“That was what I lived for. If you haven’t been a fast bowler you haven’t known the thrill of bowling bloody quick.”
In this episode of At the ‘G, host Anthony Hudson speaks to Dennis Keith Lillee, a sportsman whose connection with the MCG and its crowd is as strong as anyone in the history of the ground.Lillee the fast bowler was a sight to behold and was among the foremost sporting icons for a generation of Australian sporting fans who grew up in the 70s and 80s and in particular, those who were lucky enough to see him in full flight.
The love for Lillee stood out on two occasions. The first, his 11 wickets at the Centenary Test in 1977 when he helped Australia to a history-repeating victory. Then, the last minutes of Boxing Day in 1981 when he encountered the might of the West Indies and took the last-ball-of-the-day wicket of Viv Richards to leave the crowd wanting more, before breaking the record for Test wickets the very next day.
The Dennis Lillee story is also one of resilience; returning after being told he might never bowl again due to stress fractures in his back. In this episode, Lillee details the journey to overcoming the adversity which saw him sit out of Test cricket for 18 months and the recovery that led to his return as a different but no less effective bowler.
After concluding his International cricket career on a high note in 1984, Lillee retired with 355 dismissals in his 70-Test match career. His 82 wickets is still by far the most of any bowler at the MCG and the Australian Cricket and Australian Sports Hall of Fame legend’s classic bowling action is captured magnificently in the famous statue outside the MCG.
Speaking to Anthony Hudson from his home in Western Australia, Lillee reflects on the moments, and the people, that made up his storied career on At the ‘G.
Subscribe to At the ‘G on Apple, Spotify or Google podcasts.
Image: Patrick Eagar/Popperfoto via Getty Images