Need for speed

Australia recalls Lee in bid to seal Ashes

PERTH, Australia (AP) -- Australia will try to exploit the quickest WACA pitch in years and push for an unbeatable 3-0 series lead after recalling fast bowler Brett Lee for Friday's Ashes cricket test against England.

Australia's three-pronged pace attack -- Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie and Lee -- will take advantage of a pitch with pace and bounce that makes it unique in the world, Australian captain Steve Waugh said Thursday.

Australia left out medium pacemen Andy Bichel in favor of Lee, who was dropped at the start of the five-match series.

"We've gone for extra pace here in Perth," Waugh said while justifying Lee's inclusion over Bichel, who had bowled well in Australia's victories in Brisbane and Adelaide.

"Basically it was simple as that. Andy has done well, and has done nothing wrong, and played some excellent cricket, but it came down to who was going to bowl the quickest and Brett got the nod."

In two tests against the West Indies and New Zealand, Lee took 15 wickets at the WACA.

"He bowled very quick here a couple of years ago, he's got good memories here when he bowls, and the pace of the wicket definitely helps him," said Waugh.

A win here, and its 11th in the last 12 tests, will give Australia its eighth Ashes series in a row. It could also put Australia in an enviable position to push for the first Ashes series whitewash since Warwick Armstrong's side won 5-0 against Johnny Douglas in 1920-21.

A win in Perth would pull Waugh level with Allan Border as the most successful Australian test captain. Border had 32 wins while captaining 93 tests while Waugh could do the same in only his 43rd as skipper.

England is awaiting fitness advice on batsmen Michael Vaughan and John Crawley and fast bowler Andy Caddick before deciding on the starting lineup.

Caddick, who suffered back spasms during the innings and 51-run England defeat in Adelaide, had two injections in the last two days.

"We've played poorly in the two tests, so you have to really start afresh on selection," said England captain Nasser Hussain.

"There's only about half the side that warrant a place on form at the moment and therefore everyone else is in the mix."

Hussain said injuries had badly effected England's preparation. Fast bowlers Darren Gough and Simon Jones, both with knee injuries, and leftarm spinner Ashley Giles, with a broken wrist, have returned to England.

Allrounder Andrew Flintoff has not fully recovered from a hernia operation.

"It's become very difficult to get any continuity going with batting orders and bowling and people bowling in tandem -- the best sides are well-oiled machines and you can see that from this Australian side," Hussain said.

England's predicaments are such that even players on standby are injured with offspinner Gareth Batty facing a fitness test on his injured shoulder.

Teams:

Australia: Matthew Hayden, Justin Langer, Ricky Ponting, Damien Martyn, Steve Waugh (captain), Darren Lehmann, Adam Gilchrist (wicketkeeper), Shane Warne, Jason Gillespie, Brett Lee and Glenn McGrath. 12th man: Andy Bichel.

England (from): Marcus Trescothick, Michael Vaughan, Mark Butcher, Nasser Hussain (captain), John Crawley, Robert Key, Alec Stewart (wicketkeeper), Alex Tudor, Richard Dawson, Andy Caddick, Matthew Hoggard, Paul Collingwood and Steve Harmison.

Umpires: Steve Bucknor, West Indies, and Rudi Koertzen, South Africa.

Match referee: Wasim Raja, Pakistan.

 

Related information

Stories

English cricket chief stands by Hussain, Fletcher Australia crushes England to take 2-0 Ashes lead

Multimedia

Visit Video Plus for the latest audio and video