Know the decorated career of Brett Lee

Brett Lee is a former Australian international cricketer who was born on 8 November 1976. During his international career, Lee was recognised as one of the fastest bowlers in the world of cricket. In each of his first two years, he averaged less than 20 with the ball, but since then has mostly achieved figures in the early 30s. He was also known as an athletic fielder and useful lower-order batsman, with a batting average exceeding 20 in Test cricket.On 13 July 2012, Lee announced his retirement from all forms of international cricket. Having declined to renew his contract with his home state side New South Wales, he continues to play T20 cricket in the IPL and Big Bash League. For the 6th season of Indian Premier League he did double duty for Kolkata Knight Riders, taking on the role of bowling mentor in addition to his playing role. On 15 January 2015 Lee announced his retirement from all forms of the game effective at the end of the Australian domestic season.Here is a list of the most incredible moments of his career.His EmergenceIn his first Test, Lee showed glimpses of the legendary fast bowler in making. He took a wicket off the fourth ball of his first over. Lee finished the innings with 5/47 from 17 overs, becoming the first Australian quick since Dennis Lillee to take a five-for on debut innings. He went on to take 13 wickets in his first two Tests at an average of 14.15.ThunderboltLee had always been incredibly fast, often averaging 150+ km/h during a match, but one of his fastest-ever overs in Test cricket was bowled in 2005 in a one-day match against New Zealand, including a 161 km/h thunderbolt that apparently cracked the revered 100 mile-an-hour barrier.When Lee gobbles up KallisJacques Kallis is statistically one of the greatest all-rounders ever to play the game, but he had no answer to Brett Lee in the 2005 Boxing Day Test, when Lee bowled one of the most lethal spells of his career to take the South African's wicket.Lee's best bowling figureLee's ability extended beyond the Test arena - in only his sixth one-day international, he skittled India with 5/27 to give Australia a 152-run victory - but his best-ever ODI performance was against South Africa in 2006, taking 5/22 to destroy the Proteas at the MCG in a fearsome display.When Lee used graphite-reinforced style of batThe West Indies definitely knew what hit them when Lee launched this monster shot over the top of the stand at the Gabba in 2005. Debate continues over whether this might be the longest six of all time. A few months later, the graphite-reinforced style of bat that Lee used was banned by the ICC as an unfair advantage.When Lee hunched over on the pitchOne of the defining moments of 2005's legendary Ashes series was Brett Lee and Michael Kasprowicz's last-wicket partnership at Edgbaston. The pair came incredibly close to an unlikely victory, having batted for more than 12 overs to amass 59 runs. But with 3 runs needed for the win, Kasprowicz fended off a short ball from Steve Harmison and gloved a catch to keeper Geraint Jones, leaving Lee stranded on a magnificent 43 and a nation heartbroken. The image of Lee hunched over on the pitch being comforted by Andrew Flintoff is one of cricket's most enduring images from a remarkable Test match.When Leen had the last laughAustralia had collapsed from 3/228 to be 8/275, 17 runs still needed for a win. With Justin Langer in the sheds after having been injured by a bouncer in the first innings, Australia were essentially facing a last-wicket partnership once more to save the match. Lee and Kasprowicz banished their demons, a beautiful cut shot from Lee flashing through the covers to bring victory over South Africa in what was to be Kasper's last Test for Australia. Lee had earlier amassed his highest score in Tests in the first innings, clubbing 64 from 68 balls.Lee's brutal paceLee's pace has always threatened to do someone an injury, but it wasn't until 2002 that one of his balls did long-lasting damage. Alex Tudor never played another Test for England after being hit by this brutal Brett Lee bouncer at the WACA.A World Cup hat-trickKenya might not be one of the great teams of world cricket, but that shouldn't diminish Lee's achievement, the Aussie quick taking 3 wickets in 3 balls to take the hapless Associate team from 0/3 to 3/3.Twenty20 champion all-rounderThe inaugural Champions League Twenty20 competition saw Lee put in a man-of-the-series performance to take NSW all the way to the final against Trinidad and Tobago, but it was Lee's 48 runs off 31 balls that got the Blues over the line, giving him the second honour of man of the match in the final.And for those of you who can't get enough of Brett Lee on the pitch, here are some classic clips of his off-field exploits: