Injured Lee out of South Africa tour by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

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Event:

South Africa in Australia 2008/09

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DateLine: 2nd January 2009

 

Brett Lee will miss the tour to South Africa while Australia hope to have Andrew Symonds back during the one-day international campaign over the next six weeks. Symonds had knee surgery on Wednesday while Lee is expected to have an operation on his left foot and ankle on Saturday. Lee's manager Neil Maxwell had confirmed to the media the unavailability of Lee for the return series in South Africa.

 

Lee will miss up to 10 weeks, ruling him out of the South Africa trip which starts in February, and could come back during the Indian Premier League in April. Lee and Symonds limped out of the second Test defeat to South Africa on Tuesday, which led to Australia's first series loss in 16 years. Symonds felt pain in his knee during the opening match in Perth and is recovering from arthroscopic surgery.

 

Ben Hilfenhaus and Andrew McDonald have replaced Lee and Symonds in the squad for Saturday's third Test in Sydney. If Australia lose the game they will drop from No. 1 on the ICC's rankings.