Bret Lee's decision to retire from Test Cricket might have been good for the bowler, but certainly not for iSporter Akshay Iyer, who seems to have missed his bowling ace while penning this piece.
Brett ‘Binga’ Lee has won many a contest with the best batsmen from around the world during his Test career for Australia, but this was one battle he tried his best to win before throwing in the towel. The battle in question – his injury-ravaged body’s ability to cope with the rigours of Test match cricket.
Lee’s decision to retire from Test cricket has brought an end to a glittering career in which he took 310 wickets in 76 matches, including 10 five-wicket hauls in an innings. Lee, Australia’s fourth-highest wicket-taker, burst on to the Test arena with a five-wicket haul in his debut innings against India in Melbourne on December 26, 1999. He took two more wickets in the second innings as Australia thrashed India by 180 runs to win the match.
Before making his international debut, Lee was already making waves playing for New South Wales in the Australian domestic competitions. He had made his name as a genuine quick bowler with toe-crushing yorkers in his arsenal. Rather than being bogged down by added expectations after graduating to the highest level of cricket, Lee soaked in the atmosphere and gave an early indication to his teammates, opponents and fans of the magic to follow in later years.
Lee, 33, gradually became the intimidating factor in Australia’s bowling line-up, as he provided commendable support to Glenn McGrath and Jason Gillespie; who would both be the first to admit that they picked up wickets because of Binga’s hostility from the other end. Lee always wanted to lead the bowling attack for his country and that opportunity came his way after McGrath retired in early 2007.
Lee grabbed the opportunity to lead the Aussie bowling attack with both hands as he took 58 wickets in nine matches across series against Sri Lanka, India and West Indies in 2007 and 2008. Unfortunately for Lee and his fans, that was amongst the last burst of hostile fast bowling that would be hurled down by the NSW pacer in Test matches. Lee’s woes started when he suffered with a serious stomach bug during Australia’s tour to India in 2008. The bug not only resulted in a weight loss, but also robbed Lee from making any sort of impact as Australia lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Though Lee bowled reasonably well during New Zealand’s tour to Australia, he picked up only one wicket in the first two Tests against South Africa at home. And, things went from bad to worse, when Lee was forced to hobble off towards the end of the second Test match against South Africa at the MCG with a fractured left foot. That would eventually turn out to be the last Test match that Lee would play for Australia.
Lee did manage to recover in time to be named in the squad for the 2009 Ashes, but a side strain kept him out of the first three matches, and though he was fit for the decisive last two Tests, he wasn’t named in the playing XI for either of those matches.
Lee though would bounce back from the disappointment of not having played in the 2009 Ashes series in the inaugural Champions T20 League, where he played a key role in New South Wales’ victorious campaign. However, an elbow problem forced Lee to head home during Australia’s one-day tour of India following the CL T20. And, when that elbow injury required surgery, Lee had no other option but to take the decision to cut down his workload, which led to his retirement from Test cricket.
Watching a fast bowler run-up to the crease with intensity in his face and a fluid bowling action is amongst the best sights in cricket, but the same characteristics also take a huge toll on a pacer’s body. Quick bowlers in recent years have been especially susceptible to injuries as the cricketing calendar has got more crowded over the years. Lee’s list of injuries – five ankle operations, a couple of right elbow surgeries, back stress fractures, side strains and stomach tears – are proof enough that a fast bowler’s body is put through a lot more abuse and stress when compared to a batsman or a spinner.
It is a tribute to Lee’s determination, dedication and passion to play for Australia that he bounced back from these injuries and not only forced his way back into the Test side but was also able to regain his high speeds during each comeback. Lee also added variety to his bowling over the years and this coupled with his bowling speed made him a handful for opposition batsmen to handle.
Lee is a champion and legend of the game, and while it may have hurt him immensely to decide to step away from Test cricket, he would also have realised that he has another 2-3 years of cricket left in him; and he needs to listen to his body to continue playing at the highest level for that time. He will also now get to spend some more time with his young son Preston.
Lee, who is easily one of the most popular Australian cricketers in India and around the world, will now focus only on one-day internationals and Twenty20 cricket. He has already expressed his desire to win another World Cup with Australia in the 2011 edition of the tournament, and his fans will be hoping that Lee’s body can cope with the comparatively reduced workload in the shorter formats of the game.
Australia’s current Test quick bowling battery of Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle, Ben Hilfenhaus and Doug Bollinger have all impressed and ensured that the team has coped without Binga in the last 12 months; but the hostility and class of Lee will be missed by the Baggy Greens in Test cricket.
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