Cricket: Aussie fast bowler to play game for Volts

Australian fast bowler Brett Lee is flying to Dunedin to play one game for the Volts next week.

Lee's surprise recruitment was only confirmed last night, hours after Otago sealed a home twenty/20 final with a seventh straight win.

The 36-year-old, a veteran of 76 tests and 221 one-day internationals, will arrive on Monday night and play for Otago against Canterbury at the University Oval on Tuesday. Lee would then be eligible to play for the Volts should they win the HRV Cup and qualify for the lucrative Champions League.

Otago chief executive Ross Dykes says it is a sound move.

''I can understand the odd raised eyebrow but we think this is a good compromise.

''It will be this game only. We've made it clear the local players, who have done so well for us, deserve to play in the final.''

Lee's recruitment was discussed with the Otago players, who endorsed the move. Lee is a friend of Otago import Ryan ten Doeschate.

Otago loses Black Caps Jimmy Neesham and Nathan McCullum for the rest of the twenty/20 competition, so it seems likely Lee's arrival will not push out impressive young fast bowlers Jacob Duffy or James Fuller.

The Volts were the first New Zealand representatives at the Champions League when they were soundly beaten in 2009.

Otago's win over Wellington and Canterbury's win over Northern yesterday guaranteed the Volts would host the twenty/20 final on Sunday, January 20.