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Aussies recall Lee

By Ted Corbett

PERTH NOV. 28. - Australia, already 2-0 ahead, pitched a new, refreshed, upbeat and confident factor into their defence of the Ashes today by recalling Brett Lee, their fastest bowler, for the third match of the series against England at the WACA ground.

England is dispirited, tired, forced to concentrate on injuries and uncertain of its team, much less its strategy.

It will be one of the biggest upsets in sporting history if there is any result except an Australian victory.

That will leave the world champion with an unassailable lead and possession of the Ashes again.

It throws the whole question of England's ability to compete into the forefront of the debate — in the last 13 years they have never come close to winning a series — and the captaincy and coach looking over their shoulders suspecting that it cannot be long before someone calls them to account.

With the World Cup just a few months away England's prospects are bleak.

Lee personified the Australian outlook when he arrived for the final practice session, as late as one of his own outswingers and just as lively.

He announced he was `just so very happy' to be back in the side after being dropped, thought the WACA pitch would be `the fastest for 20 years' and that he had renewed his form and confidence while he was collecting 24 wickets in two matches for New South Wales.

``I was just so happy when I got the phone call in my room to say I was playing,'' he told us.

He looked fit, his eyes shone, his words tumbled out so quickly they clearly matched his bowling for speed and enthusiasm.

When he finished he said: ``Sorry I kept you waiting, guys'' before he raced off to complete his training. Contrast the Lee brio with the solemn Duncan Fletcher, England's coach.

He looked haunted and so he should. England had chances, despite injuries that have sent three major players home, to achieve respect and maybe even victory in the first two Tests yet they have been beaten by a 384 runs and an innings and 51 runs.

John Crawley is already ruled out and Michael Vaughan sore shoulder prevents him adding his offspin to his brilliant batting. England may also be without Andrew Caddick, their only senior bowler, and their attack will probably contain only one bowler who has performed at the WACA before.

As Alex Tudor was not even in the original party it is hardly a confidence boost to remember that he captured five wickets here four years ago.

His partners will be chosen from the raw Steve Harmison, the consistently ignored Chris Silverwood, the all-rounder Craig White — both latecomers to the party — and the off-spinner Richard Dawson.

The odds on them bowling out Australia twice are similar to the 1000-1 now being quoted by the home bookmakers on England regaining the Ashes. Fletcher's performance was defensive although he thought his squad had the spirit to win.

He could not come close to naming a side until Caddick had another bowl today, after almost an hour in which his injured back clearly became more flexible. He has had two epidural injections — more commonly used to help women through a painful childbirth — in the past 36 hours, a sign of England's desperation for his experience in the absence of Darren Gough and the wretched form of Matthew Hoggard.

Fletcher suggested that Dawson would play — and field at short leg — but first he said he had to phone David Graveney, chairman of selectors back home, to ``discuss a certain matter.''

He would not explain this mystery nor his plans for dismissing the aggressive Australian batsmen nor England's position as outsiders. Fortunately, games of cricket are settled on the pitch, not at press conferences, but if the result this week-end is any different shock waves will travel so far they will probably end on the desk of Lord Condon, head of ICC's investigation unit.

The teams:

Australia: Steve Waugh (captain), Matthew Hayden, Justin Langer, Ricky Ponting, Damien Martyn, Darren Lehmann, Adam Gilchrist, Shane Warne,

Brett Lee, Jason Gillespie, Glenn McGrath.

England (from): Nasser Hussain (captain), Marcus Trescothick, Michael Vaughan, Mark Butcher, Robert Key, Alec Stewart, Paul Collingwood, Craig

White, Richard Dawson, Alex Tudor, Steve Harmison, Chris Silverwood, Andrew Caddick, Matthew Hoggard.

Umpires: Steve Bucknor (West Indies) and Rudi Koertzen (South Africa). TV umpire: Daryl Harper. Match referee: Wasim Raja (Pakistan).

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