Sydney, Sep 22 (ANI): Veteran paceman Jason Gillespie has said that Brett Lee is more than ready to carry the Australian attack in India.

Gillespie believes that Lee, who served as a fast bowling reserve in 2004, has helped transform him into a driven, ferocious competitor.

"We must have been bowling well to keep a bowler like Brett Lee out of the team," the Sydney Morning Herald quoted him, as saying.

"I really think that the period where Glenn, 'Kasper' and myself were bowling together was the real turning point for Brett. It gave him an incredible hunger for Test cricket, and he just trained the house down. He knew that his mates were in really good form, and that he had to work hard. I think that, in part, it made him the bowler he is today."

"He will go down as one of the best fast bowlers the game has seen. He looks like a bit of a pretty boy with the blond hair and the guitar, but he's an absolute warrior underneath. You can't imagine what he puts his body through," Gillespie added.

He said that Lee is a completely different bowler to the one in the 2001 Ashes series. Back then, he was trying to do something different with every ball, but now he is patient and works to a plan.

Australian bowlers exploited a lack of fitness among key Indian batsmen four years ago, and a leading figure from that breakthrough series is adamant Ricky Ponting's new-look pace attack holds a similar advantage this time around.

Gillespie believes a key component to Australia's success then was his team's fitness and willingness to experiment with unorthodox game plans.

Having observed little physical improvement in the Indians in recent seasons, the 33-year-old is certain Australia's superior conditioning will prove a crucial factor in the Border-Gavaskar series over the next two months.

Gillespie partnered McGrath, Michael Kasprowicz and Shane Warne when Australia last embarked on a Test tour of India.

This time, Australia's bowling hopes will most likely rest with Brett Lee, Stuart Clark, Mitchell Johnson, Shane Watson and Bryce McGain - none of whom have played a Test in India. (ANI)

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Sydney, Sep 22 (ANI): Australian captain Ricky Ponting has said that the expert security advice his team received halted what could have been a disastrous tour of Pakistan.

A suicide bomber detonated a truck packed with explosives on Saturday in Islamabad, killing about 60 people and injuring 200 at the Marriott Hotel.

It has been described as one of the biggest terrorist attacks in Pakistan's history, and there were fears more dead would be found inside the hotel, a popular gathering place for politicians, foreigners and the Pakistan elite.

"It's devastating for the people involved in Pakistan. I mean, we'd be talking hypothetically, if us being in the hotel or England or South Africa being in the hotel ... I think what we've done, and what we've done right the way through, is that we just have to listen to the advice from the experts and our Department of Foreign Affairs," Ponting said.

"Security advice right the way through has been (that) they have not been happy for us to tour Pakistan, so obviously nothing has changed right now," the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Ponting, as saying.

"It is an absolute shame that things like this continue to happen in Pakistan, because, believe it or not, as players you want to travel all around the world and play in all the conditions around the world, but unfortunately right at this moment there's no way we could be touring Pakistan," he added.

Australia were due to play in Pakistan this week but the Champions Trophy was postponed after several countries, including Australia and South Africa, refused to travel there.

Commenting on the bombings in Pakistan, Cricket Australia spokesman Peter Young said: "Our reaction is that it's terribly sad and tragic news. Australian cricket has got a lot of friends in Pakistan and I think everyone at the national level is really sorry to hear this sort of continuing news coming out of the place." (ANI)

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Melbourne, Sep 22 (ANI): Australian all rounder Andrew Symonds took his first step towards rehabilitating his stalled international cricket career with a low profile but successful comeback to the playing field in Brisbane.

Making a rare appearance for his club side, the Gold Coast Dolphins, the Queenslander was watched by dad Ken and mum Barbara as he took on a University side containing former Test batsman Martin Love, the Daily Telegraph reported.

Playing for the first time since he was sent home from Darwin last month after the "gone fishing" fiasco, Symonds looked like he hadn't missed a beat as he hit a composed 30 (52 balls).

Symonds, who last week insisted he would return to the Australian side a "better person", smacked one giant trademark straight six before he was caught by Love at slip.

The 33-year-old showed further promising signs at the bowling crease and struck with his fifth delivery when he had former Queensland batsman Steve Farrell caught brilliantly in the deep.

Symonds, who is set to return to training for the Queensland Bulls, finished with the figures of 2-25 (8.1 overs) in an outing he could be well pleased with.

"It was not too bad really but I'm sure I'll be sore tomorrow,"' Symonds said after play.

"It was nice to get out there and have a hit and run around and catch up with a few of the boys. I am looking forward to getting back into a bit of a routine at Bulls training this week," he added.

Symonds still has several major hurdles to jump before he can be considered for a recall to the Australian side this summer.

He has to return to the first-class arena but more importantly regain the trust and respect of his Australian teammates, who felt let down by his actions in Darwin and other disciplinary lapses. (ANI)

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London, Sept.21 (ANI): Former England footballer Paul Gascoigne aka "Gazza" seems to have completely lost it.

A secret video of him talking to bemused drinkers at a pub that he visits frequently shows him insisting that he tried to steal two billion pounds from the Pope. He also says President George Bush wants him to marry his daughter.

According to The Sun, this astonishing rant, gives a worrying insight into how warped Gazza's mind is.

He makes several other wild claims in the disturbing video.

He claims Pope John Paul - who has been dead for three years - phoned him up while he was watching EastEnders.

Swaying and chain-smoking, a sozzled Gazza swears on his own and his parents' lives that he's telling the truth.

In another drunken rant he bizarrely talks about making cash by stealing from Newcastle's Metro ticket machines.

The footage was filmed at the Metz Experience bar in Dunston, Tyne and Wear, where he spent much of last week getting drunk with locals.

The rambling pub chats are the latest in a long line of crazy antics from the former Spurs ace.

Gazza, 41, has been sectioned twice in the last year. He has also been involved in several booze-fuelled incidents in hotel rooms and pubs and has been in and out of rehab.

Unaware he is being filmed, the star says: "I'm in the f***ing pub, watching EastEnders, John Paul rings us up. Yeah, Pope John Paul rings me up.

"I know where he lives, in his house. I've f***ing been there, all around the Vatican. (He's got) billions of pounds kicking around. I tried to run away with a couple of billion."

Gazza then tells of the call from the White House.

He says: "The f***ing White House called us. I spoke to the White House. I swear on me life, and me mum and dad's life.

"I wanted to speak to someone I needed to speak to. He wasn't there. He was in the Pentagon. So I called the Pentagon.

"But the guy who works at the Pentagon who works close to President Bush. His daughter wants to marry me. I went: 'f*** off.'

Gazza is then seen betting 500 pounds that he can beat a fellow drinker at a game of pool.

The England legend wins the game but is too sozzled to even notice.

Medical experts said the videos showed how "disturbing" and "worrying" Gazza's life has become.

One psychologist said: "He should get proper help as soon as he can." (ANI)

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