Birthday Special: Keith Miller – Top 3 performances of Australia’s finest allrounder
From being a menacing all-rounder to being one of the most good-looking cricketers to being a pilot during World War II, Australia’s Keith Miller was a personality that bedazzled cricket fans for more than two decades. Regarded as Australia’s greatest all-rounder of all time, Miller was one of the ten inaugural members of the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame. By the time the inspirational cricketer retired from the game in 1956, he had the best stat for any all-rounder in the game with 2958 runs and 170 wickets to his name in a remarkable Test career. On the 103rd birth anniversary of one of the original members of ‘The Invincibles’, we list three of his most iconic performances for the Aussies.
3. 6/107 and 109 against West Indies, 1955
Australia traveled to Jamaica for the fifth and final Test of the series against the West Indies with the series already in the bag for the visitors. The home side, led by Denis Atkinson, opted to bat first after winning the toss in a dead rubber. Clyde Walcott’s glittering 155 in a rather mundane batting performance by the home side propelled them to a decent total of 357 runs in their first innings. Keith Miller was the tormentor in chief with a magnificent six-wicket haul for the Aussies. The visitors lost two of their top three batters cheaply in their reply, but Colin McDonald and Neil Harvey frustrated the Caribbean bowlers with a mammoth stand for the third wicket, with the latter registering a sensational double ton. Keith Miller also chipped in with a brisk ton to take Australia to a record-setting 758 runs in the second innings. Miller then returned to grab another two wickets in the second innings as Australia won by an innings and 82 runs.
2. 7/60 against England, 1946
Brisbane hosted the first Ashes Test between Australia and England in 1946. The hosts won the toss and elected to bat first in the series opener. Legendary Australian skipper Donald Bradman scored a swashbuckling 187 along with Keith Miller’s 79 to take the Aussie to a handsome tally of 645 runs in the first innings. The Englishman led by Wally Hammond surrendered meekly in their reply as Keith Miller ran riot with the ball, scalping a terrific 7/60, restricting the visitors to a meager 141. Miller grabbed another two wickets in the second innings to finish with nine wickets in the match as Australia drew first blood in the series with a thumping victory by an innings and 332 runs.
1. 4/37 and 145* against England, 1951
Australia welcomed fierce rivals England for the third Test match of the series at the SCG with hopes of clinching the series. Frederick Brown’s England batted first in the match but came second best against the Aussie bowlers, especially Keith Miller, who grabbed a four for to restrict the visitors to a below-par 290 runs on the board. The Australian didn’t have their way in the second innings either, as the English bowlers gave a good account of themselves. However, they had to face the wrath of Keith Miller as the flamboyant all-rounder compiled a memorable unbeaten 145 to rescue his side from a precarious position to a commanding 426 runs in their reply. It got worse for the English batters in their second innings as they were bundled out for an embarrassing 123 runs, handing their rivals the series victory.
