Unleash Stanlake, says Lee

BRETT Lee says Cricket Australia must unchain Billy Stanlake or risk nobbling a rare tearaway bowling talent.

Lee fears Stanlake has been too protected as CA staff cocooned the 204cm quick from the first-class ranks.

South African superstar Kagiso Rabada is five months younger than Stanlake, 24, but has bowled 14,626 more competitive deliveries to become the game’s premier spearhead. “Let the kid play,” Lee said. “It is so frustrating. They go ‘we are watching his balls because he might get injured’.

“Billy has pace to burn, a great action, massive, bowls 150km/h, shapes the ball away.”

Stanlake played his most recent Sheffield Shield game for Queensland three years ago.

He should front for Australia in Saturday’s one-off Twenty20 clash against South Africa on the Gold Coast.

However, the Gold Coast quick hasn’t been sighted since taking five wickets at 11.4 on lifeless pitches against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates for Australia last month.

Lee warned Stanlake, who has played 48 fewer first-class matches than Rabada, won’t learn red-ball resilience, or find range and rhythm, sitting in the stands.

“The reason why, if he has been a little bit inconsistent is that he hasn’t had any match play. You can’t sit on the bench and come back,” Lee said.