SYDNEY, July 9: Australian off-spinner Dan Cullen has undergone surgery on a stress fracture in his right foot and is expected to be sidelined until September. Cullen, 23, played one Test against Bangladesh in 2006 and has been awarded a Cricket Australia contract for 2007.

He was named in Australia's preliminary 30-man squad for the Twenty20 Championship in South Africa, but the time frame is tight for him to make that tournament or the Australia ‘A’ tour of Pakistan in the same month.

However, the Australian team doctor, Trefor James, was sounding more positive: “It is expected that he will recover in time to be available for any Australian commitments in September and beyond.”

Alongside his Test cap, Cullen has played five ODIs but his success has been limited to two wickets.—Agencies