Lee light on heavy hauls

MUMBAI: From the larger perspective, Brett Lee’s career is at the dawn of a new phase. He may still have the look of that fresh-faced youngster who started so many tongues wagging in 1999, with talks of 100-mph balls and life-threatening bouncers, but his reality has shifted immeasurably.

Since Glenn McGrath said goodbye and Jason Gillespie lost his edge, he has been the spearhead of the world’s most feared bowling attack, and has had the responsibility for shepherding in the new brood in the form of Mitchell Johnson, Stuart Clark, Shaun Tait and their like. Even losing a spinner has redoubled his own wicket-taking responsibilities, as no one has yet stepped up to fill Warne’s boots.

From the microcosmic angle, however, it is business as usual for Lee. In India’s first innings at Melbourne, he served his usual fire with the new ball, and took key wickets. Yet, something troubling remains for Lee. Like the batsman who consistently scores high but rarely crosses that century mark, another four-wicket haul in this Test brought his total four-fors to 16.

Having now bowled in 121 Test innings, and taken 251 wickets, Brett Lee can boast a surprisingly lowly 7 five-wicket innings, and no instances of 10 in a match.

In comparison, after bowling the same number of innings, Glenn McGrath had 18 five-wicket hauls to his name. Allan Donald, to whom Lee is often compared, had 20 after 121 innings, as well as three 10-wicket matches.