Lee's Test hopes take a major blow

Brett Lee's chances of playing the first Test have all but disappeared after being ruled out of this week's Sheffield Shield match at the SCG due to a recurrence of his elbow injury. Lee played in New South Wales' one-day loss to Tasmania on Sunday but suffered a reaction to his elbow problem and was told to sit out of the four-day game that starts on Tuesday.

The injury means Lee has little chance of making the squad for the first Test against West Indies, starting at the Gabba next Thursday, because he has no further chance to prove himself match fit before the Test. His strong Twenty20 and one-day form had brought him significantly into the reckoning for the Test team having not made it into the starting line-up during the Ashes.

However, the elbow trouble forced him home from Australia's ODI tour of India and he has not played a first-class game since the Ashes warm-up match against the England Lions in early July. Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus carried the pace attack in England and remain the likely frontline bowlers for the Gabba.

Australia's chairman of selectors, Andrew Hilditch, will be at the SCG for this week's Sheffield Shield match and will also be keeping an eye on Test hopefuls Stuart Clark and Doug Bollinger. But in Lee's absence the major interest will be in how Michael Clarke handles a four-day game having struggled with a back problem that prevented him playing for nearly two months.

Clarke made his comeback in Sunday's one-day match but lasted only 23 deliveries before being run out. The New South Wales coach Matthew Mott said Clarke was keen to spend plenty of time at the crease.

"[Clarke] said it was hard to get into the [one-day] game," Mott told the Sydney Morning Herald. "There's nothing like being out in the middle and he'll be better for the run. He's keyed in for a lot of batting tomorrow and the Shield game will suit him. He can take a bit more time."

Clarke was named in the 12-man squad along with Phillip Hughes, who is pushing for a Test recall after being axed during the Ashes. Hughes hurt his hand while fielding on Sunday and went to hospital for x-rays but was cleared to take his place in the four-day clash.

"He's fine," Mott said. "Thankfully the x-rays came back with no break. It was a bit of a scare but he's in good spirits. A bit of ice the next few days and he'll be fine. It's very relieving for him and for us."

New South Wales squad Simon Katich (capt), Phillip Hughes, Phil Jaques, Michael Clarke, Usman Khawaja, Brad Haddin (wk), Steven Smith, Steve O'Keefe, Stuart Clark, Josh Hazlewood, Burt Cockley, Doug Bollinger.