Photo Credit: Instagram Photo of @brettlee_58
Former Australian fast bowler Brett Lee shares a philosophy with the current group of champion bowlers, including Pat Cummins, who will lead Australia’s attempt to reclaim the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India this summer.
The injury to star all-rounder Cameron Green has prompted a reassessment of the Australian lineup, but Lee firmly believes there should be no rotation policy, despite concerns about keeping the fast bowling attack fresh during a demanding series.
Australia’s best chance of success against India is to have Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Cummins play as many Tests as possible in the upcoming series, which begins in Perth in a month. Lee emphasized this point on the Fox Cricket podcast, *The Follow-On*.
“Australia are blessed with three amazing (fast) bowlers in Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood (and) pending fitness, I think they will play all five Tests,” Lee stated.
He highlighted the significance of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, saying, “Where it is at now, people want to be a part of it. I just really hope that (the selectors) don’t hedge their bets and say, ‘We have got to try to stop people getting injured’.”
Lee used an analogy to illustrate his view: “If you park your car in the garage, you don’t need to take it and get it serviced, because it is going to be nice and pristine. But you have got to get it out there. The body is meant to be running in and having a crack.”
He acknowledged the risks of injury inherent in fast bowling but affirmed, “That is what you sign up to do, and playing Test cricket as a fast bowler is exactly where you want to be as a cricketer. I (hope) that they play all five Test matches.”
All three fast bowlers expressed a desire to participate in every possible Test last summer. However, Australia has capable alternatives like Scott Boland and Michael Neser in reserve. Fergus O’Neill also made an impression for Victoria by dismissing Steve Smith in a recent match.
Both Hazlewood and Cummins are expected to play for New South Wales in a one-day match against Victoria at the Junction Oval on Friday as part of their preparation for the upcoming season, while Starc performed well in a Sheffield Shield match at the MCG.
After taking the wicket of aspiring Test opener Marcus Harris in the first innings, 34-year-old Mitchell Starc delivered a fierce bowling spell on Monday in an effort to bring his state team back into the match against Victoria.
Starc claimed Ash Chandrasinghe with his second ball and then dismissed both Harris and Victorian No. 3 Campbell Kellaway cheaply, before removing Sam Elliott when play resumed on Tuesday.
Despite having at least four catches dropped off his bowling in the second innings, he finished with impressive figures of 6 for 81. However, he conceded runs late in the innings as Victorian tailenders Fergus O’Neill and Todd Murphy adopted aggressive tactics to accumulate quick runs.
Steve Smith, who was dismissed LBW for a duck when he shouldered arms to Scott Boland on Tuesday, observed that Starc looked even more dangerous now that he was experimenting with “wobbling the seam” and noted that he was in excellent form early in the season.
“It was nice (to see). It looked like he had really good rhythm (and the) ball was coming through at a good pace. With that new ball in particular, it was coming on nice and he got it down a good pace and bowled some nasty, nasty balls,” Smith commented.
He added, “In the last couple of years, he’s obviously developed that (seaming) ball and … he can go inside the left-handers or outside the right-handers’ outside edge and wobble the ball across as well as bringing it back down the line, so it is a great skill. And then obviously … when he bowled fast and short, you know, he’s got all the weapons there. It’s just about putting them together at the right times, I suppose, and using them effectively, which he tends to do on quite a few occasions.”
O’Neill, who is in contention for Man of the Match honors after taking 4 for 29 in NSW’s first innings and scoring 28 and 33 in lower-order contributions, noted that facing Starc at his current pace is challenging.
“It is what we have come to expect with Mitch Starc’s name, so we were ready for that, but it is even faster when you are on the sideline,” he said.
Victoria set New South Wales a daunting target of 383 runs to win with 4½ sessions remaining in the second-round match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). Boland quickly made his mark by dismissing Nic Maddinson for 15 and Australian No. 4 Smith LBW for a duck.
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Name of Author: Cricexec Staff
