Born: Subiaco WA
18 July 1949
One of the most fearsome and complete fast bowlers of all time, Dennis Lillee finished a glittering career as the world record wicket-taker with 355 Test victims.
He first played for Western Australia in 1969 and began his illustrious Test career in the same series (1970-71 against England in Australia) as another great WA Test representative, wicketkeeper Rod Marsh.
Marsh stood behind the stumps in all of Lillee’s 70 Test matches and the pair enjoyed success unparalleled in the history of Test cricket. When both retired after the 1983-84 season, they had combined in 95 Test dismissals – more than double the number of any other bowler-wicketkeeper combination.
Lilliee’s career came to a sudden halt in 1973 when he suffered stress fractures of the lower lumbar vertebrae.
He missed the 1973-74 season, but such was the intensity of his build-up to the 1974-75 season that he was able to return stronger and better than ever, teaming with Jeff Thomson to form one of modern cricket’s most devastating fast bowling duos.
Throughout his career, Lillee was recognized as one who gave maximum effort for the team cause. A charismatic figure with a characteristic moustache, he was both feared and revered for his near mastery of the craft of fast bowling. Lillee compensated for the natural loss of speed by developing a repertoire of deliveries which coupled with superb control and an aggressive approach, made him even more successful.
No batsman who faced him will ever forget the withering Lillee “glare”.