Brett Lee - The best pace bowler in the world

There was a time not to far back where the advent of the 100mph ball thrown in by Shoaib Akhtar, turned some heads and shot out some huge headlines. Lots of publicity and the fear of another Paki fast bowler emerging was building. At the same time, a young Australian prospect was waiting in the cage for his chance. There were quiet news about Australia having someone who
could throw down similar pace and would soon come to the limelight as the aging Glenn McGrath and Jason Gillespie need to make way for the young soon.

The competitive cricket that is played by Australia since the last decade or so makes it tough for the very best performers in Sheffield Shield to wait. Wait until someone gets injured or someone drops the slightest of form. The high standards of Aussie cricket are justified as they have produced potential Hall of Fame cricketers in the recent past which still are part of the team.

One of them, Brett Lee has developed into definitely one of the best and most feared pace bowlers in the modern era. He broke out with trying to bowl as fast as he could and did break the 100mph barrier early in his career but he was very quick to realize that to have a long career and be the front-line bowler for the World Champions, he needs to get a wider arsenal. Pace is just one of the many elements that a fast bowler needs. That is where he became a different bowler than Shoaib Akhtar who pretty much relied on sheer pace.

Brett Lee, took full advantage of stalwarts around him like Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie and learnt mind games from the best in the art, Shane Warne, Ricky Ponting. He has become over a period of time, a great bowler. With a 90-95 mph average with excellent discipline. Add to that variety of slower deliveries and mixing up of short-pitch and full pitched yorkers. In great conditions he can reverse swing the bowl as well. He is a great talent and definitely a great find by the Aussies. They have nurtured and taken care of him well and he has been producing.

With the greats like Glenn McGrath and Shaun Pollock phased out, Brett Lee is my pick for the best overall pace bowler of the new era. Consistency and fitness is the name of the game and Brett Lee has become a proven performer. In this modern game of big hitting and large scores, bowlers don't really get as much credit as they should and Brett Lee does stand out amongst that with a decent strike rate and acceptable average. But his quality of running through a batting lineup remind us of the great Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis and West Indian bowlers of the late 70's and 80's.