Brett Lee strains at the leash
Brett Lee bowled plenty of good stuff to take 4 for 106 from 21 overs on a stinking hot day as Tasmania reached 8 for 270 at the close
19-Dec-2003
Tasmania 270 for 8 (Dighton 69, Mason 51, Lee 4-106) v New South Wales
Scorecard
Scorecard
 |
Brett Lee celebrates dismissing Jamie Cox on his way to 4 for 106 © Getty Images |
Brett Lee showed promising signs of pace and aggression as his 4 for 106 put New South Wales in a good position at the end of the first day of their Pua Cup tie against Tasmania at the SCG. At the close Tasmania were 8 for 270.
A virtually empty SCG echoed with the sound of Lee grunting as he delivered each ball, straining for his trademark speed. Rearing bouncers had the Tasmanian batsmen ducking for cover but Lee appeared to tire as the day wore on, conceding 29 runs from his three overs after tea.
His first scalp was Jamie Cox, the prolific opener, who was lbw for 9 in his fourth over, and then claimed the wicket of Shane Watson for 30. Lee then accounted for Michael Dighton (69) with a short ball that beat him for pace edging to Nathan Pilon behind the stumps. He finished with the wicket of Andrew Downton late in the day, caught by Mark Waugh at second slip.
Lee's new-ball partner Nathan Bracken bowled well without luck, beating the bat time and again to finish with 1 for 47 from his 29 overs which including 16 maidens.
Tasmania's made steady progress after Dan Marsh opted to bat first. Scott Mason, the opener, made a painstaking 51 in almost four hours. Dighton and Daniel Marsh added 73 for the fifth wicket and prevented a middle-order collapse. Dighton cracked 13 fours in his 135-ball innings.