Ponting feels Lee primed for fourth Test return

BIRMINGHAM - Australian skipper Ricky Ponting claims injured spearhead Brett Lee may be bowling at “100 percent” in the next couple of days as he makes a bid for Ashes selection for Friday’s fourth Test at Headingley.

“The way things are coming along I’d expect him to be able to bowl 100 percent over the next couple of days. He’s done a lot of bowling this week, he’s been ultra keen. Every opportunity we’ve had, a rain break or when he’s not 12th man, he’s been in the indoor nets or out in the middle for a bowl. That’s a really good sign for us,” the Daily Telegraph quoted Ponting, as saying.

He’s building up his pace over the last couple of days, but we’re going to need to see him go pretty hard over the next couple of days to make himself a good chance of selection,” he added.

Ponting claimed his side would be in a great frame of mind for the Headingley Test after claiming momentum from the Edgbaston draw.

He insisted several of his players, such as Mitchell Johnson and Mike Hussey, had returned to form while others such as century maker Michael Clarke and big second innings scorer Marcus North had played wonderfully.

“I’m really happy with the way that we have stuck to things and we have fought it right out to the end again which is one of the things I expect from any Australian player,” Ponting said. (ANI)