One of cricket's fastest bowlers who was involved in infamous incidents including kicking Javed Miandad and using an aluminium bat.
13 incidents documented
Australia vs Pakistan
11 June 2024
Mohammad Rizwan and Australian captain Mitchell Marsh exchanged heated words during the T20 World Cup 2024, adding spice to the Australia-Pakistan rivalry.
West Indies vs England
2000-04-18
Curtly Ambrose played his final Test in Barbados in April 2000, retiring with 405 wickets at 20.99 — the end of an era that had seen West Indies produce the finest fast bowlers in cricket's history across 25 consecutive years.
Australia vs Pakistan
27 March 1982
Beyond the famous kicking incident, Miandad and Lillee had a vicious running feud spanning years, filled with verbal abuse and mutual loathing.
Australia vs India
7 February 1981
Sunil Gavaskar was given out LBW to Dennis Lillee off a ball that clearly hit his bat first. He was so furious he tried to take his batting partner Chetan Chauhan off the field with him.
Australia vs Pakistan
22 November 1981
Dennis Lillee kicked Javed Miandad on the field, prompting Miandad to raise his bat as if to strike Lillee. Umpire Tony Crafter intervened to separate them.
Australia vs India
7 February 1981
Sunil Gavaskar was so furious with an LBW decision that he tried to take his batting partner Chetan Chauhan off the field with him in protest.
Australia vs Pakistan
1981-11-13
Dennis Lillee physically kicked Javed Miandad while fielding at Perth in 1981 — the most shocking on-field physical altercation in Test cricket history, requiring umpire Reporting and intervention to prevent a full brawl.
England vs Australia
1981-07-21
England, following on 227 runs behind and 500-to-1 outsiders with bookmakers, were bowled to 135/7 in their second innings when Ian Botham walked in and made 149 not out — setting up a Bob Willis spell that completed the most improbable Ashes victory ever.
Australia vs England
15 December 1979
Dennis Lillee used an aluminium bat that damaged the ball. England captain Mike Brearley complained, leading to a 10-minute standoff as Lillee refused to change bats.
Australia vs England
1979-12-15
Dennis Lillee walked out to bat with an aluminium 'Combat' bat, sparking a 10-minute standoff when England captain Mike Brearley complained it was damaging the ball.
Multiple (WSC vs Establishment Cricket)
24 November 1977
Media mogul Kerry Packer signed 51 of the world's best cricketers to a rival competition after being denied TV broadcast rights, fundamentally transforming professional cricket.
Australia vs West Indies
December 1975
Dennis Lillee targeted Viv Richards with relentless short-pitched bowling in the 1975-76 series, attempting to intimidate the young West Indian. Richards refused to flinch, absorbing every bouncer and hitting Lillee for boundaries. Their duel defined the series and shaped Richards' fearless batting identity.
Australia vs England
29 November 1974
Jeff Thomson's debut Ashes series in 1974-75 was one of cricket's most terrifying performances. Alongside Dennis Lillee, Thomson targeted England batsmen with extreme pace — breaking bones, hitting groin guards, and reducing the England tour to an exercise in survival. England lost 4-1 and several players carried physical and psychological scars for years.