Australia are confident that the fast bowler Brett Lee will be fit to face England when the third Ashes Test begins at Old Trafford tomorrow.
The diagnosis had appeared poor when it was announced that Lee would spend another night in hospital, having been admitted on Monday with a knee infection. But last night team sources said he would remain in hospital to give him the best chance of recovery and that the infection was responding well to treatment.
Australia still felt the need to call up Middlesex's seamer Stuart Clark, although if Lee is unfit his place is likely to go to Shaun Tait, a member of the original touring party. Glenn McGrath, injured on the morning of the second Test, is now certain to miss the match.
The Old Trafford groundsman Peter Marron has rejected suggestions that his pitch will favour Australia, and particularly Shane Warne.
Manchester has developed a reputation as the most spin-friendly ground in the country. It was the venue for Warne's "ball of the century" against Mike Gatting in 1993.
"I keep reminding Shane that I made him a superstar," Marron said as the brown, near-grassless strip baked in the sunshine yesterday. "But that ball to Gatting was on a damp pitch. This is rock hard, probably as hard as we can get it, so I'm quite pleased with it.
"I think it will turn over the course of a five-day Test - in fact I'd be disappointed if it didn't. But I don't think it will go as quick as people think. Some are saying it would have been turning yesterday, never mind the first day the match."
Marron is confident the track will suit England's taller, faster bowlers - Steve Harmison, Andrew Flintoff and Simon Jones - and perhaps encourage reverse swing, although his suggestion that medium-pacers will be "cannon fodder" may question Matthew Hoggard's role.
Marron would therefore be surprised if Australia include their second leg-spinner, Stuart MacGill, which would mean playing only two specialist seamers. When MacGill played alongside Warne in Sydney last winter, Australia included the all-rounder Shane Watson at the expense of Darren Lehmann in order to offer seam-bowling support. Watson, though, has stayed with Hampshire.
- ALEX BROWN and ANDY WILSON