The opening Test between Australia and South Africa at Perth is interestingly poised at the end of fourth day's play on Saturday.
Brett Lee might have been included in the Australian squad for the One-Day International series against Pakistan but the injury-prone speedster would not be rushed back into the playing eleven, says coach Tim Nielsen. Lee, who has had four surgeries on his right ankle -- the latest in January -- has been included in the Australian side for the five-match series against Pakistan starting April 22 in Dubai.
Andrew Symonds and Brett Lee's call-up for the ODI series against Pakistan came not without a price and the Australian duo are set to miss out on US $1.75 million of Indian Premier League (IPL) money, according to reports in Melbourne. The call-up revived the international career of both the Australians but at the same time, limited their availability for the second edition of the IPL starting in South Africa on April 18.
Australia captain Ricky Ponting won the toss and elected to bat first in Sunday's tri-series ODI against India.
After weeks of denial, Australian pace spearhead Brett Lee has finally admitted that the bitter separation from his wife and the ensuing custody battle for his son did take a toll on his on-field performance in the lost Test series against India.
'There is room for cautious optimism following the Harris anointment that America will return this year to more normal politics after the aberration of the Trump presidency,' points out Shreekant Sambrani.
Australian pace spearhead Brett Lee feels the Sydney Test furore that almost derailed India's cricket tour Down Under was a result of "contentious umpiring" and the World champions' much-cricticised behaviour was in no way responsible for the controversy.
Breaking his silence on the on-field clash between Australia skipper Ricky Ponting and Brett Lee, coach Tim Nielsen said a poor over-rate wasn't the main reason the strike bowler was not used in the first session on the fourth day of the second Test in Mohali. It was, he says, also because they wanted to take pace off the ball.
The wear and tear of the last 10 years have taken a toll on Brett Lee's body but the Australian pace spearhead has no plans of cutting down on any formats of the game to prolong his career.
Sacrificing pace for a longer career is not an option for Brett Lee despite the injury breakdowns he has endured and the Australian fast bowler on Thursday said he would work out a plan to sustain himself if it becomes too hard to handle.
Far from being a controversy-ridden battle, Australian pace spearhead Brett Lee reckons his team's four-Test series against India would go down as a "hallmark of friendship" because players from both the sides have forgotten about past rows.
Under heavy criticism for losing the one-day series against South Africa, Australia skipper Ricky Ponting on Tuesday said that his side was hit hard by a string of injuries which kept most of his key players out of action.
Australia will be counting on their pace attack, not spin, to beat India in their four-Test series that begins next month, chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch said on Friday. Australia named the uncapped Doug Bollinger and Peter Siddle in their 15-man squad to provide back-up to the front line trio of Brett Lee, Stuart Clark and Mitchell Johnson for the series.
"I really felt for Shafali Verma at the end, it was tough seeing her in tears but she should be very proud of the way she's performed in Australia," Brett Lee wrote in his column for the ICC.
NSW cricketer Ryan Carters announces retirement at 26!
Injured Australian pace spearhead Brett Lee has blamed himself for the current breakdown, saying he ended up being his own enemy by bowling long spells despite having no strength to carry on. Lee bowled a massive 4500 deliveries, over 580 overs, in the year gone by. The workload not just took a toll on his form but also left him down with an ankle injury, which required a surgery -- fourth of his career.
Captain Ricky Ponting, his deputy Adam Gilchrist, Andrew Symonds, Matthew Hayden, Michael Clarke, Mike Hussey, Brett Lee, Nathan Bracken, Brad Haddin, Mitchell Johnson, Simon Katich, Jason Gillespie and Cameron White are the Australians who have joined the IPL.
The SC nominee has rejected as "completely false" the sexual assault allegation
As Australia grapples with Brett Lee's form slump and fitness woes, former captain Bill Lawry suggests that the only way to save the pace spearhead's career is to keep him off cricket for a while.
Photos of the World Cup Pool A game between West Indies and Scotland being played in Hobart.
Australian pace spearhead Brett Lee has scotched all theories about his immediate retirement plans and said he still possess the firepower to prolong his career for at least four to five years.
Australia completed a clean sweep in the Test series against New Zealand as the hosts beat the Kiwis by an innings and 62 runs in the second Test at Adelaide on Monday.
After his second century in the CB tri-series, Gautam Gambhir leads the list of Most Valuable Players.
Having recovered from mental and physical exhaustion that forced him to quit cricket earlier this year, Australian fast bowler Shaun Tait says he is ready to make a sooner than expected comeback to ease the growing burden on fellow pacer Brett Lee. Tait, who was targeting a return to active cricket next season, says he is ready to make himself available this year itself if the selectors called him urgently for Lee's sake.
Gary Kirsten says he is coaching an Indian team that actually believes that it can upset the applecart of the Australians.
Australian spearhead Brett Lee is adding variety to his pace to excel in India after a subdued start in the drawn first Test. Lee, 31, took one wicket in each innings as India frustrated the number one side by salvaging a draw, batting through most of the final day on an uneven pitch in Bangalore.
Australia were reeling at 17 for four at the end of the third day in the first Test. A brave century from West Indies batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul, after he was struck on the head by a Brett Lee bouncer, was the highlight of the hosts' innings of 312 chasing Australia's 431.
Anil Kumble would be raking in around Rs 60-75 lakh a year for endorsing Manipal Education. Viswanathan Anand would be getting anywhere between Rs 75 lakh to Rs 1 crore. Universities are choosing sports icons as brand endorsers as they not only want to portray themselves as excellent in academics, but extra-curricular performances too.
New Zealand pace bowler Adam Milne has joined the elite 150 kmh club of firebrand fast bowlers after sending the speed radar soaring to a whopping 153.3 kmh with one delivery in the Twenty20 against West Indies at Eden Park.
Former Australia captain Michael Clarke will be joining an elite panel commentators comprising Kevin Pietersen, Sunil Gavaskar for the upcoming 10th edition of Indian Premier League.
In what may come as good news for cricket fans, Australian fast bowler Brett Lee has announced that he will be available for the four-Test tour to India next month.
Relations between the Indian and Australian cricket team, at an all time low after the acrimonious series Down Under, could be mended during the Indian Premier League, which will start on April 18. Skipper Ricky Ponting, Andrew Symonds, Matthew Hayden and Brett Lee are among a large group of Australians spread across the eight franchises in the cash rich Indian Premier League and it is hoped that the Aussies could regain their lost popularity in India.
Legendary tennis coach Bob Brett says Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza must work on her fitness to become a top-20 player.
The cricketer-turned-politician has sort of demolished his opponents, securing close to seven lakh votes, leaving close rivals -- Congress's Arvinder Singh Lovely and Aam Aadmi Party's Aatishi -- way behind.
India made two changes to their side with opener Virender Sehwag recalled for Praveen Kumar and S Sreesanth replacing Munaf Patel.
Australia staged a late innings fightback to seal a one-run victory and a 4-0 one-day series lead against West Indies on Friday. West Indies appeared to be cruising towards a victory target of 283 before Brett Lee and Nathan Bracken claimed a combined two for five in the 48th and 49th overs to put on the brakes.
IPL's agent Neil Maxwell warned that the Australian players may retire or simply walk away if they are not allowed to take part.
Australia were struggling at 226 for seven after a rain-shortened first day of the third Test against West Indies on Thursday.
Overburdened he might be, but Australian pace spearhead Brett Lee says he does not want to sit out of even one international match for his country as he continues to be haunted by the memories of being reduced to a 12th man before the 2005 Ashes series. Even as skipper Ricky Ponting expressed concerns about the increasing workload on Lee, the fast bowler said he is more than willing to take the extra burden as it is better than sitting out.
Alec Guinness' iconic cloak from the 1977 epic Star Wars film, where the actor played Obi-Wan Kenobi, headlines a unique memorabilia auction taking place at Bonhams, UK.
