Brett Lee ruled out of UAE series by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

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Player:	DE Bollinger, B Lee
Event:	Australia in United Arab Emirates 2008/09

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DateLine: 16th April 2009

 

Paceman Brett Lee has been ruled out of Australia's limited-overs series against Pakistan and replaced by Doug Bollinger. Lee, who will continue to train in South Africa with his Indian Premier League franchise to further his rehabilitation from ankle and foot operations, was included in the 14-man Australian squad last week subject to fitness.

 

Selectors decided on Wednesday he would not be capable of bowling full pace in the matches at Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Australia team physiotherapist Alex Kountouris said Lee's ankle was recovering from surgery in January but he had not bowled enough in practice to ensure a successful return to cricket.

 

The squad for the Pakistan series will assemble on Saturday in South Africa and the series starts April 22. Lee will train with the Kings XI Punjab squad at Port Elizabeth ahead of the IPL Twenty20 tournament, which was switched to South Africa because of security concerns in India, but is expected to rejoin the Australian squad during the Pakistan series if he's fit enough to resume playing. Lee, a 76-Test veteran, is pushing to reclaim his place in the Australian attack for the Ashes series. Skipper Ricky Ponting, top-order batsman Mike Hussey and strike bowler Mitchell Johnson were rested from the Pakistan series in order to prepare for the Twenty20 World Cup and Ashes series campaigns in England starting in June. All-rounders Andrew Symonds and Shane Watson have been recalled.

 

Australian squad : Michael Clarke (captain), Doug Bollinger, Nathan Bracken, Callum Ferguson, Brett Geeves, Brad Haddin, Nathan Hauritz, Ben Hilfenhaus, James Hopes, David Hussey, Ben Laughlin, Shaun Marsh, Andrew Symonds, Shane Watson.