Lee eyes Lord's Test return

Brett Lee is nearing a return to the Test side after being road-blocked for 19 months by injury and the sensational form of his rivals. After blasting 14 wickets in the two one-day series, Lee is tipped to take the new ball alongside Glenn McGrath in the first Test at Lord's starting next Thursday.

Michael Kasprowicz and Jason Gillespie appeared to be battling for the final fast-bowling place as Ricky Ponting deliberated over his team for the three-day match against Leicestershire on Friday. "McGrath and Lee seem to be going along very, very well at the moment so we'll have to toss up whether there is a need for them to play that game or not," Ponting said in the Courier-Mail.

However, Gillespie was praised by Ponting after taking 3 for 44 to end a disturbing run of form in the one-day series. "He had a lot of nip back off the wicket and really only got scored off on one side of the wicket - the offside - which is pretty important for him," Ponting said. "His control and line and length and rhythm seemed to be a lot better than they have been in previous games. That's a real positive sign for us going into the Test match."

McGrath, Gillespie and Kasprowicz have kept Lee out of the side since he returned from an ankle injury to tour India last year. Since then he has been talked up before each series without adding to his 37 Tests and 139 wickets.