Injured Australian pacer Brett Lee determined to achieve more
Injured Australian pacer Brett Lee determined to achieve moreAustralian fast bowler Brett Lee now hobbles on crutches because of a stress fracture to his left foot and a surgically repaired left ankle, but he is determined to achieve the 400 Test wicket mark.
Lee, who was watching the Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground last Tuesday, sounded optimistic: "This is an opportunity for me to get my health back to 100 per cent. It's only been in the last three or four days that I have started to feel normal again.
"I have just had no strength at all this summer," he said. "I'd be okay in the first spell because the adrenalin's going and you've got the brand new ball in your hand, but then I would find that I just had nothing to give later in the day.
|
|
Too much: Brett Lee bowled more than 4,500 deliveries last year |
"Now I've got the chance to get right, get the kilos up right and come back fresh. I guess I've been behind the eight-ball since (the tour of) India. I didn't have the greatest of preparations there and I've probably been chasing my tail ever since. It's been a difficult year but may be it's a good thing to listen to your body when it's telling you to slow down."
Having returned to upper body training, Lee will gradually build up his programme after remaining on crutches for another fortnight when he will be fitted with a "moon boot" for about a month thereafter.
Lee, who has captured 310 wickets in 76 Tests, said his condition might have been aggravated by his keenness to bowl which saw him repeatedly offer his services to captain Ricky Ponting.
"I was blown over by the number of overs I bowled in 2008," Lee said.
"You don't really look at it as a whole when you're bowling but when you step back and look at the stats it's obviously a lot.
Too much bowling"I think 2008 has been a unique year. I have certainly bowled a lot of overs. I think if you were constantly bowling 580 overs a season and you're being asked to bowl 150kmh, it's going to put a lot of stress on the body. It's a difficult job but I have been asking for the overs," Lee conceded.
The Australian pace spearhead reportedly contracted a giardia infection during his last tour of India, which led to loss of weight and strength.
"The surgeon seemed pretty happy with how it all went, so that's a good start," Lee, who is estimated to have bowled more than 4,500 deliveries last year for Australia, New South Wales and the King's XI Punjab,
said.
"I'm only 32 and I want to play at least another three years. There are plenty of things I would still like to accomplish in the game. I'd like to cross off 400 Test wickets," Lee said.
(Source: The Sydney Morning Herald).
