Brett Lee to use IPL stint to earn Oz recall for Ashes

 Brett Lee to use IPL stint to earn Oz recall for AshesMelbourne, Mar 14 : Out of reckoning pacer Brett Lee has said that the short spells he will bowl in the Indian Premier League will be ideal preparation for what he hopes will be his third Ashes cricket tour of England.

Lee returns to action next month in a stint with IPL franchise Kings XI Punjab, with whom he played four matches in the inaugural season, and is intent on making the tour after surgery sidelined him from Australia's current campaign in South Africa.

He has resumed bowling after an ankle and foot surgery following the Boxing Day Test, FOX Sports reported.

"Everything is going great, so I'm definitely on schedule and feeling really good. Back bowling and the ankle is feeling great," Lee said while watching Australian women lose their game against India on Saturday.

"I can bowl four straight depending on how the game goes. The way I look at it, it's the perfect lead in, and so I'm actually really excited about it."

Lee has enjoyed only modest success on the last two Ashes tours, taking nine wickets at 55 in 2001, and 20 at 41 in 2005, for an overall record of 29 wickets from 10 Tests at 45.44.

With 310 Test scalps at 30.81 from 76 matches, Lee was hoping his overall record rather than just recent form would sway the selectors in his favour.

Chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch made it clear both Lee and Stuart Clark, who last week returned to action following an elbow injury, would need to show good form to break back into the team. (ANI)

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