PERTH, Jan 9: Australian Test cricket great Dennis Lillee on Friday attacked national coach John Buchanan for playing mind games instead of fixing his side's problems - such as Brett Lee's "no-ball epidemic and uncharacteristic sloppy fielding".

Lillee said Australia's standards had slipped since Buchanan took the reigns in 1999. He said Buchanan ignored his 2001 warning Lee had a no-ball problem, claiming he was powerless to stop bowlers infringing.

"Now problem has resurfaced and that is unacceptable. If Buchanan can't fix it as coach, then he better get in someone who can," Lillee said in his column in West Australian newspaper.

"I don't know how much John Buchanan knows about fast bowling but Aussie 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 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 result of a series.

"Buchanan seems to concentrate on mind games with Australian team but he is making a big mistake if he ignores mechanics of the game." Lee sent down 37 no-balls in third and fourth Tests against India and had two catches disallowed off no-balls in Steve Waugh's farewell Test at the SCG.

His 4-201 return in first innings in Sydney made him only second Australian to concede more than 200 runs in a Test innings. Lillee is certain his protege can return to his best and become one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time, if he gets right advice.

He claimed Buchanan had presided over a lapse in Australia's fielding standards while paying more attention to his side's mental approach.

Australia grassed 15 catches in Test series with India - worst fielding effort by an Australian side in more than a decade. "Buchanan should get Australian team to sharpen its catching and fielding because recently those standards have certainly slipped from high quality former coach Bob Simpson introduced," Lillee said. Buchanan hit the headlines last month by labelling his team's second-Test effort as "un-baggygreen".-PPI