Brett Lee

Is that a plane, is that a bird? No, its not even Superman, its none other than the fastest bowler in the world, he who has clocked a flicker above or below 100 mph and has blown the opposition’s top, middle and bottom order with his sheer pace. This Ferrari of cricket is none other than Brett Lee.

A native of Wollogong, Brett Lee has had quick success in absolutely no time in his international career. He has been able to scalp around a total of 500 wickets till date at the international level. Introduced to test cricket in 1999 under Steve Waugh’s captaincy when he was a young lad of 23, he played his first match against India at Melbourne and in a period of 7 test matches that he played, he took 42 wickets. He practically had the opposition running for cover whenever facing the ball from his end as he released his arsenal of fiery bouncers and yorkers. Brett Lee’s introduction to International cricket couldn’t have been more dramatic. He had to undergo an elbow operation after that brief spell of havoc that he created and was out of action for some time.

When he returned, things were different now, Ricky Ponting was captain and he gave Lee a blueprint for lasting success that didn’t solely rely on bouncers or yorkers. This strategy helped Lee refine his game and improve his technique. Lee was a much consistent bowler than what he was before but he was still not in his prime form. The long woes of injuries kept on and his absence in the team meant bad news. Adding to injuries, he even faced accusations of throwing, bean balls and stress fractures. He played his first Ashes in 2001 but was hardly able to make his mark even though Australia had won the series. Lee needed a good series to get back to shape and needed it fast. His prayers were answered finally as he played his first ever World Cup in 2003. At the World Cup, during which he took a ferocious hat-trick against Kenya and blasted the opposition away in every match, Lee was a polished star. He was back in the game and he was dangerous.

His counterpart, the infamous ‘Rawalpindi Express’, Shoaib Akhtar has always proven to be a great competitor and a novelty act but while Lee’s pace was blinding, Shoaib’s was hamstrung. Along with the pace, Lee had now got some tricks up his sleeve. To name a few, there was a devastating yorker, a devilish slower ball or a wayward outswinger. By now, Lee had honed his batting skills as well and was now looking forward to demolish the opposition with his bat too. His ability to slog the ball outside the ground and steal the quick singles could easily make any bowler lose his temper.

Lee was awarded the Bradman Young Cricketer of the year in 2000 and Wisden Cricketer of the year in 2006. Known as ‘Bing’, Lee performed in the 2005 Ashes with lots of fervour and earned plaudits for brave performances with both bat and ball. He nearly pulled off a win for Australia with a battling 43 at Edgbaston, but his partner-in-crime Michael Kasprowicz fell at the contentious final hurdle. Andrew Flintoff’s consoling of Lee seconds after the catch was 2005′s defining image.

Brett Lee could be defined as a man with a fruity vocabulary, a trademark jump for joy, a stylish bat, a streak of sadism when bowling at tailenders and a never-say-die attitude. In other words, the pin-up boy of the 21st century.