Famous Cricketers No 70 - Keith Miller

Bowling O M R W BB Ave 5i 10m Strike RunR Test matches 72 14 223 9 2-25 24.77 - - 64.00 38.71 Sheffield Shield 143.2 15 533 15 3-33 35.53 - - 76.40 46.50 Other matches 67.3 10 184 9 4-52 20.44 - - 59.88 34.13 Season (8-ball) 282.5 39 940 33 4-52 28.48 - - 68.51 41.57 Career (8-ball) 570.4 69 } 2589 100 7-60 25.89 1 - 63.79 40.58 (6-ball) 302.3 69 1948 – Australians in England The 1948 Australain side has good claims to be regarded as the finest of all touring teams and was unbeaten on the tour, winning the Test Series four-nil. In such a powerful side Miller was not required to fire on all cylinders at all times. Wisden says that he did not live up to his reputation as the finest all-rounder in the world but Fingleton, in his book on the tour, suggests a reason. He says that “ Miller steadfastly refuses to take a game seriously unless it is a fight, and there were Test innings in which he absolutely refused to concentrate because of the position of the game”. But, when the occasion demanded it, Miller was ready. Early in the tour, at Bradford, Australia were struggling against Yorkshire. Miller’s contribution to a four wicket win, was nine wickets for 91 runs and 34 in Australia’s first innings; no one else in the match made more than 21. At Southampton, where Hampshire had gained a first innings lead of 78, Miller blitzed the County’s second innings with five wickets for 25 to ensure that the final winning total was well within Australia’s compass. At Trent Bridge, in the First Test, Lindwall was injured and unable to bowl in the second innings. Miller stepped into the breach bowling 44 overs to dismiss Hutton, Washbrook, Compton and Laker for 125 runs. In the Fourth Test at Headingley, with Bradman, Hassett and Morris dismissed cheaply, it was Miller who steadied the ship and steered the young Neil Harvey on his way towards a century in his Test debut against England. He scored two hundreds on the tour including 202 not out against Leicestershire: he averaged 525 runs per innings in three matches against this County without losing his wicket to a bowler. At Lord’s he made 163 against MCC in 251 minutes with three sixes and twenty fours. In between he disdainfully gave his wicket away first ball against Essex refusing to have any part in the massacre which saw the Australians make 721 in a day. After the First Test he took only sixteen wickets on the rest of the tour. By his standards it was mediocre - the fighter pilot needed more of a challenge. Own Team O M R W Opp Ct Total Total 66. Australians v Worcestershire, Worcester, April 28, 29, 30 (Australians won by an innings and 17 runs) not out 50 462-8d 12 1 36 1 A.F.T.White c D.Tallon 233 8 3 18 0 212 67. Australians v Leicestershire, Leicester, May 1, 3, 4 (Australians won by an innings and 171 runs) not out 202 448 - - - - 130 4.1 1 10 2 P.Corrall c D.G.Bradman 147 1 J.Sperry b 68. Australians v Yorkshire, Bradford, May 5, 6 (Australians won by four wickets) c W.Watson b T.F.Smailes 34 101 23.3 7 42 6 L.Hutton c R.N.Harvey 71 E.I.Lester c W.A.Brown T.F.Smailes c W.A.Brown A.B.Sellers c W.A.Brown J.H.Wardle b E.P.Robinson c R.R.Lindwall c H.Halliday b J.H.Wardle 2 63-6 16 3 49 3 H.Halliday c W.A.Brown 89 T.F.Smailes b R.Aspinall b 69. Australians v Cambridge University, Fenner’s, May 12, 13, 14 (Australians won by an innings and 51 runs) did not bat - 414-4d 21.2 4 46 5 J.G.Dewes b 167 2 B.C.Elgood b J.M.Mills c R.A.Hamence W.H.Griffiths b R.D.Pearsall b 13 3 29 2 B.C.Elgood b 196 1 W.H.Griffiths lbw 15