Australian fast bowler Brett Lee is in danger of missing the World Cup after being sent home from his team's short tour of New Zealand with a painful ankle injury.
Lee underwent x-rays in New Zealand on Thursday after twisting his left ankle but Australian physiotherapist Alex Kountouris ordered him to immediately return home for scans and further treatment.
Lee was cleared of any serious breaks but could miss the World Cup, starting in the West Indies in less than four weeks, if he has damaged his ligaments.
"If it's ligament damage it can take four to six weeks (to heal) but it depends on which ligaments are damaged. It can also be cartilage or bone that doesn't show up on x-rays," Kountouris told The Australian newspaper.
"The x-rays cleared him on any break but if you damage your cartilage or ligaments around the joint it is also very painful."
Shaun Tait was called in to replace Lee for the three-game Chappell-Hadlee series in New Zealand but will miss Friday's opening match in Wellington and join the squad for Sunday's second game in Auckland.
Lee's injury scare is the latest worry for Australia in a troubled buildup to their World Cup defence.
All rounder Andrew Symonds is recovering from bicep surgery and will miss at least the first half of the World Cup, captain Ricky Ponting pulled out of the Chappell-Hadlee series with a back problem while top-order batsman Michael Clarke is struggling with a hip complaint.
Lee is ranked fifth on the International Cricket Council's list of top one-day bowlers and his withdrawal from the World Cup would be another major blow to Australia's chances of winning the tournament.
The Australians looked to be almost unbeatable a month ago but the mounting injury toll and sudden loss of form has brought them back to the field.
