Smiling assassin Brett Lee retires from international cricket, says enough is enough

Australian fast bowler Brett Lee retired from international cricket on Friday, just days after he was forced to return home from England after sustaining another injury and a few months before he had pencilled in a possible exit from the game, says a report in The Indian Express.

The 35-year-old, who first announced his decision on his Twitter page, sustained a right calf strain in the fourth one-day international of Australia’s limited overs tour of England and was forced to return home for further examination and treatment.

“The last two or three nights I have thought about it a lot and I woke up this morning and thought this was the right day to do it,” Lee told a media conference at Sydney Cricket Ground. “It’s almost like there has been a huge weight lifted off my shoulders. I have been a bit anxious the last two days. It has been a hard few days.”

According to a report in Hindustan Times, Lee said his original plan had been to play at September's World Twenty20 tournament in Sri Lanka as his international swansong.

"I think personally in a team environment you have to have 100% commitment -- mentally and physically," he told a press conference at the Sydney Cricket Ground. And I guess looking at the next few months I just didn't have that desire any more. It wouldn't be fair on me, or my team if I went with that attitude... you get to the point in life where you say enough is enough," said Lee.

Meanwhile Deccan Herald reports that one of the world's fastest bowlers who made India his second home, Australia's Brett Lee today announced his retirement from international cricket ending an injury-ravaged career that spanned 13 years. The 35-year-old affable pacer, who retired from Test cricket in 2010, had been most recently laid low by a calf injury.Lee, a part-time bass guitarist who enjoys a huge fan-base in India, said he could not carry on anymore given the suffering his body has endured.

"It has been a dream career, I guess, 13 years at the top. I couldn't ask for much more," Lee told 'Channel Nine'.

Meanwhile The Hindu report says that rated among the most fearsome fast bowlers in modern era, the ever-smiling six-footer took 380 wickets in 221 one-day internationals and 28 wickets from 25 Twenty20 appearances for Australia. Interestingly his Test career began against India, a country he frequents for reasons beyond cricket.

It was a sensational debut in 1999 as Lee grabbed seven wickets - five in the first innings itself to announce his arrival at the international stage. But the promise he held out at the start of his career was hampered by frustrating injury breakdowns. The speedster underwent as many as four surgeries on his right ankle itself besides enduring shoulder problems.

However, that didn’t affect his commercial appeal either in Australia or India, where he collaborated with the legendary Asha Bhonsle for a hit song and made a cameo appearance as himself in a Bollywood movie.