Brett Lee's Test Career

[Pratters]

Brett averaged above 30 in tests. However, if you look at his test strike rate, it is 53.3. Given that Steve Waugh asked him to go all out, and it also resulted in him being more way ward than he probably would have been, it is fair to say he did his job in one of the greatest teams fairly well? Lee got you quick wickets, even if he went for a few. That added to the deadliness of the Australians. If you remove Asia and Europe, where he was not that good, Brett Lee took 266 test wickets at 27.5 and a strike rate of 49.2. Tendulkar always rates Lee as one of the best bowlers he faced and Tendulkar's words must count for some thing.

Okay, one can say Lee was a bit less dimensional, not doing too well in England or Asia. However, he was a strike bowler. People are bound to forget bowlers like Lee and Akhtar (who was more **** in the sense that he was unfulfilled and missed half his career), however, they both were capable of running through line ups and without naming names, I would have them ahead of some better average stock bowlers who bowled more economically and thus buttered their averages. Some one who was similar to Lee in the strike sense was Darren Gough imo. A strike rate of just above 50 and an average just below 30. People would forget him 30 years from now. However, they were terrific bowlers a notch or two below absolute great but not mediocre in any way in test terms.

 

[Red]

Quick and a very good compliment to Gillespie and McGrath who could all keep it tight constantly and strike.

There were times when I thought Kaspa and Bichel were more deserving of tests than Lee, but sometimes it's hard to overlook raw pace at a cost, when you can afford it. Good SR as pointed out, also.

Should be noted that when McGrath and Gillespie were retired and Lee became the main man, he went up a notch and bowled better than ever imo.

 

[Dan]

Yeah, I reckon Binga's figures come out looking far worse than they otherwise might have as a result of the role he played in the team.

 

[Athlai]

Remember post-McGrath when Lee finally looked like the fast spearhead that Australia had always dreamed he would be?

1st Test: Australia v Sri Lanka at Brisbane, Nov 8-12, 2007 | Cricket Scorecard | ESPN Cricinfo

God he looked awesome in that series. Thought he'd be the next big thing.

 

[Athlai]

Injuries have cost us the careers of so many players who would have been amazing. It's such a bloody shame.

 

[hendrix]

Is a good strike rate really of such value when playing in a team featuring Warne, McGrath and Gillespie?

 

[Coronis]

Yeah well.. Gillespie and McGrath had similar or better strike rates, he'll always be overshadowed by them.

 

[Red]

Also shouldn't be overlooked that he was a pretty handy batsman and a very good fielder.

Brought people to the game too. My son (8) loves him just thru the Big Bash. Always had that air of electricity when he bowled because of the pure pace.

 

[Contra]

Remember post-McGrath when Lee finally looked like the fast spearhead that Australia had always dreamed he would be?

1st Test: Australia v Sri Lanka at Brisbane, Nov 8-12, 2007 | Cricket Scorecard | ESPN Cricinfo

God he looked awesome in that series. Thought he'd be the next big thing.

I feel that Lee could have continued his good form if he had not been overbowled. I think Australia and Ponting were simply too reliant on him, he looked finished by mid India tour and the subsequent SA tour in 2008.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

His brother was the better player.

 

[indiaholic]

Absolutely loved watching him play! Don't think he is rated unfairly though. He played in a team where it was easier to maintain a good strike rate.

 

[Dan]

Is a good strike rate really of such value when playing in a team featuring Warne, McGrath and Gillespie?

McGrath being a wicket-taking spearhead at the same time as being an economical stock bowler really provided the luxury of playing Lee in that ultra-aggressive manner.

I mean, you've just seen off McGrath and Gillespie. You know Warnie's about to start his spell. Would you rather face Andy Bichel, who you know will be at you all day at 135km/h giving you nothing and supporting the other two, or would you rather face Lee and have 150km/h thunderbolts coming at your nose all spell, because he doesn't have to 'bowl properly' in the channel as you do when you're the attack leader?

Just proves how epic a combination McWarne was, really -- attacking threats who still didn't concede runs in going for the wickets.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Yeah good bowler. Didnt become the spearhead I expected him to be after the 99-00 india series but was ok. He was mediocre for a long stretch of his career though. For all the talk about his strike rate I think without looking at the stats, his SR would've been better when he actually became the spearhead in 07-08 after McGrath and Warne retired. Was awesome in that period, but for the majority of his career he was just all right.

 

[sledger]

Remember post-McGrath when Lee finally looked like the fast spearhead that Australia had always dreamed he would be?

1st Test: Australia v Sri Lanka at Brisbane, Nov 8-12, 2007 | Cricket Scorecard | ESPN Cricinfo

God he looked awesome in that series. Thought he'd be the next big thing.

Given he was already in his early thirties it was probably a bit late for that tbh.

 

[Jono]

Pretty sure Brock Lesnar was the Next Big Thing

 

[vic_orthdox]

McGrath being a wicket-taking spearhead at the same time as being an economical stock bowler really provided the luxury of playing Lee in that ultra-aggressive manner.

I mean, you've just seen off McGrath and Gillespie. You know Warnie's about to start his spell. Would you rather face Andy Bichel, who you know will be at you all day at 135km/h giving you nothing and supporting the other two, or would you rather face Lee and have 150km/h thunderbolts coming at your nose all spell, because he doesn't have to 'bowl properly' in the channel as you do when you're the attack leader?

Just proves how epic a combination McWarne was, really -- attacking threats who still didn't concede runs in going for the wickets.

Or instead of Bichel, there's Kasprowicz who ended up being part of an (arguably) more successful attack.

Think it's fair to raise the idea that Lee was being kept out of the side when bowling at some of his best during 2004 and early 2005, after his shocker against India. Regained fitness and was looking as good as ever, but the attack was working well without him so he became a perennial 12th man.

 

[Jono]

Yeah that McGrath/Gillespie/Kasprowicz/Warne attach was ridiculously good. Particularly in India.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Pretty sure Brock Lesnar was the Next Big Thing

Let's analyse this

The Next Big Thing	Brett Lee
Won King of the Ring in debut season by beating freaking RVD	Bullied ***** teams like NZ, and West Indies in his debut season
Destroyed the Hardy Boyz and looked like a monster doing it	Conceded 200 in an innings against India but still did a pirouettte when he got a wicket. looked more like a girl than usual
Beat Hogan with a ****ing bear hug, who passed out because of sheer manly power	Sang a manly song like a 12 year old girl https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Wb6aLY-OMI
Beat the Rock clean at Summerslam for the title in his debut season	Only won the Allan Border medal in his last year of his career. Obvious sympy vote
Breaks arms with the kimora lock	Breaks arms by chucking the ball from 20 yards away like the ***** he is
The 1 in 21-1	The one who averages 47 vs Bangladesh

I think Brock takes it tbh.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Someone do:

Big Show vs Glenn Maxwell
The People's Champ vs Steve Smith

Jeez, what is it with Australian cricketers and Wrestling nicknames

 

[Jono]

Everything there is true, except you forgot that the medal he won is now known as the AB de Villiers Medal.