be taken by Michael Bevan in his return from a lower back problem. Selectors will then decide whether to play both all-rounders Ian Harvey and Andrew Symonds or rush rusty reserve batsman Jimmy Maher into the eleven for his first appearance in almost a month.

"It's a set back," said coach John Buchanan.

"Obviously Damien is a key member of our top order and we would prefer to have him as part of the side.

"Hopefully another player comes into the side and replaces him adequately - we'll know more about that by the end of the game tomorrow.

"Knowing Damien he'd be quite disappointed by this, definitely.

"He's been an integral part of this whole process for so long so I would expect him to be extremely disappointed."

Martyn's absence means Australia will face another massive test of its depth having already suffered tournament-ending injuries to first-pick all rounder Shane Watson and fast bowler Jason Gillespie plus minor problems to Bevan and Symonds.

This on top of Shane Warne's 12-month suspension that knocked him out of the Cup before he had bowled a ball.

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