Leave behind controversies, advises Lee

Agencies

Posted online: Wednesday, February 27, 2008 at 1917 hrs IST

Melbourne, February 27:
Disappointed at the continuing bad blood between Australian and Indian cricketers, speedster Brett Lee on Wednesday said the teams should put the controversies behind and concentrate on cricket for the tri-series finals starting Sunday.

“It’s a bit of a shame a few things have happened on the cricket field, people know where the line in the sand is and if you cross that line well you know you will get dealt with,” Lee said after winning the Allan Border medal for the best Australian player of 2007.

“The thing we have to acknowledge is that once you do walk onto the cricket field and go over that line it doesn’t matter who made friendships, it’s very important we go out there and play the hardest, toughest, fairest cricket we possibly can,” he said.

After India’s young paceman Ishant Sharma was fined following a war of words with Andrew Symonds in the last encounter, Indians made an official complaint about the “provocative” behaviour of the Australians.

In another incident, Australian opener Matthew Hayden called Harbhajan Singh an “obnoxious weed” on radio.

Lee, who has an increased work load after the retirement of Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne, said the initial relaxed phase of his career had made him more determined for success.

“It made me very hungry and it made me appreciate the chance to wear the baggy green cap once it was taken away, and to never become complacent,” he said.

“To appreciate the good times you’ve got to go through the bad I think. Everyone’s been through it, people have had time on the sidelines,” he said.