Two former teammates, but only one of them can make The Roar’s greatest Ashes XI of all time.
We’re getting ever-closer to finalising this side, with only two pace-bowling slots remaining. One of them is going to go to either Dennis Lillee or Terry Alderman, two quicks who terrorised England – albeit in slightly different ways.
Lillee came in behind only Glenn McGrath amongst fast bowlers in the first stage of voting, picked in some 64 per cent of teams. Alderman was one of two bowlers to finish on 19.4 per cent – you’ll find out who the other one was tomorrow – but finished a single vote shy to take the fifth seed and be pitted against his former teammate.
One of the greatest ever fast bowlers to play the game, it’s no surprise to see Lillee’s formidable record against England. Twenty-nine Test matches reaped 167 wickets at an average of 21 and strike-rate of 50.9. The Western Australian also missed an Ashes series while still in his prime due to World Series Cricket.
Alderman enjoyed an awful lot of success against England too, finding an unnatural ability to hit opposition batsmen dead in front while touring the UK. He took exactly 100 wickets in 17 Ashes matches – well over five per Test – and all at an average of 21.17 and strike-rate of 47.1.
Both bowlers then, it’s fair to say, thoroughly enjoyed going up against English batsmen, but we can only have one in the final XI. So who’s it to be: Dennis Lille or Terry Alderman?
Graeme
Guest
Spot on. Both the greatest in their art of all time. Lillee incomparable, the ultimate complete fast bowler. Pace, control, full arsenal, intimating. The master. Warne incredible control, consistency & both had that aura of presence.
Graeme
Guest
? Alderman took 42 wickets in that Ashes series, which was a record. Lillee took 39, missed a Test due to double pneumonia & was very ill all tour. Took 7/89 in his comeback spell, 1st innings. Had he been healthy & fit, Lillee would've been pushing for 45-50 wickets. He proved in the 7 for, he was still the best bowler in the world.
Graeme
Guest
Exactly. Must be dominated by younger voters. For all those who've witnessed the complete era's, DK Lillee is the greatest Australian fast bowler by a descent margin & the finest to ever play the game. The complete master, best of all time.
Graeme
Guest
You forget Lillee missed a Test & had double pneumonia. He was a very ill man on that tour. He came back still unwell & still showed he was the dominant fast bowler in the series & still the no. 1 bowler in the world. Took 7/89 in his comeback spell, 1st innings. Had he been fully fit, DK may have pushed 45-50 wickets on that tour. Still the no. 1 Australian fast bowler, a tier above McGrath. BTW, does those 167 wickets include the 11 in the 1977 Centenary Test & the 5 in the drawn 1980 Lords Centenary Test?
ken gargett
Guest
completely agree.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
I go for Maroons in RL SOO.
Rellum
Roar Guru
I'll repeat this from the other day, Alderman is from WA and Thommo was from NSW, neither place can tackle.
Mooty
Roar Rookie
You always choose your best fast bowler available. Lillee was the best of his time. Alderman was just above medium pace, although quite exceptional, but they were completely different bowlers. Why the choice between these two.
Pope Paul VII
Roar Rookie
My memory of some the Alderman's 89 series lbws that they were a touch on the generous side, high and a long way forward. It was poor batting by the English though, virtually padding up with the bat behind the pad and the umps having no time for it. However, out is out.
Pope Paul VII
Roar Rookie
1981 Ashes series.
jameswm
Roar Guru
Yep, that's how I feel.
jameswm
Roar Guru
It wasn't am off cutter. It was just a straight one that didn't swing. The outswinger was a bluff later i n his career.
Gray-Hand
Roar Rookie
While I think Alderman did well against the particular English batsmen he played against, if I was selecting a bowling attack to play against a batting line up made up of the second best ashes batsmen, I would want Lillee to be there.
Seymorebutts
Guest
Yes, but they both predate my time... so I never saw them ;-)
Dwanye
Roar Rookie
But could you say alderman Was particularly good against those English players at that time? I would back Lillee in the long run against mist from history
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
I agree about Lillee being supreme in all circumstances but Alderman was Svengali-like in England.
Chrisso
Roar Rookie
Surely Lillee. Its about gravitas, not stats.
AJ
Guest
This is great kudos to Terry Alderman who really played a massive role in 1989. Henry Lawson was great too. Don’t forget how despondent Australia was about our cricket in the 80’s after the Windies destroyed us, etc etc. how good for some players like them and AB, who went through the lows, to triumph. 1987 WC might have been a turning point, this series, away, was the big moment and we didn’t look back for 16 years. Ask Terry though and he would probably defer to Dennis, his own idol. Two greats from WA.
Timmuh
Roar Guru
It has to be DK in this head-to-head, but if you were picking to play in England Alderman would probably be the third choice after Lillee and McGrath.
Boormdog
Roar Rookie
Since the mid to late 70’s there are two bowlers I would pick above all, to bowl for me if my life depended on it. Lillee is one, Warne is the other. For me, these are the guys who step up when the going gets tough and deliver. So on this basis it’s Lillee in , Alderman out.