Lee determined to forge on despite selectors fitness faux pax

SOUTHAMPTON - Australian speedster Brett Lee admitted last night that he was still to know why team officials instructed Shane Watson to tell a press conference he was not ready for the fourth Test at Leeds when he had declared his fitness.

The odd strategy left Watson having to explain his comments afterwards to an agitated Lee, who conceded he has played his last Ashes Test in England.

“I’m not sure, I don’t know,” Lee said yesterday when asked about the team’s instruction.

“The thing I can only say is I know when I’m right to go. I know I was 100 per cent fit. It just wasn’t the case. People thought otherwise, it’s behind me. I haven’t taken any ill feeling about it,” the Sydney Morning Herald quoted him, as saying.

“It’s unfortunate I didn’t play an Ashes Test over here. I was disappointed to say the least. I did declare my fitness for the fourth Test match, that’s all I can do, front up to training. I would have loved to play that fourth and fifth Test. I was available to go for the fourth and fifth Test but it didn’t work out with the mix and make-up of the team,” he added.

Watson told Fairfax last week: “I had a chat to Brett and told him what I’d been told, what the stance was that I’d been told, unfortunately that was different to his - that I hadn’t been told about.”

Lee said he is as hungry now as he’s ever been after recovering from the side strain that ruled him out of the first three Ashes Tests.

“I don’t think I have to prove anything, I’ve been playing cricket for Australia for 10 years and hopefully proved myself enough. I’m enjoying my cricket, every opportunity I get. I’m not even thinking about the schedule when I’ve been on the sideline for three or four months watching a lot of cricket - I struggled to watch. Maybe in 12-18 months down the track I might have to have a look,” he said.

I’ve hopefully got a lot more to offer to the Australian cricket team,” he said. (ANI)