The minnow argument isn't crap, nor is playing home games in much more condusive conditions, but the minnow argument is mitigated by the fact that Murali took a far higher number of top order wickets than Shane did and as I believe it was Miagra who asked why Flower's wicket and the Zim or Bangladesh openers wickets should count less that the amount of times that Wrne got Harmisson's scalp. The fact that Murali greatly benefitted from bowling in Sri Lankan conditions at home is evident but also loo at their records agains each country away. Not any discernible difference at all. Of course not all the sample sizes are not ideal, but here's what the stats say. In England Murali averaged 19, Warne 21. In South Africa Murali 26, Warne 24. In Pakistan Murali 24, Warne 28. In India Murali 45, Warne 43. In New Zealand Murali 19, Warne 21 and Finally in the W.I Murali averaged 23 vs Warne's 39. How anyone could look at that and conclusively state that Warne was the better bowler is beyond me. So even with out the minnows and home court advantage, there is not to choose between them.
As for Lillee, I have never heard an argument as to why he is better than Marshall, far less considered the best ever. If it was Marshall with the better stats but played in the pre helmet era, never really played or succeeded in the sub continent, while playing most of your games in three seam friendly countries I could understand. But Lillee was the one who enjoyed those advantages while still Marshall still had the better numbers and career. Where Lillee deserves credit was being able to come back from a career threatening injury and reinvent him self, but all bowlers have to do that as they get older and loose their pace, but still credit has to go to him for what he had endure. Lillee like Viv spent part of their peaks in WSC but while Viv and Chappell stood out (along with the other Richards, though with much less matches), while Lillee had the most victims, his numbers were basically the same as his career numbers and what Holding, Robers and Imran did. But once again, considering the compretition that was still an amazing feat. In fact indurance apart, there wasn't much to separate Lillee from Holding far less McGrath, Ambrose, Trueman, Imran and Marshall. He was a warrior and one of the very best ever, but never understood, charisma apart why Aussies condidered him, and by some distance the very best ever.