'Thomson is still the quickest I have seen' - Lloyd

Clive Lloyd, the former West Indies captain, has said that the current Australian fast-bowling quartet doesn't possess the "intimidation factor" that bowlers of the 1970s and '80s had. What's more, he also said that Brett Lee was not the fastest he has seen.

Lloyd, who is the match referee in the ongoing series between Australia and New Zealand, told the Sydney Morning Herald, "I think we might have had more sustained pace. Lee is genuinely quick, there's no doubt about that, but I would not say that bowlers like [Jason] Gillespie or [Michael] Kasprowicz are as quick as [Andy] Roberts or [Michael] Holding.

"[Jeff] Thomson is still the quickest I have seen. I think the line-up with him, [Dennis] Lillee, [Len] Pascoe, [Max] Walker and [Gary] Gilmour was as good an Australian era as I have seen," said Lloyd, who was captain of the most feared pace attack in history. "Thomson was as quick on the first ball of the day as at 5pm. There was no respite."

With the Test series approaching, the Australian selectors have their task cut out to pick the bowling line-up. Brett Lee has been in menacing form in the one-dayers against New Zealand, and might well play his first Test in 14 months.