Cricket: Lee declared unfit to start against Pakistan

Brett Lee is expected to rejoin his teammates in Dubai when he has recovered from his ankle operation. Photo / Herald on Sunday

Australian fast bowler Brett Lee has been declared unfit to take his place in the national one-day squad for the upcoming series against Pakistan in Dubai.

Lee's fellow NSW quick Doug Bollinger will instead join the squad in the United Arab Emirates this weekend.

Lee is recovering from an ankle operation and has been in camp with his Indian Premier League team Kings XI Punjab in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.

The 76-test veteran and World Cup winner had been expected to join the Australian squad in Johannesburg on Sunday following the completion of the one-day series against South Africa before heading to Dubai.

It's understood that when Lee is declared ready to resume, he will head to Dubai to take on Pakistan, rather than playing with his IPL side.

Australia's five-match ODI series against Pakistan starts on April 22.

National selection panel chairman Andrew Hilditch says selectors have been advised that Lee is not yet fit enough to resume international cricket.

"While it's disappointing for Brett to miss the start of the Pakistan series, the panel wants to take a careful approach to his return to the Australian team," Hilditch said. "Doug Bollinger will join the squad in the UAE.

"Doug was probably a bit disappointed not to get a run during the test series in South Africa, but this is an opportunity for Doug to impress at one-day level for Australia and I'm sure it's an opportunity he'll be keen to make the most of."

Australia team physiotherapist Alex Kountouris says Lee's rehabilitation from surgery is going well but is incomplete.

"Brett has not bowled sufficiently to allow him to be fit to resume playing cricket," Kountouris said.

"Brett will remain in South Africa to continue the rehabilitation program and gradually increase his bowling volume and intensity.

"I will be monitoring Brett's progress to assess his availability for any part of the series against Pakistan in the UAE."

Australian captain Ricky Ponting said the UAE tour was a good opportunity for Bollinger to hopefully make his ODI debut.

The big left-armer made his test debut in Sydney in January against South Africa then failed to play a test on the tour of South Africa in February-March.

"He now gets an opportunity with the white ball in Dubai and that's great for him," Ponting said yesterday.

"He's a very good bowler and the more exposure that he can get to the game, the better off he's going to be.

"He's a relatively young guy [27] who's learning about himself all the time."

Bollinger will push for a back-up bowler's role in the Ashes squad in July while Lee is hoping to win back his place as pace spearhead in the test side, via the one-day series against Pakistan.

Ponting said Lee's planned outdoor bowling sessions had been interrupted by wet weather in Sydney in recent weeks.

"Now that he's here in South Africa with his IPL team, when he is ready to bowl again there'll be no excuses for weather or anything," the skipper said.

"He should be able to get a lot of bowling done and when he's fit enough and ready to play, hopefully he'll be playing for us because that's what he wants and that's what we need. "We need to see him back in Australian colours."

- AAP