Lee satisfied with comeback; targets Ashes

Australian fast bowler Brett Lee says he is pleased to be back at the international arena after recovering from an ankle injury that forced him out of competitive cricket since January this year.

Although Australia lost the Twenty20 International against Pakistan on Thursday, fast bowler Brett Lee, who was making his comeback to the international side after four months, took some positives out of the game.

Bowling with the new ball, Lee returned with figures of 22-1 after four overs. His first delivery of the match was a dropped catch which Marcus North failed to hold on to.

"I was just happy to get it on a good length. It got nicked and unfortunately it went down but that's cricket," Lee was quoted as saying to Sydney Morning Herald.

Unfortunately, Pakistan won the match comfortably by 7 wickets, after Australia was bowled out for 108. But it was a much bigger game for Lee, who was testing his injured ankle for the first time.

"To me it was all about going out there, bowling and seeing how the ankle felt. The result would have been nice if we'd won, of course, but the biggest thing I could have got out of this game was to get through the four overs, walk off the field with no pain in the ankle and be happy with the way I bowled, and yes, that's happened. I'm over the moon."

Lee regularly clocked in excess of 140 kmph and he, along with Ben Hilfenhaus, were the pick of the Australian bowlers. Both picked up a wicket each.

"I was happy with the way I bowled it. I wasn't even sure I'd be reaching 140. Once that first ball was bowled it's amazing how quickly you get back into the rhythm, and you've bowled your first over and you think, 'Well, I haven't really been away."

The Australian side was missing key players in that encounter including fast bowlers Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle and Stuart Clark, who did not feature in Thursday's game.

Lee has currently joined his Indian Premier League side, Punjab, and is playing his first game of the second season of the IPL today. His next assignment will be for Australia at the World Twenty20 in June next month, which will be closely followed by the Ashes.

"I would love to be running in taking that brand-new ball for Australia first up in Cardiff and getting the ball flying through to 'Hadds', so that's my aim and that's what I'll be working towards."