FAST bowler Brett Lee has dived into his own pocket to fly Dennis Lillee from Western Australia as he aims to overcome a form slump that threatens his place in the Test team.
Lee phoned Lillee last week and arranged to fly him over to work with him during the one-day VB Cup series.
It is a sign that Lee is serious about becoming the spearhead of the Australian attack and it also represents a slap in the face for the coaching structure of the national team.
Despite a low-budget team like Zimbabwe affording a bowling coach in former Test left-armer Bruce Reid, the Australians do not have a coach to work specifically with their bowlers.
Former Australian all-rounder Shane Lee defended his younger brother in the wake of criticism that Lee's form against India might cost him his Test position.
"I know he got eight wickets at around 60 a piece, but I don't know of too many other bowlers who created as many chances in the last two games," Shane Lee said.
"I'd be more concerned if he took only four wickets from the only four chances he created. He definitely wasn't at his best, but I thought he bowled well at times with the new ball.
"He's got Dennis Lillee to fly over and spend some time with him, because he wanted him to work on the run-up and the no-balls. Hopefully he'll have some tips to help him out."
Lee, 27, was nurtured by Lillee as an aspiring fast bowler a decade ago.
"Dennis has worked with him since he was at the cricket academy when he was about 17," Shane Lee said.
"He knows his game really well and I'm sure he'll be a great help. Brett's paying for that out of his own pocket, so it's something he's obviously taking seriously and wants to fix.
"Looking at his action (against India), I thought it was pretty good.
"People forget it's not easy coming back from injury, especially when you go straight into a Test match against probably the best top six in the world on flat wickets."
Lee struggled badly with his run-up at the SCG, sending down 37 no-balls. Two of those illegal deliveries had Indian batsmen caught behind.
His haul of 4-201 in India's mammoth first innings was only the second time an Australian bowler has conceded more than 200 runs in an innings and his average of 31.66 is the highest it has been in his 37-Test career.
Lee's call to Lillee reinforces the view that Australia need a full-time bowling coach.
With Australia in a transitional stage, especially in the bowling ranks, the likes of Lee, Nathan Bracken and Brad Williams may require greater guidance.
India's recruitment of Reid appears to have paid dividends with the modestly performed Ajit Agarkar suddenly punching holes in the Australian top order, with six-wicket hauls in both the Test and one-day arena.
Lillee, in his newspaper column in Western Australia, blamed Australia's coach John Buchanan for Lee's no-ball problem, which he says he warned about in 2001.
"Now the problem has resurfaced and that is unacceptable," Lillee wrote.
"If Buchanan can't fix it as coach, then he better get in someone who can.
"I don't know how much John Buchanan knows about fast bowling, but the Australian coach doesn't need a degree in rocket science to get Brett Lee back on track.
"The fault can be repaired, but if this team is the professional unit it claims to be, then why hasn't a plan as simple as getting his approach sorted out been put in place?
"Missing wickets because of no-balls can change the result of a series."
Lee is expected to play today in Australia's VB Cup one-day match against Zimbabwe at the SCG.