Brett Lee leading Australia’s pace battery for ICC World Cup 2011
Australian fast bowler, Brett Lee, is anxiously waiting for the start of the ICC World Cup, 2011. He is Australia’s most experienced bowler and will be the protagonist in their bowling line-up.
Lee will be supported by the likes of Shaun Tait, Mitchell Johnson, Doug Bollinger, Shane Watson- while Jason Krejza will provide some spin options. The speedster has termed the squad ‘perfectly well-balanced’.
The 34-year old cricketer believes that aggressive bowling is a must in Subcontinent conditions.
“Patience and variation are crucial, but you still have got to attack even though the pitches are slow and low. There is the opportunity to reverse the ball which does not always happen here in Australia. In India, the pitches seem to scuff the ball quicker and allow the quicks to reverse the ball,” the right-arm speedster said.
Bing has always been an attacking bowler and will be expected to play that role in ICC’s signature tournament. However, this time around he is a senior player and also wants to play the role of an enforcer: leading the bowling pack offering them his knowledge.
Lee utilised the reverse swing to good effect in the Champions League Twenty20, which was played in the India, in 2009. He performed exceptionally well in that tournament and inspired his side to their maiden Champions League Trophy. Bing took eight wickets in the tournament, and hindered the flow of runs with an economy rate of 3.76 runs per over.
“It worked well for me in the Champions League, and it's something I am keen to get right in ODIs in the sub-continent,”he said.
The Speedster has represented the Aussies in 192 ODI’s and has taken 335 wickets with an impressive average of 23.04. In January 2011, he made his long awaited return to international cricket in the One Day International series against arch rivals England. He had been out with an elbow injury since October 2009, but showed no signs of being rusty.
Lee is enjoying his cricket as he knows that this would probably be his last World Cup, with a few years remaining in his cricketing career. He has represented the Kings XI Punjab in the Indian Premier League and knows what to expect from the pitches. Nothing would please him more than to see Australia lift the trophy in what he calls his second home: India.
If Australia win this World Cup, it will be their fourth consecutive victory and fifth in total.
Tags: