Australian pace bowler Brett Lee has had surgery on his left ankle to correct a long-standing problem.
The surgery, in Sydney yesterday, involved removing bone fragments that had been causing pain at the back of the ankle.
Lee sustained a stress fracture of a metatarsal bone in his foot in the second Test against South Africa and as this injury is expected to keep him out of cricket for some time, it was decided it would be an opportune time to address the ankle injury.
Australian team physiotherapist Alex Kountouris said: "If Brett's rehabilitation program goes to plan he is expected to be available for selection for Australia for the Twenty20 World Cup later this year."