Lee bags 10 to push his Test case
SYDNEY, Nov 10 AAP - New South Wales speedster Brett Lee again proved the destroyer, taking a second five wicket haul to lead his side to a convincing victory over Tasmania in the Pura Cup cricket match at the SCG today.
Valkerie Mangnall
10-Nov-2002
SYDNEY, Nov 10 AAP - New South Wales speedster Brett Lee again proved the destroyer, taking a second five wicket haul to lead his side to a convincing victory over Tasmania in the Pura Cup cricket match at the SCG today.
Lee did nothing wrong in his bid for a Test re-call after his axing last week.
He added 5-86 to a first innings 5-63 to snare his first bag of 10 first class wickets in a match as the Blues trounced their opponents by an innings and eight runs late on the third day.
He was well supported by fellow Test discard Stuart MacGill, who added three wickets to his four from the first innings as the Tigers crumbled to be all out for 258 in their second innings.
The visitors always faced a tough task after managing just 171 in their first innings and the Blues posted an impressive 8(dec)-437 in reply on the back of a flawless unbeaten 201 by Michael Bevan.
Lee and fellow paceman Stuart Clark bowled soundly early in the first session for no reward after the Tigers resumed at 1-30.
It was not until Nathan Bracken replaced Lee late in the first hour to that the breakthrough came, the 25-year-old bowling Michael Dighton (25) with just his fourth ball of the innings.
Lee then claimed the vital wicket of Tasmanian opener and captain Jamie Cox (39) in the fourth over after lunch.
The Tigers narrowly avoided losing another wicket at 3-152 when Graeme Cunningham struck a MacGill delivery just behind point and set off for an ambitious single.
Michael Clarke gathered the ball and fired a throw into wicketkeeper Brad Haddin, who removed the bails with Marsh narrowly making his ground.
But his reprieve was short lived as Clark was re-introduced to the attack with immediate effect, having Marsh caught by Michael Slater for 44.
Lee then struck again, trapping Shane Watson lbw for eight.
MacGill toiled courageously and perhaps deserved a greater return from his 31 overs on the trot in a tough head wind.
He had to wait until the last ball of his 28th over to claim his first wicket when Cunningham (40) played the ball onto his stumps.
Lee bowled Damien Wright (19) in the third over with the new ball and the Tigers looked shaken at 7-217.
MacGill's relentless work ethic paid off later when he returned to the fray to bowl the eighth over with the new ball and, with his first delivery, trapped Shannon Tubb lbw for three.
Two balls later, he dismissed Shane Jurgensen (six) the same way to finally walk away with a fitting 3-86 from 36 overs after 4-42 in the first innings.
Just as Sean Clingeleffer looked like steering the visitors past the target of 266, Lee, intent on claiming his 10th scalp, had his wish, bowling the left-hander for 43.
Gerard Denton remained not out one.