Brett Lee

International career

Brett Lee was one of Australia’s most famous fast bowlers. He played international cricket for over a decade, known for his speed and aggressive bowling. His career had many great moments but was also affected by injuries. Here is a look at his journey, year by year.

• 1999: Test Debut
  • Lee played his first Test match in December 1999 against India. He took five wickets in his debut, including Rahul Dravid, finishing with figures of 5/47 in the first innings.
• 2000: Early Success
  • Lee started his international career with 42 wickets in his first three series. He won the inaugural Donald Bradman Young Player of the Year Award. His speed and attacking style made him an important part of the team.
• 2001: First Major Injury
  • A stress fracture in his back forced him to miss some matches. He returned later in the year, but injuries continued to trouble him. His performances were inconsistent during this period.
• 2002-2003: 2003 World Cup Glory
  • Lee played a big role in Australia’s victory in the 2003 Cricket World Cup. With Shane Warne absent, he became one of the team’s key bowlers. He took 22 wickets in the tournament, finishing among the top wicket-takers.
• 2004-2005: Ashes and Comeback
  • Another injury kept him out for some time. He returned for the 2005 Ashes series. His performances varied, but he played an important role, especially in the third Test against the West Indies, where he took 5/30.
• 2006: 200 Test Wickets
  • During a tour of South Africa, Lee reached 200 Test wickets. He ended the year with 49 wickets, proving his ability to bounce back despite earlier struggles.
• 2007: Leading the Bowling Attack
  • With Warne and Glenn McGrath retired, Lee became Australia’s main fast bowler. He won the Man of the Series award in the Warne-Muralitharan Trophy, taking 16 wickets at an average of 17.5.
• 2008-2009: More Injuries
  • A stress fracture in his foot led to surgery. He missed several matches and returned for the 2009 Ashes series. However, more injuries made it hard for him to secure a permanent place in the team.
• 2010: Test Retirement
  • Lee retired from Test cricket in February 2010, saying that fast bowling had taken a toll on his body. He finished with 310 wickets in 76 Test matches.

Brett Lee had an exciting career, filled with success and challenges. His performances in One-Day Internationals, especially in the 2003 World Cup, added to his legacy. Many young fast bowlers continue to look up to him as an inspiration.

Leagues Participation

After international retirement, Brett Lee continued playing in franchise T20 leagues. His pace and experience made him a key player in tournaments such as the Indian Premier League (IPL) and Big Bash League (BBL).

Indian Premier League

Brett Lee played for multiple IPL teams, delivering match-winning performances and mentoring young bowlers.

Team	Years Played	Matches	Wickets	Economy Rate
Kings XI Punjab	2008-2010	27	32	7.85
Kolkata Knight Riders	2011-2013	23	27	7.62
Delhi Capitals	2014-2015	17	19	8.19

His last IPL appearance came in 2015 before shifting focus to commentary and coaching.

Brett Lee is not participating in the 2025 IPL season. Since retiring, he has remained involved in the game through commentary and coaching rather than active competition.

Big Bash League

In the Big Bash League (BBL), Brett Lee played for the Sydney Sixers, bringing his fast-bowling expertise to Australia’s premier T20 tournament.

Team	Years Played	Matches	Wickets	Economy Rate	Best Bowling Figures
Sydney Sixers	2011-2015	48	56	7.02	4/28

His final BBL appearance was in the 2015 final against Perth Scorchers. In a dramatic last over, he bowled two players in successive deliveries. His hat-trick ball nearly secured the win, but a missed run-out allowed Perth to take the title. This match marked the end of his professional cricket career.

Domestic career

Brett Lee started his cricket journey at a young age, playing for his local team, Oak Flats Rats. He also played for Middleton cricket before moving on to first-grade cricket with Campbelltown. At 16, Lee began playing first-grade cricket and impressed by taking wickets of several notable New South Wales players. Later, he played for Mosman and even shared the new ball with Shoaib Akhtar. During this time, he also briefly played alongside England’s Andrew Strauss.

His performances earned him a place in the Australian Under-17 and Under-19 teams. However, an injury in 1994, a stress fracture in his lower back, forced him out of the Under-19 tour to India. This injury also led him to change his bowling action to protect his back. In 1995-96, he received a scholarship to the AIS Australian Cricket Academy, where he trained alongside future internationals like Jason Gillespie and Mike Hussey.

Before making his first-class debut, Lee played in the 1996-97 Sydney Grade Cricket final for Mosman. He made his debut for New South Wales in the 1997-98 Sheffield Shield against Western Australia, taking three wickets. This would be his only appearance in that season. Later that year, Lee impressed with a five-wicket haul in the Sydney Grade Limited-Overs Cup final.

Lee became a regular in the Sheffield Shield during the 1998-99 season. He finished with 14 wickets, including five wickets against Tasmania. In the 1999-2000 season, Lee started strong, taking 8 wickets in his first two matches. His strong performances helped him earn the attention of Australian captain Steve Waugh, leading to his Test debut later that year. He finished the season with 24 wickets in 5 matches, second only to the top wicket-taker for New South Wales.

After making his Test debut, Lee returned to domestic cricket and played a key role in the 2008 Pura Cup final. He scored a career-best 97 runs and took 4 wickets for 72 runs, helping New South Wales win the final. In 2009, after recovering from injury, Lee played an important role in New South Wales’ victory in the Champions League Twenty20. He was named Man of the Match and Man of the Series for his performance.

After retiring from Test cricket in 2010, Lee focused on limited-overs formats. In the 2010-11 Ryobi One-Day Cup, he became New South Wales' highest wicket-taker with 15 wickets. In June 2012, after 15 years with New South Wales, Lee chose not to renew his contract, ending his domestic career.

Records and achievements

Brett Lee has many records and awards from his cricket career. His hard work and skill helped him achieve a lot in international cricket and in T20 leagues.

Notable Achievements:

• Won the 2003 Cricket World Cup with Australia.
• Took 380 wickets in ODIs, one of the most by any Australian bowler.
• Took 310 wickets in Test matches.
• Scored over 2,000 runs as a lower-order batsman.
• Bowled the fastest delivery recorded at 161.1 km/h.
• Played a key role in winning several Ashes series.
• Was a top player in the IPL with teams like Kings XI Punjab and Kolkata Knight Riders.

Awards:

• 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 ODI Team of the Year
• 2006: Wisden Cricketer of the Year
• 2006–07: DLF Cup Player of the Tournament
• 2006: ICC ODI Team of the Year
• 2007: Warne-Muralitharan 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 ODI Team of the Year
• 2008: ICC Test Team of the Year
• 2009: Champions League Twenty20 Player of the Series

Records:

• Became the first player to take a hat-trick in T20 International cricket.
• Took 100 wickets in ODIs faster than all but one Australian bowler, reaching the milestone in 55 matches. He is fifth in the world behind Mitchell Starc, Saqlain Mushtaq, and Shane Bond.

After retiring from cricket, Lee tried acting in the film Un-Indian. The movie was filmed in Sydney, and he starred alongside Indian actress Tannishtha Chatterjee.

Personal life

Brett Lee was born on November 8, 1976, in Wollongong, New South Wales. He grew up in a family that loved sports. His brother, Shane Lee, played a big role in inspiring Brett to pursue cricket.

Brett married Elizabeth Kemp in June 2006. They had a son, Preston Charles, born on November 16, 2006. However, after two years, the couple separated in August 2008 and divorced in 2009.

Finances

Brett Lee’s net worth is around $11 million. His wealth comes from his cricket career and other ventures, including acting and music.

Homes and Cars

Brett Lee owns a luxury house in Wollongong, New South Wales, and other properties across Australia.

His car collection includes:

• Toyota LandCruiser Sahara (his main car)
• Porsche 911
• Ferrari 360 Modena
• Mercedes-Benz SLK
• Lamborghini Gallardo
• Aston Martin DB9

Scandals

Brett Lee faced some criticism in 2015 after a photo of him and Glenn McGrath appeared with a dead deer during a hunting trip in South Africa. The image caused some negative reactions.

In 2019, Lee spoke out against the management of Cricket New South Wales and CEO David Gilbert. This led to a hearing with Cricket Australia, but no action was taken. Lee later joined a sub-committee to help address problems within New South Wales cricket.

Fan Base

Brett Lee is loved by many, especially in Australia and India. His speed and skill on the field earned him respect from fans and other players. He has 2 million followers on Instagram, showing how popular he is worldwide.