Dennis Lillee

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Dennis Lillee Australia (Aus)
Batting style	Right-handed batsman (RHB)
Bowling type	Right-arm fast (RF)
	Tests	ODIs
Matches	70	63
Runs scored	905	240
Batting average	13.71	9.23
100s/50s	0/1	0/0
Top score	73*	42*
Balls bowled	18467	3593
Wickets	355	103
Bowling average	23.92	20.82
5 wickets in innings	23	1
10 wickets in match	7	n/a
Best bowling	7/83	5/34
Catches/stumpings	23/0	67/0
As of 31 December 2004 Source: Cricinfo.com

Dennis Keith Lillee (born July 18, 1949 in Subiaco, Western Australia) is a former Australian cricketer. Australia's most consistent fast bowler during the 1970s and early 1980s^{[citation needed]}, Lillee was known for his fiery temperament, 'never-say-die' attitude and popularity with the fans.

In the early part of his career Lillee was an extremely quick bowler, but a number of stress fractures in his back almost ended his career. Taking on a strict fitness regime, he fought his way back to full fitness, eventually returning to international cricket. By the time of his retirement from international cricket in 1984 he had become the then world record holder for most Test wickets (355), and had firmly established himself as one of the most recognisable and renowned Australian sportsmen of all time.

Contents 1 Early career 2 Comeback from injury 3 Later career 4 After retirement 5 Teams 5.1 International 5.2 Australian state 5.3 English county 6 Career highlights 6.1 Tests 6.2 One-day internationals 7 Controversy 7.1 World Series cricket 7.2 'Heavy Metal' 7.3 Lillee vs Miandad 8 Awards, records and accolades 9 See also 10 External links

[edit] Early career

Lillee made his debut for Western Australia in the 1969-70 domestic season as a raw twenty year old, immediately impressing with his pace and work-rate.

Within two years he had been called up to the Australian national team, making his Test debut in the home Ashes series against England in Adelaide, January 1971. He took 5 for 83 off 28.3 overs, a fantastic result for a debut match.

Representing Australia against a World XI in December of that year, he destroyed a powerful batting lineup including the likes of Sir Garfield Sobers, Clive Lloyd, Rohan Kanhai and Sunil Gavaskar, taking 8 for 29 in the first innings of the match on his home ground in Perth.

Lillee followed this performance up with a successful Ashes tour of England in 1972, starring in a 2-2 drawn series, with 31 wickets at the outstanding average of 17.67.

For his performances in the 1972 series, Lillee was selected as a Wisden Cricketer of the Year for 1973.

[edit] Comeback from injury

In 1973, during a tour of the West Indies, Lillee was diagnosed with an incredible four spinal stress fractures, and he was forced out of cricket.

Many journalists and fans alike thought that his career may have ended, but Lillee persevered and put himself onto an intensive physiotherapy course, reshaping his bowling action.

Following his strict fitness regime, Lillee returned to competitive cricket just eighteen months after being diagnosed with his potentially career-ending injuries, and soon re-established himself in the Australian Test team.

He was paired with fellow fast bowler Jeff Thomson - whom many consider to be the fastest bowler of all time - for the 1974-75 home Ashes series against England, and the pair combined with devastating effect to help Australia to an emphatic 4-1 series victory. In 1975, the University of Western Australia timed Lillee's bowling at 154.8 km/h.

[edit] Later career

Lillee had improved his bowling action into one that is now universally considered as almost perfect, and many considered him "the complete bowler".

He became the second quickest bowler ever to reach 200 Test wickets, after former Australian leg-spinner Clarrie Grimmett, and in the 1980-81 home series against India passed Richie Benaud's record for most Test wickets for Australia (248).

In 1977 Lillee was one of the Australian players to join World Series Cricket, backed by media mogul Kerry Packer, resulting in his enforced absence from the Test and one-day international teams.

Lillee became the then-world record holder for number of Test wickets in 1981 during one of his most famous Test performances. Late on day one of the traditional Boxing Day match in Melbourne, Lillee ripped through the strong West Indian batting line-up, dismissing Desmond Haynes, Colin Croft, and (famously) Viv Richards, to leave them at 4 for 10 at stumps. The next day he went on to innings figures of 7 for 83, and his dismissal of Larry Gomes saw him pass Lance Gibbs' record of 309 Test wickets.

Still a huge hit with the fans, Lillee continued his international career until famously retiring along with Greg Chappell and Rod Marsh after the Sydney Test match against Pakistan in January 1984; many consider this 'triple retirement' had an adverse impact on the Australian national team as their performances soon slumped.

Throughout his Australian career Lillee was also famous for his partnership with wicketkeeper Rod Marsh, and the scorecard entry 'c Marsh b Lillee' appeared 95 times in Tests, a partnership record between wicketkeeper and bowler that is yet to be broken.

It was Tony Lock, the former England spinner who captained West Australia for a time when it entered the Sheffield Shield competition, who gave Lillee his nickname FOT (F......g Old tart) in response to some youthful whining from the then up and coming fast bowler.

By the time of his retirement Lillee was the most successful Test bowler in history, with 355 wickets at the average of 23.92.

[edit] After retirement

Although he retired from international cricket in 1984, Lillee continued playing first-class cricket until 1988 for Tasmania in the Australian domestic scene, undoubtedly helping them to become a recognised force in the Sheffield Shield competition at the time.

During the 1990s and in the early years of the 21st century Lillee has dedicated himself to educating and improving young fast bowlers, working closely with bowlers from all around the world. He is currently considered one of the finest fast bowling coaches in the world.

Lillee continued playing social cricket until 1999 for the traditional ACB President's XI match against touring sides at Lilac Hill. In his final match he took three wickets alongside his son Adam.

[edit] Teams

[edit] International

• Australia

[edit] Australian state

• Tasmania
• Western Australia

[edit] English county

• Northamptonshire

[edit] Career highlights

[edit] Tests

Test Debut: vs England, Adelaide, 1970-1971
Last Test: vs Pakistan, Sydney, 1983-1984

• Lillee's best Test batting score of 73 not out was made against England, Lord's, 1975
• His best Test bowling figures of 7 for 83 came against West Indies, Melbourne, 1981-1982

[edit] One-day internationals

ODI Debut: vs England, Manchester, 1972
Last ODI: vs West Indies, Lord's, 1983

• Lillee's best ODI batting score of 42 not out was made against West Indies, Perth, 1981-1982
• His best ODI bowling figures of 5 for 34 came against Pakistan, Leeds, 1975 World Cup

[edit] Controversy

[edit] World Series cricket

Lillee wasn't immune to controversy through his career. In 1977 he was one of the top Australian cricketers to sign up for World Series Cricket, which forced him out of mainstream international cricket for a number of years.

[edit] 'Heavy Metal'

One of the most infamous incidents in Lillee's career occurred at the WACA cricket ground in December of 1979. Australia were playing England, and were in trouble at the end of the first day, at a score of 232/8 with Lillee not out. When the second day of play began, Lillee emerged onto the field carrying not the traditional willow bat, but a cricket bat made from aluminium. The bat, manufactured by the company of Lillee's good friend Graham Monoghan, was intended only as a cheap replacement for traditional cricket bats for schools and developing countries. Nevertheless, Lillee decided to use it in the Test match, and at that point, there were no rules against using such a bat.

The trouble began on the fourth ball of the day, when Lillee straight drove a ball from Ian Botham. The ball went for three runs, and nothing appeared untoward. However, Australian captain Greg Chappell thought that the ball should have gone for a four, and instructed twelfth man Rodney Hogg to deliver a conventional wooden bat to Lillee. As this was happening, English captain Mike Brearley complained to umpires Max O'Connell and Don Weser that the metallic bat was damaging the soft, leather cricket ball.

Lillee instructed Hogg that he wasn't going to change his bat, and assumed a posture to face the next delivery. Brearley, Lillee, and the umpires held an animated discussion for almost ten minutes, before Chappell decided that the game would be held up if things continued. He emerged onto the ground, took one of the willow bats from Hogg, and instructed Lillee to be quiet and use the bat. Lillee threw his aluminium bat away in disgust ("[throwing] the offending lump of metal fully 40 yards towards the pavilion")[1], and grudgingly took the wooden bat.

Astonishingly, Lillee was not censured or disciplined for this incident. Both the umpires and the Australian Cricket Board decided to let Lillee off with only a warning. After the game, sales of the bat skyrocketed for a few months, with Monoghan giving Lillee a small cut of the profits. This only lasted a few months though, before the laws of the game were amended, specifying that bats had to be made from wood. The actual wooden bat that Lillee used is still in his possession. After the match ended, he had it signed by both teams. Brearley, realising a sales stunt when he saw one, simply signed the bat "Good luck with the sales".

[edit] Lillee vs Miandad

Described as "one of the most undignified incidents in Test history", the clash between Lillee and Pakistani batsman Javed Miandad in 1981 was especially explosive.

Miandad turned Lillee behind square for a single, and in completing an easy run, he collided with the bowler. Eyewitnesses agreed that Lillee was to blame and most observed that he had deliberately moved into the batsman's path. According to Lillee, Miandad struck him from behind with his bat. Lillee then turned to confront Miandad, and Miandad lifted his bat above his head as if to strike him. The unedifying images of Tony Crafter, the umpire, stepping in to hold back Lillee while Miandad wielded his bat like a deranged javelin thrower were beamed around the world. The Australian Board acted, reducing the fine fixed by players from A$200 to A$120 and adding a two-match ban. Cynics noted that the punishment ensured that Lillee missed two fairly low-key one-day internationals, and none of the Tests. [2]

[edit] Awards, records and accolades

• He was one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1973
• He was inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame in 2002
• He was selected in the official Australian Test Team of the Century
• He was immortalized in the Men at Work song "No Restrictions" with the line: "Hear the cricket calling, switch on the TV, sit and stare for hours, and cheer Dennis Lillee."

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

• Cricinfo Page for Dennis Lillee
• HowSTAT! statistical profile of Dennis Lillee
• Infamous Cricket Incidents - Dennis Lillee vs Javed Miandad

Persondata
NAME	Lillee, Dennis Keith
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION	Cricketer
DATE OF BIRTH	July 18, 1949
PLACE OF BIRTH	Subiaco, Western Australia
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH