TEST bowling firebrand Jeff Thomson predicts Brett Lee will surpass the great Dennis Lillee on the all-time Test wicket-taking list - and could go on to claim more than 400 Test wickets.
Lillee's partner-in-crime for their pace assault in the 1970s and '80s, Thomson said Lee had developed the maturity to carry the Australian attack and reel in Lillee's haul of 355 Test wickets.
In Test exile for 18 months between 2004-05, Lee is revelling in his top-dog status following Glenn McGrath's retirement last summer.
Before the second Test against India in Sydney, Lee had taken 22 Test scalps this summer at a brilliant 16.81, taking his career tally to 253 wickets at 30.32.
And Thomson believes Lee will become the second quick after McGrath (563 wickets) to go past Lillee, widely regarded as Australia's greatest fast bowler.
"I reckon Lee's got at least another 100 wickets in him which will put him up there with Lillee's numbers and if he keeps going he will go past him," said Thomson, who took 200 Test scalps at 28.01.
"Over the next three years they'll play a fair few Tests and I think he's got at least three or four years left in him, maybe more if he looks after himself.
"He'd have to be up there now with our greatest bowlers. I wouldn't say Brett's as good as Lillee or McGrath, but he certainly deserves whatever he gets.
"To reach 250 is a great effort, but they do play a lot more cricket these days.
"Brett has proved himself a very good bowler. He needed to have a good look at himself during his time out of the Test side and he's done that - he's thinking about his bowling a lot more since McGrath retired."
If Lee maintains his average of 4.08 wickets a Test, the NSW speed demon will leapfrog Lillee next year - possibly during Australia's 2009 tour of England.
The Australians will play a staggering 42 Tests in the next three years, giving a fit Lee ample opportunity to rip through world cricket's best batting line-ups.
Former Test bowler Damien Fleming tipped Lee to become only the eighth fast bowler in Test history to reach 400 wickets.
The elite group is McGrath (563), Courtney Walsh (519), Richard Hadlee (431), Shaun Pollock (416), Wasim Akram (414) and Curtly Ambrose (405).
"To have 250 wickets now at 31, if he stays fit I reckon Lee will get to about 400 Test wickets," Fleming said.
"I think now he's starting to realise the potential that we thought after his first few Tests, before it all went haywire.
"I heard Brett talk about patience and tempo after the first Test (against India) and they are words I haven't heard him use before.
"His stock ball is very quick but he still has an effort ball up his sleeve.
"Bowling against the speed gun, you can sometimes take your focus away from bowling well and setting batsman up, but he's overcome that.
"Becoming the No. 1 quick has done wonders for him. Having the younger guys in the team has helped his mentoring skills and it's taken him to the next level."
Lee said he was being motivated by his often erratic performances in the Test arena, culminating in his 18-month absence from the Australian side.
"Being made 12th man for 18 months was the toughest time of my career, but I'm better for it," he said.
"I've learned a lot as a bowler. My patience has changed, I'm hitting better areas than three or four years ago.
"Glenn's retirement was massive shoes to fill but it was a transition that had to be made. When you are 23 and a bit green, you are chosen to bowl fast and I wanted to go out there and smash stumps and get the big nicks behind and intimidate batsmen, but I knew things had to change.
"When I started my career I wanted to take just one Test wicket, so I'm the proudest cricketer in the world.
"I'm not going to put a target on how many Test wickets I want, but if you do the maths it's possible I'll go past Dennis Lillee.
"I've already gone past guys like Jeff Thomson and Richie Benaud. It just blows me away."
- PETER BADEL