Australian paceman Jason Gillespie won't know until at least tomorrow whether he will be passed fit for the second cricket Test against England starting at Adelaide Oval on Thursday.
Gillespie bowled in the nets today without feeling any soreness in his troublesome calf muscle but Australian team physiotherapist Errol Alcott wants to see how the 27-year-old feels tomorrow.
Gillespie may then be required to bowl another spell in the nets to completely satisfy Alcott he is ready to play.
If Gillespie is declared fit, the selectors will have to choose between fellow pacemen Brett Lee, who was axed for the first Test, and incumbent Andrew Bichel for the final bowling spot.
Fast bowler Brett Lee is keeping his fingers crossed about a recall to the Australian team for the second Ashes Test.
Lee was dropped for the opening game of the series in Brisbane, but has bounced back with 21 wickets in domestic cricket for New South Wales.
He believes, however, that he may have to wait for his chance with the selectors likely to opt for continuity following Australia's 384-run win in the first Test.
"It's going to be very hard to change a side that's done so well in that last Test.
"But if I'm lucky enough to get that opportunity I know I'll be ready for it and my confidence is sky high," Lee commented.
The 26-year-old made a sensational entry into international cricket, taking 42 wickets in his first seven Tests.
Veteran Alec Stewart has delivered a gloomy forecast for England's Ashes campaign by admitting the tourists are facing their toughest series in more than a decade.
Stewart, who first played an Ashes Test in 1990-91, said the Australian team was playing better than during his previous six losing Ashes campaigns.
The 39-year-old has typified England's struggle against Australia, averaging 39.60 during his career but just 28.04 against Australia, including one century in 30 Tests.
But Stewart still insisted England could fight back from their humiliating first Test loss at the Gabba eight days ago and win Thursday's second Test at the Adelaide Oval.
"I've played six series and lost six and I know this is going to be the toughest series I've played in," Stewart said in Adelaide tonight.
"The last series was the most one-sided series I've played in and they seemed to have upped their performances since then.
"If we can play well it's going to be great to leave with the Ashes but it's going to be a really tough task."
In a blunt reminder of Australia's recent dominance, Stewart said he had played in just one "meaningful" Ashes victory - England's nine-wicket victory at Edgbaston in the 1997 series opener.
Australia leg-break bowler Shane Warne gave England captain Nasser Hussain some advice on Monday ahead of this week's second Ashes Test - win the toss and bat.
"I would say the best thing for them to do, with the way the quicks bowled in Brisbane and the few injuries they've got, would be to win the toss, bat and play two spinners," Warne told reporters.
"I think that would be an aggressive, positive move from England. Whether they do that or not, who knows?
"There's no use playing eight or nine batters, they've got to take 20 wickets to win the Test match," Warne added.
Hussain won the toss and invited Australia to bat first in Brisbane in the first Ashes Test earlier this month as the locals piled on 364 for two in the first day's play.
Shane Warne has welcomed England's attempt to nullify his genius with the sweep shot, declaring the tourists could be playing into his hands.
English batsmen, under the tutelage of coach Duncan Fletcher, have become much more adept at using the sweep shot to challenge some of the game's most venomous slow bowlers such as
Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan, Pakistan's Saqlain Mushtaq and Warne.
England restricted Warne to 1-87 in the first innings of the first Test in Brisbane but he struck back to take 3-29 as it collapsed for 79 in its second innings.
There is great anticipation over their next meeting in the second Test in Adelaide starting on Thursday.
"You look at teams who try and sweep me such as New Zealand, England, South Africa and, to a lesser extent, Pakistan, they are probably my four best countries," Warne said.
