Brett Lee tips this Aussie all-rounder to shine at WC

'Marcus Stoinis is genuine all-rounder who can win a game with the bat and with the ball.

'He’s quick enough to bowl on the front line and I think he’ll be pretty handy in these conditions.'

Brett Lee is putting patriotism aside, admitting it would be ‘great’ if England won the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup. 

The 2003 World Cup winner boasts an outstanding record on cricket’s biggest stage, taking 35 wickets at a handsome average of 17.97. 

And while he is as Australian as they come, Lee admits if the host nation lifted the World Cup for the first time, he would be delighted. 

“It would be huge for Australia to do it again, but I must say it would be great for England to win it,” said Lee, speaking at the Opening Party in the shadow of Buckingham Palace. 

“There will be big crowds at the World Cup and they will only get more and more fervent if the home team does well.

“I think England probably needs that energy back into cricket, the energy we saw in the 2005 Ashes.

“I did an interview the other day and spoke for an hour about the 2005 Ashes. 

“I still say it’s the favourite series I’ve ever played in. I loved every single moment of it.

“It would be good for England if they won, and it’s not easy for an Aussie to say that!"

Australia are the most successful side in World Cup history and have won the tournament on four of the last five occasions. 

Justin Langer’s side were in the doldrums as recently as January but series victories over India and Pakistan have revived their hopes.

Lee featured in some of one-day cricket’s most fearsome bowling attacks and this time round his nation bring some fearsome pacers to England & Wales.

But as Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc steal the headlines, Lee tips an Australian all-rounder to make the biggest impact. 

“It’s also about peaking at the right time when you go into a World Cup,” he said.

“I think Australia are doing that, although we haven’t played a lot of great cricket back-to-back in the last 12 months.

“Pat’s a superstar and a key player, while Mitch can bring the ball back in and rip someone’s pad off.

“With Jason (Behrendorff), he can bring a beautiful, subtle change and (Nathan) Coulter-Nile can bowl well too. Australia have a good attack. 

“(Marcus) Stoinis, to me, he’s my pick. I’m chipping up on him.

“His presence excites me. When he walks in to bat, you can see he means it. He wants it.

“He’s a genuine all-rounder who can win a game with the bat and with the ball.

“He’s quick enough to bowl on the front line and I think he’ll be pretty handy in these conditions.”

International Cricket Council