Australia face an anxious wait to find out if pace bowler Brett Lee will be fit to play at Old Trafford in the third Test against England.
Lee, who very nearly guided Australia to victory in the second Test at Edgbaston on Sunday with a heroic unbeaten 43, is hospitalised in Birmingham with an infection in his left knee.
Lee's expected absence is a double blow in the light of Glenn McGrath's absence at the present time.
Australia's physiotherapist Errol Alcott claims Lee's chances of playing at Old Trafford are at best 50-50, with results of a blood test due this morning.
Alcott explained: "Brett is comfortable in hospital. He is presently on an intravenous drip with antibiotics being administered.
"He has also had a blood test and we will probably know the result this morning.
"We are optimistic that the therapy he is having will have an early resolution and he will be released as soon as possible. Beyond this I do not know what is happening."
Lee is reported to have noticed some soreness on Sunday morning just 45 minutes prior to batting against England.
The soreness came from an old abrasion sustained in the first Test at Lord's and is just above the left kneecap.
