A great all-rounder is too often a graceful character that instils a sense of fear, and awe, in the opposition. Keith Miller, a champion performer, from Down Under, espoused the description to a T.
Miller, a terror in many a batsman’s mind, was a world-beater — all by himself. A giant of an all-rounder too, with a devil-may-care attitude, Miller had, as a fast bowler, only a few peers. His bat was just as animated — more so, when the occasion demanded. None really has been able to reach, or overtake, his exalted status, yet — except, of course, the incomparable Sir Gary Sobers. But, then, the West Indian wizard was a left-hander.
Miller’s strengths, as a batsman, used to blossom in crises. He loved to hit his way out of trouble. On the other hand, he would simply ‘throw away’ his wicket, in the absence of a challenge. As a fast bowler, Miller could deliver his thunderbolts from a short run-up. He had no normal run, or bowling mark. He didn’t believe in such parameters. Yet, his lifting, disconcerting deliveries used to often unsettle the best batsmen of his time — as the legendary Len Hutton used to often testify. To top it all, Miller could bowl a few lethal leg-breaks when the batsmen would least expect them. He had a well-concealed googly too. Talk of variety — Miller had them all.
Miller [November 28, 1919-October 11, 2004] formed a deadly combination with Ray Lindwall, who was sheer poetry in motion. Miller was more than just a smart fast bowler too — his swing was well-defined; and, the pace he was able to generate off the wicket was extraordinary, not to mention his subtle variations in speed and swing. He used the bouncer, with telling effect, against the top-order batsmen, but never against the ‘tail.’ An extremely handsome man, a chocolate-box hero, Miller was cricket’s first Golden Boy… with his own ‘Millerian’ tenacity. His looks dazzled his legion of female fans; his cricketing abilities did likewise, but with ominous portent, to his opponents on the field.
Miller, along with Lindwall, also shaped what was Australia’s most destructive pace combination — the precursor to the Dennis Lillee-Jeff Thomson ‘fire surplus,’ in the mid-1970s. The awesome twosome made Sir Don Bradman’s 1947-1948 Aussie side, rated by critics as one of the greatest in cricket history — and, Lindsay Hassett’s side — highly formidable and insuperable, one series after another, until England through trials and tribulations regained the Ashes in 1953-54.
As cricket writer David Frith underlined in his perceptive book, The Fast Men: “When the star-studded West Indies toured Australia in 1951-52, Clyde Walcott, Sir Frank Worrell, and Everton Weekes, destroyers of English bowling, were subjected to volley after volley of searing bouncers. Australia won the series 4-1 and the mighty three Ws were bounced to near impotency. No Test series ends with the final ball: when the West Indies had the fire-power in the later years they used it without hesitation. There are no treaties in international cricket.”
Miller, who’s overlooked for Test captaincy — the legendary Richie Benaud, to reminisce a case in point, estimated that Miller was the best captain he played under at the national level — because, he may not have always aligned with Bradman’s ‘frame of mind’ — for reasons other than cricket, was a fighter, the best in the business. He was, doubtless, a much better all-rounder than the great all-rounders that followed him later: from Imran Khan, Ian Botham, Sir Richard Hadlee, and Kapil Dev.
To quote Frith, again: “Miller’s ferocity was still there in 1954-55, when he was 35. England needed only 94 in the fourth innings of the Adelaide Test to win the series. Yet Miller, who had told a friend that ‘somebody’s in for a nasty half-hour’ got rid of Hutton, Bill Edrich, and Colin Cowdrey in twenty balls, and took a glorious catch at cover to send back Peter May. As he hit the ground in securing the catch, he damaged his shoulders and this reduced his effectiveness. England got home by five wickets, but such was Miller’s stature that few would have said with complete conviction that the opposition could have done so, while he was fit, and in such an ‘impossible’ mood.”
Miller was an uncoiling spring, a fenestrate eccentric, no less. Also, moody. His disposition would indicate his interest: one moment, he’d look bored; the next moment, he would bring off a superb catch out of nowhere. Versatility was his strength. His bowling was free-flowing. Thunderous. He had sublime poise and speed — also, verve. His batting was accentuated on forward-play. His best shot was the drive. He was adept in the execution of the delicate late-cut too. This was something one wouldn’t really connect with someone like Miller with his huge torso and tall frame.
The only palpable flaw in Miller’s batting, perhaps, was his too long a forward lunge. It would disturb his balance, at times. Not always, though. Yet, what took the cake was his flamboyant, also committed, approach to the game. He would have been a big hit in Tests, one-day, T20, and T10 cricket, today.
Miller, who toured India with the Services team, had a relaxed stint on the field, when India toured Australia, for the first time, in 1947-48, under Lala Amarnath’s captaincy. India lost the Test series 4-0. Miller was required to bat just once in each Test — since the mighty Aussies just dominated the newly-independent country, lock, stock and barrel, on the cricketing arena. He scored 185 runs at 37.00, with two half-centuries. He bowled 72 overs and took 9 wickets at 24.78.
The sight of Miller in full throttle will not dim. Because, he set a style, all unique — for every all-rounder to emulate — in the form of his tough mental bearing, ‘thinking’ isometrics, physical preparedness, sense of purpose and values. He exemplified his own diligent mind-set, no less — a fighter pilot, during World War II, who would fly his sortie in the morning, and return to play cricket at noon. Would you believe it? You better do.
That’s Miller’s magic. There’s no real need to hark back on his impressive tally in Tests [matches 55; innings 87; 7 times not out; runs 2,958; highest score 147; 7 hundreds; 13 fifties; average 36.97], or first-class cricket [matches 226; innings 326; 36 times not out; runs 14,183; highest score 281*; 41 hundreds; 63 fifties; average 48.90]. Or, the ‘scalps’ he accumulated in Tests [matches 55; innings 95; balls 10,461; runs 3,906; wickets 170; best bowling figures in an innings 7/60; best bowling figures in a match 10/152; average 22.97; economy 2.24]; and, first-class cricket [matches 226; balls 28,070; runs 11,087; wickets 497; best bowling figures 7/12; average 22.30; economy 2.36]. Miller transcended statistics. What’s more, Miller had a far better comparative overall average than the great ‘quartet’ — Imran Khan, Hadlee, Botham, and Kapil Dev.
To quote John Arlott, the ‘Voice of Cricket,’ “He [Miller] was a great player without conceit. Without respect for averages, who never cared what the crowd thought of him.” It articulates Miller — a legend who loved cricket, first and next, and also much more than anything else on the living planet.
— First published in Cricket Odyssey
[Keith Miller. Photo, Courtesy: Cricinr]