JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Australia still believe Ricky Ponting will play a part in the Twenty20 World Cup despite their captain failing to fly out with the squad for the tournament in South Africa, which starts on September 11.

"We'll have to wait and see about Ricky, but hopefully he will join us soon, we're just not 100 percent sure when," vice captain Adam Gilchrist told reporters in Johannesburg yesterday.

"We're taking it day-by-day and keeping in touch with him, but I don't think he'll miss the whole tournament."

The Australians arrived in South Africa late on Monday while Ponting remained in Sydney due to "family reasons".

Australia's opening game is against Zimbabwe in Cape Town on September 12.

The Australians also arrived in Johannesburg without seamer Stuart Clark, whose son is ill, and all-rounder Shane Watson, who has a hamstring problem.

Wicketkeeper/batsman Gilchrist said the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup was an important opportunity for Australia to add more silverware to an already burgeoning trophy cabinet.

"No one's won this tournament before, so it's a chance for us to make an impression," he said.

"There's been nothing up for grabs in the other Twenty20 games we've played, they've been more like exhibitions, but this is different and we're all going to learn a lot."

• South African captain Graeme Smith believes bowlers could play as big a role as batsmen at the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup his nation is hosting from September 11.

"I'm unsure whether batsmen are going to totally dominate. No-one really knows what conditions are going to be like at this time of year," Smith told reporters in Johannesburg on Monday.

"If they are good, then batsmen could have a field day because the ball travels far up here on the Highveld and our stadiums are smaller than elsewhere in the world.

"But bowlers' skills are improving all the time and with slower balls and bouncers coming into play, I think they could have a big say as well."

South Africa will open the tournament with a match against the West Indies in Johannesburg and Smith said his team was excited about launching a new format of the game on an international scale.

"We're very excited, especially since we're hosting this inaugural tournament which is an awesome opportunity," he added.

"From when one-day cricket started until now, it has developed a lot and it's a far different game now than when it began.

"Twenty20 is just starting now and everything will be different. Tactics will obviously be important and teams are going to have to show some imagination, players who are unorthodox and can think on their feet will be crucial.

"Captains will need to trust their players and allow them to go out and play."

South African coach Mickey Arthur said the tournament offered a great opportunity for his team to win a major International Cricket Council (ICC) event for the first time and they would limber up for the championship with an intensive week of preparation.

"Graeme and I have a pretty good idea of what we want for the tournament and hopefully we will confirm that during this week. We have a pretty intensive programme lined up to assess exactly where we are," Arthur said.

"We haven't won a major ICC event... and this is a huge opportunity for us to get the country behind us and to win a substantial event. It is attainable if we play to our full potential."

Top-order batsman Loots Bosman, a leading performer in South African domestic Twenty20, will miss the tournament due to a back problem he picked up during a three-match, one-day international series in Zimbabwe 10 days ago.