Lee knock-out threatens India in Boxing Day Test

ADELAIDE, DECEMBER 15: The chucking controversy bedevilling international cricket seems set to continue, with Australia's fastest bowler B...

int(3)

ADELAIDE, DECEMBER 15: The chucking controversy bedevilling international cricket seems set to continue, with Australia’s fastest bowler Brett Lee considered almost certain to line up against India in the second Test starting Dec 26.

Unsourced reports from India suggest the 23-year-old firebrand from New South Wales has a suspect action. According to reports in Australia, Lee may not straighten his arm fully because of a previously broken elbow.

The uncapped Lee was 12th man in the third Test against Pakistan in Perth last month, missing out at the last minute to the more experienced Michael Kasprowicz, who also played in Adelaide and went wicketless in the first Test.

Story continues below this ad

“I’m pretty sure he’ll come into calculations for Melbourne, where it is a bit bouncier and suits the pacemen,” skipper Steve Waugh said on Wednesday.

The day before the Adelaide Test the increasingly-confident Waugh took the International Cricket Council (ICC) to task for not getting to grips quickly with the problem.

“Blokes whohave got question marks over their actions — noone really knows whether they throw or not, and no-one seems to be willing to make a judgement, either. So the process just goes round in circles and no one is clear on anything.”

The Lee allegations came only a week after fresh questions surfaced about the legitimacy of Pakistan express bowler Shoaib Akhtar’s action.

Story continues below this ad

Footage of Akhtar’s action is reportedly being studied by the ICC.

In support of Lee, Waugh has said he views him as a quality young bowler — “quick, exciting and good for cricket”.

He said: “You don’t want to take these guys out of the game — Lee or Shoaib Akhtar. Hopefully, people can see lee in that light, rather than think he may throw the odd one.”