Keith Miller with the Australian cricket team in England in 1948

Keith Miller was a key member of Donald Bradman's famous Invincibles touring party, undefeated on its tour of England in 1948. Miller started the "Invincibles" tour strongly, scoring a hard-hitting 50 not out against Worcestershire, with five fours and three sixes, as Australia won by an innings.cite web|title=Matches, Australia tour of England, Apr-Sep 1948 |url=http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/invincibles/engine/series/61329.html |publisher=Cricinfo |accessdate=2008-07-16] The tour opener was immediately followed by a match against Leicestershire, when he scored an unbeaten 202 from five and a half hours. Miller featured in a 111-run partnership with Sid Barnes before putting on 159 with Bradman. The hosts compounded their troubles by spurning a trio of chances from Miller. One of Miller's sixes concussed a spectator as Australia went on to another innings win.Perry, p. 224.] The next match against Yorkshire allowed Australia to battle Hutton and try to get a psychological edge before the Tests. Bowling medium-paced off breaks, Miller removed Hutton for five; he finished with 6/42 as the home team were rolled for 71 on a sticky wicket. Australia struggled to make 101, including a counterattacking 34 from Miller, which was the highest individual score in a low-scoring match. Miller hit two sixes in his innings, one of which came from the first ball that he faced. Miller then took 3/49 in the second innings as Yorkshire fell for 89 to set up an Australian victory.Perry, p. 225.]

After three consecutive three-day matches with only one rest day between games, Bradman rested Miller from the match against Surrey at The Oval. Miller returned to take seven wickets against Cambridge University. In the first innings, he resumed battle with John Dewes, whom he had tormented during the Victory Tests. This time, Dewes put a thick towel under his shirt for protection in anticipation of a short-pitched barrage. Miller set up Dewes with a short ball, before yorking him, to end the first innings with 5/46 as Australia won by an innings.

Miller was involved in a famous incident in the next match against Essex. Australia had already piled up 2/364 when Miller came to the crease midway through the first day. The previous partnership between Bradman and Bill Brown had already plundered 219 runs in 90 minutes. Miller deliberately let the first ball from Trevor Bailey hit the stumps, much to Bradman's displeasure.Perry, p. 226.] Miller was making a protest against the one-sided nature of the contest, as Australia set a world-record of 721 runs in one day.Perry, p. 227.] He regained his competitive instinct when given the ball, taking 3/14 in the first innings as Australia won by an innings and 451 runs. Bradman rested Miller for the match against Oxford University.

In the lead-up to the Tests, Australia took on the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) at Lord's; effectively a dress rehearsal for the Tests as many of England's first-choice players were in the MCC team. It was Miller's first match at the home of cricket since the Victory Tests. Miller reached his century in 165 minutes as Australia scored 552.Perry, p. 228.] He was eventually out for 163 after 250 minutes of batting, hitting 20 fours and three sixes. Miller and Lindwall then attempted to maintain their psychological ascendancy over Hutton—captaining MCC—before the Tests.Perry, p. 229.] This time Hutton held off the pair with 52 and 64, but his team could not, falling to defeat by an innings and 158 runs. However, Miller was still able to account for Edrich and Jack Robertson. In addition to his performance on the field, MCC, influential in cricket circles, provided Miller with legal assistance in his contract dispute with Rawtenstall. Rawtenstall dropped the dispute after being offered compensation.Perry, p. 230.]

Miller was rested for the match against Lancashire; Australia's first non-victory for the tour. He returned against Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club and scored 51 and took a wicket in each innings as Australia drew again. The next match against Hampshire saw Australia in trouble with Bradman resting under the rotation policy. Hampshire had scored 195 and Australia had fallen to 8/63 after rain turned the surface into a sticky wicket. Miller's top score of 39 included three consecutive sixes and was part of counterattack that saw Australia recover to 117.Perry, p. 232.] It was the first time on tour that Australia had conceded a lead on the innings. This left the county with a 77-run lead on the first innings, but Miller rose to the challenge again, taking 5/25 in the second. Hampshire were bowled out for 103, leaving a target of 182 which Australia achieved with eight wickets in hand.Perry, p. 233.] Miller was rested for the match against Sussex at Hove, after six consecutive days of cricket.

Miller set the tone for Australia as England batted first on the first morning of the First Test at Trent Bridge. He bowled Hutton and Compton, helping Australia to seize the initiative. England were bowled out for 165 and Miller had 3/38. Miller scored a duck, but Australia took a 344-run lead on the first innings. He removed Washbrook for one with a short ball at the start of England's second innings, and then continued his battle with Hutton and Compton, delivering five bouncers in the last over of the day. The batsmen survived, but Miller received a hostile reaction from the crowd. This prompted the Nottinghamshire administrators to broadcast an appeal to the crowd to cease their barracking of Miller.Perry, p. 236.]

The next day, he bowled Hutton for 74 and then bowled a fast bouncer at Compton. Compton positioned himself to hook, but changed his mind and attempted to duck the ball, in the process falling onto his stumps and was out for 184. Miller ended with 4/125 for the innings and 7/163 for the match, having removed England's two leading batsmen in both innings and bowled 63 overs with Lindwall injured.Perry, p. 235.]

While the players were walking back to the pavilion after England's innings, Miller received another hostile reception. One spectator threatened Miller with violence, prompting Miller to grab him by his coat collar, daring him to enter the Australian dressing room. The spectator backed down.Perry, p. 237.] Australia went on to win by eight wickets,Perry, pp. 236–238.] and Miller was not required to bat.

After his heavy workload of bowling in the First Test, Bradman rested Miller for the match against Northamptonshire, which started the day after the First Test. He returned for another match against Yorkshire, opening the batting under the intention of bowling less. He scored 19 in the first innings and brought up a century in the second, finishing with 113. Nevertheless, Miller opened the bowling with the intention of keeping pressure on Hutton.Perry, p. 238.] Miller was unable to dismiss his arch-rival, but Ernie Toshack and Ron Hamence did so for 39 and 10 respectively.

After a day of rest after the Yorkshire match, Australia proceeded to the Second Test at Lord's, with Miller unfit to bowl.Perry, p. 239.] He came in to bat in the first innings with Australia at 3/166 on the first afternoon, having elected to bat. Alec Bedser bowled three consecutive outswingers to Miller. A fourth ball swung the other way, with Miller not offering a shot. He was given out leg before wicket for four.Perry, p. 240.] Australia went on to make 350 but suffered a blow when Lindwall's injury flared up again. However, Lindwall continued. Bradman threw Miller the ball, hoping that he would reverse his decision not to bowl. Miller refused and returned the ball, citing his back. Miller's action generated news headlines, with journalists believing that he had disobeyed Bradman.

Australia took a 135-run first innings lead, which had increased to 411 when Miller came to the crease in the second innings with the score at 3/296 on the third afternoon. English captain Norman Yardley was on a hat-trick, having removed Lindsay Hassett first ball. Miller survived a loud leg before wicket appeal on the hat-trick ball. He then hit a six into the grandstand. He resumed on the fourth morning and was eventually out for 74. Australia declared at 7/460, 595 runs ahead.Perry, p. 241.] He took three catches, including a diving effort to remove Compton, as Australia won by 409 runs.Perry, pp. 240–241.]

After the end of the Lord's Test, Miller attended a concert and a party after, arriving back at the team hotel after daybreak on the next morning, just before breakfast. When Bradman saw him, he addressed Miller by his name, rather than his nickname.Perry, p. 242.] Australia were due to play Surrey at The Oval on the same day. Bradman won the toss and elected to field. Instead of fielding in his usual slips position, Bradman sent Miller to field on the fine leg boundary as a punishment for his late night out. Between overs, Miller had to walk to the opposite end of the field for the bowler from the other end. One of the spectators felt sorry for Miller and lent his bicycle, which Miller used to cycle around the edge of the ground at the end of each over. Soon after, Bradman brought Miller into a fielding position closer to the playing centre. He eventually scored nine in his only innings and was only asked to bowl one over by Bradman. Miller had a quite period on the field during July, and was noted more for his celebrity appearances at functions and classical music concerts than his cricket. The match against Surrey was immediately followed by a match against Gloucestershire in Bristol, where Miller scored 51 in a victory by an innings and 363 runs.

The efforts of Miller and Lindwall against Hutton had led the English selectors to drop the Yokshireman for the Third Test. The Australians were surprised by the move and thought that it was a bad move by their opponents.Perry, pp. 242–243.]

Miller had a quiet Third Test at Old Trafford, taking one wicket and scoring 31 as the match ended in a draw. In a rain-shortened match, Miller again earned the ire of the crowd, after aiming a series of bouncers at Edrich, in apparent retaliation to the Englishman's bouncing of Lindwall.Perry, p. 243.] He struck Edrich on the body before Bradman intervened, which resulted in Miller stopping his sequence of bouncers.Perry, p. 244.] In another incident, Miller had been playing poker with the Englishmen during a rain delay. The weather cleared and Hassett beckoned him to re-enter the field to resume play. Miller refused, and continued to play poker with those English players who were currently batting. He won the pot and pocketed the money, running onto the ground late. When he was on the field and approaching the centre, he pulled the money out of his pockets and brandished it to the crowd and taunting his English colleagues.Perry, p. 243.]

Between Tests, there was one tour match against Middlesex at Lord's, in which Bradman rested Miller. [cite web|title=Middlesex v Australians at Lord's, Jul 17-20 1948| url=http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/invincibles/engine/match/352997.html |publisher=Cricinfo |accessdate=2008-07-16] In his absence, Australia won by ten wickets, meaning that Miller had an eight-day break from cricket between the Tests.

The teams moved to Headingley for the Fourth Test at Leeds. Hutton had been recalled and the home team batted first. England tallied 496 and Miller took the last wicket, finishing with 1/43. In reply, Australia were struggling at 3/68 in reply on the third morning. Neil Harvey, playing his first Ashes Test, joined Miller at the crease. Australia were more than 400 behind and Harvey told his senior partner "Let's get stuck into 'em".Perry, p. 245.] If England were to remove the pair, they would expose Australia's lower order and give themselves an opportunity to win. The pair launched a counterattack, with Miller taking the lead. He hoisted Jim Laker's first ball over square leg for six. Miler shielded Harvey from Laker, who was struggling against the off breaks turning away from him. Miller struck consecutive sixes over long off and the sightscreen respectively. This allowed Australia to seize the initiative; Harvey joining in and hitting consecutive boundaries against Laker. Miller then lifted another six over long off, hitting a spectator in the head, and another over long on from Norman Yardley's bowling. He was dismissed for 58 attempting another six.Perry, p. 246.] The partnership had yielded 121 runs in only 90 minutes, and was described by Wisden as a "hurricane".cite web|title= Wisden 1954 - Neil Harvey|url=http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/australia/content/story/154608.html| publisher=Wisden |year=1954|accessdate=2007-06-06] John Arlott described the innings as the most memorable that he had witnessed. He said "Miller played like an emperor . . . Every stroke would have been memorable but each one had bettered its predecessor", saying that Miller had raised cricket "to a point of aesthetic beauty".Perry, p. 247.]

The momentum swung in Australia's favour. Harvey scored 112, while Sam Loxton hit a further five sixes from Laker. Lindwall then scored 77 as Australia finished at 457 on the fourth day, having added almost 396 in one day's play.cite web| title = 4th Test England v Australia at Leeds Jul 22-27 1948|url=http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/62688.html|publisher= Cricinfo|accessdate=2007-12-12] Miller took 1/53 in the second innings as Australia were set a world record chase of 404 on the final day. He made only 12 but Australia broke the world record to take 3–0 lead.

The Australians moved onto the next match against Derbyshire on the day after the Test, where Miller scored 57 and took 3/31 in an innings victory. In a rain-affected draw against Glamorgan, Miller took two wickets before striking a hard-hitting 84. He stuck five sixes and seven fours. He struck one of the sixes with one hand, sending it 20 rows into the crowd. Miller was rested for the win against Warwickshire. He returned against Lancashire.Perry, p. 248.] On the final day, Jack Ikin had reached 99 in an innings in which he was repeatedly hit. Bradman took the new ball and gave it to Miller. Miller refused to bowl, saying that he felt Ikin deserved a century. Lindwall was given the ball and he promptly removed Ikin for 99. He then scored 55 in faster than even time against Durham in the last match before the Fifth Test. The match was a two day match which was not first-class.Fact|date=July 2008

The teams proceeded to The Oval for the Fifth Test. England elected to bat,Perry, p. 249.] Miller bowled Dewes with his second ball and then removed Jack Crapp without scoring, leaving England at 4/23. Miller ended with 2/5 from eight overs as Lindwall (6/20) cut down the home team for 52. In his last Test innings for the summer, Miller scored five before overbalancing and being stumped.Perry, p. 250.] Australia led by 337 on the first innings and Miller dismissed Hutton and Crapp to end with 2/22 as Australia won by an innings and took a 4–0 series win.Perry, p. 251.]

Miller ended the Tests with 184 runs at 26.28 and 13 wickets at 23.15 from 138.1 overs. He took eight catches.cite web|url=http://stats.cricinfo.com/statsguru/engine/player/6612.html?class=1;template=results;type=allround;view=innings |publisher=Cricinfo |title=Statsguru - KR Miller - Test matches - All-round analysis |accessdate=2008-07-09] During the Tests, Miller had usually batted at No. 5, except in the Fourth Test when he batted at No. 4 due to the absence of opener Sid Barnes due to injury, which resulted in a reshuffle in the batting order.Fact|date=July 2008 When fit, Miller opened the bowling with Lindwall, and the pair bowled in short and fiery bursts with the new ball.Perry, pp. 22–223.] Miller was Australia's third-leading Test wicket-taker behind Lindwall and Johnston, who took 27 apiece. He was used sparingly compared to the other four Australian frontline bowlers Lindwall, Johnston, Toshack and Johnson. Toshack and Johnson each bowled more than 170 overs despite playing in one less Test, while Lindwall bowled 224 and Johnston 306 in the five Tests.Fact|date=July 2008

Miller was rested for the match against Kent, but played against the Gentlemen of England at Lord's. He scored 69 and was dismissed attempting a third consecutive hooked boundary.Perry, p. 252.] In the following match against Somerset, Miller had alight workload, scoring an unbeaten 37 at No. 8, and then bowling only eight overs and taking one wicket as Australia took victory by an innings and 374 runs. [cite web|title=Somerset v Australians at Taunton, Aug 28-30 1948| url=http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/invincibles/engine/match/353005.html |publisher=Cricinfo |accessdate=2008-07-16] Miller was then rested from the match against South of England, which was a rain-affected draw. [cite web|title=South v Australians at Hastings, Sep 1-3 1948| url=http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/invincibles/engine/match/353006.html |publisher=accessdate=2008-07-16] Miller returned for the final first-class match against Leveson-Gower's XI at |Scarborough, but did little, scoring one in his only innings and bowling eight overs without success. [cite web|title=HDG Leveson-Gower's XI at Scarborough, Sep 8-10 1948| url=http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/invincibles/engine/match/353007.html |publisher=Cricinfo |accessdate=2008-07-16] This left only two non-first-class matches against Scotland to complete the tour. Miller played in the first and scored six in his only innings and did not take a wicket, and was rested for the second match. Australia won both matches an innings. [cite web
url = http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/18/18707.html
title = Scotland v Australians
publisher = CricketArchive
accessdate = 2007-12-26] [cite web
url = http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/18/18709.html
title = Scotland v Australians
publisher = CricketArchive
accessdate = 2007-12-26] As a result, Australia went through the tour unbeaten to end with 25 wins and nine draws. They had gone through the summer without defeat.

After the tour, Bradman was full of praise for Miller, though somewhat critical of his aggressive batting: quote|One of the most volatile cricketers of any age. Long, rangy, athletic type—drove the ball with tremendous power—tried to hit sixes with abandon. Many of them would have been prodigious. Would have been a far better player had he curbed this propensity and showed more judgement in his hitting. Dangerous bowler with the new ball, swinging it both ways not much short of [Ray] Lindwall's speed. [...] In 1948 he was the best slip field in the world. Altogether, a crowd-pleasing personality ... whose limitations were caused mainly by his own failure to concentrate.|Don Bradman|Bradman, p. 225.] Miller totalled 2088 runs for the tour, second only to Bradman although his average of 47.30 was only the eighth highest in the squad. He took 56 wickets at 17.58 and held onto 20 catches.Perry, p. 256.]

When asked about the three most beautiful things in England, he said "The hills of Derbyshire, the leg sweep of Denis Compton and Princess Margaret".Perry, p. 257.]

Notes

References

*cite book|last=Bradman |first=Donald |authorlink=Don Bradman |title=Farewell to cricket | publisher=Editions Tom Thomson |year=1994 |isbn=187589201X
*cite book|last=Perry|first=Roland|title=Miller's Luck: the life and loves of Keith Miller, Australia's greatest all-rounder|year=2005|publisher=Random House|location=Sydney|isbn=9781741662221