SYDNEY, July 24 AAP - Former Test captain Mark Taylor believes Steve and Mark Waugh may be using their non-selection in Australia's one-day teams as a means to continue their Test cricket careers.

While the brothers have said they'll still push for selection for next year's World Cup despite not being named in recent Australia and Australia A teams, Taylor believes they would be more than content if they simply maintained their Test spots.

"Maybe Steve and Mark are thinking that if they try and focus on getting themselves in every game including the one-dayers then they'll settle for just playing Test cricket," Taylor said today.

"It could well be the case - it's just my guess.

"It may be that they are worried if they say to themselves 'ok, we'll sit back and play Test match cricket' that they might find their Test match form falls away and they find themselves under pressure for their Test spots as well.

"It (showing an interest in playing the one-day game) might be a way of keeping themselves upbeat, fit and at the age of 37 challenging the 27 years as well."

Taylor said the Waughs were in a vastly different position to when he lost his one-day spot in 1997 and went on to play almost another two years of Test cricket.

"My position was slightly different. I was dropped as an opening batsmen and it was always going to be difficult for me to get back into that role," he said.

"For them to get back in, it will mean a change of position and a change in the way they play their cricket.

Taylor believed it would be very difficult for both Waughs to get back into the national one day team - the likely avenue being for one of them to be "re-invented" as an allrounder playing at number seven.

"It will depend a lot on (current allrounder) Shane Watson. Hopefully the selectors will stick with him for a little while longer and give him an opportunity to flourish in that position," Taylor said.

"But if he doesn't I think there may be an opportunity for one of them to slot into No.7."

Former Australian batsmen and standout one-day international player of the 1980s and early '90s Dean Jones said the Waughs could still come back into World Cup reckoning with strong domestic one-day form.

"Make no mistake someone will fail against Pakistan (in a one-day series in Kenya next month) and then they come under consideration," Jones said.

© 2002 AAP

This report does not necessarily represent the views of the Australian Cricket Board.