David Nilsson will play for Australia in next year's inaugural World Baseball Classic but there is doubt over the availability of several of Australia's Major League stars for the tournament in March

Australian coach Jon Deeble says former Major League all-star Nilsson had already pledged his involvement with the national team until the 2008 Beijing Olympics

But Deeble says two of the country's leading pitchers, Grant Balfour and Michael Nakamura, have already been ruled out of the tournament, with fellow pitcher Travis Blackley, and infielders Chris Snelling and Glenn Williams also in doubt

The 16-nation tournament is expected to feature most of the world's top baseballers, including a host of Major League stars