Sydney, Oct 11 (IANS): Australia's fast bowler Brett Lee Monday underwent surgery for appendicitis in Cape Town and a decision on a replacement will not be taken until the one-day series against South Africa begins next week.

A decision on Lee's return home will be taken in the next couple of days.

Lee's replacement may join the squad just in time for the three-match one-day series as the 13-man squad for the two Twenty20 games in Cape Town Friday and in Johannesburg Sunday has already been selected.

Lee's tour of Twenty20s and one-dayers ended after he complained of abdominal pain on arrival in Cape Town Sunday and had to be operated on Monday.

He will be out of cricket for six to eight weeks.

"Brett complained of some abdominal pain after arriving in Cape Town on Sunday," Australian team physiotherapist Alex Kountouris said in a Cricket Australia statement.

"After consulting specialists and having the relevant investigations, he has been diagnosed with appendicitis."

"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."