Australia's 2003 World Cup winning paceman nominates his fast bowlers to watch at this year's tournament
Brett Lee's top three World Cup quicks
Ahead of the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup in the United Kingdom, former Australia quick Brett Lee has cast his eye over the best fast bowlers running around and picked his top three.
Lee, who won the 2003 World Cup as the spearhead of the dominant Australian side, has selected two countrymen and an Indian superstar as his top trio of ODI fast bowlers.
In no particular order, Lee starts with Australia's lethal left-armer who is nearing peak fitness after recovering from a chest injury he sustained in February's Canberra Test match against Sri Lanka.
"You'd have to stick with Mitchell Starc," Lee told cricket.com.au. "He's still got that quality. When that pace is up he's hard to go past."
Starc was the 2015 Player of the Tournament for his 22 wickets at 10 runs apiece and reached 100 ODI wickets in just 52 matches, becoming the fastest pace bowler to reach the milestone.
He claimed 2-34 from 8.2 overs in Australia's unofficial World Cup warm-up win against the West Indies overnight and has been working on regaining and maintaining that deadly swing he has used to great effect.
Following Starc, Lee nominated India's Jasprit Bumrah as one of the three premier quicks in the world.
"What a wonderful bowler," said Lee. "He's got a good record, wonderful yorker, good pace."
Bumrah has 85 wickets after 49 one-day internationals, taking a wicket every 29.4 deliveries at a cost of 22.15 runs each.
While he is potent with the new ball, it's at the end of an innings where Bumrah really shines.
Along with Starc, Bumrah has perhaps the best yorker in the world and can bowl it equally effectively at top pace or as a slower ball.
Finally, Lee selected Pat Cummins to round out his top three.
"Pat Cummins: pace, accuracy, variations," he said. "He can do it all."
In the absence of Starc and Josh Hazlewood, Cummins has been given the ball in 2019 and responded with bulk wickets.
In six matches this year, the 26-year-old has taken 17 wickets at just 14.29 while striking every 19.5 balls.
The right-armer has also been dynamic at the close of an innings, using his array of slower balls and change-ups to limit scoring and capture wickets.
2019 World Cup
Australia's squad: Aaron Finch (c), Jason Behrendorff, Alex Carey (wk), Nathan Coulter-Nile, Pat Cummins, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa
May 22: (warm-up) Australia beat West Indies by seven wickets
May 25: (warm-up) England v Australia, Southampton
May 27: (warm-up) Australia v Sri Lanka, Southampton
June 1: Afghanistan v Australia, Bristol (D/N)
June 6: Australia v West Indies, Trent Bridge
June 9: India v Australia, The Oval
June 12: Australia v Pakistan, Taunton
June 15: Sri Lanka v Australia, The Oval
June 20: Australia v Bangladesh, Trent Bridge
June 25: England v Australia, Lord's
June 29: New Zealand v Australia, Lord's (D/N)
July 6: Australia v South Africa, Old Trafford (D/N)
July 9: Semi-Final 1, Old Trafford
July 11: Semi-Final 2, Edgbaston
July 14: Final, Lord's
For a full list of all World Cup fixtures, click HERE