Lee backs Tait to prove himself

Brett Lee © Getty Images

Brett Lee has come out in support of Australia team-mate Shaun Tait after question marks were raised over his bowling action during the ongoing Chappell-Hadlee series.

The Australia squad were angered by remarks emanating from the New Zealand camp about Tait's action in this month's meetings between the two sides.

Lee, who faced similar criticism when he first burst on to the international scene, leapt to the defence of his team-mate after the second match of the one-day Chappell-Hadlee series was abandoned due to heavy rain in Sydney on Sunday.

"When a bloke bowls over 150kph there's always going to be questions," Lee said.

"He's not got a problem with his action; he's got the perfect bowling action.

"I'm happy to stick up for Shaun Tait because I've bowled alongside him a few times and I haven't seen anything wrong with his action.

Shaun Tait is not worried about the criticism he has been receiving © Getty Images

"Shaun Tait isn't worried about it. They (the Kiwis) are entitled to their opinion and we'll leave it at that."

But Lee did admit it is stressful for any bowler when his action is called into question having faced speculation about his own deliveries early in his career.

"That was probably the hardest thing I had to go through early on in my career when someone said my action wasn't perfect and they did question my action," he recalled.

"Those first couple of nights where you get questioned, they question your integrity.

"They're basically saying you're not playing cricket in the right spirit, you're cheating basically.

"Luckily it went to a panel of 10 and it came back 10-nil in my favour, so there wasn't a problem with my action.

"It was a really tough time but I've got that behind me now, I've moved on.

"I know with Shaun Tait, with people coming out and saying he might have a problem with his action, it's going to be tough for him."

Lee took 2-12 as New Zealand crumbled to 30 for three after six overs of Sunday's limited overs clash at an overcast Sydney Cricket Ground.

The rain then swept in making any further play impossible.

Australia are 1-0 up in the best-of-three series heading into Thursday's final match in Hobart.