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Sir Vivian Richards has paid Brett Lee the ultimate accolade by saying the Australian quick could match it for intimidation with the best of the former West Indian skipper’s feared attack.
Richards unleashed some of the most frightening bowlers of all time in Malcolm Marshall, Joel Garner, Michael Holding and Curtly Ambrose during the Windies’ world domination of the 1980s and early 90s.
But the Master Blaster, who rates former Aussie quick Jeff Thompson the fastest bowler he ever faced, believes Lee on his day has the ability to strike just as much fear into the hearts of batsman.
“I think he’s certainly up there with those guys,” said Richards.
“I think it is hard to assess what took place from then to now … but I think when he’s called upon to do it, he’s just as good as any.”
Lee, who has been clocked several times at speeds in excess of 160kmh, became the fastest bowler to 300 one-day international wickets in Australia’s series-clinching victory over the Windies in Grenada on Sunday – reaching the mark in his 171st game, 15 quicker than Waqar Younis (186).
Barring injury, the 31-year-old will join Glenn McGrath as the only Australian to take 300 wickets in both Test and one-day cricket by the end of the year, with Lee just 11 scalps away from the milestone in the five-day arena.
Including Twenty20 cricket, Lee has taken 601 international wickets since debuting in 1999, with the promise of plenty more to come after assuming the role of Australia’s bowling spearhead following the retirements of McGrath and Shane Warne.
Speed aside, Richards also rates Lee as one of the fittest fast bowlers he has seen.
“What I have been impressed more than anything in Brett Lee is his fitness and no matter what time of the day you call on Brett Lee he’s going to be 100 per cent,” said Richards, who has followed Australia’s Caribbean tour as part of his role as an ambassador for Johnnie Walker’s responsible drinking campaign.
“He’s one of the fittest bowlers that I’ve ever seen in a long, long time.
“And not just when he’s got the ball in hand, if you look at him on the field as well he’s just 100 per cent, saving fours, and saving two and things like that.
“So to be able to do that, to be able to put yourself around the field like that and some of the harsh injuries he might have had, fitness has been the key and he’s proven that.”
Lee’s continued fitness is expected to have a large bearing on Australia’s fortunes in the coming years.
Managing the paceman’s workload looms as one of Australia’s biggest challenges over the coming 16 months as the team figures in nearly 50 one-dayers and 20 Tests – including tours of India, South Africa and England.
That management will likely start this weekend with Lee, after carrying a heavy load through the Test series, likely to be rested from one, if not both, of the final two one-dayers against the Windies in St Kitts.
Australia hold an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series, with captain Ricky Ponting foreshadowing some changes for the two games with Stuart Clark and David Hussey likely to be selected for game four having not yet featured in the series.
Cameron White will also likely return to the side with Ponting keen to groom the allrounder as Australia’s one-day spinner following the retirement of Brad Hogg last summer.
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