Comitted to PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO KNOW
Vol. 4 Num 67 Sat. August 02, 2003  
   
Sports


Lee's bowling tips


Australia's Brett Lee has passed on some fast bowling tips to his Bangladesh rivals in a bid to help the Asian nation's pacemen reach their full potential.

"After the last test I sat down with a few of their fast bowlers and the thing that excited me was how keen they were to learn," Lee told reporters on Friday.

"I couldn't go out then and there to show them things so I arranged this session and I just passed on a few tips that Dennis Lillee has passed on to me.

"I was working on a few actions, getting their actions strong, their approach to the crease -- just really basic things but things that you might not be aware of unless someone points them out."

One of the world's fastest bowlers, Lee has taken 125 wickets in 33 tests and produced speeds of above 150 km an hour.

Bangladesh have drawn once and lost 20 times since gaining Test status three years ago and were twice crushed by an innings against Australia in last month's two-test series.

Mashrafee-bin-Mortuza, 19, took four for 134 in that series and said Lee's advice had been useful.

"He (Lee) watched my video from the test match. He told me I had some problems with my front arm and he's right because I have some pain in my back and I don't know if I can play tomorrow," Mashrafee said.

"I have learned many things from this series about my bowling -- bowling to the likes of Steve Waugh, Matthew Hayden, Ricky Ponting... I've learned where to bowl (and to have) an aggressive attitude."