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Gillespie faces a push from Lee

Glenn McGrath is the only fast-bowling certainty as Australia try to fit four into three for the opening Test against New Zealand starting on Thursday

Cricinfo staff
08-Mar-2005


Michael Kasprowicz fine tunes his action as he hopes to sneak into the first Test at Christchurch © Getty Images
Glenn McGrath is the only fast-bowling certainty as Australia try to fit four into three for the opening Test against New Zealand starting on Thursday. While Brett Lee and Michael Kasprowicz are widely considered to be fighting for one spot, Jason Gillespie's place has become more contentious as the selectors try to juggle a trio of openers.
"I would say McGrath is probably the favourite to start, and then it's down the pecking order from there," Adam Gilchrist, the vice-captain, told The Australian. "They all warrant a spot, but we all know the maths doesn't work. I'll be as interested as anyone when it comes to seeing that final position."
Lee's one-day form has provided an incredibly persuasive case for inclusion after 14 months out of the side, but if he plays he will open and Kasprowicz, who took 47 wickets in 13 Tests last year, would be more suited to the role of first-change than Gillespie. The last time Gillespie did not take the new ball was in South Africa in 2002 when Lee and McGrath were preferred.
Gilchrist said Lee's bowling, which earned him 10 wickets in the ODIs, reminded him of the last tour to New Zealand when he was regularly at top speed. "His pace combined with good line-and-length bowling - good pressure-building bowling - is what's going to be effective," he said.
Lee fired a 160.8kph delivery during his first over of Saturday's final one-day match at Napier and Gilchrist told the Sydney Morning Herald he felt the previous ball at 160.4kph was faster. "It swerved up a bit as I tried to take it and it nearly hit me in the head," he said. "I was very happy just to be there for the next ball."
Matthew Hayden finished two net sessions yesterday and continued to improve from a shoulder injury suffered during the second one-day match. But Gilchrist was wary of picking a four-pronged fast-bowling attack if Hayden was ruled out. "If Matthew wasn't fit we've lost one of our most experienced players and best batsmen, so that is going to be a bit unsettling," Gilchrist told the Courier-Mail. "We don't want to tinker with it too much if we've already got forced changes."