Brett Lee's quest to be more patient in hurling down his thunderbolts reaped dividends with a career-best five 30 to spur Australia to an overwhelming victory over the West Indies in the first Gabba Test here on Sunday.
The super-fit Australian speedster has struggled with consistency in his 44-Test career and Sunday surpassed his Test debut 5-47 against India in Melbourne almost six years ago.
Lee took his Test tally to 166 wickets and along with left-arm seamer Nathan Bracken (4-84) upstaged Australia's two superstar bowlers, leaving Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath wicket-less in the second innings rout of the hapless tourists.
Lee said he was impatient during the five Ashes Tests against England, "and I had a chat with (captain) Ricky Ponting on being a lot more patient." Lee said Sunday.
"I just tried to work on a few different types of variations but just get back into that corridor, bowling line and length, and it was great to bowl today in a partnership with Nathan Bracken.
"It was great that Ricky gave myself and Nathan an opportunity and we tried to back up the captain," Lee said.
Lee's bowling economy rate has been criticised for being too expensive at Test level - over the last 12 months Lee's average per wicket has shot up to 41 runs - and he took counsel from several prominent Australian cricketers, including Ponting.
"Everyone is going to have some input and that's great. I try to speak to as many people as possible. I'll be having a chat with (former captain) Steve Waugh this week and work on a few different plans as well.
Lee said his biggest asset was his bowling pace and he would not be sacrificing that.
"My role is definitely to be more of an impact bowler. I'm not there to bowl six-seven-eight over spells. I'm ideally suited to bowl four-over spells... it's a hard task to ask a fast bowler to run in and bowl over 150 k's for seven-eight over spells. It's just not possible to do that."
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