Australia cricket team selector Greg Chappell has his hopes attached with Brett Lee
Australian cricket team selector Greg Chappell feels express pacer Brett Lee could be the spearhead Aussie bowler in next month’s World Cup given he regains the fitness and pace he is renowned for.
"We were confident that if he could regain fitness and get back to bowling at the sort of speeds he is renowned for, that he could be the leader of the attack that we will really need in the World Cup,” said the
selector on Tuesday.
Chappell also praised Lee’s performance with the bat in the lower-order. However, though the selector termed the speedster as an important member of Australia’s World Cup squad, he dismissed the pacer’s status
as irreplaceable.
"I don't think anybody's irreplaceable. If things happened and he got injured, it would be a great shame but I think others could step up," said Chappell in an interview with a leading sports journal.
Chappell, however, did add that the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-South-Wales-c823 speedster would leave a huge void to fill in if he collapses in the next few weeks.
"Whether they could do exactly the same role that he does, probably not. For that reason, we don't want to lose him because there are not many people that could bring to the table what he brings," added Chappell.
Chappell, the former http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750 coach, also said that the selectors were not confident of Lee’s complete recovery at the start of the summer but now he feels the pacer will be one of the key players who can help Australia
lift the World Cup trophy for the fourth time in a row.
Lee's comeback has seen the Aussies making a strong comeback after a 1-3 Ashes drubbing at the hands of traditional rivals England as http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 are leading the seven-match One-Day series against same opposition
by 3-0 after levelling the two-match Twenty20 series 1-1. The 34-year-old is the leading wicket-taker of the series so far, with an average of 15.57.
Praising Lee’s performance in the ongoing One-Day series against England, in which Australia is just a win away from sealing the series in their favour, the chief selector said that the whole team is inspired by
his performance.
"The fact they see his enthusiasm as an experienced player...I'm sure is a great example. From what I've seen of him around the group, the group's enjoying him being there," said Chappell.
Australia will kick-start its World Cup campaign against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757 ahead
of the World Cup.
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