KEY POINTS:
Brett Lee could soon become the fastest bowler to take 300 one-day wickets after the Australian spearhead drew within one scalp of becoming the 10th player to reach the magical figure in Australia's emphatic 63-run victory over the West Indies in Grenada.
Lee claimed 1-25, taking his 299th wicket with his first ball.
He was unable to grab a late breakthrough after unselfishly resorting to a short run-up to help his team get through their overs and protect skipper Ricky Ponting from a fine or suspension for slow over rates.
Provided he is not rested for game three of the one-day series in Grenada, Lee will have the chance to claim his 300th wicket in his 171st match.
Pakistan great Waqar Younis currently holds the record for the fastest to 300, having achieved the mark in his 186th one-dayer. Glenn McGrath, the only Australian on the list, celebrated 300 in his 200th game before going on to take 381 wickets during his career.
Vice-captain Michael Clarke, who said he was unaware of Lee being on the cusp of 300, praised the fast bowler's unselfishness in putting the team's interest first in his final over.
"He wasn't concerned at all about his 300th wicket, and I think that's very unselfish, and another strength of our team."
Australia claimed a 2-0 lead in their five-match one-day series against the West Indies after marking Ricky Ponting's 300th ODI with the comprehensive win in Grenada.
A 100-run stand between Michael Hussey (62) and man-of-the-match Michael Clarke (56) saved Australia from trouble at 3-35 on a challenging wicket, as they posted 5-213 from 50 overs, before restricting a hapless Windies to 8-140 chasing a rain-revised target of 204 off 41 overs.
The result leaves Australia within one win of adding a limited-overs series victory to their 2-0 result in the tests this tour, with game three in Grenada tomorrow.
