Lee's injury poses headaches for selectors

A few issues to discuss already, and now another major one to add to the list. The decision of the Australian Cricket Board(ACB) to withdraw paceman Brett Lee from next week's Third Test against the touring West Indians in Adelaide will leave the national selectors with a number of thorny questions to resolve tonight.

Not only do they have to formulate a new-looking squad, and open the way for the appointment of an interim captain and vice-captain in the wake of Steve Waugh's injury-enforced departure from the side. Now the four-man Australian selection panel also has to recast the attack that has spearheaded them to crushing victories in the opening two games of the series.

"We've got to look at the conditions that we're playing in in Adelaide, and assess whether we need more cover with spin bowling," said national selector, Allan Border, from Hobart.

"Do we need another spinner? Do we need another quickie? Probably, we'll have (all) the bowling options for whoever's the captain and then we'll go from there," continued Border.

"We'll cover our bases."

The decision to rest Lee is being described by the ACB as a "precautionary step", one emanating from the onset of slight stress in the young fast bowler's lower back after the completion of the Second Test in Perth last week.

The blond speedster has proved a revelation since making his international debut in last season's Boxing Day Test match against India in Melbourne. In the seven Test matches which have followed, he has captured forty-two wickets at the astonishing average of sixteen.

"In Perth, he developed some back stiffness which is something he hadn't experienced before," confirmed ACB doctor, Trefor James.

"As a result, he had some scans performed this week, which showed some significant bony stress in one vertebra in his lower back. This is more than you would accept as being normal in a fast bowler."

"If Brett continues bowling, he is likely to go on and develop a complete stress fracture and that would lead to him being out of cricket for several months. Rather than allowing Brett to continue bowling, he's been advised to miss the Adelaide Test and we'll re-evaluate his progress before the Melbourne Test," added James.