Lee back to bowling at full tilt

In an ominous development for the rest of the world, Brett Lee is back to his top bowling speed ahead of next month's Twenty20 World Championship in South Africa. Lee missed Australia's triumphant World Cup campaign earlier this year after undergoing major surgery on torn ligaments in his left ankle.

Though his recovery has been a gradual one, Lee was bowling at full pace at a net session at the SCG last week. "I'm fit and refreshed and felt I could have gone flat out a month ago, but I've had to be patient," Lee told the Sunday Telegraph.

"Now I'm back running flat out and felt like I was bowling at full pace again. As each session has gone on I've got quicker and quicker. I'm back to bowling where I finished up before the injury."

The retirement of Glenn McGrath has increased the focus and burden on Lee. "But I don't want to be like I was six months ago, I want to keep improving and become a better player."

Lee is still only training in up to six-over blocks but said the Twenty20 tournament offered him the perfect platform for an international return. "It's something I've been looking forward to for a long time now, and I've been given the opportunity with Glenn leaving the scene and retiring from Tests. We're not going into this competition as favourites - England and South Africa would definitely be favourites, as far as Twenty20 cricket is concerned."

Troy Cooley, Australia's bowling coach, echoed Lee's confidence, claiming he would be the bowler to fear at the tournament. "He's been training the house down and he looks good," he said. "He slotted straight back into that classical action, he had a beautiful seam position and was swinging the ball away nicely."