Brett Lee

[sohum]

Lee is awesome.

The reason he isn't being mentioned now is because he is in the prime of his career. People tend to mention players as greats when they have finally fallen out of that prime (or in Ponting's case, made that prime so damn long).

 

[tassietiger]

IMO Brett Lee >>> Stuart Clark

Clark can do batsmen for accuracy and consistency, whereas Lee can do batsmen and accuracy, consistency and pace

Glenn McGrath used to say that he just bored the batsman enough to get them out. So all he had was accuracy and consistency as well. He's still a far better bowler than Lee was, is, or will be. I think Clark is better for the same reason. He has more accuracy and consistency than Lee, and he also gets seam movement quite often.

 

[jordox]

He isnt in the calibre of Thommo and such, but he's up there.

Brett Lee has been bowling 50 times better than Thompson ever did recently. He's a lot better.

 

[Simbazz]

LH is correct, he has a worldwide reputation for being the gentleman of cricket, which for an Australian recently is wierd

Guys, i wasn't actually mentioning his cricketing abilities really, i was talking more of his attitude, mentality and the way he goes about his cricket.

He truely is one of the finest quick gentlemen to play the game.

 

[smssia0112]

Probably is a nice guy, but as has been said, not anywhere near the class of those other players who get praised regularly. I'm willing to go out on a limb and say he'd be the second best fast bowler in Australia (in Tests) if it weren't for the fact Ponting never bowls Stuart Clark.

I agree. Clark is very underrated, dominates when he's given a good bowl. I still can not believe that a debutant in Johnson gets the new ball while Clark misses out. Would be fantastic with it.

IMO Brett Lee >>> Stuart Clark

Clark can do batsmen for accuracy and consistency, whereas Lee can do batsmen and accuracy, consistency and pace

Lee is nowhere near as consistent and accurate as Clark. Lee's other attribute is movement.

As for overall, Lee is one of the best sports in cricket, and has definitely improved his bowling a great deal lately.

 

[Left_Hander]

I agree. Clark is very underrated, dominates when he's given a good bowl. I still can not believe that a debutant in Johnson gets the new ball while Clark misses out. Would be fantastic with it.

I think Ponting prefers Johnson over Clark with the new ball is because of the left-right hand combination. Lee swings it away from the right-hander and Johnson back in. Though Johnson for my liking always sprays it way too wide in his opening spell.

One thing in Lee's game that is underrated is his fielding. He is an awesome outfielder. Has a very strong arm and is very athletic.

 

[angryangy]

Glenn McGrath used to say that he just bored the batsman enough to get them out. So all he had was accuracy and consistency as well. He's still a far better bowler than Lee was, is, or will be. I think Clark is better for the same reason. He has more accuracy and consistency than Lee, and he also gets seam movement quite often.

McGrath joked around a bit, so it's hard to quote him. He does honestly say that if you can hit the top of off stump nine times out of ten, then you have done most of the work, but McGrath also had some freakish skills that set him apart from similar players. I think this was epitomised when he broke Kevin Pietersen's ribs.

Look around, Gillespie, Pollock and Vaas became mere shadows without the vigour of youth. Stuart Clark has struggled from the outset with one day cricket. McGrath had a lot more ability than these players. Few players can claim to have dominated their final year so comprehensively and yet play so little of it. McGrath didn't lose his ability to penetrate, in fact, faced with a less economical game, he was getting as many wickets as he ever did. He had been retired for six months before his 39 wickets were surpassed.

Stuart Clark isn't going to follow in McGrath's footsteps. He's a very good bowler who might well reach 200 Test wickets, but there's more to a great bowler than what Clark has.

Brett Lee might find himself 500 wickets and if his body follows that far, he will be the most experienced Test fast bowler ever. Lee has been able to add accuracy to his array of weapons, but above all else, his greatness stems from his undying resolve. He fights hard and has the ability to give more effort than all but a select few. He's the guy you want for an uphill battle, the one you want to come into the attack whenever you desperately need a wicket. Lee isn't Glenn McGrath either, but he might well be good enough to simply be Brett Lee, a unique bowler and a clone of noone.

 

[Cricketman]

Lee owns. Period. He's a fantastic cricketer and a great role model for kids on and off the field. He's a TRUE gentlemen.
Ricky could use some tips from his strike bowler.

 

[irottev]

Lee is one of my favorites. Because he is a great bowler for starters but a really good sport.

 

[Adarsh]

I'd see how long Lee can keep this up. At the moment he's brilliant, but he needs to carry on. He wasted the last 5-6 years really, it's only now that he's shining.

 

[venom2011]

I'd see how long Lee can keep this up. At the moment he's brilliant, but he needs to carry on. He wasted the last 5-6 years really, it's only now that he's shining.

Yeah...and because of that he'll never be in the very top bracket of fast bowlers, but at the moment he is the best (even though he's being chased down quickly by Steyn) and rightfully so.

 

[shravi]

Lee is my favourite Australian player along with Clarke. At the end of today's match, we saw an example of his sportsmanship when he went to congratulate Sachin. I've always had tremendous respect for him.

 

[tassietiger]

Look around, Gillespie, Pollock and Vaas became mere shadows without the vigour of youth. Stuart Clark has struggled from the outset with one day cricket. McGrath had a lot more ability than these players. Few players can claim to have dominated their final year so comprehensively and yet play so little of it. McGrath didn't lose his ability to penetrate, in fact, faced with a less economical game, he was getting as many wickets as he ever did. He had been retired for six months before his 39 wickets were surpassed.

Fair enough, Clark isn't as good as McGrath. I'd be foolish to suggest he was. But he plays in a similar way, and I'd rather an inferior McGrath model than Brett Lee.

Comparing Clark and Lee statistically shows that Clark has a better average, economy, and, interestingly as Lee is lauded as an attacking bowler who takes wickets frequently, Clark also has a better strike rate. Lee has played more matches, but that shouldn't count against Clark as it is the selectors' error. The only thing really going for Lee is that he is closing in on Clark's average. Lee's average has now snuck under 30, and is at 29.97. Clark's average has just ballooned drastically to 21.88.

Lee would need to take 101 wickets for no runs to make their averages equal, or Clark would need to go for 0/550. The way Clark has bowled since his selection suggests that Lee would be better off shooting for the 101fer.

And on top of that, all of this talk about Lee being the perfect sportsman, he stares down batsman regularly to intimidate them. Might seem like nothing, but watch Stuart Clark bowl. Never gives a harsh look to anyone, ever. So not only does he have him covered in the bowling stakes, but the sportsmanship stakes too.

 

[iloveireland]

McGrath was and always will be better than Lee though

 

[aussie_ben91]

I think all of the players shake hands with batsman who've just played a superb knock. I remember seeing Ishant Sharma shake Andrew Symonds hand after he made 162* despite Sharma should've having him out on 31. I don't think I've ever seen a bowler bowl a beamer to a batsman and then see them go straight back to their mark without apologizing either.

Lee is definately not the best fast bowler in the world, Shane Bond is.

You can't say that you've never seen Brett Lee sledge a batsman either.