Lee ruled out of rest of series

News is not very encouraging for Australian express bowler Brett Lee.

He was ruled out of both the fourth and fifth Tests against the beleaguered West Indies, after examinations by Australian Cricket Board medical staff last night revealed his injured back had not properly healed.

A frustrated Lee said he understood it was in his best interests to sit out the rest of the series but he was hopeful of returning for the One-Day International series in early January.

The decision to rest Lee for the remaining Tests is a setback to what had become a glittering career. He was found to have the early signs of stress fractures in his lower back after emerging stiff and sore from the last day of the second Test in Perth three weeks ago.

He was ruled out of the Adelaide Test as a result, but hopeful Australian selectors named him and captain Steve Waugh in a 14-man squad for the fourth Test.

Lee was forced to wear a neck-to-waist brace for eight weeks after suffering stress fractures to his back while at the Australian Cricket Academy in 1996.

He worked with former Australian fast bowler Dennis Lillee to correct faults in his action with a view to avoiding future problems. The new signs of stress fractures detected in Lee's back are in a different region to his 1996 problem and can heal with rest. It is believed his modified fully front-on action will not need to be changed.