Keith Miller, the Australian all-rounder known as 'Nugget' for the way he illuminated cricket in the post-war era, died yesterday after a period of ill-health. He was 84.
Dubbed by Neville Cardus as ''the Australian in excelsis'', Miller was a dashing batsman, a fearsome bowler and an instinctive fielder who played 55 Test matches as one of the most charismatic cricketers of his generation.
He was a member of Don Bradman's Invincibles of 1948 and will probably be remembered and revered as much for his attitude to life as for his new-ball partnership with Ray Lindwall.
''Keith Miller was a genuine legend, a man whose dashing approach helped cricket regain its place in the public affection after the dark years of World War II,'' said Bob Merriman, chairman of Cricket Australia.
''He was one of those rare athletes who could turn a game with bat, ball or with an impossible catch.
"But more important, he was a man who understood that the game, great as it is, is just a game, and he played it that way."
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