Brett Lee

Brett Lee

Australia

Full name Brett Lee
Born November 8, 1976, Wollongong, New South Wales
Current age 30 years 113 days
Major teams Australia, New South Wales
Nickname Bing
Playing role Bowler
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling style Right-arm fast
Height 1.87 m

Statsguru

Batting and fielding averages

	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100	50	4s	6s	Ct	St
Tests	59	65	13	1098	64	21.11	1962	55.96	0	3	132	15	17	0
ODIs	150	68	27	739	57	18.02	901	82.01	0	2	37	22	35	0
Twenty20 Int.	3	2	1	58	43*	58.00	41	141.46	0	0	5	2	0	0
First-class	94	108	20	1644	79	18.68	2963	55.48	0	5			28	0
List A	179	84	35	848	57	17.30			0	2			39	0
Twenty20	3	2	1	58	43*	58.00	41	141.46	0	0			0	0

Bowling averages

	Mat	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BBI	BBM	Ave	Econ	SR	4	5	10
Tests	59	12279	7300	231	5/30	8/123	31.60	3.56	53.15	11	7	0
ODIs	150	7729	6048	267	5/22	5/22	22.65	4.69	28.94	11	6	0
Twenty20 Int.	3	60	72	1	1/26	1/26	72.00	7.20	60.00	0	0	0
First-class	94	18862	10844	392	7/114		27.66	3.44	48.11		16	2
List A	179	9300	7129	305	5/22	5/22	23.37	4.59	30.49	12	6	0
Twenty20	3	60	72	1	1/26	1/26	72.00	7.20	60.00	0	0	0

Career statistics
Test debut	Australia v India at Melbourne - Dec 26-30, 1999
Last Test	Australia v England at Sydney - Jan 2-5, 2007
ODI debut	Australia v Pakistan at Brisbane - Jan 9, 2000
Last ODI	Australia v England at Sydney - Feb 11, 2007
Twenty20 Int. debut	New Zealand v Australia at Auckland - Feb 17, 2005
Last Twenty20 Int.	South Africa v Australia at Johannesburg - Feb 24, 2006
First-class span	1994/95 - 2006/07
List A span	1997/98 - 2006/07
Twenty20 span	2004/05 - 2005/06

Notes

Bradman Young Cricketer of the Year - 2000
Wisden Cricketer of the Year 2006

Profile

If Brett Lee were a Ferrari ... No. There is no if. He is already the fastest in the world, equal with Shoaib Akhtar at a flicker above or below 100mph, and always seems on the verge of striking a body or a wicket. At the 2003 World Cup, during which he took a ferocious hat-trick against Kenya, Lee was a polished star, while Shoaib was a novelty act. It was the same in the 2004-05 VB Series - Lee's pace was blinding; Shoaib's was hamstrung. When Lee releases the throttle and begins that smooth acceleration, the spectator stays his drinking hand. The leaping, classical delivery may produce a devastating yorker, a devilish slower ball or a young-Donald outswinger. Add a dash of peroxide, a fruity vocabulary, a trademark jump for joy, a stylish bat, a streak of sadism when bowling at tailenders, a pop group (Six And Out), and an endearing dedication to a job at a gentleman's outfitters, and you have the 21st century's first designer cricketer - not to mention a priceless pin-up boy.

While Steve Waugh unleashed him in a dramatic opening of 42 wickets in seven Tests before an elbow operation, Ricky Ponting gave Lee a blueprint for lasting success that didn't rely solely on bouncers or yorkers. "The way that Ricky has captained my personal bowling over the last couple of years has just been brilliant," he said early in 2006. "Going back two or three years, I wasn't really sure what they wanted me to do." Lee's next statistical goals are 250 wickets and an average below 30, while status as an allrounder is another wish.

Lee's career hasn't always been easy. He struggled against accusations of throwing, bean balls, stress fractures and other injuries, and had a strangely barren first Ashes series in 2001. Three years later he U-turned from ankle surgery, but was stuck in the pits of the dressing room as he ran drinks and sponges in nine consecutive Tests. He returned to the fold for the 2005 Ashes series and earned plaudits for his never-say-die attitude and 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.

Lee's 2006 brightened further when he partnered Kasprowicz in a nail-biting win over South Africa that eased the pain of the previous near-miss. It was an important summer as he assumed the role of attack leader when Glenn McGrath first struggled for impact and then pulled out of tours to South Africa and Bangladesh to care for his sick wife. Lee moved into the position he had craved since crashing on to the Test scene with 5 for 47 against India, and he celebrated 89 international wickets for the season with lawnmower, hunting and leaping celebrations. A summer later he earned 20 wickets in the Ashes series and was on track for the World Cup before suffering an ankle injury in New Zealand.