The Boxing Day when Dennis Lillee foiled Viv Richards with the last ball of play was listened in gardens, on beaches, and in cars with the windows all the way down and the sound all the way up.
It’d be cheating to say we all felt he’d do it. Maybe the kids drumming the MCG signage felt it. Maybe thousands more at the ground felt it.
The ball has lasted in everyone’s memories precisely because it was so unlikely. He had already bowled well, but there was a generosity, an extravagance in Lillee’s surging spells.
The West Indies, for once, were vulnerable: 3 for 10.
Picture it. Lillee sweeps in, one combatant moving towards another in a coliseum. Hordes bay as the distance between them closes. Adrenaline surging, Lillee delivers some kind of sorcery: a slower inswinger, dipping late, clipping the inside-edge of the sport’s undisputed champ, its Roman-nosed titan prince. For a nanosecond, Vivian Richards is stunned. Lillee punches sky and flows from the arena flocked with teammates. Viv chews, trailing behind. Years later he will write, ‘Dennis Lillee is always at you.’
What did Dennis Lillee epitomise?
The free-spiritedness and gusto we liked to believe characterised us? The convicts’ brazen rise from the ashes made absolute? A country’s sporting fantasy in the flesh?
Probably nothing of the kind, not if you prefer the firm footing of facts over fancy.
Dennis Keith Lillee, as Ian Chappell sometimes refers to him, was an extraordinary fast-bowler in an extraordinary time for the game; as skilful as any before or since. If, as is said, he was wayward in his early days, by twilight he was a maestro; all shape and ploy and dextrous control.
More than any of that, he was beautiful to watch.
The natural world brimmed and leapt in Dennis Lillee. The run-up was a tiger’s run at prey. The flaunted chest hair was a sign of the times, but it was timeless too.
Lillee seemed so natural in the blistering sun and Indian Ocean breezes.
One of my early memories is sitting close to the screen entranced by a man running in profile, arched, fiercely absorbed. Our loungeroom latch hangs open, admitting cicada score. The man is running faster. A pendant bobs, bounces and thrashes.
Dennis Lillee had as much presence as any superstar of the era: Borg with his chilled racket; John Travolta and his boogie shoes; Ace Frehley and his smoking guitar. Lillee could fill a stadium and keep it filled and when he was occasionally routed, it took a person of massive chutzpah to make it happen.
Cue Ian Botham, 1981.
At Old Trafford Lillee had his mojo dented when the brawny, brilliantly creative and charismatic Englishman clubbed him continually: six over long leg, six over deep square leg, over mid-off. Lillee took it with grace; there was nothing to be done against the typhoon which was Botham in full flight.
As Australian boys of eleven and nine, my brother and I watched Botham’s innings on a TV in Ireland. We were in a cricket club lounge with 22 Irishmen in their whites, one of whom was an uncle. Play was washed out. Rain teemed outside: all eyes were on the TV. As Botham cut loose on Alderman, Lawson and Lillee, our lemon squashes soured; nobody hit Dennis Lillee back over his head. Not even Barry Richards for The Rest of the World had managed it.
I can still see Lillee on that raised TV, his air darkening, his frazzled bald patch showing him as some sort of worn-down king eagle the other birds had no reason to fear anymore. It should be noted he bowled 46 overs in the innings at an overall economy rate of 2.9 and claimed 41 wickets that series. It could also be mentioned that his most memorable ball – the Richards ball – was in the pipeline.
Writing off champions: some of us start younger than others. We’ve all dabbled in it, at any rate. Champions are always being written off. The irony is it’s often because they’ve set themselves such benchmarks.
As early as 1979, I heard one man at a barbeque say to another, as he poured from a longneck, “Lillee’s lost a yard or two I reckon. Two or three years ago if he got belted for four, next ball was LBW or bowled.” That harmless exaggeration does Lillee justice in a way – he was unusually combative, unusually proud.
The name became synonymous with a done deed, with drama. Remember his last ball? Remember that?
Lille claimed a wicket, LBW, with his last ever ball. He was over and out with a trademark shout.
Like Gough Whitlam or Germaine Greer or Paul Hogan, it’s as if Dennis Lillee was meant to happen to us.
Anindya Dutta
Roar Guru
No worries. Hope you enjoy them. Will look out for the Greg Chappell one. Not a fan though of the man. Not by a long margin. But will read with interest nevertheless. Cheers.
james hughes
Roar Rookie
thanks again Anindya. Look out for one on Greg Chappell this week. Sorry I've not had a chance to read any of your stuff yet, but will do. j
james hughes
Roar Rookie
Pope Paul, thanks for spotting that, I've done it before, believe it or not, I don't know how or why I could've done that. thanks again, I'll have it amended by the editor/s. and I will check that 72 Sobers encounter. j
Raymond C. Jagessar
Guest
Craig, Its good when the sports star knows how they are appreciated or not
craig swanson
Guest
Raymond. I can not answer that with any certainty. At a guess I would say he would follow the Roar being a great sports lover and above all a great cricket lover. Why do you ask?
craig swanson
Guest
You are not serious. Johnno had few decent series.. The one that stands out because they were so rare is of course the home Ashes 2014 when he was devastating. In comparison Lillee had a highly productive 13 year Test career.
Raymond C. Jagessar
Guest
Craig, Does Dennis Lillee get to see these comments of ours?
craig swanson
Guest
And rightly so Mitchell. rightly so.
craig swanson
Guest
Raymond. Yes they did once.. SIR Donald Bradman.. that was until we partly grew up and cut the first of the apron strings attaching us to Mother England.. next is flag and becoming an Australian Republic. Hope I live to see the day those happen.
Mitchell Hall
Guest
I think the ultimate compliment to Dennis is that Sir Donald Bradman named him in his all time great XI.
Mitchell Hall
Guest
What I like about Dennis is that he played in a great era and had amazing one on one personal clashes. Dennis vs Viv Richards, Dennis vs Ian Botham, Dennis vs Sir Garry Sobers, Dennis vs Barry Richards. All great one on clashes. He just brought superstardom to the table.
Raymond C. Jagessar
Guest
Craig, It's sad to know that Australia don't knight their sport stars. I do think they have over several players to do so. Dennis Lillee in my opinion again was the greatest Fast Bowler in his era.
Johnno
Guest
Mitchell Johnson at his best was more dominant.
Anindya Dutta
Roar Guru
Excellent piece again James! Lillee was my bowling hero growing up. Every day I was copying his bowling action as a kid and getting carted round the park until I sobered up and became a leg spinner instead. The adrenaline that you describe as he came into bowl absolutely captures the essence of what Lillee was. Alas for me it was always being glued to the radio at 5am in the morning and later through video clips that I actually enjoyed Lillee. I was fortunate to be gifted his "Back to the Mark" which I had until a few years ago. It has been a lasting regret for my generation that as Indians we never got to see Lillee in action in India at his peak. But as a nation we shall always be grateful for his role in building the MRF Pace Foundation into a veritable production line of decent medium fast and fast bowlers for India over the years.
craig swanson
Guest
We no longer knight out sports stars Raymond.
craig swanson
Guest
DK was simply the best in my humble opinion. A raging tearaway who put the fear of god into opposition batsmen in his early days. Post back fractures he was still fastish but had added guile and cunning to his bowling arsenal. Loved his World Series Cricket years. and the firey 1974/75 series when he and Thommo did a hatchet job on the poor old Poms.
Pope Paul VII
Guest
Very evocative James. Lillee was awesome. Couple of minor points and we can blame the editor. Lillee not Lillie. Also You should read of the mythical battle between young Lillee and old Sobers. MCG 1972. I think he took 39 cheap wickets in the 81 series.
Mother England
Guest
Good player, but terrible record in the subcontinent.
Raymond C. Jagessar
Guest
Dennis Lillee should be knighted for his contribution to cricket in Australia and outside of Australia. The greatest fast bowler of his era. His bowling action was unique and not copied from any bowler. He change his bowling action after his stress fracture injury. When he was the fastest bowler in the world, his speed was registered as 154 KMPH. He never gives up and always come to the batsmen with his Lion Heart approach. He bewildered many great batsmen of his era with his cunning deliveries. He was very skilful with the ball and bowled an array of deliveries. Many bowlers of his era, used Dennis Lillee as the bench mark to assess their bowling. Dennis Lillee should be knighted.
Mitchell Hall
Roar Rookie
Good writing and reply. DK Lillee for me is the epitome of Australian 70's masculinity. Tough, determined and a symbol of the last true decade of Aussie Macho cool. He symbolized a dread for foreign batsmen, knowing when you were coming to Australia Dennis was waiting for you. He crossed over into other areas of the Australian landscape that was also exciting. He was managed by John Cornell, one of the most influential Australians of all time, DK was the driving force behind World Series Cricket, he went to parties at Molly Meldrum's and Mick Jagger's house. He was Batman to Rod Marsh's Robin. When you were a kid and you went to bed knowing that Dennis was playing tomorrow it just gave you that extra jump in the morning.