The one man who all of Australia and indeed the rest of the cricketing world will look to with eager anticipation with be Brett Lee, fast bowler par excellence whose career in the past year has hit a new low since his martial troubles back home.
It is not quite the scandal that Michael Jackson suffered through in the latter part of his life, but Lee is going through a difficult phase in what could well be the last phase of his international cricket career. It is quite a strange statement for a man, perhaps not so young but also, not too old not to take on the mantle of the spearhead of the attack in his senior most position.
But Brett Lee has had to yield the premier role to his younger predecessors as a result of injuries and domestic turmoil that saw him force himself out of the home tour against Bangladesh when the trouble first came to light. As an impending Brett Lee divorce is upon him, he has been more in the limelight trying to keep the public out of his split from his wife, Liz Kemp, and worried about protecting his young son.
Injury, turmoil and indifference have given Lee a new low career wise. Now as he appears raring to go for the Ashes, if Australian captain Ricky Ponting, is to be believed, he will be fighting for his spot, make no mistake, because Mitchell Johnson has taken over the mantle with aplomb while newcomers such as Peter Siddle, Ben Hilfenhaus and Doug Bollinger, have taken their respective roles just as seriously in the absence of Stuart Clark.
In a scenario of no automatic selections and the pride of the Ashes at stake, Australia would not take the field without their playing eleven that is feeling, looking and performing at its very best.
Salutations to the King of Pop
Brett Lee Pulls out of Bangladesh Series; Split with wife Liz cited
Lee Set to Resume Duty after Split with Wife Liz
Brett Lee’s Infidelity Woes, Indifference, and Now Injury
Andrew Hilditch Braces for Rebuilding Australia
Johnson in the Lead Again As Clark Set Back Further
Double Tragic Tales: Smith’s Broken Bones Shift Advantage; Lee Out As Well
Australia name Lee, Symonds And Watson in Squad for Pak series
