Permission to 'scare people' given to Lee
SYDNEY, Nov 6 AAP - Dropped Test cricket paceman Brett Lee will be givena licence to
Adrian Warren
06-Nov-2002
SYDNEY, Nov 6 AAP - Dropped Test cricket paceman Brett Lee will be given
a licence to "go out and scare people" when he plays for NSW in its Pura
Cup match against Tasmania starting at the SCG on Friday.
A directive to harass batsmen has been issued by NSW coach Steve Rixon
who says the key for Lee is to find his rhythm.
"What we don't need is for him to come back bowling medium pace - he's
got to bowl fast," Rixon said.
"Once he bowls fast and bowls it regularly, he may go for a few more
runs, but he may also get you three wickets in an over - he's that sort
of bowler.
"He's a guy who needs to bowl fast which will eventually get his rhythm
right and he's a lethal weapon once that happens."
Rixon applauded the decision of the national selectors to release Lee
back to interstate cricket, saying it was in the best interest of the
player, his state and his country.
Lee's availability posed an awkward selection decision, ensuring one of
the in-form NSW pace trio of Stuart Clark, Nathan Bracken and Don Nash
would have to be dropped.
With Lee and Mark Waugh dropping back to interstate cricket, Rixon and
long serving NSW and Test batsman Michael Slater said this week's Blues
lineup was among the strongest they could remember, especially in a Test
match week.
With Nash and opening batsman Corey Richards the players in the 13-man
squad likely to miss out, NSW will field six former Test representatives
and another two who have worn Australian one day colours.
While talking to yourself is sometimes regarded as a sign of madness,
Slater has revealed some "self talk" has been behind his recent
resurgence.
Overlooked by the NSW selectors for the Blues' first one and four day
fixtures of the season, Slater scored 177 on his recall in Adelaide last
week and also hit two centuries and a 47 in three Sydney first grade
innings.
"Concentration has been the reason I think I've got these runs of late,"
Slater said.
"I've gone back to a few little things I had as a youngster or when I
first moved to Sydney.
"A bit of self talk as the bowler is running in.
"I hadn't done it for a number of years. I've been thinking the last six
months of what I was doing when I first moved to Sydney and tried to
recapture a lot of that energy.
"It's like a mantra thing, it just clears my mind."
While NSW captain Simon Katich had still not finalised his batting
order, it was understood Slater would move back to the opening spot in
place of Richards with Waugh batting at No.6.