SYDNEY, Feb 23: Australia's hopes of defending their World Cup cricket crown suffered a huge blow with the official withdrawal of pace spearhead Brett Lee on Friday.

On the back of five straight One-day International defeats, Australia will leave for the West Indies next week minus their strike bowler and amid mounting concern over whether they can successfully defend their title.Lee's pull-out with damaged ligaments in his left ankle is a shattering blow for the Australians, whose World Cup-strength bowling attack was plundered by New Zealand in the recent 3-0 Chappell-Hadlee Trophy series loss.

Stuart Clark, who was a controversial omission from the original 15-man squad named last week, is Lee’s replacement.

Australian team doctor Trefor James said following a review by an orthopaedic specialist it was decided that Lee’s damaged ankle ligaments would keep him out of cricket for two to three months.

Lee had been optimistic of making a miraculous recovery after going over on his ankle in training ahead of the first Chappell-Hadlee Trophy match in Wellington. “To get told that you can't be a chance to play in the World Cup is really disappointing,” Lee told reporters on Friday. “I couldn't undergo the exercises, there's too much pain there; there was absolutely no chance of me playing in the World Cup.”

Chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch said in a Cricket Australia (CA) statement on Friday that he had been advised that Lee's ankle injury was more serious than first expected. “It is a great disappointment for Brett Lee that he is unable to take his place in the Cricket World Cup and is a significant blow for the planning and preparation in place for the tournament,” Hilditch said. “However, it does give a tremendous opportunity for Stuart Clark to join the 15-man squad.

“Stuart was extremely unlucky to miss out on initial selection and despite the unfortunate circumstances surrounding his inclusion we strongly believe that Stuart is primed to seize his opportunity.

“Though Brett's injury is disappointing from a personal and team perspective, we strongly believe we are taking a squad of players more than capable of winning a third successive Cricket World Cup,” he added.

Without the 30-year-old spearhead, Australia's bowlers were battered by New Zealand's batsmen in the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy series. They took a total of just 13 wickets while conceding two of the three biggest run chases in the ODI history – 336 and 346 – in crashing to a disastrous series sweep on grounds similar in size to those Australia will experience in the Caribbean.

Lee ranks behind Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne as Australia's third all-time leading wicket-taker in ODIs, with 267 wickets in 150 matches.—AFP