Keith Miller With The Australian Cricket Team In England In 1948
Source:, 19 December 2007
Keith Miller was a key member of Donald Bradman's famous Australian cricket team, which toured England in 1948 and went undefeated in its 34 matches. This unprecedented feat by a Test side touring England earned the Australians the sobriquet The Invincibles.
Miller played as a right-arm opening fast bowler and a right-handed middle-order batsman. Along with Ray Lindwall, he formed Australia's first-choice pace duo, a combination regarded as one of the best of all time. Bradman typically used the pair in short and intense bursts against the English batsmen with the new ball. England had agreed to make a new ball available every 55 overs, more often than usual, allowing the pair more frequent use of a shiny ball that swung at high pace. Miller was also a skillful slips fielder, regarded by his captain as the best in the world.
Miller took 13 wickets at an average of 26.28 and scored 184 runs in the Tests at an average of 23.15, and played a key role in subduing England's leading batsmen, Len Hutton and Denis Compton, with a barrage of short-pitched bowling. He troubled Hutton to such an extent in the Tests and tour matches that the batsman was dropped for the Third Test. In the First Test, Miller took seven wickets, including Hutton and Compton twice, bearing a large part of the bowling workload after Lindwall broke down with a groin injury on the first day. In the Second Test at Lord's, he scored 74 in the second innings to help bat England out of the match. Miller also scored a rapid 58 in the Fourth Test, featuring in a counter-attacking partnership with Neil Harvey that helped Australia to regain the momentum; they went on to win in the closing minutes of the final day.
In all first-class matches, Miller scored 1,088 runs at 47.30 and took 56 wickets at 17.58. Bradman gave him a lighter bowling workload during the tour matches to keep him fresh for the key battles in the Tests. Miller played many of his more carefree innings in the tour matches, hitting many sixes. He also showed his disdain for Bradman's obsession with annihilating the opposition. In one match against Essex, he deliberately let himself be bowled first ball to protest against Australia's ruthless dismantling of the bowling; the tourists set a world record for the most runs scored in a day of first-class cricket (721).
Miller's charisma—coupled with the unprecedented popularity of the Australians—made him much sought after for social events. His friendship with Princess Margaret was particularly scrutinised by the media.
Read more about Keith Miller With The Australian Cricket Team In England In 1948: Background, Early Tour, First Test, Second Test, Third Test, Fourth Test, Fifth Test, Later Tour Matches, Role
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