Bichel is sacrificed as Australians put faith in Lee's speed

The Australian selectors proved once again yesterday that there is no room for sentiment in the selection of their national side. In a decision that highlights that their ruthless and competitive attitude extends further than towards their opponents, Andy Bichel, the Queensland fast bowler, was dropped from the side who beat England by an innings and 51 runs in Adelaide.

Replacing Bichel in the Australia line-up for the third Test, which started here overnight, was the pace bowler Brett Lee. His inclusion will not have had England licking their lips with glee as he is one of the fastest bowlers in the world. Lee can touch 95mph and it is this extra pace, as well as the fast, bouncy nature of the WACA pitch, which encouraged Australia to make such a change. "It came down to who was going to bowl the quickest and Brett got the nod," Steve Waugh, the Australian captain, said.

The decision to play Lee ahead of Bichel – who took the vital wicket of Michael Vaughan on the first evening of the second Test in Adelaide – will have been made following a look at his record at this venue. In the two Tests Lee has played here he has taken a wicket every 31 balls and his 15 wickets have cost just 19.6 a piece. "He bowled very quick here a couple of years ago and he has good memories of this ground," Waugh said. "The pace of the wicket definitely helps him but Brett bowls at his best when he bowls in the corridor [the line on or just outside off stump]."

Lee was dropped for the first time before the Brisbane Test match. After exploding on to the scene with 42 wickets in his first seven Tests he injured his elbow in a freak accident in February 2001. The surgery which followed took some time for the 26-year-old to overcome and he looked out of sorts in Australia's last Test series in Pakistan. However, he has taken 21 wickets in two Pura Cup games for New South Wales this month.

Should Australia win this match, Waugh will join Allan Border as Australia's most successful Test captain. Waugh has led Australia to 31 Test wins since replacing Mark Taylor in 1999 and needs just one more to match Border's record. Waugh has achieved his 31 wins from just 42 matches while Border, who took over at a time when Australia were struggling, needed 93 matches for his 32.

England delayed naming their team yesterday in order to give Andy Caddick's back more time to respond to treatment, but John Crawley was ruled out by his hip injury. There was better news from home when Darren Gough, forced to leave the Ashes tour because of injury, revealed he will not need a fourth operation on the troublesome right knee that has kept him out of Test action for a year.

Gough, 32, said yesterday that he had visited the American knee specialist Richard Steadman, who told him the injury could be rehabilitated without surgery. Gough was selected for the Ashes tour, but did not play any part in England's first two Test losses and was sent home three weeks ago.

"It is great news – I am really pleased," Gough said. "I thought I would have to have surgery, but the doctor said I didn't need it – just rehab."

Gough is now daring to hope he might even be fit for the start of next season if his rehabilitation exercises are successful. "I am not sure when I am going to go to do the work. I can't run yet," he said. "I perhaps came back earlier than I should have last time but I'm not going to do that this time round."

There were fears that the injury could end Gough's career, but the Yorkshire fast bowler dismissed the claims. "I'm going to be fitter and stronger than before," he said.