Australia fast bowler Brett Lee is to take a break from the sport to rest a persistent elbow injury before deciding on his cricketing future.
The 33-year-old has suffered with injuries all year and missed the tour of South Africa as well as the Ashes against England this summer.
The elbow injury flared up again this weekend and he is facing 12 weeks out.
"I need to get away from the game, get this elbow right and then I'll make a call on my future," said Lee.
"It's a tough question because I don't know how the elbow's going to pull up but I've had setbacks before and don't see why I can't come back from this.
"I am 33 years of age but with the cricket I've missed, I don't see my body being 33 as well. I still think there is a lot of cricket left in me."
Lee, who returned home from India in October after the elbow injury forced him out of the one-day series, is now likely to miss the matches against West Indies and Pakistan in December and January.
Lee will consult a specialist to see if he requires an operation and stated he will "exhaust every avenue" to correct his elbow problem, labelling surgery a "last resort".
"At this point in time I don't need to make a call," added Lee. "It depends on how the operation goes - if that takes place - how the fitness is and how much I want it.
"I want to keep playing for Australia. I love being out there in the green and gold and enjoy playing for my country.
"I've had people write me off the last 10,12 years and I've always found a way to come back.
"But if I don't play another game for Australia again or play another game of cricket again, I'm very pleased with what I've achieved."
The elbow injury continues a run of misfortune for Lee over the past 12 months.
He spent the early part of this year recovering from foot and ankle surgery before suffering a side strain early in the Ashes tour.
He then performed strongly in Australia's Champions Trophy triumph in South Africa before being named man-of-the-series as New South Wales captured the inaugural Champions League Twenty20 title in India.
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version 
Bookmark with:
What are these?