Dennis Lillee: Cricket
Dennis Keith Lillee, AM, MBE (born July 18, 1949) is a former Australian cricketer considered to be the “outstanding fast bowler of his generation”. He played for Northamptonshire (1988), Tasmania (1987-1988) and Western Australia (1969-1984). Despite the number of stress fractures in his back, he continued to be a quick bowler with a classic side-on action and had a long run up during the early years of his career. He underwent an intensive physiotherapy routine that was formulated by sports scientist Frank Pyke. LIllee played with the Perth Cricket Club when he was 15 and four years later, he made his Test debut on January 29, 1971 against England, capturing the attention of Australian Test opening batsman, Sam Trimble.
Greatest Sporting Achievements
Lillee holds the record for most Test wickets (355) by 1984, the year he retired. He firmly established himself as one of the most unforgettable and famous Australian sportsmen in history. Lillee captured eight wickets in just five matches during the first-ever Cricket World Cup in 1975. He was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in December 2009. Dennis Lillee has an international reputation as a fast bowling coach.
Some of his honors include Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1971, appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1981 and Member of the Order of Australia in the Australia Day Honors of 2010 and selected as one of the ten inaugural inductees into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame in 1996.
Why Was He So Good?
Dennis Lillee is known for his flaming spirit, perseverance and popularity among cricket fans. His injury didn’t became an obstacle, even became more precise and steadfast and later retired with a career leading Test wicket-taker, taking a wicket off his final ball.
What You May Not Know
- Throughout Dennis Lillee’s Australian career, he was teamed up with wicketkeeper Rod Marsh. They appeared 95 times in Tests and their partnership holds a lot of records between wicketkeeper and bowler.
- In 1978, he married Helen Lillee.
- At the end of the 1969-70 season, he toured New Zealand with Australian second team where he took 18 wickets at 16.44 average.
Related Pages
- More cricket player profiles
- Cricket Bowling Tips For Fast Bowlers
- About Cricket
- Athlete Database home
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