Siddle keen to assume leader role for young Oz quicks

Sydney: Peter Siddle has transformed his fortunes in recent time as he has gone from a dumped fast bowler to become one of the most senior players in the Australian Test team.

After being overlooked for Trent Copeland on the tour of Sri Lanka towards the end of 2011, Siddle has worked hard on his game, adopted a vegetarian diet, and now truly cemented his spot as leader of the pace attack, News.com.au reports. Following the shock retirement of Mike Hussey, which came a month after Ricky Ponting dropped the curtain on his brilliant Test career, Siddle knows he`ll have even more responsibility in 2013, starting with tomorrow`s third and final Test against Sri Lanka at the SCG. Siddle said that not a lot of players in the Australian dressing room have played over 30 Tests now, and they have been lucky to have senior players like Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey around. Now, Siddle is often vocal at team meetings and in Hobart against Sri Lanka, it was a few pointers he gave Mitchell Starc midway through the match that allowed the young left-armer to take a five-for in the second innings. While Siddle has no desire to become a leader in an official capacity, Siddle wants to guide the likes of Starc, James Pattinson, Pat Cummins, Jackson Bird and even Josh Hazlewood, who are sure to feature at some stage during the hectic Ashes year. The 28-year-old Siddle also didn`t want them to be lazy, something he said he was guilty of when he first arrived on the Test scene at the end of 2008. ANI