Making of a Fast Bowler
Dennis Lillee has always been a legend I’ve inherited rather than experienced. Born too late to see him in his prime, my understanding of Lillee has been passed down in stories: the wild hair, the broken back and comeback, the headbands, the chants of “Lill-ee! Lill-ee!” rolling through the MCG.
When The Chappell Foundation asked me to create an artwork for their 2025 Dinner — with Lillee as guest of honour — I knew it needed to capture more than a likeness. It had to distill the myth.
I began with Lillee’s own words in The Art of Fast Bowling. While it’s often seen as a technical manual, I approached it as scripture — a window into how Lillee combined physicality with intellect. Before Lillee, fast bowlers were blunt weapons; he turned the role into craft.
From there, I layered in other influences:
- Greek mythology for the sense of heroism and transformation.
- Macbeth and Faustus for the theme of sacrifice — the price of greatness.
- Journalistic insight from Gideon Haigh and Peter Lalor, whose work helped me understand Lillee not just as a force, but as a craftsman.
The resulting artwork, The Making of a Fast Bowler, is part figure, part myth. A bowler forged in fire and memory, surrounded by the smoke of legend. It’s a piece that speaks to Lillee’s singular presence, but also to the stories that have carried him forward.
For me, it’s a way of saying thank you — to the generations who passed those stories down, and to a game rich enough to turn men into myths.
Making of a Fast Bowler is available as a limited edition print in the print store. This work was originally created for the 2025 Chappell Foundation Dinner and raised funds at their auction.
