Keith Miller With The Australian Cricket Team in England in 1948 - Third Test

Third Test

The efforts of Miller and Lindwall against Hutton throughout the season had led the English selectors to drop the Yorkshireman for the Third Test at Old Trafford. The Australians were surprised by the move and thought that it was a blunder, as they rated Hutton to be England’s best batsman.

Miller had a quiet match. He did not bowl in the first innings as England batted first and posted 363. The closest he came to a catch was when Yardley edged to him in slips on the half-volley. When Australia batted, he came to the crease and joined Morris with the score at 3/82 and the pair took the score to 3/126 at stumps on the second day. He was on 23 and Morris had made 48. The run rate picked up in the last 50 minutes of the day as the pair added 44 runs; Miller was the more attacking of the Australian duo during this time. The next day, Australia struggled against the new ball in the first hour. Miller was beaten three times in one Bedser over before Dick Pollard trapped him for 31, prompting a middle-order collapse of 3/37, before the tourists recovered to end at 221, avoiding the follow on by eight runs.

Miller returned to the bowling crease in England's second innings. He immediately broke through Washbrook's defences, only to see the ball graze the stumps without dislodging the bails. After two Miller outswingers had evaded the outside edge of Washbrook, the batsman appeared unsettled. One bouncer was hit over square leg in an uncontrolled manner for a four, and another flew in the air, narrowly evading Loxton at fine leg. However, Miller did not take a wicket and ended with 0/15 from 14 overs, but again caught Compton. Not for the first time during the season, the Australian paceman earned the ire of the crowd after launching a series of short-pitched balls at Edrich, apparently in retaliation for the Englishman's bouncing of Lindwall. The paceman struck Edrich on the body before Bradman intervened and ordered him to stop his short-pitched barrage. In another incident, Miller was playing poker with the Englishmen during a rain delay. When the weather cleared, Hassett beckoned him to return to the field for the resumption of play. The request was refused, and the poke match continued against the English players who were not currently batting. He won the pot and pocketed the money, before hurriedly running onto the ground late. When he was on the field and approaching the centre, Miller pulled the money out of his pockets. He brandished the notes to the crowd and taunted his English colleagues. The match ended in a draw after the entire fourth day and half of the fifth day was washed out. England declared upon the resumption of play on the final day and set Australia a target of 317 for victory. The tourists reached 1/92 to ensure a draw.

Between Tests, Australia had one tour match against Middlesex at Lord's. Bradman rested Miller as Australia won by ten wickets, giving him an eight-day break between the Tests.