Waugh may be back for final Test

LEEDS, England - Steve Waugh has made a shock appearance in the nets at Headingley, fuelling speculation he might recover from a torn calf muscle in time for next week's Fifth Ashes Test at The Oval.

Waugh's first thought while being stretchered from the field at Trent Bridge 11 days ago was his tour was over and he may as well pack up and go home to his family in Sydney.

But the Australian captain decided to undergo 12 laborious hours of treatment every day from 8.30am in the faint hope he would recover in time for one last appearance on English soil.

Waugh is refusing to ask team physiotherapist Errol Alcott the most tempting question - "will I be able to play?" - because he doesn't want the answer to affect his determined bid to regain fitness.

When Waugh thought the nosiest onlookers had left, he snuck into the nets and batted for about 15 minutes without any discomfort as coach John Buchanan threw him balls from short range.

"Stephen was fine, but he hasn't got much time left - one week," said an Australian Cricket Board spokesman.

"Having a light hit is a different matter from playing a Test match."

It would be nothing short of remarkable if 36-year-old Waugh was able to lead Australia onto The Oval for a farewell appearance in England.

But Alcott, masseuse Rebecca Lauder and fitness coach Jock Campbell are working overtime to expedite his recovery from an injury which normally takes between four and six weeks to mend.

Last week, Waugh said: "When I did the injury I gave myself a nought per cent chance of being back for The Oval and while I've improved since then, I still have to give myself only a tiny chance of being right."

Tiny has become just a little bigger.

Full days of physiotherapy, massage, pool work, bike work and light weights give cause for optimism but there is still no guarantee he will available.

Motivating him is the fact that Australia will be awarded the substitute Ashes trophy at the Oval, he might never again play in England, and entering the twilight of his career, every Test is special.

He posed for the cover photograph of his upcoming Ashes diary this afternoon.

In Waugh's absence, interim captain Adam Gilchrist leads Australia against England in the Fourth Test at Headingley tomorrow, starting at 11am (8pm AEST).

England is yet to trim its 13-man squad because captain Nasser Hussain is completely flummoxed by the pitch.

"I'm not sitting on the fence," said Hussain.

"But it could seam, swing, spin or it could be flat."

Australia: Adam Gilchrist (c), Ricky Ponting (vc), Matthew Hayden, Michael Slater, Mark Waugh, Damien Martyn, Simon Katich, Brett Lee, Shane Warne, Jason Gillespie, Glenn McGrath, Justin Langer (12th man).

England (from): Nasser Hussain (c), Michael Atherton, Marcus Trescothick, Mark Butcher, Mark Ramprakash, Usman Afzaal, Alec Stewart, Alex Tudor, Robert Croft, Andy Caddick, Darren Gough, Alan Mullally, Richard Johnson.