Dennis Lillee

[1104912]

lilee is the worst fast bowler ever

[karthikks82]

Lillie is the greatest fast bowler ever

[chowdhary1992]

I wonder why he wasnt banned for his inappropriate behavior!!!

[melun1]

He is quick and accurate so he was very dangerous in fast wickets and got an excelent strike rate in those wickets. But i have to say true fast bowlers can thrive even in slow dead wickets. Take wasim & waqar for example. They played lot of matches in many sub continent dead wickets but were very devestating even in those wickets. Some one tried compare deniss lilee with wasim. Sorry mate

no match. Perhaps Akthar dennis lilee is a better match. You can compare wasim with Glen Mcgrath of course

[Baller4lifeeeee]

@melun1 well said.

[CrazyMouse99]

FU the free forever lillee is awesome u dick head

[TheFreeForever]

Not even a legend because he was scared to tour the Sub-continent and Windies!

He played 3 matches in Pak and averaged a whopping 101.00, 1 in SL with an average of 35.66 and just 1 in the Windies where he bowled 32 overs for 132 runs, no wkts taken.

Cry baby, running away from dead tracks because they didn't suit him.

Sore loser!

[SuperFreddyKruger1]

my teacher thought dennis lillee took drugs

[1206673]

denis lieeee

[SuperFreddyKruger1]

GREATEST FASTBOWLER EVER.

[marxistsoldier]

That would be Micheal 'whispering death' Holding.

[SuperFreddyKruger1]

briaaliant

[Battsamubble]

Haha loads of comments from the same person, and I'm not reading them :P

[27charisma]

I M tellin u dont go read commets below mine, kos itz sooo borin

[Imrankniazi]

Shorter career span? I don't get it, mate.

Lillee played 70 tests against Marshall's 81 and Lillee played between 1970 and 1983; Marshall between 1978 and 1991.

It is true that Lillee displayed great tenacity in coming back after his back injury and even remodelled his action. He deserves a standing ovation for that.

But I still maintain that Marshall was the finest fast bowler ever. Lillee/Hadlee could be 2nd. I'm not sure really.

[yippaoz]

Dont forget that DK Lillee played 15 Supertests & took an amazing 79 wickets. So add those on & compare with Marshall. Also DK missed 18 months with his back, plus another 6 with knee surgery etc. Marshall had the luxury of playing alongside 4 quicks, so he got carried and well rested. DK did the long spells often the main man. Even Viv said DK is the best he's seen & would be 1st pick in his team! DK holds the fast bowling record of 85 wkts in a calendar year. The Bradman of fastmen!!!!

[Imrankniazi]

Mate, all your points are genuine and reveal your good insight and understanding of the game. Please do understand that Lillee (or Hadlee) is possibly the 2nd best ever bowler according to me.

[Imrankniazi]

However, do keep in mind that Lillee has taken most of his test wickets in Australia, England and New Zealand. The fact that he hasn't performed in docile pitches (India, Pakistan etc.) will always force the connoisseurs of the game to take him down a notch or two. Marshall, Roberts, McGrath, Imran and Wasim Akram, I think have an advantage in that department. I would still say that Lillee was more 1-dimensional than Marshall and wasn't as lethal on unsporting tracks.

[yippaoz]

(Part 1) Mate I do apologise if you took offence...it was more tongue-in-cheek than degrading you. I am a mad cricketer, I am still playing 2nd grade now & I am 7 years past the usual retirement age lol.

I agree with you in alot of aspects. I rate Marshall as the best overseas bowler I have ever seen. He was awesome & had the power to intimidate, batsmen were very weary of his powers. Marshall's strike rate of 46 is testament to that. Lillee's was 52

[yippaoz]

(Part 2) but that came at a cost of him being bowled into the ground. With DK, for the large majority his strike rate was the same as Marshall's, but he bowled more balls in a game that any fast bowler in history. Remember when DK cracked 300 test wickets, he was around 12-15 tests less than Statham or Trueman - great men - but bowled the same amount of balls. Pure stamina & ability. Hence he was the "go-to-man." He had the amazing ability to break partnerships coming back from a break &

[yippaoz]

(Part 3) I believe that his big name batsmen list would be the best of any bowler in that era. There's no question there.

In fairness DK did not play much on the subcontinent, BUT the wickets in Pakistan were doctored to take him out of the Test Matches. Lillee had destroyed these oppositions in Australia, so they ensured he was unable to do this on the Asian Continent. I believe that the Australian Continent has all the pitch conditions of all countries abroad,

[yippaoz]

(Part 4) whether it be Adelaide (Asia, West Indies etc), SCG (Pakistan, India), Waca (South Africa, West Indies etc - in terms of batsman's wicket not bounce). Gabba, Melbourne (England) - so I think that is equal.

As they say, you can only compare against the same countries, same grounds etc & DK was equal at home or away. His no's stack up against anyone. Remember Hadlee only playing in NZ or in England at the end of his career & played Sri Lanka more times than DK.

[yippaoz]

(Part 5) the other thing is DK was at the end of his career when the newer teams were being played away. Remember he took half (181) wickets in the space of 3 years at his peak - that is unequalled. The next point is Australia were weak for a period, so when the West Indies beat us up, they were sometimes playing a 2nd or 3rd XI. DK usually cleaned up the top order & rarely got the chance to bowl through the tail & operated in a band of 1 or 2 bowlers, not 4. Hadlee is a just behind DK

[yippaoz]

they were tremendous bowlers - wizards. I admire Sir Richard..if he was an aussie he would be god (lol). Marshall is my 2nd favourite. Pure talent, skill, intimidating, graceful, lethal & agressive - the no.1 West Indian & he would open the attack with DK in my all-time World XI, 1st change Akram & Ambrose. I did some analysis & DK averaged 34 more balls a match than 2nd placed Aussie McGrath, I checked through them all. It doesnt sound much but that is 1 more wkt a match that is a champion

[yippaoz]

of champions. DK was the man the West Indies were scared of. Clive Lloyd said watching Dennis was watching perfection, the greatest he has ever known. Tony Cosier said that when they saw him in 1973 when he was Superquick, all said he is the greatest to ever play in the Carribean. That must carry enormous weighting. Imagine if he was in the current Aussie team (say 10 to 3 years ago), McGrath's 563 wickets would look worthless - DK would've taken 700 with proper body management.

[yippaoz]

Let's agree that I would have BOTH of them opening the bowling in my team. It was Marshall that approach DK Lillee & asked him how to bowl the outswinger & leg cutter - he didn't possess these & The Master taught him.

[yippaoz]

To me that is Ponting asking Bradman how Not to edge to 1st slip the outswinger - as we know Ponting is not The Don, but he would be a good apprentice - gotta love cricket. Like when DK terrorised the West Indies in that famous 2nd Boxing day test, taking 3/3, bowling Viv last ball of the day to have them 4/10 - all in 35 minutes, then taken a 10 wicket match. The West Indies should have romped home in that match, but deep down They Knew

[yippaoz]

, that Only Dennis had the talent, power & skill to destroy them single handedly. Hence I admired him because he produced on every big match stage. Like Viv Richards, they are the best 2 cricketers I have ever seen. Hence in Wisden & ESPN teams, they are in it.

[yippaoz]

Lillee is the 1st fast bowler chosen - at No: 6 in order but the 1st fast bowler. He was magnificent, THAT runup, toying with batsmen etc. I loved Marshall, he hurt so many players, broke so many stumps, never gave up & was a sportsman. I have a signed cricket ball in my collection that I have had for 25 years since a kid - I still think he is a champion of champions - none come close to these 2.

[Imrankniazi]

This bloke is a great cricket fan. Respect!

[marxistsoldier]

You don't know what doctored means, doctored means altering the pitch DURING the Test. Preparing a pitch to suit your strengths is not doctoring.

[Imrankniazi]

Lillee Best ever?? Malcolm Marshall would be rolling in his grave!

That said, Lillee is a great fast bowler and a great coach today that is mentoring young aspirants.

[bluehachiroku]

liiiiiiilllleeeeeeeee LLLIIIIIIIIILLLLLLEEEEEEEEEE

lil-lee lil-lee lillee lillee lillee  HOWZAT!

it was a great team back then..

[walkintripod1]

best bowler ever

[timechannel]

in 1970 he was the fastest..think his back played up a bit and had to settle for 90 mph and swing and sublety..

First 2 guys on my Team Sheet.

No3 D.Bradman

No.9 DK Lillee

[lomax343]

Best ever? Of those I've seen play the best pacemen were (alphabetically) Ambrose, Hadlee, Holding, Lillee, Marshall & McGrath.

If absolutely forced to pick one of the above, it would probably be Malcolm Marshall.

[yippaoz]

Your eyes need laser surgery!!!

Lillee, Marshall, Holding, Hadlee, Khan, McGrath. Ambrose is after Garner, Roberts, Akram.

[lomax343]

If you take the trouble to read my post, you'll note that I place Ambrose first ALPHABETICALLY, not on pace-bowling merit. Perhaps, rather than criticise my eyes, you get some reading glasses.

[sparrowssavvygirl]

love the lillee!!!!!

[indiancheese]

Speaking of the Aluminium bat, might be a good one to get, eh?

[aladdinstardust]

One of the greatest bowlers ever. He had speed, skill,guile, attitude and heart. HOWZAT?!?!

[chesmaster2]

don't be too sure about Mr. Aluminum Bat. lmao

[aladdinstardust]

yes, surprised that a bowler would try that. Imagine if it had have taken off?