My role in a team is to bowl over 150ks to intimidate batsmen, take wickets: Lee

WELLINGTON - Australian fast bowler Brett Lee, who is in New Zealand to play five matches for Wellington in a domestic Twenty20 championship, has said that his role in that team is to “bowl fast, intimidate, batsmen and try to take wickets”.

Lee, continuing his comeback after an eight-month lay-off with an elbow injury, will begin his campaign with Wednesday’s match against Auckland at the Basin Reserve.

“I hit a couple of high 140s (kilometres per hour), and tipped 150ks, yesterday on a pretty slow wicket, so I am hoping with the Wellington breeze behind me, if I am lucky enough to get the breeze, we’ll see how things pan out,” Stuff.co.nz quoted Lee, as saying.

“My role is to be the fast bowler, the day comes when I can’t bowl over 150ks, I won’t play cricket anymore because that’s my role: to bowl fast, obviously intimidate a few batsmen and take wickets. So, I am not going to be the person to settle with bowling 130ks seam up,” he added.

The 34-year-old further said that he wants to put in an impressive performance to win back his place in Australia’s one-day team.

“I can only try my best and take wickets when it counts and see what happens, I just have to try and concentrate with ball in hand. We’ll see what happens in the next six to 12 months,” Lee said.

“I have been playing well the last four months, really enjoyed my cricket,” he added.

Lee has not played any ODI for Australia since October last year.

His career has been plagued by fitness problems, ranging from a side strain and elbow surgery to a broken thumb and a forearm injury.

Earlier, chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch had confirmed that Lee remained “very much” in contention for the World Cup in February.

“He’s making really good progress and seems to be back bowling really well. We’re hoping he’ll be fully fit and roaring to go for the World Cup,” Hilditch had said.(ANI)