News

Lee says he'll attack, attack, attack against Poms

SYDNEY - Brett Lee has finally settled on his one-day game plan -attack, and if that goes wrong, attack some more.

Will Swanton
05-Dec-2002
SYDNEY - Brett Lee has finally settled on his one-day game plan - attack, and if that goes wrong, attack some more.
Lee's frightening recent form with NSW and Australia has stemmed from a return to his old philosophy of putting the fear of God into batsmen with brute speed.
Previously, Lee's mind has been muddled in one-dayers by mixed signals about his role.
He seemed undecided, and so did his captains.
Was he a wicket-taker, or a run-miser?
The bowler revealed on the eve of NSW's day-night match against England at the SCG that wickets were now his top priority.
"I'm just going to try and go on with the form of the last few games," he said at NSW training today.
"I probably won't try and change too much from Test cricket to one-day cricket - it's a matter of staying confident and knowing the ball is coming out well.
"It's going to be a matter of going out there and hitting that right line and length and coming up with a few wickets."
Test captain Steve Waugh always wanted Lee to go flat-out.
But Australian one-day captain Ricky Ponting asked him to improve his economy rate.
"We've clarified a few things now," Lee said.
"We've got a plan that we can work on and a goal that we can try and achieve.
"I've sat down and spoken to Ricky about it, and I've also spoken to Steve Waugh about it, and we've come up with plans that can work with Test cricket and one-day cricket.
"I'm in there as a wicket-taker.
"Obviously you have to bowl a bit more of a tighter line and length but I won't try and change too much.
"Basically I'll be trying to do the same as I did in those Pura Cup games I played."
Lee took 21 wickets in two Pura Cup games for NSW after being relegated to 12th man for the first Ashes Test.
He was left out of the Australian XI for the second Test as well before bowling ferociously to take five wickets in the third Test.
He also hit Alex Tudor on the head, leaving him with stitches above his eye.
England opener Nick Knight said England regarded the upcoming one-day series against Australia and Sri Lanka as a fresh start to what had been a diabolical tour so far.
"We know it's going to be tough, but what a great challenge," said Knight, who was not a member of the England Test squad.
"Our guys are down, no doubt about it, the guys have lost the Tests three-nil.
"Now they can chance their arms and try to get back into cricket.
"It gives them the chance to perhaps win some battles and take that into the Test matches.
"We didn't come in here thinking it was going to be easy."
Asked if Lee's pace could be more of a hindrance than a help in one-day cricket, Knight said: "If he gets it wrong, yeah, it gives the batsman the pace to work with. But if he gets it right, it's hard work."
NSW: Steve Waugh (c), Corey Richards, Mark Waugh, Michael Bevan, Michael Clarke, Simon Katich, Brad Haddin, Brett Lee, Stuart MacGill, Nathan Bracken, Glenn McGrath, Dominic Thornely (12th man).