Tags:
Journalism of Courage
PERTH, OCT 21: Australian pace legend Dennis Lillee, who enthralled cricket crowds in the 1970s and 1980s, will get a chance to play with his son in a tour-opening match against Pakistan next week.
Adam, 25, a fast bowler with Claremont-Nedlands in the Perth district competition, has been picked to play alongside his father in the Australian Cricket Board (ACB) Chairman’s XI against Pakistan in the traditional tour opener at Lilac Hill on Oct 26.
At 50 years of age, it will be the last competitive game for Dennis Lillee, who took 355 Test wickets an Australian record.
Adam Lillee has no illusions about his own ability. He played in third grade last year and took 27 wickets, while this year he has made it into the seconds.
“I’ve got a fairly good idea of what will happen to me when I do bowl, and I think there’ll be a fair bit of chasing,” he said of the Lilac Hill game. “I’m playing second grade cricket, I’m there to have fun. I won’t be playing for Australia or anything.”
Apart from his dad,the only other person Adam Lillee knows in the team is Tasmanian state all-rounder Daniel Marsh, son of Lillee’s mate and former Test wicketkeeper Rod Marsh.
Despite the famous family name and what he describes as “laughable” suggestions that he shares the same classic bowling action as his father “whoever said that hasn’t seen me bowl”.
Adam Lillee said he never felt the pressure to live up to his father’s reputation. “There’s never been any pressure to play cricket, even at school, there wasn’t,” he said today. “The big group of Friday ends that I had, and still have, were really good and there was no pressure at all.”It’s the first time he has played with his father in a competitive cricket game.
“His fielding last year was pretty atrocious, but the ground is a bit further away when you’re 50 than it is when you’re 25 or 30,” said Adam. “But, I think anyone with a bit of wood 22 yards away is going to cop it from the old man, no matter what.”
