Dennis Lillee behind one of cricket’s greatest comebacks

Lillee and Thomson has become Lillee and Cummins. The unique relationship between the all-time great and the modern-day superstar has served as the secret inspiration behind one of the game’s greatest comebacks.

Pat Cummins at Manuka Oval in Canberra. Picture: Phil Hillyard

Dennis Lillee might be one of the most reclusive figures in Australian cricket, but there is one phone call he always answers.

During the soul destroying stretch of 64 consecutive Test matches that Pat Cummins spent in the cricketing wilderness, he had Lillee on speed dial.

The unique relationship between the all-time great and the modern-day fast bowling superstar has gone virtually unpublicised, but Lillee has served as the secret inspiration behind one of the game’s greatest comebacks.

Many wondered if Cummins would ever play a second Test match after he was cruelled by chronic back injuries immediately following his debut in South Africa as an 18-year-old prodigy back in 2011.

Pat Cummins at Manuka Oval in Canberra. Picture: Phil Hillyard

At his darkest depths when he sought to rebuild his injury-riddled body, who else would he turn to but the legend who was once told he may never bowl again after he was broke down in his prime in the West Indies back in 1972.

The rest is history.

Lillee and Thomson has become Lillee and Cummins.

Cummins is the highest-ranked cricketer in Australia, the third-ranked fast bowler in the world and after 19 Test matches he is tracking at a better rate than even Lillee himself with 90 wickets.

Not only that, he has found durability and has only missed two Tests since returning in early 2017.

Lillee works with an injured Cummins in 2013. Picture: Colin Murty

Former housemate and NSW quick, Harry Conway says Lillee is one of Cummins’ most trusted mentors.

“Absolutely. He said he could not speak any higher of Dennis as a bloke. And as a mentor,” Conway told The Daily Telegraph.

“The way he supported Pat through thick and thin.

“I think Cricket Australia were flying him over to Perth and he was having conversations, he’d go out to dinner with Dennis and his wife.

“They’re both big red wine connoisseurs. He’d make a week or weekend out of it and he said every time he got back bowling (he would feel better).

“If he was ever in any trouble, ever in any doubt, not only mindset but technical stuff as well he honestly can’t speak high enough of Dennis Lillee. He was a massive, massive advocate for the work he was doing over there with him.”

Cummins’ is a one of a kind and not only because of his freakish abilities.

Injuries gave Cummins, now 25, a sense of perspective. He thrived on the stimulation of his university degree and relished the chance to simply be around his family and girlfriend, Becky. He cooks, he cleans, and finds comfort simply being at home in Sydney.

Pat Cummins celebrates taking his first ten-wicket haul at the Gabba. Picture: Getty

“I’d hit him with 10 questions (about being injured and how hard it must be) and he’d say, ‘mate, honestly, I don’t need to stress out about it as much as people are saying.’”

According to teammates, Cummins can complete a cryptic crossword in half an hour, virtually exploding the stereotype of the dumb fast bowler.

So highly regarded is Cummins for his leadership that he’s rocketed into the Australian vice-captaincy, and the likes of Michael Clarke believe he could one-day captain his country.

It’s enough to get any fast bowler kicked out of the fraternity.

“Yeah, 100 per cent,” said Conway.

“I eventually got into Uni, but I’d be there three nights a week and Pat would be there two if that. Pat was very smart so he didn’t need to study as much as I did to get the results I got, if you know what I mean.

“There’s no fast bowler in Australia at his level. It’s impossible to compete.

“Although, he is an absolute nerd for MasterChef and Survivor.”

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Originally published as Dennis Lillee behind one of cricket’s greatest comebacks