BRETT Lee was scheduled to be rested from last night's match against South Africa, only to be recalled after Glenn McGrath left the squad to be with his wife, Jane, upon learning of her cancer diagnosis.
From such an emotional, disjointed preparation, Lee somehow managed to turn in one of the performances of the summer, claiming 4-30 and sealing a commanding 80-run victory for the Australians.
South Africa's defeat still leaves the door ajar for Sri Lanka to snatch a finals berth against Australia. The home side, meanwhile, will begin its finals preparations unsure of whether McGrath will rejoin the side, as he supports his wife through her third battle with cancer.
A Cricket Australia statement said McGrath's immediate intention was to continue playing. The news does, however, raise some doubt over the long-term playing future of the most successful paceman the game has known, who turns 36 next week.
In McGrath's absence last night, Lee was at his menacing best. Regularly bowling faster than 150kmh, the right-arm paceman claimed South African captain Graeme Smith with the second ball of the innings, then removed Justin Kemp, Mark Boucher and Johan Botha in his eighth over.
Lee was supported by some superb fielding - not least James Hopes's John Dyson-esque catch at fine leg to remove Kemp - and economic bowling from his pace partners Stuart Clark (1-34 off eight overs) and Brett Dorey (0-48 off 10), ensuring the Proteas (9-201) were never in with a shout of Australia's 7-281.
Australia's total was always going to prove a difficult chase on a slow, low Telstra Dome wicket. Highlighted by the powerful late-order hitting of Michael Hussey (62 from 44) and Andrew Symonds (65 from 50), the Australians took to the second innings in a confident mood; a sense that grew exponentially upon Lee's prompt removal of Smith who, despite being hit in line by an in-swinging full toss, could feel a trifle unfortunate.
The Australians at one stage were struggling against the miserly bowling of Shaun Pollock (0-20 off 10). But Hussey enlivened the half-full stadium with a brisk innings that seemed to be motivated by an incident involving South African paceman Johan van der Wath.
After the South African paceman seemed to deliberately block Hussey's running path - fittingly, at the Lockett End - the left-hander blasted the first four deliveries of van der Wath's next over to the boundary. Umpire Aleem Dar penned a note immediately after the incident - although, even if van der Wath is to incur a penalty from the officials over the incident, surely it could be no more harsh than that meted out by Hussey in his next over.
- ALEX BROWN and TREVOR MARSHALLSEA