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Categories: 1919 births | 2004 deaths | Australian all-rounders | Australian Rules footballers | Wisden Cricketers of the Year
Keith Miller
Keith Ross Miller (born 28 November 1919, died 11 October 2004, Melbourne, Australia) was an Australian all-round sportsman and World War II pilot.
'Nugget' Miller is best known on the sporting field for his achievements in cricket. After making his first-class debut for Victoria in 1937–38 with a score of 181, his cricket career was interrupted by World War II, during which he was a fighter pilot. Miller resumed playing cricket with a bang, starring in the Victory tests in England at the end of the war. He made his actual test debut in 1946, and later played in Donald Bradman's famous Invincibles team of 1948. He played a total of 55 test matches for Australia. At the time of his retirement from test cricket in 1956, he had the best statistics of any all-rounder in cricket history. He is still generally regarded as the greatest all-round cricketer that Australia has ever produced.
Miller was named Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1954, and was inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame in 1996. He is one of only three Australian cricketers, along with Bradman and Victor Trumper , to be honoured with a portrait in the Lord's Long Room in London.
Although he successfully captained his state, one of Australias greatest test captains Richie Benaud describes Miller as one of the greatest captains he ever played under, Miller never captained Australia. Many believe this was because of his wayward off-field behaviour and his ongoing disputes with Don Bradman. He was renowned for his refusal to take cricket too seriously; when asked by Michael Parkinson about pressure on the field, Miller famously replied "Pressure is a Messerschmitt up your arse, playing cricket is not."
Miller also played 50 times in the VFL for Australian Rules football team St Kilda, and represented Victoria in 1946.
He was named after the Australian pioneer aviator brothers Keith and Ross Smith .
External link
- Keith Miller Cricinfo Biography http://aus.cricinfo.com/db/PLAYERS/AUS/M/MILLER_KR_02000741/
Categories: 1919 births | 2004 deaths | Australian all-rounders | Australian Rules footballers | Wisden Cricketers of the Year