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| Sunday, 17 October 2004 |
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Royal cricketers had a taste of Miller in 1936 by HAROLD ANDRADO There have been so many players like Ian Botham, Kapil Dev, Imran Khan, Malcom Marshall and to lesser extent Ravi Shastri as world class all-rounders, that one is sometimes at a loss how to categorize them with the great all rounders of old like Wilfred Rhodes, Vinoo Mankad, Keith Miller and the one and only Sir Garfield Sobers. Other great all rounders of an earlier vintage included Wally Hammond, Richie Benaud, Sir Frank Worrell, Sir Learie Constantine, Trevor Bailey, Lala Amaranath, Alan Davidson and Ray Lindwall. Good judges often differ as to who was the best. Sir Donald Bradman put the issue beyond doubt when he named Sir Garfield Sobers, and Sir Don is seldom or never wrong. Statistically and on the cricket field, especially in batting there should be no dispute, but tactically, captaincy wise and on the score of public relations, there could be some reservations. Keith Miller himself endorses Sir Don's opinion, when he considers himself a cart horse besides the thoroughbred all rounder Sir Gary Sobers, but that is Keith Miller's innate modesty or his talking with his tongue in his cheek. The present generation may not remember him but Keith Miller as every one knows was one of the famous all rounders in cricket history. On the 28th November, Keith Miller would have celebrate his 85th birthday. It was the famous cricket writer Ray Robinson who described Keith Miller as an "Olympian God among Mortals". He hit 31 sixes in Tests. It was with Ray, that Keith Miller agreed, "that taking the risk out of batting would be like taking the appetite out of eating or more aptly the romance out of seduction". Keith Miller was never vain about his cricketing ability, nor was he put out by failure. He took it like man, laughing heartily about it. He was true cavalier not only of cricket but of life. Let there be a crowd to be roused, a bumper to be hurled or a stump to be flattened, Miller would shock it, rock it and knock it. Or if there was a SIX to be hit, a roof to be dented or a horse to be followed, Miller would whack it, smack it, or back it. It was Lady Godiva who put everything she had on a horse, Keith Miller at the races could be somewhat similar, but only as far as betting goes. Keith Miller was tremendously popular in Sri Lanka. The first ever Sri Lankans to meet Keith were the Royal College Team of 1936, captained by Ryle de Soysa that toured Australia. The team included Lucian de Zoysa, Pat-McCarthy, Sundaram Pathmanathan, Alavi Macan Makar, M. Sivanathan, Robbert de Kretser, Bunny Thiedeman, Rodney Porritt, David Vollenhoven, E. F. E. de Kretser and Fredrick H. de Saram. Century At the end of World War II, Miller came here with the Australian Services, when our cricket was at its strongest, and hit a brilliant century. He then showed us how lightning fast his bowling was, and we also had a glimpse of his acrobatic and peerless fielding. He played here three more times 1948, 1952 and 1953 and on each occasion he was the "glamour" player. In one of these, he stroked another chanceless century against the visiting English team together with C. I. Gunasekera another centurion who matched him run for run. For those who cannot picture him, he stood well over six feet, with a powerful physique and he was easily identifiable. His disposition was great, gregarious, generous, fun loving and with these very winning ways possessed great charm both as a host and guest, and attracted affection and loyalty with most ease. For some reason he was extra ordinarily difficult to resist, perhaps because he assumed without question, that you would go along with all his magnetism and hypnosis. If you could accept his perpetual fiesta that he liked to create, you could always have a wonderful time in his entourage. Yet Keith Miller was always outspoken and he had no time for hypocrites, earbashers, especially scroungers and free wheelers as he called them, who are still found in many pubs and clubs and among some pressmen too. The spirit of daring was in born in Keith Miller. As Flight Lieutenant, Miller, he flew Mosquitoes on his nightly raids over Berlin, and on three or four occasions he flirted with death. Knowing his wartime exploits, over Germany his numerous acts of generosity to hundreds of his friends, and his heart of gold, nothing was beyond Keith Miller. He returned to the International scene after 20 years at the age of 57 to play in the Jinnah Century Celebration Limited Over Matches in Pakistan, when he captained the Rest of the World, no one expected the comeback to be a Rip Roaring Success, and he batted and bowled only when necessary. Anura Tennakoon who played alongside him in that series will vouch for his brilliant slip fielding and shrewd captaincy. Century in 40 mins During a visit to Australia, I saw Keith Miller make a century in forty minutes at the Manly Oval on the 23rd November 1958, in a Charity Match the teams comprising mainly of the Press Box contingent, including 17 internationals. This writer had the privilege of being invited to participate and make up the two teams. Others who played were Sid Barnes, Arthur Morris, Lindsay Hassett, Bruce Dooland, Jim Burke, Ian Johnson, Peter Philpott, Martin Donelly (NZ), Hugh Tayfield (South Africa), Ian Peebles, Bill Edrich, Johnny Wardle, Sir Len Hutton, Freddie Brown (who was MCC Manager then), Bill O'Reilly and Alan Walker. Personally to me it was a relief to be on the same side as Keith, and not to have face his thunderbolts. Keith Miller was always kindness personified. For all the help he has given me personally, and for nearly six decades of friendship I owe him a debt of gratitute. He made it possible for me to cover an entire Australian tour of England in 1972, a real act of generosity and friendship in the days of rigid Exchange Control and Exit Visas. Keith Miller-the magnetic personality, the crowd's favourite was a fusion of inconsistencies, impulsive, venture some, wilful, variable, casual, sensitive, open handed, companionable, quick tempered (quickly calm again), easy going, non-smoker and classical music lover. His traits have revealed the Debonair and Devilish Duality of his nature. |
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