Cricket Australia pays tribute to former Test ace Max Walker, who has died at 68

Walker made his Australia debut in 1972 and went on to play 34 Tests, claiming 138 wickets at an average of 27.47

Wednesday 28 September 2016 13:13 BST
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Cricket Australia has led the tributes to former Test bowler, commentator and broadcaster Max Walker, who has died at the age of 68.

Walker made his Australia debut in 1972 and went on to play 34 Tests, claiming 138 wickets at an average of 27.47. His career-best figures of eight wickets for 143 runs came in the sixth Test defeat to England in Melbourne in 1975.

A CA press release gave cancer as the reason for Walker's death and chief executive officer James Sutherland said: "The cricket world will be deeply saddened to hear of Max's sudden passing.

"On behalf of everyone at Cricket Australia our deepest sympathies go out to Max's family, friends and all those in cricket who had the pleasure of dealing with him.

"He was a great character, with a big smile and positive approach to life. He will be sadly missed."

Right arm pace bowler Walker - nicknamed 'Tangles' - was a talented Australian Rules footballer but chose to make a career out of cricket.

He also played 17 one-day internationals for Australia, either side of his two years with Kerry Packer's World Series Cricket.

Sutherland continued: "As a cricketer, with ball or bat in hand, Max was always fiercely competitive.

"He was a genuine crowd favourite wherever he played - and nowhere more so than at his beloved MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground), where he had also played senior football prior to his Test debut.

"He was an outstanding cricketer who played an important role in the emergence of successful Australian cricket teams in the 1970s.

"It was a golden era of Test Cricket under the captaincy of Ian and Greg Chappell and Max's medium fast bowling and his unmistakeable bowling action were a feature of those teams - and then in the late 1970s when he joined World Series Cricket."

Tasmania-born Walker retired in 1982 and went on to become a familiar voice among cricket fans worldwide, as well as an author and popular corporate speaker.

Like another former Australia favourite-turned-commentator Richie Benaud, who died last year, Walker was also parodied by Billy Birmingham on his popular 'The Twelfth Man' album in the 1990s.

In 2011 he was made a member of the Order of Australia for "service to cricket at a national and international level as a player and commentator, and to the community through a range of youth and social welfare organisations.

PA.

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