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Time running out for Lee

Brett Lee may be losing his race to be fit in time for the opening Test against Sri Lanka, which starts on Monday

Wisden Cricinfo staff
06-Mar-2004


Brett Lee: an ankle injury could foil his chances for the 1st Test © Getty Images
Brett Lee may be losing his race to be fit in time for the opening Test against Sri Lanka, which starts on Monday. Lee, who injured his left ankle during Australia's practice match against a Sri Lanka Board President's XI, sat out training on Saturday and Sunday.
Lee's ankle, the same one from which bone spurs were removed last year, suffered soreness and swelling during the warm-up game. Hospital x-rays revealed no structural damage, but the prospect of a heavy workload on a spinner's pitch would make his inclusion a gamble.
"Brett is continuing to receive treatment and stayed back at the team hotel," Jonathan Rose, the Australian media manager, said. "A decision will be made tomorrow [Monday] on his availability."
The pitch may be loaded in favour of the spinners, but Ricky Ponting insisted that Lee could still be a huge factor. "We are hoping that he will come up fit and we will be giving him until the last minute. We just have to keep a real close eye on him and keep our fingers crossed because he could be very dangerous in these conditions."
On Saturday, John Buchanan, Australia's coach, said that Lee was still in contention, saying that he would be given every possible chance to regain his fitness before the final XI was chosen by the selectors. "There is obviously concern there, but that is the reason why he is not out here today," said Buchanan. "In a bowling sense he does not actually need to bowl so we are trying to give him an opportunity to get right for Monday."
"We will make our final decision tomorrow and that will be as much based on him and his feelings as Alex's [Kontouri], the physio, as well as the captain and selectors."
Buchanan said that Lee's availability could influence the final decision on the balance of the attack. He kept his cards close to his chest at the team's practice though, saying that there would be either three fast bowlers and one spinner or two pacemen and two spinners.
"If he is deemed fit enough to play then that might swing us either way," said Buchanan. "We need to take that it account and I think it is fair to say that there are a few schools of thought."
Buchanan expected the ball to turn square on a dry, grassless Galle pitch: "There is no doubt that the wicket is what we expected. There is no grass on it and it will certainly turn, virtually from ball one. Given that there is no grass on it, there is a question as to how long it will actually last.
"One would expect it to offer quite a lot to spin bowlers. Having said that, it could give something to the quick bowlers as well, with reverse swing and possibly a variation in height and pace."