But Lee's return goes to plan

More delays to Tait's comeback

Cricinfo staff

August 15, 2007

Brett Lee's fitness is back to 75% after ankle surgery © Getty Images

Shaun Tait has been rated a "day-by-day prospect" by Troy Cooley, the bowling coach, as he attempts to prove his fitness for next month's Twenty20 World Championship. Tait had surgery on his bowling arm in June and an infection in the elbow prevented him from joining his pace team-mates for a camp in Brisbane last week.

Australia's first game is against Zimbabwe on September 12 and Tait will need to start bowling over the next week or two to remain in the squad. "It's more or less a day-by-day prospect to try to get him up for this tournament,'' Cooley told AAP. "He needs to have a workload under him and I'm just waiting for the medical people to hand him over to me."

Cooley was confident Tait could get in shape quickly for the trip to South Africa. "He only needs to bowl four overs a match in Twenty20," he said. "But common sense says every week that he's not bowling makes it a bit harder to get that workload under his belt.''

While Tait is struggling to recover, Brett Lee has been operating at 75% in his return from the ankle surgery that ruled him out of the World Cup. "Everything is going to plan," Cooley said. "He's fit and healthy.

"He's been bowling three-quarter pace. That's what he needs to be at this stage. You don't want to be pushing him too hard too early. He needs to go through the full recovery cycle.''

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