{"id":2715757,"date":"2020-12-16T15:50:20","date_gmt":"2020-12-16T04:50:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.healthyman.com.au\/?p=2715757"},"modified":"2021-07-09T17:07:23","modified_gmt":"2021-07-09T07:07:23","slug":"a-short-history-of-one-of-australias-greatest-bowlers-dennis-lillee","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.healthyman.com.au\/a-short-history-of-one-of-australias-greatest-bowlers-dennis-lillee\/","title":{"rendered":"A short history of one of Australia’s greatest bowlers Dennis Lillee"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

Dennis Lillee was a tearaway young quick when he suffered every fast bowler\u2019s worst nightmare \u2013 stress fractures in his back. He broke down during Australia\u2019s 1973 West Indian tour just two years after making his Test cricket debut.<\/p>\n

He had three cracks in two vertebrae in his lower back at the time. He was only 23 years old and had played just 11 Tests for Australia. It\u2019s a serious injury even now, but it was especially serious back then when you consider that sports science and rehabilitation was nowhere near as advanced as it is today. Lillee also suffered the injury at a time when Australia\u2019s Test cricketers were extremely poorly paid. Many feared that his cricket career was over, even though it had only just begun.<\/p>\n

The lonely rehab<\/h2>\n

Lillee returned home from the West Indies and spent the next six weeks in a plaster cast that covered his entire back and torso. He was unable to bowl after having the cast removed, returning to play grade cricket in Perth as a specialist batsman only. He spent the next 18 months out of the Australian team, undertaking pain-staking rehabilitation that included intensive physiotherapy.<\/p>\n

Sports scientist Frank Pyke from the University of Western Australia is credited with saving Lillee\u2019s career. Pyke had previously been a teacher at Lillee\u2019s high school before doing a PhD in exercise physiology. Along with former AFL footballer and athletics coach Austin Robertson, Pyke encouraged Lillee pupil to remodel his bowling action, delivery stride, running style and physique to place less stress on his back. Pyke put him on a gruelling back-strengthening program to get him back to full fitness.<\/p>\n

The rest is history.<\/p>\n

The comeback<\/h2>\n

After more than 18 months out of Test cricket, the then 25-year-old Lillee had recovered. He was selected along with Jeff Thomson to be Australia\u2019s pace bowling spearheads for the 1974\/75 Ashes series in Australia.<\/p>\n

The pair proceeded to terrorise the English batsmen as Australia won a lop-sided series 4-1. Lillee took 25 wickets in the six Tests, but most significantly, his pace had returned. One of his deliveries was clocked at 154.8 kilometres an hour at the University of Western Australia in 1975.<\/p>\n

Lillee went on to play international cricket and lead the Australian place attack for another nine years, including two seasons spent with Kerry Packer\u2019s revolutionary World Series Cricket. He became a cult figure with his moustache, hairy chest and gold chains.<\/p>\n

He also became arguably the greatest fast bowler of all time. Dennis Lillee retired from international cricket in 1983 as Test cricket\u2019s then highest wicket-taker (355 scalps, which didn\u2019t count the 67 wickets he took in the rebel World Series Cricket competition).<\/p>\n

But it could have all ended back in 1973 when he was just 23 years old if he hadn\u2019t had the determination and expert guidance to come back. Ironically, his career-threatening back injury may have made Lillee an even better bowler than he would otherwise have become. He became more cunning after his major back injury, focusing more on swing and seam than just bowling fast like he\u2019d done early in his career. His career results speak for themselves.<\/p>\n

Do you want to boost your weight loss? Try The Healthy Man Meal Replacement!<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

This the perfect low-calorie meal replacement for busy blokes wanting to boost weight loss and improve overall health. It\u2019s full of whey and soy protein which means it\u2019ll leave you feeling full and satisfied and keep you going till your next meal.<\/p>\n

If you want to shift some kilo\u2019s, look no further than The Healthy Man\u2019s Meal Replacement!<\/p>\n

The Healthy Man Meal Replacement will:-<\/p>\n