Selectors believe in Lee

Australia's selectors are confident Brett Lee can become a fearsome spearhead as the side looks ahead to life without Glenn McGrath. Andrew Hilditch, the chairman of selectors, said Lee's figures of 0 for 188 in a Pura Cup match at the SCG last week should be ignored as his recent form had been excellent.

"He had a hard workout in Sydney on a flat deck and I feel the overs under his belt will really help him out," Hilditch told the Courier-Mail. "His rhythm looked good. I think he needed a good workout in the Pura Cup game which he obviously got."

Lee, who turns 31 on the first day of the first Test against Sri Lanka, is easily the most experienced fast bowler in Australia's Test plans with 231 wickets from 59 matches. Stuart Clark has only nine Tests to his name but should provide reliable support, while Mitchell Johnson is set to make his Test debut at the Gabba on Thursday.

Hilditch said Lee's form in the recent ODI series in India - he was coming back from an ankle injury that kept him out of the World Cup - was impressive. "He swung the new ball quite prodigiously," Hilditch said.

"It will be an interesting time for Brett Lee now he is officially the spearhead of our attack. I think he is up to it. I think we will really be looking at him to bowl shorter spells, five- or six-over spells, of quick, good strike bowling."

Lee's Test bowling average of 31.60 is satisfactory and in his 17 Tests since the 2005 Ashes he has averaged an even healthier 28.83. Lee believes his enforced lay-off earlier this year has been a bonus for his fitness and despite his wicketless Pura Cup match he thinks he is bowling "a bit quicker than I've been bowling for a long, long time".