Australia fast bowler Brett Lee will undergo surgery for appendicitis on Monday and has been ruled out of his country's one-day and Twenty20 fixtures in South Africa, Cricket Australia said.
Lee, who has taken 310 Test and 357 one-day international wickets in a 12-year international career, is expected to be out of action for six to eight weeks.
He is certain to miss Australia's two Twenty20s and three ODIs against South Africa in October and is a big doubt for the two Tests that begin on November 9 and 17.
"Brett complained of some abdominal pain after arriving in Cape Town on Sunday," Australian team physiotherapist Alex Kountouris said in a statement.
"After consulting specialists and having the relevant investigations he has been diagnosed with appendicitis and will be having surgery in Cape Town later today.
"He will obviously be ruled out of the Twenty20 and ODI series in South Africa and is likely to return to cricket in six to eight weeks."
