Fast bowling great Dennis Lillee has questioned the workrate of Australia's current crop of quicks after injury and fatigue sidelined several pacemen and said the group was lacking a "go-to man"
Speaking to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation during the third and deciding Test against South Africa in Perth, Lillee said the home team’s fast bowling injury woes could be traced to their inadequate preparation.
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Australia were forced to change all three of their frontline bowlers for Perth, with Peter Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus both ruled out due to fatigue after the gruelling second Test in Adelaide.
Dennis Lillee
James Pattinson has been sidelined for the rest of the summer with a side injury suffered in Adelaide.
Lillee, who recovered from potentially career-ending back injuries to claim a then-record 355 Test wickets in 70 Tests for Australia, said current fast bowlers were not getting enough miles in their legs on the training track.
“If I had a squad of fast bowlers myself at the moment you can bet they would be doing a hell of a lot more running and pushing themselves into the deck a bit more,” Lillee said.
“You don’t stop running, running is your game, running is fast bowling. Obviously you’ve got to be able to bowl, but running is what gets you there.
“If you’ve got a good base there that’s terrific, but you’ve got to keep that motor going and keep that fitness up during the season. I think that’s where a lot probably do fall away,” he added.
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