Sydney: Former Australian pacer Brett Lee equated his country's pace attack for the upcoming Cricket World Cup at home to the "biggest wolf pack" he has ever seen, claiming that it poses a serious threat to the rival teams in the mega-event beginning February 14.
Mitchell Johnson is the leader of the pace quartet comprising the in-form Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, all capable of touching the 150 kmph mark.
"The thing that excites me is if you look around the world there's not many bowling attacks that have serious pace. And we've got four guys who can bowl touching 150," Lee was quoted as saying by the Sydney Morning Herald.
"Johnson, let's park him aside because he's a genius.
He's always the first picked, he's the leader of the attack, he's the guy that can dominate, it's very important he can run in, bowl aggressively and bowl fast, dominate and lead.
"Then you have Hazlewood, Starc, Cummins, who can work around Mitchell Johnson and make it the biggest wolf pack that we've seen. It's exciting for me," he added.
"They're all pretty tall, too. They're all big, big boys.
Someone at 6'5 bowling at 150 ks an hour, I know where I'd rather be - standing at mid-off watching them do it," said the once fearsome fast bowler."
Lee is especially happy for Starc, who has looked ominous so far in the ongoing tri-series against India and England with 10 wickets in two games.
"Mitchell Starc has been bowling fast. I don't know whether it was the comment in the paper about him not running in and bowling quick, something's stirred him up and he's bowling rapid," said Lee.
"That's what he needs to do to go to the next stage of his career - 150 km/h to a right-hander is an absolute nightmare to face when the ball shapes back in. He has a lot to offer."
The 38-year-old Lee is excited about the talent coming up and feels there are eight fast bowlers ready to make the World Cup.
Besides the "the wolf pack", he said Gurinder Sandhu, Ryan Harris, Sean Abbott and the injured Nathan Coulter-Nile were good enough to perform at the big stage.
"There's probably eight quicks in Australia now who could play in the World Cup," he said.
Lee reckoned death bowling will be crucial in the tournament.
"If someone can nail that they almost put up their hand to get a walk into the Australian cricket team.
"If I'm a young guy coming through, I'm not just bowling in the nets and trying to bowl outswingers and nick off, I'm trying to tail the old ball back in, I work on my fielding, my death hitting as well because they're three aspects Australia need to win.
"You're not a bowler anymore. You're a bowler who can bat at the death, hit some big bombs and you have to be a genius in the field. Pat Cummins throws himself around like he's 5'6 and he' s 6'3."
