Lee’s plea to steam in and just let it rip

FORMER Test tearaway Brett Lee believes Australia’s pace attack should unleash some old-style aggression against India on a Perth deck ripe for a fast bowling blitz.

Fast bowling behavioural protocols have been tightened since Lee played the last of his 76 Tests 10 years ago but he still believes there is enough wriggle room for Australia to ramp up its aggression.

“There is nothing wrong with being nice, but I know if you are a nice fast bowler it is an oxymoron,’’ said Lee, part of Fox Sports commentary team this summer.

“You have got to have a crack mate. There are two rules in cricket and in life that you don’t racially vilify or abuse someone with excessive swearing.

“That’s very true, but you can be aggressive and intimate a batsman with a stare and glare or some aggressive fielding which gets under the batsman’s nose.

“I want that animation back. If Australia bowl first, I want to see that first hour being absol- utely brutal for India. I want short balls and good-length balls and good follow and that gnarly sort of aggression.

“That could set the tone for the rest of the series. We don’t want to be a walkover. I want to see Australia go out and use everything they have. I am not saying go out and give them a barrage of abuse.

“You can be aggressive by your body language, the length you bowl the way you throw the ball in. You need that aggression.

“India have a very good top six. But on a nice juicy wicket in Perth it has to play into Australia’s hands.

“Mitchell Starc bowls quickly. Hazelwood bowls line and length and Cummins is just a freak of nature.’’