Cricket: Lee eyes return to Aussie team

SYDNEY - Injury-prone paceman Brett Lee is targeting a return to Australian colours at the end of this month, but has completely ruled out putting his hand up again for Test duty.

Lee, 33, has suffered a series of injuries over the past 18 months and hasn't played for Australia since a one-day international in India in October 2009.

Over the past year-and-a-half he has been sidelined at different stages by a side strain, elbow surgery, a broken thumb and a forearm injury.

He missed out on the World Twenty20, but will return to action in a Sydney grade game this weekend.

Lee, whose last competitive game was in the Indian Premier League back in April, said he had been training hard.

While the arrival of old rival England next month looms large, Lee is adamant he can press for selection in the Australian team for a T20 game against Sri Lanka in Perth on October 31 and three one-day internationals against that same team in early November.

Provided he comes through Mosman's clash with Bankstown this weekend, Lee is in line to play one-day games for NSW against WA and Tasmania.

He could then have an opportunity to further press his international aspirations by impressing for the Blues against Sri Lanka in one-day and T20 fixtures.

Asked if the internationals against Sri Lanka were happening too early in his comeback for him to target, Lee said at the NSW season launch on Tuesday: "No, I don't think so.

"I will try and play a couple of one-dayers for the Blues over the next couple of weeks and then look to try and play against Sri Lanka towards the end of this month."

He was adamant he wouldn't play any first-class cricket this season, even with the temptation of an imminent Ashes series.

"When I say I don't want to be part of Test cricket any more, it's not because I don't like it," Lee said.

"It's the time of my life where I want a bit of change through body, through lifestyle.

"I've loved every single moment of Test cricket, but you have to draw a line in the sand somewhere, you won't be seeing me making that (Test) comeback, definitely not."

Despite all his injuries, Lee stressed he wouldn't try to consciously reduce his blistering top-level speed to spare his body.

"Definitely not, the way that I've always bowled and the way that I approach my cricket is that I've always gone flat out," Lee said.

The Blues speedster emphasised he would not have any lingering negative thoughts about his body as he prepared to make another comeback from injury.

"People have said to me `how can you keep going with ankle surgery and 12 operations later?', I suppose it's my character, I see it as being a challenge," Lee said.

- AAP