The need to preserve key players

By Malcolm Conn

BANGALORE, MARCH 25. Shane Lee arrived in Mumbai on Sunday as the latest addition to Australia's constantly revolving squad while the first of five one-day matches was being contested under lights here and will join his team mates for the next game in Pune on Wednesday.

The decision to send the 27-year-old New South Wales all-rounder as a late replacement for Jason Gillespie, who has been sent home to rest and prepare for the Ashes tour, highlights the increasing need to preserve Australia's key players during ever more cluttered and demanding international programs.

It is the second time in three weeks on a tour that a replacement has been rushed in to protect quality players and ensure that they will be at or near their best for Test matches.

NSW wicket-keeper Brad Haddin was pulled out of a state game and flown to Delhi to stand in a tour match between the first and second Tests so Adam Gilchrist had the chance to rest a minor hip complaint which would never have kept him out of a Test.

This was a vital decision by the team hierarchy because as it was, Gilchrist was spent after the most gruelling, exciting and ultimately deflating back to back Tests that this team has ever played. It is unlikely to would have gone the distance had he not been rested. The same policy is expected to be used during the coming Ashes tour from late May.

After a long overdue revamp by slow-moving English administrators the tour is shorter than in the past and begins with a triangular one-day series, which also includes Pakistan, before the first of five Tests to be played in just two months through July and August.

There are only a handful of county matches so the touring squad could be as few as 14 with just one wicket-keeper. However, Haddin is expected to be playing league cricket in England during the northern summer and plans are being formulated to call him in when needed to rest Gilchrist.

A number of Australians on the verge of international selection will also be competing in county cricket, so inform players will be available should a batting or bowling replacement be required. It is much more preferable to have Australian fringe players constantly performing in English conditions that cart extra players around the UK with few chances of getting a game and little hope of showing form to press for selection.

Gillespie missed the entire one-day series in Australia earlier this year because of injury, prompting concerns about his workload on this tour following a lack of preparation. His physical condition was reviewed on Friday in Chennai, a day after gruelling back to back Tests, by Australian team physiotherapist Errol Alcott, who made the final decision to preserve the quality quick for England.

Lee, the elder brother of fast bowler Brett, last played for Australia in the ICC knock-out defeat at the hands of India in Kenya last October. Yet to make his Test debut, the hard-hitting batsman and medium-pace bowler has captained Australia A as well as New South Wales on occasions this past season. He has played 44 one-day Internationals, scoring 452 runs at 16.74 and taking 48 wickets at 25.70 with an economy rate of 4.38.

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