Aussie trio declared
fit for second Ashes test
London,
July 17:
Australia are set to go into the second Ashes test against England
with an unchanged side after declaring injured trio Brett Lee,
Matthew Hayden and Michael Slater available for selection.
Coach
John Buchanan said: "Hayden was the one giving us a little
concern but he seems to have pulled through. They all came through
training with flying colours."
But
opening batsman Hayden appeared to be limping after Tuesday's
practice at Lord's.
He
injured his right knee fielding in the warm-up game against
Somerset, which finished on Monday, and is likely to be replaced by
Justin Langer if he fails to fully recover for the second test,
which begins on Thursday.
Pace
bowler Lee has recovered from a rib problem that kept him out of the
Somerset game but he remains under pressure after Damien Fleming,
his main rival, continued his prolific tour by taking eight wickets
in that match, including six for 59 in the first innings.
Lee
was selected for the tour following elbow surgery and was preferred
to Fleming for the first test at Edgbaston, but he gave up 71 runs
without taking a wicket in the first innings before taking two for
37 in the second as Australia won by an innings and 118 runs.
Slater
has shrugged off a blow on the hand, inflicted by Pakistan pace
bowler Shoaib Akhtar who was guesting for Somerset against the
Australians
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