Cricket: Lightning Lee upsets line-up

Australia's Brett Lee recorded the second-fastest delivery in cricket history during the final one-dayer in Napier. Picture / Fotopress

It's difficult to decide whose knees will be knocking more this morning - those of the New Zealand test batsmen, or of the Australian test selectors.

Both camps were thrown into major disarray at the weekend after a scintillating display of fast-bowling from Brett Lee, who recorded the second-fastest delivery in cricket history during the final one-dayer at Napier.

Lee, who ended a dramatic week off and on the field with one of the most memorable overs in modern cricket, seems to have almost certainly forced the selectors' hand in terms of a recall for the first test in Christchurch, starting on Thursday.

The New South Wales tearaway's opening over remains the talking point of Australia's 122-run win at McLean Park, despite the visitors' record score of 347 for five, Ricky Ponting's imperious 141 not out, and the eventual 5-nil series margin.

The ground radar showed the 28-year-old reaching consecutive (and rounded-up) speeds throughout the over of 143, 151, 158, 158, 160, 161 and 158km/h (including a wide), in what was possibly the fastest spell seen since England's Frank Tyson played.

Bowling to New Zealand batsman Craig Cumming, Lee's fifth legal delivery stopped the clock at precisely 160.4km/h and his next flew through at 160.8km/h, equalling the fastest of his career, bowled at Port Elizabeth in 2003.

The only quicker delivery recorded was bowled by Pakistan paceman Shoaib Akhtar at Lahore in 2002, when he let go a 161.7km/h screamer at Craig McMillan during the first, and as it happened only, test of the tour.

Cumming, who will almost certainly open at Christchurch this week, said he was almost relieved that Lee was shown to be bowling exceptionally quick, because he was struggling to keep up with the pace.

"I was quite pleased when I went down to Flem at the end of the over and he said it was probably the quickest it gets; that was a bit of a relief, to be honest," said Cumming. "You just see the ball and ask your mind to make a decision. If you make the wrong one, you pay."

Lee's furious opening paid dividends soon after when he trapped Cumming in front for 13, and he also had Stephen Fleming hopping around the crease as he continued to bowl in the mid-150s. Fleming said afterwards that the onslaught was likely to have an effect on the team as they eyed this week's opening test of the series, although he promised to fight and resist until the end.

"There's going to be a few hangovers, a few headaches," Fleming said afterwards. "Having had a taste of 160km/h, you're going to be on your toes when you go out there and face the first ball on Thursday."

Lee's form is also certain to create problems for the Australian selectors, who now have to consider dropping the in-form Michael Kasprowicz to create room for their spearhead.

Lee has been the the intimidatory face of the Australian bowling attack since the tour began last month, menacing the New Zealand batsmen at every opportunity and sparking a controversy after bowling a beamer at Eden Park.

Whether or not the ensuing fallout was a factor in Saturday's effort is unclear, but Lee gave a hint of his feelings at the weekend to Australian reporters.

"Some of the things that have been written about me in the past week amount to calling me a cheat, and I resent that," he said, referring to a call to drop him by radical Australian columnist Peter Roebuck, and remarks from John Bracewell.