A true sense of perspective can be difficult to maintain on an Ashes tour amidst the ceaseless plethora of Aussie propaganda, but while the 'Canary Yellows' are content to belittle and brag in equal measure it seems all is not quite as it should be in the Great Southern Land.

While the one-eyed home press have been busy rubbishing England's "embarrassing" Ashes start hardly a squeak has been heard about Australia's own selection problems following their three-week jolly against one of the weakest Pakistan sides ever to play Test cricket.

Steve Waugh's defiant last-ditch ton may have staved off the dreaded chop for at least a couple more Tests but the clinical dispatching of Pakistan could not save his twin brother's career, and nor could it disguise Brett Lee's shockingly poor recent form.

Add to that continuing concerns over Jason Gillespie's general fitness, Steve Waugh's own persistent vulnerability and Australia's puzzling decision to drop a 37-year-old with a Test average of 41.82 in preference to a 32-year-old averaging 28.50 and one could be forgiven for questioning the outright disdain England appear to be attracting from all corners Down Under.

But it is the form of Lee that is now taking centre stage as the self-styled golden boy of Aussie sport struggles to live up to his own hype. He managed just five wickets at 46.80 in the recent whitewash series against Pakistan and didn't fare much better in his previous series away to South Africa when he claimed 10 scalps at 41.60. More leg-end than legend on those figures.

Even his last home series was rather a disappointment with nine wickets at 34.89 against South Africa, and England will hardly be quaking in their boots at the prospect of facing up to the bowler who struggled to take nine wickets in five Tests at 55.11 the last time these two sides met.

There's no doubt that Lee is quick – although not as quick as his self-promoting agent would have us believe – but pace isn't everything... just ask Devon Malcolm. No, what Lee is better at than any other of Australia's current speedsters is perpetuating the myth of his own inflated worth.

Defenders of the Lee clan will no doubt point to an overall Test record of 89 wickets at 27.94 – not that special if truth be told – but the hype outweighs the facts barring Lee's initial seven Tests. It was during that spell – at home to notorious bad travellers India, away to New Zealand and at home to a shambolic West Indies – that Lee burst onto the international stage with a phenomenal 42 wickets at 16.07.

No-one in the modern era, not even Murali, can continue to strike at that rate but the subsequent 17 Tests of Lee's career have brought just 47 more wickets at the quite frankly "embarrassing" average of 38.55,... and all this while playing for the undisputed World Champions as they continued to swat away tiresome challengers.

But despite consecutive series averages of 55.11, 25.14, 34.89, 41.60 and 46.80 Lee remained a relative untouchable until his Sharjah struggles against Pakistan. That, it appears, was one series failure too many and the bleach blond speedster was subsequently handed his wake-up call by none other than chairman of selectors Trevor Hohns.

A public warning might be just what Lee needs to shake him back into action and get him concentrating purely on taking wickets, but the emergence of perennial 12th man Andy Bichel will be less welcome for the Wollongong quickie.

Bichel, lest anyone forget, claimed series figures of 8-106 (at 13.25) against Pakistan after replacing the injured Jason Gillespie for the last two Tests. What's more, Bichel has an excellent insight into England's batsmen owing to his time at Worcestershire and he will be playing on home turf if he gets the nod ahead of Lee at Brisbane for the 1st Test. Having said that his selection this time could, ironically, depend on Jason Gillespie being fit enough to resume his partnership as Glenn McGrath's opening partner.

If not the prospect of making three changes to a winning side (Waugh, Lee and Gillespie) could be seen as conceding too much of a psychological edge to the old enemy.

However, there is one more factor to consider when weighing up the Lee conundrum – the difference between his home and away record. In 14 Tests on the road Lee has picked up 42 wickets at a decidedly mediocre 34.77, whereas on home turf he's claimed 47 in 10 Tests at 21.85. That alone might be Lee's saving grace for Brisbane at least but if he fails to deliver there then his presence for the remainder of the series must be under serious threat.

31 Oct, 2002