Cricket Speakers

Former fiery Australian world class fast bowler and a great character from the game. When he is in this country and available



Dennis Keith Lillee was an Australian cricketer.

Australia´s most consistent fast bowler during the 1970s and early 1980s, 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 and had firmly established himself as one of the most recognisable and renowned Australian sportsmen of all time.


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 1974-1975 home Ashes series against England, and the pair combined with devastating effect to help Australia to an emphatic 4-1 series victory.


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 1980-1981 home series against India passed Richie Benaud´s record for most Test wickets for Australia.


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 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 ´caught Marsh bowled Lillee´ appeared 95 times in Tests, a partnership record between wicketkeeper and bowler that is yet to be broken.


By the time of his retirement Lillee was the most successful Test bowler in history, with 355 wickets at the outstanding average of 23.92, although his record was eventually taken over by English bowler Ian Botham