Waugh expects to return for fourth Test
Australian skipper Steve Waugh says his buttock injury has almost healed, enabling him to resume playing against the West Indies in the fourth Test starting here Boxing Day.
Waugh will wait until Christmas morning to declare himself a certain starter but he was untroubled at training Sunday as the Australian squad began preparations for its 14th consecutive Test win.
The 35-year-old Waugh completed a searching workout, all but ensuring Damien Martyn will not get another chance at Test level.
Martyn will make way for Waugh's return despite his excellent performance in last week's third Test win in Adelaide.
But explosive fast bowler Brett Lee has been ruled out of the remainder of the series.
Lee will miss the Boxing Day Test and the fifth Test in Sydney from January 2 after Australian team medical officials decided against risking his lower back problem.
The 24-year-old pace bowler underwent tests after arriving with the Australian squad but he could not prove he had overcome the bone stress which forced him out of the third Test in Adelaide.
Waugh wants to test his injury at training Monday but he is almost certain he will be fit for the 15th anniversary of his Test debut.
"I haven't made a final decision, but unless anything goes radically wrong tomorrow, I'll be playing," Waugh said Sunday.
"I went through a pretty strenuous workout out there. There were no negative feelings but I want to make sure so I'm going to give it another go tomorrow morning.
"It's a bit embarrassing, I guess, talking about that part of the anatomy. It's a bit strange people taking notice of it.
"But I think it's feeling pretty good, as good as before. It gets a bit fatigued at this stage, I need to get a bit of strength back in it. It feels as good as the other side."
Waugh first felt the injury in the days before the second Test in Perth but he played through the match to lead Australia to a world record 12th consecutive win.
They wrapped up the series in Adelaide while Waugh watched on television but the returning skipper said there was still plenty to play for in Melbourne.
"There is a lot at stake. We've got a good opportunity to win 14 in a row and the West Indies have never been beaten 5-0 in a series," Waugh said.
"And spots are up for grabs, so the guys want to maintain a high standard, so the complacency factor doesn't come into it."
Lee, who faced the threat of a six-month lay-off if the problem developed into a stress fracture, won't play Test cricket again until at least the Indian tour in February.
"It's obviously very frustrating being sidelined but I know it's in my best interests not to be rushed back," Lee said Sunday.
"There is so much cricket coming up that I'm looking at this as a short-term loss for a long-term gain.
"I'm very confident I'll be back for the Carlton one-day series (next month)."
The West Indies trained Sunday, watching carefully as Brian Lara returned to the nets after his mishap Saturday.
Lara was struck above the left eye while batting and was then taken to hospital for x-rays, but captain Jimmy Adams said the left-hander was fine.
Lara will need be needed to defuse a renewed campaign by the Australians, whose winning streak almost ended when Lara belted 182 the first innings in Adelaide.
"Lara is obviously a guy we need to talk about a bit more, the way he played and how to tie him down a bit better," Waugh said.
Both squads have yet to settle on their final teams, with Australia considering paceman Andrew Bichel and spinners Colin Miller and Stuart MacGill for two bowling posts.
The Windies are almost certain to maintain their policy of four fast bowlers even though sole spinner Mahendra Nagamootoo is fit to play.
Showers have been forecast for Boxing Day but weather watchers were confident the Test would be largely uninterrupted.
Mail Cricket Editor
