This biography is from “Baggy Green: An Anthology of Australian Test Cricket Players”. You can buy the book here

DENNIS LILLEE

1971-84 (70)

905 runs (HS 73*, AVG 13.71)

355 wickets (AVG 23.92)

23 catches

Perhaps the greatest fast bowler Australia has produced, the career of Dennis Lillee may have been even more impressive had it not been for a series of back injuries that restricted his number of appearances for the national side. 292 Born in Perth in 1949, Lillee made his first class debut for Western Australia in 1969, and made his test debut against the visiting England side in early 1971. The following year he toured England and finished the Ashes series with 32 wickets. Lillee played in the home series against Pakistan in the summer of 1972-73, when he suffered the first of a career long battle with back injuries. He toured West Indies in 1973, but injury forced him to return home mid-tour. After intensive physiotherapy Lillee returned to the test side for the Ashes series in 1974-75. Teaming with fellow fast bowler Jeff Thomson, Lillee terrorised the English batsmen as Australia powered to a 4-1 series victory. In 1975 Lillee made a second tour of England and took 21 wins in a tightly fought Ashes series victory. While on tour Lillee made his highest test score of 73 not out during the test at Lord’s. Lillee took a further 27 wickets in the home series against West Indies in the summer of 1975-76. Later that year Lillee was outspoken about marketing opportunities for players, which helped 293 lead to the formation of World Series Cricket in 1977. Lillee was superb in tests against New Zealand and Pakistan in 1976-77, and took eleven wickets in the Centenary Test against England in Melbourne in 1977. However, his back injury flared again and he ruled himself out of the 1977 tour of England. World Series Cricket counted Lillee as one of its prize recruits, and he was at the forefront of marketing campaigns during the two years of the competition, while continuing to be the spearhead bowler for Australia. Upon the reuniting of the competition in 1979, Lillee was an automatic selection in tests, and he played in the home series against England. During the series Lillee introduced an aluminium bat to international cricket, but the experiment was short lived. Lillee was involved in a heated on field argument with Pakistan captain Javed Miandad in 1981, and took 15 wickets in the three test series. In early 1982 in a home test against West Indies, Lillee overtook Lance Gibbs as the greatest test wicket taker in the history of the game. 294 Lillee suffered further injuries in later years, and retired after the home series against Pakistan in the summer of 1983-84. In retirement Lillee has been a committed bowling coach for young players, and has also served as president of the Western Australian Cricket Association.