da blaze casino： LEEDS, England – Australian captain Steve Waugh has rated himself a50-50 chance of playing the fifth and final Ashes Test against Englandat The Oval, starting Thursday
Will Swanton21-Aug-2001LEEDS, England – Australian captain Steve Waugh has rated himself a50-50 chance of playing the fifth and final Ashes Test against Englandat The Oval, starting Thursday.Waugh suffered two tears to his left calf muscle at Trent Bridge onAugust 4 but 12 hours a day of treatment since has him on the verge ofbeing available for the series finale.It would be a remarkable recovery given that torn calves usually takebetween four and six weeks to heal.”I haven’t made a decision, I’m going to make that tomorrow,” Waugh saidafter the Australians trained at The Oval today.”I’m batting no problem in the nets, it’s whether I can run fullybetween the wickets and field okay.”I guess I’m somewhere around a 50-50 chance.Waugh, 36, is desperate to make a final appearance in England and acceptthe Waterford crystal trophy at the end of a series Australia hasalready won.”I did some running today, something like 70 per cent, so well look atit tomorrow – turning and all those things that are going to happen in agame,” he said.”But it’s getting better every day.”A few more days would have been nice, but I’m getting up there so I’m agood chance.”Waugh, a tour selector with Adam Gilchrist and Trevor Hohns, saidversatile Colin Miller or medium pacer Damien Fleming might also forcehis way into the XI.”All the bowlers are in contention,” said Waugh.”Miller at The Oval is a possibility we’ve got to discuss – it turns andbounces here.”That’s why England has brought Tufnell in.”There will be some issues discussed.”If Miller or Fleming play, speedster Brett Lee will be sacked.Lee’s match figures of 2-168 from 38 overs at Headingley gave him eightwickets for the series at 52.87, the worst of any bowler from eitherside.By comparison, Glenn McGrath has taken 25 wickets at 17.28, Shane Warne20 at 17.55 and Jason Gillespie 19 at 27.26.Even England bowlers Alex Tudor (seven at 27.85), Darren Gough (16 at34), Andy Caddick (15 at 40.13) and Alan Mullally (two at 49.50) havefared better.McGrath and England hero Mark Butcher seem certain to finish as theleading wicket-taker and run-scorer, respectively.Butcher has 417 runs following his unbeaten 173no at Headingley to leadAustralian trio Damien Martyn (318), Adam Gilchrist (315) and Mark Waugh(310).