Last Updated: Mon, 29 Jun 2009 10:12
Brett Lee is relishing the competition for bowling places in the Australia team and feels he will be in the side for the first Test.
The 32-year-old was sidelined with an ankle injury at the start of the year and has been steadily building up his fitness following surgery on the problem. He is now back to full fitness and looked sharp against Sussex in the recent warm-up match ahead of the Ashes.
Lee has plenty of experience of English conditions and, injury aside, would have been a certainty to lead the Aussies attack in the first Test, which begins in Cardiff on July 8.
In his absence, Peter Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus came into the side and both performed with credit, meaning Lee is no longer an automatic pick for the selectors.
Mitchell Johnson is now thought of as the spearhead of the attack and Lee is happy that he has to fight for his place in the side to partner the left-armer in the opening overs.
"Without putting pressure on ourselves, we know it is a bit of a shootout," he said. "But that is exciting too.
"We've always had one eye on the Ashes. I love England and the opportunity to play over here."
And the popular paceman is confident that he will get the nod for the Ashes opener after putting in hard work in the early weeks of the tour.
"I will be out there playing the hardest and competing the best I can," he added. "If I am doing that I expect to be playing in that first Test match."