da betano casino： 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 staff06-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 Testagainst Sri Lanka, which starts on Monday. Lee, who injured his left ankleduring Australia’s practice match against a Sri Lanka Board President’s XI, satout training on Saturday and Sunday.Lee’s ankle, the same one from which bone spurs were removed last year, sufferedsoreness and swelling during the warm-up game. Hospital x-rays revealed nostructural damage, but the prospect of a heavy workload on a spinner’s pitchwould make his inclusion a gamble.”Brett is continuing to receive treatment and stayed back at the teamhotel,” 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 fitnessbefore 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 onhim and his feelings as Alex’s [Kontouri], the physio, as well as thecaptain and selectors.”Buchanan said that Lee’s availability could influence the final decision onthe balance of the attack. He kept his cards close to his chest atthe team’s practice though, saying that there would be either three fast bowlersand 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 tosay 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 onit and it will certainly turn, virtually from ball one. Given that there isno 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, itcould give something to the quick bowlers as well, with reverse swing andpossibly a variation in height and pace.”