Speaking on Wisden’s Scoop Extended, Lee opined on the lack of bowlers who can clock 150+ speeds consistently. . He reckoned that, with the rise of T20 franchise leagues and the money involved, bowlers had become accustomed to bowling at lower speeds to maintain their fitness.
Lee was one of the fastest bowlers in international cricket history. He clocked his fastest delivery at 160.8kph against New Zealand in 2005. Only Shoaib Akhtar has recorded a faster delivery, clocking 161.3kph during a 2003 World Cup match against England.
However, few bowlers have breached the 160kph mark since then, while only a handful can consistently bowl above 150kph in the modern game. Lee said he would like to see young fast bowlers push the limits of pace and challenge the 160kph barrier.
“I would love to see guys challenging that 160kph barrier,” he said. “I'm not seeing it. I would love to see young fast bowlers charging and bowling absolute rockets.
“Are bowlers now thinking longer term or longevity? Are they thinking I can play potentially seven or eight different franchises around the world and get paid handsomely and, you know, like they can have a career, you know, 15, 20 years, potentially or even 10 years and set themselves up for the rest of their life?”
He continued: "So, to do that, you've got to stay on the cricket field, to stay on the cricket field, maybe that 150kph barrier doesn't excite them, maybe they sit at that nice little bracket between 135kph and 140kph. And less pressure on the body. That, to me, is a worry, only because you want to see bowlers running in, bowling quick.”
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