Lee is not in right mental state: D'Costa

Sydney, Oct 22 (IANS) Brett Lee's on-field spat with skipper Ricky Ponting has not come as a shock for Neil D'Costa, one of Australia's leading coaches, who says the pacer's recent marriage break-up is the reason behind his current mental state.

The bowler is under immense pressure after his divorce with Liz Kemp and was likely to have such outbursts at some point, especially in a gruelling tour to India, D'Costa said in the Australian media.

Lee locked horned with Ponting Monday in Mohali following the skipper's decision not to bowl him as Australia tried to avoid a humiliating defeat.

'Situations like this are happening in all sport in this country, so I am not throwing stones at cricket,' D'Costa said.

'And I'm not saying Brett should not be there. But I wonder whether the right personal support mechanisms have been in place.

'It is unfair to say that the way he is playing or the way the team has been playing has caused Brett's reaction.

D'Costa, who runs a cricket academy for juniors, insisted that Lee's snap was a one-off incident due to his current circumstances.