India, Feb. 14 -- Thomas Draca, who is spearheading the bowling for Italy as the country makes its ICC T20 World Cup debut, has one of the game's legends to thank for his introduction to cricket.

Born to a Neapolitan mother and a Yugoslavian father, the 25-year-old grew up in Sydney, obsessing about football. Then, Draca's father, a wine connoisseur, met Dennis Lillee at a wine event. The two men hit it off. At some point in their conversation Lillee asked Draca Sr if his son played cricket. On hearing that he did a bit of fast-bowling, Lillee invited the boy over for a session. And that's how Uncle Lillee, as Draca calls him, became the young Australian's fast-bowling teacher and mentor.

Draca moved to the UK on a cricket scholarship a...