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| Thursday, 26 February 2004 |
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Lehmann thankful for Sri Lanka tour ADELAIDE, Australia, Wednesday (AFP) Senior Australian batsman Darren Lehmann says he was fortunate his return to the Test squad coincided with next month's tour to Sri Lanka. The 34-year-old left-handed batsman, who was in the Australian Test and one-day sides until injuring an Achilles tendon last October, says Australia needed an experienced player competent against spin bowling. "I think if we weren't playing, for example, a subcontinent team on turning tracks then maybe they might have gone another way," Lehmann said here on Wednesday. Lehmann said there was no doubt that the fact Australia will play three Test matches on pitches designed to suit Sri Lanka's demon off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, helped his cause. "I think the wickets will turn big, I don't think there's any secret about that, they won't want to have any bounce in the wicket for our quick bowlers," he said. Lehmann also said he would not have been surprised to be overlooked in favour of a younger batsman for the 15-man touring squad. "I don't make any bones about the fact that if you're keeping someone young out of the side then there comes a stage that you've got to move on," he said. "That's certainly the way the selectors will probably look at it in the near future, so I've certainly got to make every post a winner. "If they want to go that way, that's fine as well, that's just part of cricket, I'm old enough to realise that as well. "I don't have any fears if they came and said 'we're going youth and that's the way we want to go', I'd understand and respect that. "But thank my lucky stars they decided to go against that and put me in the side, which is good." |
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