Brett Lee has declared himself "100 per cent fit” to face England in the fourth Ashes Test at Headingley though team-mate Shane Watson sounded a note of caution over the Australian paceman’s readiness to play.
Lee has not featured at all in the first three matches of this Ashes series after sustaining a side injury in the lead-up to last month’s first Test in Cardiff, playing his last Test in December after being initially ruled out with foot and heel injuries.
But the 32-year-old insists he is available for selection as Australia try to level the five match series at 1-1 with one more Test to come after that at the Oval.
Asked if he was fit, Lee said: “Yes, 100 per cent. I do believe I have done the work. I’ve been bowled eight days straight.
“Most days I’ve bowled back-to-back, morning and afternoon sessions. Today I bowled practically the whole session and my pace felt really good. I’m 100 per cent ready to go.”
With no tour match in between the end of Monday’s drawn third Test at Edgbaston and Friday’s start in Leeds, Australia would be selecting Lee ‘cold’ if they recalled him to their side this week. Not a problem, according to Lee.
“Hopefully I’ve done everything I can to prove I’m ready to go.
“I’m confident if I was called upon to play I would be able to get through. If it was a different injury, you might think differently. But the way I’ve felt, I’ve done the preparation and it’s been a minor setback.
“Hopefully I’ve passed that, bowling eight days straight and can prove that I can stand up and am ready to go.”
Lee has been warming up in the nets at Headingley, seemingly free of restriction, but Watson suggested he remains unlikely to figure.
“He bowled at full pace which is not the nicest thing to face in the nets, but it’s good for him,” Watson said.
“He’s probably a game away, he needs that under his belt to be under calculation for selection, but it’s good to see him charging along and when he has that really good pace you know he’s going to be at this best.”
With England holding the lead in the series, Watson admitted the pressure is now on Australia, who were on the back foot in the rain-shortened Test at Edgbaston that ended in a draw.
“As a group I think we’re definitely a bit nervous,” he said. “We know we had to bat really well to get out of trouble.
“It’s definitely a big confidence boost to know that we’re able to do that as a group moving into these next two Test matches because we need to win at least one of them to make sure we retain the Ashes.”
With crunch time approaching, the tension in the series is growing with a noticeable increase in the sledging at Edgbaston.
“It’s getting closer to the end and we need to win,” said Watson. “So the intensity is really starting to rise up. I really enjoyed it. It’s great cricket.
“It’s great to have some really competitive banter out there. Everyone’s going hammer and tongs to give yourself the best chance of winning. I love it.”
England are still to confirm whether all-rounder Andrew Flintoff will figure at Headingley as he battles the long-standing injuries that have caused him to announce this will be his final Test series.
However, Watson confirmed Australia are planning for him to be in the England side.
“Obviously we expect him to play because that’s what he has done over the last three Test matches and he’s performed really well.
I’m definitely preparing for him to play because he’s a tough guy and he’s played as well as he has.
“He’s awesome and to face ‘Freddie’ fully charged up is one of the best challenges I’ve had in my career.”
No comments:
Post a Comment