da betano casino： Brett Lee’s plans to become a more patient bowler instead of a compulsivefirebreather have been approved by Ricky Ponting
Cricinfo staff02-Nov-2005
Brett Lee: more control, less intimidation © Getty Images
Brett Lee’s plans to become a more patient bowler instead of a compulsivefirebreather have been approved by Ricky Ponting. Since returning to Testsin July, Lee’s intimidation with the ball has been impressive but hisfailure to pick up regular wickets has forced him to remodel.Under the new method yorkers and bouncers will become shock tactics ratherthan staples and Ponting said he was impressed with Lee’s line-and-lengthdecision. “He thinks he’ll make himself a better bowler by being morepatient and putting batsmen under pressure for more time,” Ponting said. “Itend to agree because he’ll be able to get us wickets and bowl in differentways when required. I’ll still be able to ask him to run in and bowl fastfor a few overs and get him to bowl short stuff.”During the Ashes Lee regularly upset England’s batsmen, but he finished theseries with 20 wickets at 41.10 and his economy rate was also a majorconcern. During the Ashes it was an expensive 4.29 runs an over beforeballooning to 5.33 during the Super Test and prompting a tactical change.”It is time to become a lot more of a patient bowler,” Lee told . “In the last two net sessions here I have not tried tobowl a yorker or a bumper. I have basically just tried to hit the top of offstump. It is about drilling it into your brain.”Ponting, who spoke to Lee about his intentions on Tuesday, was not concernedthe approach would result in a loss of aggression. “His greatest strength isto intimidate the opposition,” he said. “If he can couple that with somegood line and length that will make him a better bowler and he will takemore wickets.”Lee’s last five-wicket Test haul came at the Gabba against New Zealand in2001-02 and he struggled with foot injuries before being shut out of theside last summer by McGrath, Gillespie and Kasprowicz. “He’s not had thebest ride over the past couple of seasons and at times when he’s beenbowling exceptionally he hasn’t been in the team,” Ponting said. “Now he’sback bowling very well and it’s a matter of time before he gets rewards.”