HOVE, England - Steve Waugh is working around the clock in a determined bid to overcome his torn calf muscle in time for the fifth and final Ashes Test against England at The Oval.

Waugh, 36, taken from the field on a stretcher during Australia's seven-wicket triumph at Trent Bridge last weekend, threw away his crutches two days later to the astonishment of his team-mates.

Desperate to play one last Test in England before retiring in a couple of years, the Australian captain is having up to eight hours of ultrasound, hydrotherapy, bike work and massage every day.

England batsman Graham Thorpe took seven weeks to return from a pulled calf at the beginning of the summer but Waugh, with two tears to his left calf, is desperate to make a more hasty recovery.

He will skip this weekend's trip to Belfast to have more treatment with team physiotherapist Errol Alcott in Birmingham before linking with the squad in Leeds on Sunday night.

The first Test starts in Leeds next Thursday.

"My priority is to get right again and I really don't have a time frame on that," Waugh said.

"I'm in the best hands in the business in Errol Alcott and by being here I'm ensuring I get intense treatment, plus pool and bike work.

"I have to be cautious about my chances of returning for The Oval but at the same time I'm maintaining an optimistic outlook.

"When I did the injury I gave myself a nought per cent chance of being back for The Oval and while I've improved since then, I still have to give myself only a tiny chance of being right."

Alcott gave a similarly non-committal assessment but refused to discount the possibility of Waugh making a miracle recovery.

Adam Gilchrist will lead Australia in the fourth Test at Headingley.

"Steve is having constant treatment and doing everything possible within the boundaries of what we will allow to make as quick a recovery as he can," said Alcott.

"He's got a huge mountain in front of him, but if there's anyone willing to try and climb it, it is him.

"He just wants to do all the treatment possible and see what happens.

"He'll do what we tell him every day, put in the work.

"That's all he can do.

"He has improved, but there are two tears and there's only so much you can achieve in such a short time frame."

Asked if Waugh was a genuine chance of playing at The Oval from August 23, Alcott said: "I wouldn't like to say.

"Time is obviously the factor here - there's very little when you look at it realistically.

"But he is a tough man and it takes a brave one to write him off too quickly."

Australia travels to Belfast on Saturday morning for a one-day game against Ireland on Sunday.

The second day of the three-day game against Sussex today was wrecked by rain.

Only 13 overs were bowled as Australia reached 2-86 in reply to the Sussex first innings of 4(dec)-355.

Michael Slater and Mark Waugh hammered 67 runs from the brief day, reaching 46 and 32 respectively from their overnight scores of 16 and nought.

More rain is forecast.

© 2001 AAP