Born: 8 November 1976, Wollongong, New South Wales
Major Teams: New South Wales, Australia.
Known As: Brett Lee
Batting Style: Right Hand Bat
Bowling Style: Right Arm Fast
Brother:
Lee, S;
Test Debut:
Australia v India at Melbourne, 2nd Test, 1999/00
Latest Test:
Australia v England at Sydney, 5th Test, 2002/03
ODI Debut:
Australia v Pakistan at Brisbane, Carlton & United Series, 1999/00
Latest ODI:
Australia v India at Johannesburg, World Cup, 2002/03
First-class Debut:
Australian Cricket Academy v New Zealand Cricket Academy at Hamilton, 1994/95
List A Debut:
New South Wales v Canberra at Canberra, 1997/98
TESTS
(including 02/01/2003)
M I NO Runs HS Ave SR 100 50 Ct St
Batting & Fielding 27 28 5 498 62* 21.65 56.84 0 2 3 0
O M R W Ave BBI 5 10 SR Econ
Bowling 862.2 179 3023 102 29.63 5-47 4 0 50.7 3.50
ONE-DAY INTERNATIONALS
(including 23/03/2003)
M I NO Runs HS Ave SR 100 50 Ct St
Batting & Fielding 65 27 8 295 51* 15.52 83.09 0 1 13 0
O M R W Ave BBI 4w 5w SR Econ
Bowling 560.3 43 2642 122 21.65 5-27 5 3 27.5 4.71
FIRST-CLASS
(1994/95 - 2002/03; last updated 08/04/2003)
M I NO Runs HS Ave SR 100 50 Ct St
Batting & Fielding 55 63 11 868 79 16.69 56.32 0 3 12 0
O M R W Ave BBI 5 10 SR Econ
Bowling 1741 371 5802 231 25.11 7-114 12 2 45.2 3.33
LIST A LIMITED OVERS
(1997/98 - 2002/03; last updated 07/04/2003)
M I NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct St
Batting & Fielding 86 37 11 383 51* 14.73 0 1 18 0
O R W Ave BBI 4w 5w SR Econ
Bowling 754.4 3427 153 22.39 5-27 6 3 29.5 4.54
- Explanations of First-Class and List A status courtesy of the ACS.
Given that he has carried a tag as being one of his country's fastest ever bowlers virtually right from the time of his first-class debut in 1995, it is probably no great surprise that Brett Lee has duly become one of the world's most exciting pace bowlers. The younger brother of one-day international all-rounder Shane, he is indeed a thrilling player to watch. He approaches the bowling crease at a bristling gallop from a long run-up, thrusts his front arm high, and then releases the ball at thundering speed from a nicely balanced side-on position. The pace that he generates is disarming and it is not uncommon for the speed of his deliveries to be clocked at a rate well in excess of 140 kilometres per hour. In April 2000, he unleashed one measured at 156 kph in a one-day international in Johannesburg. Two years later, and also in South Africa, two of his deliveries were clocked at better than 157 kph in a Test. It is this attribute above all else which is the crucial factor in allowing him to defeat batsmen with a mix of short and full deliveries and to force them into errant strokeplay off both the back and front foot.
Like so many good fast bowlers before him, Lee has already been forced to endure adversity along the pathway to success. He sustained stress fractures to his back and was kept out of the game for several months before kickstarting his career again in late 1998. He also had elbow surgery in February 2001, which limited his effectiveness during Australia's subsequent tour of England.
His talent has seen him overcome most obstacles, though, as reflected in his rapid and startlingly successful accession to international company, including five wickets in a sizzling debut Test innings (against India in Melbourne in 1999-2000). The blond-headed Lee is only young and is naturally still learning. His most recent challenge is one which ultimately faces all true express bowlers: to maintain his wicket-taking ability in Tests, while also keeping a good economy rate in limited-overs matches. But the fact that he has created such a mark in international cricket says much in itself. His future looks gilt-edged. (John Polack, May 2000; updated October 2002)