Brett Lee facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Brett Lee

Lee in January 2008
Personal information
Full name	Brett Lee
Born	(1976-11-08) 8 November 1976 (age 48) Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
Nickname	Binga
Height	1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Right-arm fast
Role	Bowler
Relations	Shane Lee (brother)
International information
National side	Australia (1999–2012)
Test debut (cap 383)	26 December 1999 v India
Last Test	26 December 2008 v South Africa
ODI debut (cap 140)	9 January 2000 v Pakistan
Last ODI	7 July 2012 v England
ODI shirt no.	58
T20I debut (cap 7)	17 February 2005 v New Zealand
Last T20I	30 March 2012 v West Indies
T20I shirt no.	58
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1997/98–2010/11	New South Wales (squad no. 58)
2008–2010	Kings XI Punjab (squad no. 58)
2010/11	Wellington (squad no. 58)
2011–2013	Kolkata Knight Riders (squad no. 58)
2011/12–2014/15	Sydney Sixers (squad no. 58)
2012/13	Otago (squad no. 58)
Career statistics
Competition Test ODI FC LA Matches 76 221 116 262 Runs scored 1,451 1,176 2,120 1,365 Batting average 20.15 17.81 18.59 17.06 100s/50s 0/5 0/3 0/8 0/3 Top score 64 59 97 59 Balls bowled 16,531 11,185 24,193 13,475 Wickets 310 380 487 438 Bowling average 30.81 23.36 28.22 24.05 5 wickets in innings 10 9 20 10 10 wickets in match 0 0 2 0 Best bowling 5/30 5/22 7/114 5/22 Catches/stumpings 23/– 54/– 35/– 62/–
Medal record Men's Cricket Representing  Australia ICC Cricket World Cup Winner 2003 South Africa-Zimbabwe-Kenya ICC Champions Trophy Winner 2006 India Winner 2009 South Africa
Source: ESPNcricinfo, 18 February 2017

Brett Lee (born 8 November 1976) is a famous Australian former international cricket player. He played in all three main types of cricket games. During his career, Brett Lee was known as one of the fastest bowlers in the world.

Representing Australia, Lee helped his team win many important titles. These included the 2003 Cricket World Cup, the 2006 ICC Champions Trophy, and the 2009 ICC Champions Trophy. He was the first bowler to achieve a hat-trick in the T20 format of the game. This happened in the first ever 2007 ICC World Twenty20 tournament against Bangladesh. He was also the first Australian bowler to take a hat-trick at a Cricket World Cup in 2003 against Kenya.

Brett Lee was a great fielder and a useful lower-order batter. He finished his Test career with 310 wickets and his One Day International career with 380 wickets. Many people consider him one of the best bowlers of his time. Only Muttiah Muralitharan took more ODI wickets than Lee between 2000 and 2009.

He played his first Test match in 1999. He stopped playing international cricket on 12 July 2012. After that, he continued to play Twenty20 matches for several years. He played in popular leagues like the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the Big Bash League.

In January 2015, Brett Lee announced he was retiring from all forms of cricket. This happened after the 2014–15 Big Bash League season. Since then, he has worked as a film actor and a cricket commentator for Fox Sports.

Playing Cricket: Domestic Career

Brett Lee started playing cricket in junior teams for his local club, the Oak Flats Rats. He slowly moved up through the different levels. He also played for Middleton cricket before starting his professional career.

When he was 16, he began playing top-level club cricket in Sydney. He played for Campbelltown and later for Mosman. At Mosman, he even bowled alongside famous players like Shoaib Akhtar.

Early Career and Injuries

Lee was chosen for the Australian Under 17 and Under 19 teams. In March 1994, he had to leave the Under-19 team due to stress fractures in his lower back. This injury made him change how he bowled to protect his back. He received a scholarship to attend the AIS Australian Cricket Academy in 1995–96.

He made his first-class debut for the New South Wales Blues in 1997. He took 3 wickets in that match. He also took 5 wickets in a club final that same year.

During the 1998–99 season, Lee played more regularly for New South Wales. He took 14 wickets, including 5 wickets in one innings against Tasmania. His strong performances impressed Steve Waugh, who was the captain of the Australian team. This led to Lee's Test debut in December 1999.

Success and Later Years

After a successful Test series against India, Lee returned to play for his state team. In 2008, he scored his highest batting score of 97 runs against Victoria. He also took 4 wickets in the same match, helping the Blues win the final.

In 2009, he recovered from an injury and played a key role in New South Wales winning the 2009 Champions League Twenty20. He was named Man of the Match and Man of the Series for his excellent performance.

After retiring from Test cricket, Lee focused on shorter forms of the game. He was the top wicket-taker for the Blues in the 2010–11 one-day competition. In June 2012, he decided not to renew his contract with New South Wales, ending his 15 years with the team.

He retired from the Big Bash League after playing in the final for the Sydney Sixers on 28 January 2015. In that exciting final, he took two wickets in a row.

Playing for Australia: International Career

Test Cricket Debut

By the late 1990s, many people wanted Brett Lee to play for the national team. His New South Wales captain, Steve Waugh, was very impressed with him. Lee made his Test debut for Australia in December 1999 against India. He became Australia's 383rd Test cricketer.

In his very first over in Test cricket, Lee took a wicket. He finished the innings with 5 wickets for 47 runs. This made him the first Australian fast bowler since Dennis Lillee to take 5 wickets on debut. Lee took 13 wickets in his first two Tests, showing how talented he was.

In 2000, soon after his debut, Lee won the first Donald Bradman Young Player of the Year Award.

Battling Injuries and Comebacks

Lee took 42 wickets in his first three series, which was a great start. However, he suffered a stress fracture in his lower back in late 2000. This kept him out of several matches. He returned to play but then injured his right elbow in May 2001.

After recovering, Lee returned for the 2001 Ashes series. He then became Australia's top wicket-taker in a series against New Zealand, taking 14 wickets. He also scored 61 runs with the bat in one match.

Lee faced some challenges in 2002 and 2003. He was even dropped from the team for a few Tests. But he worked hard and returned to form. After the 2003 Cricket World Cup, he took 17 wickets in four Tests against the West Indies.

Losing and Regaining His Spot

In 2004, Lee's ankle injury got worse, and he had to go home for surgery. This kept him out of the game for over four months. During this time, Michael Kasprowicz played well in his place.

Lee was out of the Test team for 18 months. He finally returned for the 2005 Ashes series. He bowled alongside Glenn McGrath and took 150 Test wickets during this series. He also showed his fighting spirit with the bat, scoring important runs.

Lee's bowling improved significantly in the 2005–06 season. He took 5 wickets for 93 runs against South Africa in Perth. He continued to perform well, taking his 200th Test wicket in 2006. He was named one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year.

After Warne and McGrath

After cricket legends Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath retired, Brett Lee became the main bowler for Australia. In late 2007, he was named Man of the Series against Sri Lanka, taking 16 wickets. He then took 24 wickets against India. His consistent efforts earned him the Allan Border Medal in 2008, which is given to Australia's best international cricketer.

Lee continued to play well, but injuries started to affect him more often. He picked up a stomach virus during a tour of India and later developed a stress fracture in his left foot. This injury forced him to have surgery.

By the time he returned for the Ashes in 2009, other bowlers like Mitchell Johnson had taken his place as the main fast bowler. Lee also suffered a side strain and was ruled out of the first three Tests. He never played Test cricket again after that.

Test Retirement

Brett Lee had been thinking about retiring from Test cricket since 2008 because of the physical demands. In February 2010, he announced his retirement from Test cricket. He said that bowling "at 150 km/h for five days is very hard on the body." He ended his Test career with 310 wickets in 76 Tests. At that time, he was Australia's fourth-highest wicket-taker in Tests.

One-day International Career

Lee bowling against Pakistan at Lord's, 2004-09-04

Lee made his One Day International (ODI) debut for Australia against Pakistan on 9 January 2000. He was ranked as the No. 1 ODI bowler in January 2006. His bowling strike rate was excellent, meaning he took wickets often. He also achieved an ODI hat-trick in the 2003 World Cup against Kenya. He was the first Australian to do this in a World Cup.

In the 2005–06 one-day series, Lee showed his useful batting skills. He scored 57 runs in one game, helping Australia recover from a difficult situation. His partnership with wicket-keeper Adam Gilchrist led to 58 wickets, which is one of the highest in ODI history.

2003 World Cup Success

When main bowler Shane Warne was banned from the 2003 World Cup, Lee stepped up. He, along with Andy Bichel and Glenn McGrath, formed a very strong bowling attack. Lee took 22 wickets in the tournament, helping Australia win the World Cup. He also bowled some of the fastest deliveries in the tournament, reaching speeds over 160 km/h.

ODI Comeback and Retirement

After an injury during the 2007 World Cup, Lee returned to play for Australia in England in 2009. He was the highest wicket-taker for Australia in the one-day series, taking 12 wickets. He also took his ninth five-wicket haul in ODIs. He was part of the successful 2009 ICC Champions Trophy squad.

Despite more injuries, Lee made it into the squad for the 2011 Cricket World Cup. He finished the tournament with 13 wickets, the most for his team. His final ODIs were during the 2012 tour of England and Ireland.

Upon his retirement from international cricket, Lee had played in 76 Tests, 221 ODIs, and 25 T20Is. He had taken 380 wickets in ODI matches, which was the highest for Australia at the time, tied with Glenn McGrath.

Twenty20 International Career

Lee made his Twenty20 and T20 International debut on 15 February 2005. This was in the first ever T20 international match against New Zealand. He was chosen for the 2007 ICC World Twenty20. During this tournament, he made history by taking the first ever hat-trick in T20 internationals against Bangladesh. He also won the Man of the Match award for that game.

Bowling Style

Lee was famous for his incredible speed. He often bowled at speeds of 140 km/h (87 mph) and even faster. He is ranked as one of the fastest bowlers of all time. Bowling so fast often caused him injuries, so he learned to use different types of deliveries to trick batsmen. His fastest recorded ball was 161.1 km/h (100.1 mph) against New Zealand in 2005.

He was also known for his "chainsaw celebration" after taking many bowled wickets.

Batting Skills

Brett Lee was a good lower-order batsman. With Mike Hussey, he holds the record for the highest 7th wicket partnership for Australia in ODIs, with 123 runs.

During the 2005 Ashes series, Lee played some very determined innings. In one match, he scored 43 not out, almost winning the game for Australia. After that memorable match, England bowlers Steve Harmison and Andrew Flintoff went to comfort Lee. This moment became a symbol of the close and competitive series.

On 2 April 2006, Lee scored his highest Test score of 64 runs against South Africa. His highest score in ODI matches is 59 runs, which he made against West Indies in March 2012.

Coaching Career

After his playing career, Brett Lee has worked as a bowling coach. He has coached teams like Ireland and Sri Lanka.

Awards and Achievements

• 2000 Bradman Young Cricketer of the Year
• 1999–2000 Wisden Young Cricketer of the Year
• 2002–03 VB Series Player of the Series
• 2004–05 VB Series Player of the Series
• 2005 ICC Awards – ODI Team of the Year
• 2006 Wisden Cricketer of the Year
• 2006–07 DLF Cup Player of the Tournament
• 2006 ICC Awards – ODI Team of the Year
• Australia's Greatest ODI XI
• 2007 Warne-Muralidaran Trophy Player of the Series
• 2007–08 Border–Gavaskar Trophy Player of the Series
• 2008 McGilvray Medal
• 2008 Australian Test Player of the Year
• 2008 Allan Border Medal
• 2008 ICC Awards – ODI Team of the Year
• 2008 ICC Awards – Test Team of the Year
• 2009 Champions League Twenty20 Player of the Series

Career Highlights

Tests

• Lee's best Test bowling figures were five wickets for 30 runs. This happened against the West Indies in Brisbane in 2005.
• He took his 100th Test wicket, Marcus Trescothick, in his 27th Test against England in Sydney in 2003.
• His 200th wicket was Mark Boucher, taken in his 51st Test against South Africa in Durban in 2006.
• His highest batting score in Tests was 64 runs, made against South Africa in Johannesburg in 2006.
• He reached 1,000 Test runs in his 53rd Test against Bangladesh in Fatullah in 2006.
• Lee's 250th wicket was Anil Kumble in his 62nd Test against India in Melbourne in 2007.
• His 300th wicket was Jamie How in his 73rd Test against New Zealand in Brisbane on 22 November 2008.

One-day Internationals

• ODI Debut: vs Pakistan, Brisbane, 1999–2000.
• His best ODI bowling figures were five wickets for 22 runs. This was against South Africa in Melbourne in 2006.
• His highest ODI batting score was 59 runs, made against West Indies in 2012.
• He took his 100th ODI wicket, Andy Caddick, against England in Melbourne in 2003.
• His 200th wicket was Marcus Trescothick, against England at Lord's in 2005.
• His 300th wicket was Darren Sammy, against West Indies in St George's in 2008.
• His 350th wicket was Nuwan Kulasekara, against Sri Lanka in Kandy in 2011. He became only the second Australian bowler to reach 350 ODI wickets.
• Lee is the first and only bowler to take 5 wickets twice in One Day Internationals played at Lord's.

Records

• Lee was the first player in Twenty20 International cricket to take a hat-trick.
• He is the second fastest Australian ODI player to take 100 wickets (after Mitchell Starc). He reached this milestone in his 55th match.

Career Best Performances

Life Outside Cricket

Media Work

After retiring from international cricket, Brett Lee joined the Channel Nine team as a cricket commentator. He also helped author Michael Panckridge with a series of cricket novels. In 2019, he appeared on The Masked Singer Australia as Parrot.

Lee also acted in an Indo-Australian film called UnIndian. The movie was filmed in Sydney and was released in India in 2016.

Personal Life

Brett Lee is the second of three sons. His father, Bob, was a metallurgist, and his mother, Helen, was a piano teacher. He grew up in New South Wales. His older brother, Shane, is also a retired cricketer who played internationally. His younger brother, Grant, played cricket for New South Wales Under-19s.

As a child, Brett Lee looked up to famous bowlers like Allan Donald and Dennis Lillee. Dennis Lillee later became a mentor to him.

Lee has been known by his nickname 'Binga' since high school. This nickname comes from a chain of electronics stores called Bing Lee.

Brett Lee married Elizabeth Kemp in 2006, and they had a son. He later married Lana Anderson in 2014, and they have two children together.

Lee is part of a rock band called Six & Out. His brother Shane and other former cricketers are also in the band. Brett Lee plays the bass guitar or acoustic guitar.

In 2006, during a cricket tournament in India, Lee wrote the lyrics for a song called "You're the One for Me". He recorded it with famous Indian singer Asha Bhosle. The song became very popular in India and South Africa. In 2008, he filmed scenes for his first Bollywood movie, Victory.

In November 2011, Lee released his autobiography, a book about his life.

Charity Work

Brett Lee supports several charities. These include the Salvation Army, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA), and the Make a Wish Foundation. He was named an 'Official Friend' of the Make a Wish Foundation because of his long support. He started supporting ADRA with his brother Shane after a close friend passed away. In 2007, Lee started Mewsic, a charity in India that has opened six music centers across the country.