List of international cricket five-wicket hauls by Brett Lee

A man in yellow-jersey wearing glasses and a white hat.
Brett Lee has the third-highest number of fifers in ODIs.

In cricket, a five-wicket haul (also known as a "five-for" or "fifer")[1][2] refers to a bowler taking five or more wickets in a single innings. This is regarded as a notable achievement,[3] and fewer than 40 bowlers have taken more than 15 five-wicket hauls at international level during their cricketing careers. Brett Lee has the fifth-highest number of international five-wicket hauls among Australian cricketers as of 2013.[4][N 1] A right-arm fast bowler, he is regarded as one of the fastest international bowlers in the modern cricketing era.[5][6]

Lee picked up a five-wicket haul on Test debut,[7] playing against India in December 1999;[8] a match that Australia won.[9] His career-best figures for an innings were 5 wickets for 30 runs against West Indies at the Brisbane Cricket Ground in November 2005; while never managing to take ten wickets in a single match.[9] Eight of his ten Test five-wicket hauls were taken at home.[10] After capturing 310 wickets, Lee retired from Test cricket in 2010 and remains Australia's fourth-most successful bowler in the format.[8]

After making his One Day International (ODI) debut against Pakistan in January 2000,[8] Lee's first ODI five-wicket haul came in one of the matches of the series against India; the performance ensured Australia's victory.[9] With nine five-wicket hauls, his position is third in the all-time ODI list.[11] His career-best bowling in ODI cricket was 5 wickets for 22 runs against South Africa at Melbourne Cricket Ground in January 2006; his performance earned him the man of the match award.[9][12] Lee claimed 19 five-wicket hauls in his International career, and Australia never lost any of the games on such instances. However, he never took more than five wickets in a single innings in any format of the international game.[9] Lee played his first Twenty20 International (T20I) against New Zealand in 2005, and is Australia's fourth-highest wicket-taker in the format.[13] He never took a five-wicket haul in T20I, where his best bowling figures remain 3 wickets for 23 runs.[14] Lee announced his retirement from international cricket in July 2012.[15]

  1. ^ Buckle, Greg (30 April 2007). "Pigeon's almost perfect sendoff". The Canberra Times. Archived from the original on 15 August 2008. Retrieved 10 May 2012. McGrath didn't get the five-for that he had hoped for...
  2. ^ "Swinging it for the Auld Enemy – An interview with Ryan Sidebottom". The Scotsman. 17 August 2008. Retrieved 10 May 2012. ... I'd rather take fifers (five wickets) for England ...
  3. ^ Pervez, M. A. (2001). A Dictionary of Cricket. Orient Blackswan. p. 31. ISBN 978-81-7370-184-9. Archived from the original on 22 January 2014.
  4. ^ "Combined Test, ODI and T20I records: Most five-wicket hauls in a career". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 7 October 2012. Retrieved 11 July 2012.
  5. ^ Smith, Eddie; Robinson, Peter (8 March 2002). "Brett Lee, the world's fastest bowler?". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 9 December 2011. Retrieved 19 May 2012.
  6. ^ "Records / All cricket records (including minor cricket) / Miscellaneous records / Bowling speeds (1)". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 24 April 2012. Retrieved 19 May 2012.
  7. ^ "Statistics / Statsguru / Test matches / Bowling records". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 2 March 2014. Retrieved 21 December 2013.
  8. ^ a b c "Brett Lee". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 4 May 2012. Retrieved 12 May 2012.
  9. ^ a b c d e "Statistics – Statsguru – B Lee – Combined Test, ODI and T20I records". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 3 March 2014. Retrieved 12 May 2012.
  10. ^ "Statistics / Statsguru / B Lee / Test matches / Wickets taken: Greater than or equal to 5". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 2 March 2014. Retrieved 21 December 2013.
  11. ^ "Records – One-Day – Bowling records – Most five-wickets-in-an-innings in a career". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 24 April 2012. Retrieved 12 May 2012.
  12. ^ "VB Series – 4th match". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 8 July 2012. Retrieved 10 May 2012.
  13. ^ "Statistics – Statsguru – B Lee – Twenty20 Internationals – Bowling innings". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 24 April 2012. Retrieved 19 May 2012.
  14. ^ "Statistics – Statsguru – B Lee – Twenty20 Internationals". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 12 November 2016. Retrieved 19 May 2012.
  15. ^ "Australia fast bowler Brett Lee retires from international cricket". BBC Sport. 13 July 2012. Archived from the original on 13 July 2012. Retrieved 13 July 2012.


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