Homework Gives Us The Edge Over Smith, Says Lee
The Age
Tuesday December 16, 2008
AUSTRALIAN spearhead Brett Lee has declared it a priority to maintain Australia's vice-like grip on Graeme Smith as part of the effort to leave some early scars on South Africa in the first Test.
Lee was quick to claim the extra responsibilities that will fall to him in the absence of his injured new ball partner Stuart Clark, who last night had surgery to remove bone spurs from his bowling elbow.The extent of Clark's injury will not be known until this morning, but it is understood the 33-year-old fast bowler is facing at least 10 weeks on the sidelines.One of Lee's extra duties will be to ensure the yawning gulf between Smith's bruising performances against the rest of the world and his poor record against Australia remains.The Proteas captain comes into the three-Test series, starting at the WACA Ground tomorrow, as the leading runscorer this year, but will be acutely conscious of the gap in his resume.Smith has 17 Test centuries, but none against Australia, and his career average nudging 50 slumps to 22 against the world No.1.Lee, who will lead a pace division reinforced by bustling Victorian seamer Peter Siddle, believes the secret to his country's dominance of one of the world's most powerful batsmen has been research, which reveals a quarter of the left-hander's dismissals are leg before wicket, a figure that rises to 30 per cent against Australia."We know what we are up against with Graeme Smith and the reason we have had success against him in the past is we have done our homework," Lee said."We will be trying our hardest to try and do the things we have done in previous games to try and knock him over."Lee has claimed Smith's wicket four times in Test cricket, twice trapping him lbw, and remains wary of his destructive capabilities. "I really like the style of cricket that Graeme Smith plays. I think he is aggressive but a nice guy off the field and I think if you combine those two you are looking at a pretty decent cricketer."His runs back that up as well, with his average. He has got some big scores against us as well but the first Test, especially the first session, is going to sum up the whole series. If we bowl first we need to really set the tone."If a batsmen gets away here there's a lot of gaps and it is a pretty quick outfield so it can be relentless for a fast bowler."Coming off nine wickets in the second Test against New Zealand in Adelaide, Lee vowed to seize the initiative in Clark's absence."I have enjoyed being the spearhead of the attack, and the extra bit of responsibility thrust upon my shoulders is something I do enjoy, getting the brand new ball and trying to lead from the front," the 32-year-old said."This is what it is all about, playing here at the WACA, drawing those early scars. It's going to be tough, hard competitive cricket."Lee insisted he would not be drawn into a pace contest with South Africa's fancied fast bowling contingent, which will be showcased on a Perth pitch said by curator Cam Sutherland to generate a lot more pace and bounce than the one on which Australia erred in employing four specialist quicks against India last January."It has a lot more life in it at the moment, a lot greener surface," Sutherland said. Intrigue continues over whether Australia and South Africa will pick their respective spinners, Jason Krejza and Paul Harris, who was smashed for seven sixes by a WA second XI at the weekend.Proteas wicketkeeper Mark Boucher was restricted to light training on his heavily strapped ankle yesterday, but coach Mickey Arthur said he would be fit for the first Test. With ALEX BROWN
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