Brett Lee: “You’ve got to play hard cricket”

Image courtesy of: Zimbio

Former Australia pace bowler Brett Lee has said that while he loves to see aggression being displayed on the cricket field, he feels that it shouldn’t ever cross the line.

Lee’s comments come after Rabada was banned for the last two Tests against Australia for two separate incidents that occurred during the second Test in Port Elizabeth.

The first incident saw the 22-year-old make shoulder-to-shoulder contact with Australia skipper Steve Smith, while the second was for his celebration after dismissing opening batsman and vice-captain David Warner.

As a result, Rabada was fined 65 percent of his match fee and handed four demerit points. However, Rabada has since appealed against his ban.

While Lee did not share his thoughts on the incidents involving Rabada, he does not want bowlers to be discouraged from bowling with aggression.

“The thing that I will say about that, in all honesty, is we don’t want robots on the field,” the 41-year-old told AFP. “Of course, there is a line that the players should not cross.

“You don’t racially vilify someone. You don’t use excessive swearing or stuff that can upset children who are listening in. Other than that you’ve got to play hard cricket.

“Now I am not saying I agree with what happened and I am not saying that I don’t agree with what happened, but what I can say is that we don’t want to get into a stage where players can’t even look at a batsman, batsman can’t even look at a bowler without getting into trouble.”

Rabada is the highest wicket-taker in the series after he finished with match figures of 11-150 in Port Elizabeth, where South Africa won by six wickets and levelled the series at 1-1.

“He’s good, I like him. Gets good shape on the ball,” Lee said. “He comes around the wicket a fair bit to the left-handers, which I like and has got good pace and aggression and that’s what you need.”