Australian captain Ricky Ponting has left the door open for fast bowler Brett Lee to return to the side for next week's ICC Champions Trophy semi-final. Lee was dropped in favour of Shane Watson as the Australians overwhelmed New Zealand by seven wickets here at The Oval on Thursday and although Watson did not take a wicket the other quick bowlers shone.
Michael Kasprowicz took 3-32, Glenn McGrath 3-39 and Jason Gillespie 1-46 to do the lions' share of the damage and Lee could be hard-pressed to regain his place against the winners of the England-Sri Lanka clash which is played on Friday.
The Australians had considered playing just three pace men against New Zealand and if they adopt that policy next week Lee will almost certainly be surplus to requirements. "It is going to make it tough for Brett Lee but I am not ruling him out of the semi-final," said Ponting.
"We are going to pick a team suited to the conditions and the opposition and if we play Sri Lanka in the semi then Brett has a very good record against them.
"They don't like his pace and bounce so I have not ruled him out. "Michael Kasprowicz has improved as a bowler over the last two or three years and has learnt a lot about himself and his bowling. He averages about ten with the ball in one-day cricket this year and that's pretty impressive."
Ponting also sounded an ominous warning that his side have yet to reach their full potential in this tournament, the only major title to have eluded his world champion side.
"We are not really on a roll because we haven't played that many games. We have got a couple of days off to rest now and if we keep playing like we did against New Zealand we will be right in every game we play.
"We are a well prepared team and our skills are very good. When the bigger games come there will be 11 Australians out on the field putting their hands up and wanting to do the job.
"It is not just about turning up and winning easily. We work as hard as anyone to get our skills to this level.
We pride ourselves on our fielding and that was a big part of us winning the last World Cup. We work harder than anybody on it." New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming has made Australia favourites for the only major tournament they have never won although warned it would not be plain sailing.
"There are some very good sides out there. Australia are favourites, there is no doubt about that but on these one-off occasions it doesn't take much for something to be wrong and an upset to be caused," said Fleming.
"Pakistan with the talent they can harness and even England, the way they played in that last series (against India) are contenders. There's a lot of cricket to be played but I'd definitely say Australia are favourites."