Thaindian News

Sydney, June 10 (IANS) Brett Lee might be the lone pillar in a fragile Australian pace attack, but the veteran speedster prefers it this way than not being bowling at all. Lee was out of the Test reckoning for 18 months before the 2005 Ashes series, including a stint of nine consecutive matches as 12th man and the memory haunts him till date.

The experience, Lee said, spurred him to push his body to its limits, and serve as a counterweight to notions of workload management.

“I have always said I would love to play every single game for Australia,” Lee was quoted as saying in The Sydney Morning Herald .

“I hate being away. I think it’s because of my background and my history as well. I had 18 months where I carried the drinks and I got so fed up with being 12th man.”

“I was so frustrated and I wanted to be out there playing. Anyone in my shoes would have felt the same way. You just want to play every single match you can for Australia, so every chance I get when I’m feeling fit I definitely want to play as much as I can,” Lee said.

Lee’s heavy bowling workload in Australia’s back-to-back Tests against the West Indies has come under the spotlight in recent days.

Lee has bowled more overs than any of the Australian bowlers and after the Antigua Test, the 31-year-old claimed to be more exhausted than at any other stage of his career.

“You have to be aware of what’s going on - you have to be smart about it. I’m just trying to keep my body as fresh as I possibly can.

“It does not really help when you are playing on low, low and flat pitches but unfortunately these days in world cricket that’s the way it is going and it’s not encouraging for the bowlers, but what can you say about it? You can’t really go too much into it because we are not allowed and because you have to go with what is dealt,” Lee said.

A four-day break with family has revitalised Lee’s body and mind, and convinced him he can continue to shoulder the load in Barbados from Thursday.