Lee back in the fold

[The Prototype]

Lee back in the fold

Wisden Cricinfo staff

January 15, 2004



Brett Lee, who was savaged by India's batsmen in the recently concluded 3 Test series, has been recalled to the squad for the VB Series match against Zimbabwe at the Bellerive Oval on Friday (starting 2300 GMT Thursday). Brad Hogg also gets a look in, with Jason Gillespie and Ian Harvey being rested for the game.

Lee took eight wickets in two Tests against India, but they came at a cost of 59.5 apiece. In the first innings at Sydney, he went for 2001, the first fast bowler to suffer such an indignity in the game's history. Ricky Ponting, who has led Australia to victories in their first two games of the tri-nation tournament, reckoned that Lee was now ready to set the record straight.

"He probably wasn't bowling well a couple of weeks ago and that's why we decided to give him a rest," said Ponting. "I think he was a bit tired, which was hindering the way he could bowl and the way he could perform, so we've given him a bit of time to recover and I'm sure you'll see him perform better over the next couple of weeks."

The decision to surprise Gillespie was no surprise, given the load he has had to shoulder since coming back from a calf injury for the Sydney Test. With Brad Williams in splendid form, Australia clearly fancy their chances of knocking over Zimbabwe, even with their premier fast bowler on the bench.

"Jason's been up for a while, played a fair bit of cricket and is bowling well at the moment and with the tournament the way it is at the moment, it just presented itself to give him a bit of a rest," said Ponting. Zimbabwe's top order will need to show a great deal more skill and pluck if they are to take advantage of his absence.

Australia squad Adam Gilchrist (wk), Matthew Hayden, Ricky Ponting (capt), Damien Martyn, Andrew Symonds, Michael Clarke, Michael Bevan, Brad Hogg, Andy Bichel, Brett Lee, Brad Williams.

[piedys]

Well, you were warned....

Dyso

[commonwombat]

People really shouldn't be so unkind to Brett after today's performance. He can legitimately claim to have had the Indian batsmen in 2 minds.

Whether to hit him for 6 or whether to restrain themselves and just hit him for 4?

[piedys]

Looks like they had the best of both worlds! Very good, wombat.

dyso

[Donny]

The problems around Brett Lee started on the Ashes tour when he was preferred to an in-form Damien Fleming as 3rd. quick after Pigeon and Dizzy.

First Test, worth the gamble. Second, pushing it a bit, Steve.

When he was again selected ahead of Fleming for the third Test, after Flem had taken 9 or 10 in a warm up game, something was on the nose.

The Flemings, Aldermans and Reiffels have always bowled well in England and here we had the perfect foil for opening pair and he cooled his heels for the series while Waugh and Co. persevered with Lee who simply wasn't cutting it.

It's happening again when we have Noffke, Nicho, Tait, Wright, Bichel, Bracken, Rofe etc. all in better form !!

[piedys]

[Donny]

Brett's confidence extinguished

Comment by Michael Crutcher - Fox


BRETT Lee indicated the stress of his testing summer when he showed no emotion after bowling Indian Yuvraj Singh yesterday.

No leap in the air, no fist-pumping and none of the trademark chainsaw celebration that has followed most of his wickets. Instead, Lee walked back to the umpire, grabbed his hat and headed to his fielding position.

Whether it's Lee's last international spell for the summer will be determined today when selectors review the Australian squad.

Left-armer Nathan Bracken has recovered from a hip injury and would be likely to return because of his skill with the white ball and record against India. It is not known who he would replace.

But Lee is bowling without the confidence and direction that made him the hitman of an Australian attack behind the miserly work of Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie and Shane Warne. And it has made for a disastrous summer.

Lee missed the opening two Tests because of injury before returning on Boxing Day to bowl the first of 37 no-balls in the final two matches.

He has the January double - a painful 4-201 in the first innings of the Sydney Test and yesterday's reminder that he is no longer a feared Indian foe.

But perhaps Lee simply needs a short break from international cricket - an old-fashioned bowling tune-up back with NSW.

He can regain his rhythm, which is the key to his pace, and regain his confidence.

Then hopefully Ricky Ponting can include him in his Sri Lankan arsenal, with McGrath back from injury, to give Australia their best chance to win on a difficult tour.

[Donny]

Lee hit for six

By Andrew Ramsey - Fox


BRETT LEE's immediate international future will come under close scrutiny today when the national selectors decide on the make-up of the one-day squad for the remainder of the triangular tournament after last night's 19 point loss to India.


Lee endured another mauling at the hands of India's batsmen yesterday as the tourists compiled 4-303 - the highest one-day international score posted at the Gabba - and won by 19 runs with two balls remaining.

Australia's brave pursuit yielded their highest-ever one-day run chase at home (284) and was built around opener Matthew Hayden's powerful century.

But the regular loss of wickets throughout the innings meant the challenge was beyond them.

The blond speedster again was fodder for the Indian top-order, and his 10-over spell of 1-83 was the most expensive produced by a limited-overs international bowler on Australian soil.

The selectors will earnestly consider replacing him with left-armer Nathan Bracken who has recovered from a hip injury.

After the game, Australian captain Ricky Ponting remained firmly behind his struggling quick, but added he would talk about yesterday's effort when the team reaches Sydney today.

"He was a little bit disappointing I guess. He bowled a couple of no-balls but his pace was pretty good," Ponting said.

"It's just getting back into one-day cricket again.

"He hasn't played much one-day cricket of late, so it's going to take a little bit of time to settle right back into his role.

"But he'd probably be a little bit disappointed in the way things worked out."

Despite last night's loss, Australia's first of this series, the only other change selectors are likely to make is the addition of Queensland captain Jimmy Maher to act as a replacement keeper and top-order batsman.

The tone was set from the opening over when - after conceding a wide and then four byes - Jason Gillespie became the latest in a long line of Australian bowlers to suffer from an inexcusable fielding lapse.

This time it was Damien Martyn - deliberately set in an off-side trap - who turfed a chest-high chance when Indian captain Sourav Ganguly obliged with an open-faced glide before he had scored.

Not only did the let-off enable Ganguly to launch a blistering early assault which set his team's innings alight, but the blemish proved the start of another below par fielding effort in which the Australians missed numerous run-out chances and conceded extra runs.

Their shortcomings were largely the result of constant pressure from the Indian batsmen, led by Laxman's perfectly paced century and an entertaining 80 from an obviously hobbled Sachin Tendulkar who twisted his ankle while batting.

Tendulkar, who received intensive treatment to the calf region of his right leg during a drinks break, declined Ganguly's offer to act as runner but still dominated the 110-run partnership with Laxman who had contributed just 33 when the little master was dismissed.

Tendulkar is not India's only injury concern. His regular opening partner Virender Sehwag missed yesterday's match with a shoulder problem, and was replaced by all-rounder Rohan Gavaskar (27-year-old son of former India captain Sunil Gavaskar) in his international debut.

Laxman also was content to play second-fiddle to Rahul Dravid (74 off 64 balls), making just 55 in their decisive third-wicket stand of 133.

But in the final overs Laxman cut loose, reaching his highest one-day score in style by lofting the final ball of India's innings to the mid-wicket fence.

Australia's run chase was anchored equally well by local champion Hayden, who duly powered to his first one-day international century at the Gabba off just 98 balls.

Hayden set purposefully about the unlikely target from the outset, steadily losing partners along the way until he formed meaningful alliances with Andrew Symonds (20) and Michael Clarke (42).

When the Queenslander was finally dismissed for 109, Australia needed 100 from 99 balls which was always going to prove tough, even with the world's leading run-chase architect Michael Bevan (41 not out) in occupation.

[The Prototype]

I think Lee was brought back too early, they should of given him more time, rather than rushing him back into the side. Sure there were injuries, but they should of taken a different gamble until Lee was in a little more form. Maybe they should drop Lee and try one of the newer bowlers coming through.

[CQ]

fk lee, hes shit. if he hadnt have got smashed all over the ground, we prolly would have won. i dont know why ponting let him bowl 10 overs.