SA in Australia
Key injuries rock Australia
2008-12-30 07:15
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Crocked Australian Brett Lee (Gallo Images)
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Melbourne - When it rains it pours – these words can describe the predicament the faltering Australian cricket team now find themselves in after they were knocked off their perch atop the international cricket ladder by a dominant South African side led by Graeme Smith.
After losing the second Test at the MCG by nine wickets and as a result, the overall series, Australia head into the third Test with an injury list which includes the likes of bowling spearhead Brett Lee, Shane Watson and Andrew Symonds.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Lee could be sidelined for up to two months as he has opted to undergo surgery on his left ankle knowing he would be sidelined by a foot injury anyways.
"If I'm going to be out for six to eight weeks with a foot injury, I may as well get the whole back of the ankle fixed up there.
"There's a bit of a crack in there and some floating bone and what have you, so I may as well get the whole thing fixed up and come back hopefully bigger and better."
Watson, a member of the 12-man squad for the second Test will be out of action for at least six weeks with a stress fracture in his back and his unlikely to bowl for six months.
Symonds, who struggled for form in the second Test at the MCG has been troubled by a knee injury which has prevented him from bowling.
The third Test match begins in Sydney on January 3 with South Africa leading the series 2-0.