Don't Miss

India's CWG 2026 Medal Tally Lowest In 24 Years, Yet Among The Best

Tactical Self-Destruction: How England Threw Away Their World Cup Final Dream

Bundesliga Blueprint: How Zee Plans To Complete India's Football Jigsaw

Manuel Neuer Doesn't Know Where To Stop: Not On The Pitch, Not In His Career

Advertisement

ENG

Login

Dark / Light mode

Oct 10,2026 10:42 AM IST

Ashes '09: Lee struggling in English conditions

facebook

twitter

WhatsApp

Settings

Select Language

Dark / Light mode

Search

Cricket

arrow-down reddit snapchat twitter facebook comments email printer search bell top-nav reddit-fill snapchat-fill twitter-fill facebook-fill share whatsapp-fill bookmark arrow-rgt arrow-next arrow-up refresh close link cog star book zap cricket football tennis formula-1 badminton hockey golf boxing ndtv-n check left-arrow right-arrow

Live Cricket Matches

India Matches

IPL 2026

Football Matches

ISL

EPL

All Matches

India Matches

EPL

Sports Home Cricket News Ashes 09 Lee struggling in English conditions

Related Articles

Story ProgressBack to home

Ashes '09: Lee struggling in English conditions

Former Test fast bowler Jason Gillespie said mastering English conditions and not fitness issues pose a challenge to Australian paceman Brett Lee.

Read Time: 2 min

Sydney:

Mastering English conditions and not fitness issues pose a challenge to Australian paceman Brett Lee ahead of the Ashes series with England, former Test fast bowler Jason Gillespie said on Monday.

Lee's new-ball potency is under scrutiny after he did not get a wicket in his opening spell in either innings of Australia's tour warm-up match against Sussex at Hove over the weekend.

Lee played the last of his 76 Tests back in December before undergoing foot and ankle surgery and is working his way back to full fitness.

Despite a month in England for the World Twenty20, Lee has failed to make an impact as he battles for a new-ball bowling spot in the Australian team for the Ashes opener in Cardiff, starting on July 8.

Gillespie, who was dropped at the age of 30 after just three wickets at an average of 100 in the first three Ashes Tests of the 2005 series in England, said Lee had yet to prove himself in English conditions.

He said Lee has struggled on his two previous Ashes tours, claiming 29 wickets in 10 Tests at an average of more than 45 while conceding well above four runs an over.

"There's no fitness issues with Brett," Gillespie told The Australian.

"Brett's got to learn to master English conditions. That's going to be his biggest challenge, not so much his fitness.

"It's going to be the slower wickets so his pace doesn't have the same impact.

"He's not bowling as fast anymore. We know that." Lee is one of three Australian pacemen to taken 300 wickets (310) behind Glenn McGrath (563) and Dennis Lillee (355) but he is 32, an age when few Australian fast bowlers have continued to make an impact, the newspaper said.

Australian bowlers sent down 38 no-balls for the Sussex match, with Lee (3-53 and 1-51) the worst offender as he overstepped 14 times including taking a wicket off a no-ball.

The pressure increased on Lee after the match when Australian coach Tim Nielsen endorsed pace bowling rival Peter Siddle for the first Ashes Test.

Lee is competing for a spot with Ben Hilfenhaus, Stuart Clark and Siddle in a pace attack where only Mitchell Johnson seems assured of a place.

Featured Video Of The Day

CWG 2026 Weightlifting Gold Medallist, Mirabai Chanu Get Hero's Welcome in Delhi

Topics mentioned in this article

Cricket Brett Lee

Get the Latest Cricket, Asian Games 2026, Football , Hockey, Badminton Scores, F1 Results at NDTV Sports. Like Us On Facebook Or Follow Us On Twitter For More Sports Updates. You Can Also Download The NDTV Cricket App For Android Or iOS.

Advertisement

Listen to the latest songs, only on JioSaavn.com

Advertisement

ICC Rankings

Advertisement

Now Trending

Advertisement

Trending Links

Follow us on:

facebook

twitter

Cricket

Football

More Sports

Formula 1 Tennis Hockey Badminton Golf Nba Kabaddi Shooting Swimming Table Tennis

This website follows the DNPA Code of Ethics © Copyright NDTV Convergence Limited 2026. All rights reserved.