28 December, 2008

Brett Lee is unlikely to play in the Sydney Test after scans showed he is on the verge of suffering stress fractures in his left foot but may bowl again in Melbourne.

Lee, who faces four to six weeks on the sidelines, did not take the field on the third day as Australia's inexperienced attack was plundered by the Proteas' tail after pulling up sore from play on Saturday.

Scans on Saturday night showed the 32-year-old was suffering a stress reaction in the fourth metatarsal bone in his left foot, but x-rays on Sunday revealed the bone was not broken.

It is not the first time Lee has injured his left foot. He missed Australia's World Cup success in 2007 in the Caribbean after injuring his left ankle in New Zealand in February.

The injury is another setback to Lee - who has series figures of 1-200 against South Africa and has taken only 21 wickets at 45.5 since the start of Australia's ill-fated series against India.

Team physio Alex Kountouris said it was 'inevitable' that Lee would require rest, possibly as soon as after the completion of the Test in Melbourne.

"I don't think he'll be able to play the Sydney Test. We'll wait and reassess at the end of the game," he said.

"If he's got what we think he's got and it's been confirmed by scans that he's got a stress fracture brewing we're going to rest him for a period of time to get it to settle."

But Kountouris said Lee will be given every chance to bowl in the second innings.

"Short-term future is we're going to try and get him to bowl in the second innings," Kountouris said.

"We're doing everything we can to settle it down, have one good go at it at the second innings."

"He might bowl one ball, he might bowl 10 overs or 15 overs and that's what we're looking at the moment for the game."

Kountouris said there was a risk Lee, who will not be given painkillers to see out the match, could end up breaking the bone should he bowl in the second innings.

"But in some people's opinion that might be a better scenario because the bone heals better," he said.

"If you have a tiny crack it can take a long time for it to heal. That's not what we're aiming for but there is a risk of that happening. Pain will guide us to where he is."


"There was so much pain he couldn't bowl today, he wouldn't bowl if he was in the same pain the second innings."

Should Lee not be fit to bowl again in the match, Australia will be left with only three frontline bowlers to dismiss South Africa a second time and level the series.

"I guess we'll have to wait and see whether he can bowl firstly. But no doubt losing Brett Lee out of your attack will certainly have an affect on your team," said Australian vice-captain Michael Clarke.