CHESTER-LE-STREET (England), June 22: Australia look set to let Brett Lee loose against England in their triangular series One-day International on Thursday after he underwent a fitness test on his sore shoulder. Lee bowled off his full run-up on Tuesday and did not feel any pain.
“He’s been responding really well, I’m really happy with his progress,” Australian physiotherapist Errol Alcott said.
Alcott said Lee would train again on Wednesday to see if there was a reaction but was unlikely to bowl again at full pace.
The strike bowler missed Australia’s first two games of the series, a shock defeat by Bangladesh and a narrow loss to England, after being hit on the shoulder by a delivery from Andrew Flintoff in last week’s Twenty20 match.
That blow aggravated an old injury when Lee had suffered a ligament strain in the shoulder.
Australia’s bowling has looked vulnerable without Lee’s out-and-out pace.
The world champions also look set to select batting all-rounder Andrew Symonds for the day-night fixture at Durham.
Symonds was suspended for the first two games and fined two match fees after staying out for most of the night before the Bangladesh match.
England lead the table with three wins out of three.