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Bowled over

Australian fast bowler Brett Lee is in love with Indian children and their beautiful dreams

IMPRESSIONS Brett Lee: `Every single time I come here, I feel welcome' PHOTO: MURALI KUMAR K.

First it was Steve Waugh, the Indophile, and now it is Brett Lee. The Australian speedster, who was in Bangalore to conduct a bowling camp for children at Bishop Cotton's Boys School, couldn't help but gush about India and went to the extent of calling it his second home. The event was sponsored by the beverage brand, Boost.

"India is a beautiful place to visit, it is very hot but I have many great memories from here. I just love the culture here. Every single time I come here, I feel welcome. People are happy to see me. I And I like the children here. They have so many dreams and I want to pass on some of my knowledge to them. That makes me happy."

Pin-up boy

Lee is considered the pin-up boy of Australian cricket and has a legion of female fans. But he says he makes no special effort to create an image for himself. "I just try to be myself. I don't try to be someone I am not. I don't like pretentious people. No one is better than anyone else, everyone is the same."

Off the field Lee's passion is music. He is an accomplished pianist and a bass guitarist. He in fact part of a band called Six and Out that also includes his brother Shane Lee. They recently released their first album Bring It On! that has the number "Can't Bowl, Can't Throw". The effort was not very well received by the music press in Australia and once Queensland cricketer, Scott Muller, even complained that he couldn't bowl or throw for a day after listening to the song. But Lee responds: "We just play for fun."

As a bowler Lee has inspired fear in many batsmen, but not many know that he is afraid of heights. Something Greg Chappell could use this to his advantage, perhaps? "If I was a tall fast bowler I would be very scared. I do get scared of heights and scared of facing Shoaib Akhtar at Perth."

A.S.

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