Lee ruled out for Aussies

Skipper Ponting left fuming by state of practice pitches

Last updated: 30th October 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Lee ruled out for Aussies

Lee: Injury blow

To turn up and have the wickets completely unusable is disappointing

Ricky Ponting
Quotes of the week

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Australia paceman Brett Lee has been ruled out of the remainder of the one-day series in India with an elbow injury.

Lee was unable to complete his full 10-over allocation in the first game before sitting out the second instalment of the seven-match series.

Cricket Australia decided on Friday to send the 32-year-old home to consult a specialist about the problem.

"Brett's elbow injury has not responded as well to treatment as we would have liked and therefore a decision has been made to send him home to consult with an elbow specialist," Cricket Australia physiotherapist Kevin Sims said in a statement.

"With an accurate diagnosis we can determine how best to manage the injury and give Brett the best chance of being available for selection at the beginning of the Australian summer."

Injuries

Australia enjoyed a winning start in the series but went down to a heavy defeat in Nagpur where India made a commanding 354-7 after being put into bat.

With the series now tied at 1-1, the Australians are struggling with injuries ahead of the third match on Saturday, a day-nighter at Feroz Shah Kotla.

All-rounder James Hopes is out with a hamstring injury, while wicketkeeper Tim Paine has returned home with a broken finger.

Australia have called-up all-rounder Moises Henriques and gloveman Graham Manou, who is expected to arrive in time to take over behind the stumps. Shaun Marsh is likely to be promoted to open alongside Shane Watson.

"Hopes did bowl at the nets and he is almost OK but we don't want to take any chances. Manou is young but the good thing is that he has a fair bit of experience, having played in the Ashes against England," Australia captain Ricky Ponting said.

Ponting admitted that Lee's absence has further depleted their bowling resources with other injuries taking their toll.

"Injuries cost us a little more than we expected in Nagpur," he added.

"Lee is one guy who bowls well at the death but it also depends on who are you bowling at because a player like (Mahendra Singh) Dhoni can be very dangerous in the last few overs."

Disadvantage

The Australian captain's move was hardly improved by the standard of the practice facilities at the venue, with the pitches having been heavily watered.

"I'm very disappointed," said Ponting. "Everybody in the world other than the groundsman knew that we were going to train at 9am this morning.

"To turn up and have the wickets completely unusable is disappointing.

"We only have one training day and I'm sure by the time the Indians get out here this afternoon the wickets will be fine. So it's a bit of a disadvantage for us."

India are likely to field an unchanged side having clinched a 99-run victory on Tuesday that was inspired by a century from skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni.