Ryan Harris has been called into Australia's World Twenty20 squad as a replacement for the injured Brett Lee. Lee, the 33-year-old fast bowler, suffered an arm injury during Australia's surprise one-run defeat in yesterday's warm-up match against Zimbabwe in St Lucia. Harris and Doug Bollinger were immediately mooted as potential replacements after excelling in the recent Indian Premier League. And Andrew Hilditch, the chairman of the National Selection Panel, said: "While it is obviously disappointing for Brett, this gives Ryan Harris a wonderful opportunity to join the Australian squad in the West Indies for the ICC World Twenty20 tournament.
"Ryan was very close to selection in the initial 15-man squad. He has been in excellent form for Australia in one-day and Test formats and during his recent stint at the IPL. We believe he is the ideal replacement for Brett, being a right-arm swing bowler with a good ability to bowl at the death of an innings. "His ability with the bat and in the field also adds extra versatility to our squad." Lee completed the match against Zimbabwe despite the injury, bowling four overs and taking one for 13, but after complaining of soreness afterwards he later had MRI scans which revealed the extent of the damage.
Alex Kountouris, the team physio, said: "Brett had sustained an injury to one of the forearm muscles near the elbow and this was confirmed by a subsequent MRI scan. "Due to the condensed nature of this tournament, Brett will not recover in time to take any further part and has therefore been withdrawn from the squad. "This is not a recurrence of the elbow injury that recently required surgery but a new injury that will require specialist opinion upon his return to Australia."
* PA Sport
