#4 Brett Lee
Credited with bowling the third fastest delivery in international cricket history, Brett Lee, though quite successful, fell slightly short in terms of the huge potential he exuded after bursting onto the scene during the 1999-00 Test series against India. Lee made it to number nine among highest wicket-takers in WCs despite playing at least one tournament lesser than everyone else ahead of him on that list (he missed the 2007 WC on account of injury).
Lee had an excellent 2003 World Cup, finishing as the second-highest wicket-taker (behind Chaminda Vaas) with 22 wickets at an average of 17.9 and an acceptable ER of 4.73. The tearaway quick’s five-wicket burst in the Super Sixes round subjected New Zealand to the ignominy of being bowled out for 112 and all but cemented Australia’s place in the semi-finals. Lee was particularly effective against sub-continental teams, picking three wickets each against India, during the qualifying round, and Sri Lanka, in the crucial semi-final. The right-hander’s tight spell of 2-31 in the all-important final against India, in partnership with McGrath, snuffed out any hopes which the batting team may have harboured while chasing the imposing target before them, to help Australia win their third WC crown.
Though included in Australia’s WC 2011 squad, questions were being raised on his ability and match fitness, but Binga silenced critics by ending up as Australia’s highest wicket-taker in the tournament and often waged a lone battle against opponent batsmen, with most of his fellow bowlers having a miserable WC. Facing Pakistan in a must-win encounter (to avoid meeting India in the quarters) in their final qualifying match, the Australians were bowled out for 176. Lee bowled his heart out during the second innings, but his 4-28 was the only spell of note as Pakistan squeezed home to a four wicket victory.
Australia’s bowling was even more toothless against India, and, though Lee took skipper MS Dhoni’s wicket at a crucial juncture, the hosts, on the back of composed innings from Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina, cruised to the victory target of 261 with 5 wickets to spare. Battered and bruised (from a cut while attempting to save a boundary), the Telegraph heaped praise on Lee’s valiant effort and stated that the quick tried everything to prevent Australia losing, which even skipper Ricky Ponting acknowledged:
"If we all had that sort of attitude and that will in his eyes to get the job done, then things may have been slightly different"
Matches | Wickets | Average | ER | SR | Score | Score Differential | |
Overall | 221 | 380 | 23.36 | 4.76 | 29.4 | 3269.1 | 1339.2 |
WC | 17 | 35 | 17.97 | 4.57 | 23.5 | 1929.9 |
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