Chief national cricket selector Trevor Hohns denies Michael Kasprowicz's position is in jeopardy and has strongly backed him to rebound from a forgettable 22-run over at Telstra Dome.

Kasprowicz had been Australia's Mr Consistency since breaking back into its line-up this year but suffered a shock form blip that led to a four-wicket loss to New Zealand.

Adding to the fact the Queenslander went for 22 in a nightmare 48th over in Chappell-Hadlee Trophy opener, Test 12th man Brett Lee made an impressive international return in taking 2-40.

Lee's efforts from eight lively overs upped the pressure on Kasprowicz heading into the first Test against Pakistan on the traditionally-quick WACA ground in Perth, starting December 16.

Hohns was encouraged by the blond tearaway's performance but went out of his way to shift any blame from Kasprowicz for the last-over loss and praise his 2004 form.

"Kasprowicz has been an outstanding performer over the last 12 months and he went for a few runs in one over in a one-day game and that can happen to anybody at anytime," said Hohns, who felt Australia's total of 6-246 was 15-20 runs short.

"It was one over in a one-day game."

The 22-run over - which featured two boundaries by Brendon McCullum, another from Hamish Marshall and a leg-side wide that went to the rope for five - was the fourth most costly over by an Australian in one-day history.

Taking it away, Kasprowicz had 1-31 from eight otherwise tight overs.

"I'm not the first bowler to go for a few runs in a one-day game and certainly won't be the last. Unfortunately it happened at that point in time in the game," said Kasprowicz, who has been Australia's stand-out one-day bowler in 2004.

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