Report: Lee struggling in English conditions

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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 are 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.