Captain Steve Waugh today claimed Australia would enter the first Ashes Test against England as underdogs.

Waugh, speaking before a farewell lunch for the Australian one-day team which leaves for England tomorrow, said he expected a very tight series after England's recent run of success.

England has won its last four Test series and currently leads Pakistan 1-0, while Australia is coming off a 2-1 loss to India.

"We've lost the last two Test matches so we'll go in as underdogs, I'm sure, in the first Test," said Waugh.

England captain Nasser Hussain is unlikely to agree with Waugh's assessment. Meanwhile, fast-bowler Brett Lee, selected only for the Test series, will join the one-day squad next week.

Lee won't play in the one-day series against England and Pakistan but the team's medical staff believes his recovery from an elbow injury will be hastened by being with the national squad for a month before the Tests begin.

Lee, originally scheduled to leave Australia on June 19, will leave Australia on June 3 or 4.

"This is great news and I can't wait to get over to the UK to work on my fitness," said Lee.

"Although I won't be playing in the one-day series the chance to be around the squad again after a lengthy period on the sidelines will be the perfect incentive to get myself right for the Tests that follow."

Lee suffered his elbow injury in a one-day match against Zimbabwe in Perth on February 4.

The Australian one-day squad leaves Sydney tomorrow for England via a two-day stopover in Turkey to visit Gallipoli.

© 2001 AAP