Former Oz bowlers want CA rooting for Lee, Tait to be given a bowl

Melbourne, May 2 (ANI): Former Australian fast bowlers Jason Gillespie and Michael Kasprowicz want their cricket board to not be over-cautious, and allow Shaun Tait and Brett Lee to play.

Lee was scheduled to return from a four-month absence due to dual foot operations in Thursday's Twenty20 clash against Pakistan in Dubai. The 31-year-old pacer is desperate for immediate match-conditioning to press for Ashes selection.

Tait, 26, has this week been striving to convince Cricket Australia physio Alex Kountouris that he has recovered sufficiently from hamstring tendinitis to feature in the latter stages of the Indian Premier League with the Rajasthan Royals.

"Shaun wants to prove he is fit for the Twenty20 World Cup in June. He needs to play some cricket," said Gillespie of Tait, who has not played since February 1.

"Get him over there! First and foremost there's no cricket in Australia. He may as well do it in the form of game he is going to play for his country in."

Kasprowicz wants Lee to feature in Sunday's one-day series finale in Abu Dhabi before being cleared to play IPL with Kings XI Punjab and county cricket.

He remains adamant that Tait must be unleashed "after a long spell" out, The Daily Telegraph reported.

"I am wondering if the selectors and the medical staff at Cricket Australia are being overly cautious about the players and resting them, not wanting players to go out and play and get the miles in the legs in matches," Kasprowicz said. (ANI)