Is he the nicest guy on the international cricket circuit? Or is he an aggressive demon sending down thunderbolts that aim to rip out wickets and batsmen with merciless speed? And is he, at speeds up to 161 kmph, the world’s fastest bowler.
Certainly Aussies speedstar Brett Lee is having the time of his life. He has joined an exclusive club of bowlers after taking 250 wickets – only the ninth Australian to do so. And, after years of being the third or even the fourth pace bowler in the Australian team, he’s now the speedy star, the man who’s given the ball to put fear in the hearts of opposing batsmen. What’s more, only Shoaib Akhtar can claim to be faster than him – and there are fewer questions about Lee’s action.
For Lee the comeback began in July 2005 when he returned to the Australian team after an enforced 18-month rest because of injuries. Suddenly, under the captaincy of Ricky Ponting, Lee was a transformed man on the field turning out fiery spells that ripped the guts of some opposing teams. The transformation showed in his bowling figures when he turned in stupendous figures of 63 wickets in just 13 matches. “What separates cricketers with potential from great cricketers is how much pain they can withstand and still push it”, says the speedstar who has been laid up with injuries for more than one spell during his career.
His new found form has been recognized by everyone in the international cricketing world. He has been named – along with captain Ricky Ponting – one of five Wisden Cricketers of the Year for 2006. Even sceptics in the press gallery have been impressed by his performance. “He’s a missile delivery system with orders to take out South African batsmen”, said a South African newspaper after he cut through the Proteas’ batsmen. In a slightly more balanced tone the Australian delivered the verdict that: “He has established himself as the best performing quick in the world”.
He may be accused of being hostile as he sets stumps flying with breathtaking speeds, but he has a boyish charm and happy-go-lucky that belie his fierce on-field reputation. “An aggressive body with a healthy attitude is a must. But aggressive doesn’t mean abusive. I would rather concentrate on getting a wicket rather than abusing the bloke opposite me”, he says gently.
How fast is fast? Shoaib Akhtar, otherwise known as Rawalpindi Expr
ess has once bowled at 161 kmph. But Lee matched that in 2005. Says Lee: “I usually clock 150 kmph. My fastest ball in the summer 006 was 159.6 kmph in Durban against South Africa. The fastest so far has been the 161 kmph at which I bowled in summer 2005 against New Zealand.”
But Lee has been hitting the high notes in more ways than one since 2005 July. He’s turning something of an all-rounder and has been wielding the willow in a swashbuckling fashion on more than one occasion. His aggressive style has netted him many fours and sixes, including one gigantic hit which flew out of Gabba (Brisbane).Amazingly, cricket commentators say that it was the biggest six to ever be hit at that ground.
The pin-up boy of Australian cricket is also a favourite with advertisers and his return to form helps that too. He was in India recently, dressed in a stylish sherwani and dhoti for the launch of a new range of Timex watches for which he is a brand ambassador.
But it hasn’t been easy at any stage. Lee made his debut in the Australian Unde-19 team that toured India in 1994 but was then laid up with injuries. For years later he played for New South Wales for the domestic Sheffield Shield Tournament. Soon after, the word began to get around that he was probably the fastest bowler in Australia.
Lee burst onto the international cricket scene soon afterwards by taking 5 wickets for 47 against India. But he has always been hit badly by illness. He has had, “a complete fracture through the vertebrae”, when he was 19 and again when he was 23 years old. He was forced to wear a huge frame to help him recover. A combination of pilates, yoga and exercise helped him strengthen his back. Says Lee: “Sometimes you can’t possibly help what happens. I keep in shape by training my abdominals and lower back. I do a lot of stretching to make sure that my hamstrings and cords are always strong.”
Nursing a broken back however didn’t mean that Lee sat idle at home. He was out of one job but had another – as a suit salesman at a retailer called Barclay’s Menswear in Sydney. Amazingly, Lee, the feared fast bowler and star of the Australian team still sells suits as he has been doing for the past 14 years.
“My motto in life is that if someone gives you a start in life, make sure that you stay committed to them. Being loyal is th
e most important thing in life. Richard Bowman (the owner of Barclay’s) gave me the job when I was barely 19. I was playing first grade cricket and I wasn’t even in the state team”, recalls Lee who had gone to get measure up for the junior Australian team jersey with his mother when he received the offer from Bowman.
It was at the store that he learnt about the nitty-gritty of fashion and fabrics, techniques, size and fittings. Lee fell straight into it. He became a “walking public relations machine” – whenever he was in the city he would dress up in Barclay’s suits and shirts. The 31 year old even has his own clothing range, Brett Lee-The Label. And he retails it only from Barclay’s.
The BL range started off as casual wear label “for the fit and the fashionable”, but it has also lately moved into corporate wear. “It’s not only my name that sells clothes. There are Europeans who come and buy them, people who possibly wouldn’t know anything about cricket or Brett Lee. It makes me feel nice. That apart, of course, my friends wear my clothes. A couple of Indian cricketers has been to Barclay’s and bought my label”, Lee says.
When Lee isn’t on tour or selling suits, he likes to make music with his band, Six and Out. But it’s not a solo act. There’s older brother Shane and their three friends who are also state cricketer. Younger brother occasionally joins them when they perform.
While on tour, Lee carries along his guitar. Apart from the bass and electric guitar, he plays the drums, piano and mouth organ.
Brought up in Wollongong, New South Wales, Lee is the second of three sons, the children of Bob and Helen Lee. The three brothers grew up in typical Australian fashion always staying outdoors playing soccer, basketball and skiing during their school holidays. Lee has never forgotten his first “real” cricket match. On a sunny Australian day he came blazing up to the wicket and ended up taking six wickets in one devastating over. Some members of the opposing team burst into tears and their parents complained he was bowling too fast. Lee, the torrid tormentor was all of nine years old.
With the endorsements like Timex, Boost, Travelex (foreign exchange), Weet Bix (health food), Kookaburra (cricket gear) and New Balance Shoes in his bag, Lee is clearly living the high life. The living proof of it is in the fact that Lee can sell anything within a few minutes of entering Barclay’s. “Richard can confirm that,” smiles the cricketer.
What next? Well, he’s about to get married next month to fiancée Elizabeth Kemp. “Getting engaged was the best thing that happened to me,” says Lee with a broad smile.
The wedding was a small family affair. He says: “Both our families were there. Liz is the best thing to happen to me. We met about seven years ago when we kind of fell for each other. And now that I am heading home off for five full months, I want to spend most of the time with her and my folks. If someone told me that I had to give up fashion, cricket and my music to guarantee my family’s health and happiness, I’d do it.”
Recently there has been decline in his performance which led Australia loosing the Border-Gavaskar Trophy to India 2-0 held in India. Lee accepted that his decline in performance was due to break up with Liz and the court case about the custody of his son.
Assembly Of God Church School,Class X (Purulia)
