November 09 Saturday 2002
Australia worry over injured Gillespie

BRISBANE:Australia paceman Jason Gillespie could be prevented from bowling again in the first Ashes test after aggravating a calf injury on Friday. 

Gillespie will have to prove his fitness before being allowed to resume bowling after suffering a recurrence of the problem, Australian team physiotherapist Errol Alcott said.

"At this stage, he's functional and he can field," Alcott said. "I'm pretty confident (Gillespie will bowl) but we'll have to see how he pulls up tomorrow." Gillespie has been plagued by a series of injury problems throughout his career and had to pull out of Australia's most recent test against Pakistan in Sharjah after straining his calf. 

He passed a fitness test just before the opening Ashes match but the injury flared up again on Friday, restricting him to just three overs. Gillespie continued fielding and was not in any pain but was told by Alcott not to bowl as a precautionary step until the injury had been assessed.