Lee will have to earn his place for Ashes

Sydney, April 9 (IANS) Australian pacer Brett Lee might have been named in the squad for the One-day series against Pakistan but selectors' chairman Andrew Hilditch has warned that the pacer's performance will be closely monitored.

It remains to be seen whether Lee can regain his place at the top of the pace pecking order, since his struggles with injury, illness and form have coincided with the emergence of Mitchell Johnson as a new leader of the attack and Peter Siddle, who claimed 12 wickets in the Tests in South Africa.

'He (Lee) will need to get cricket under his belt, and we'll need to look at how we do that, but at the moment it's a step-by-step (process),' Hilditch was quoted as saying in Sydney Morning Herald. 'He's got to get back to bowling full pace before we can make any decisions. Everybody is on trial, really.'

Lee will be given an extended chance to fight for his Ashes spot, presuming he can prove he has recovered from surgery on his foot and ankle before the opening game April 22.

Shane Watson and Andrew Symonds, too, have got a recall. Their selections has come as a blow to the Indian Premier League (IPL), which had hoped to showcase the comebacks of Lee, Watson and Symonds.

The squad has been chosen with the Ashes defence in mind. In Ricky Ponting's absence, Michael Clarke will lead the team on an overseas tour for the first time.