Australia leave Lee decision late

Australia fast bowler Brett Lee is being given as much time as possible to recover from torn ankle ligaments and play in the World Cup.

Scans on his left ankle have been delayed until Monday to give him the best chance of making the squad, which leaves for the Caribbean on Tuesday.

Lee has rated his chances as 50-50 adding: "I'll be doing everything I can to make sure I have a chance."

There are also serious worries to Andrew Symonds and Matthew Hayden.

Symonds has had surgery on a torn bicep tendon and Hayden broke his toe in the final match of the Chappell-Hadlee Series.

But Michael Clarke, who has a sore hip, and skipper Ricky Ponting, who has a back problem, are of lesser concern.


He knows where every ball is going, he is a guy who understands his tactics and he is a leader in that side

Geoff Lawson on Stuart Clark

Ponting said: "My back's fine. The last few nights I've slept a lot better and felt a lot better in the morning.

"Hopefully when I get to the West Indies I'll be pain free and ready to go."

Stuart Clark is being touted as the most likely replacement should Lee be ruled out of Australia's attempt to win the World Cup for the third consecutive time.

Former Test bowler Geoff Lawson said Australia might not have lost the Chappell-Hadlee Series 3-0 had Clark played.

"If Stuart Clark had played in New Zealand the chances are we would have won all three games," he told The Australian newspaper.

"He knows where every ball is going, he is a guy who understands his tactics and he is a leader in that side. He's a mature guy, he's over 30, he's got a great cricket brain.

"He's the kind of guy they need out on the park to help in a crisis. It's not just his bowling that is beneficial, it's his cricket knowledge."

Ponting, meanwhile, has hinted that Australia may move away from their previously preferred option of batting first in one-day matches.

"We're going to come up against some small grounds in the World Cup, so the consideration of batting second is something to think about there," he commented.

"That straight away eases a bit of the pressure on the bowlers."