“Upright and unbending, with a touch of the tin soldier about his bearing, Greg Chappell was the outstanding Australian batsman of his generation. Though he had an appetite for big scores, it was his calm brow and courtly manner that bowlers found just as disheartening. He made a century in his first and final Tests, and 22 more in between – although perhaps the outstanding batting of his career left no trace on the record-books, his 621 runs at 69 in five unauthorised World Series Cricket “SuperTests” in the Caribbean in 1979, off a West Indian attack of unprecedented hostility. Less empathic as a captain than his elder brother Ian, he nonetheless won 21 of his 48 Tests and lost only 13. He lost the Ashes in 1977, but reclaimed them in 1982-83. His feat of scoring centuries in each innings of his captaincy debut is unequalled.

“After retiring he went into coaching, spending some time with South Australia and working as a consultant at Pakistan’s National Cricket Academy. He also worked as a commentator for ABC Radio. In May 2005 he was appointed coach of the Indian national cricket team on a two-year term – a stint that included a stormy public falling out with the captain, Sourav Ganguly.”

For more information, click here.

Jeff Thomson – 33 wickets in the 1974/75 Ashes Series.

“Jeff Thomson was one of the fastest bowlers to have played Test cricket. With an unusual slinging action, and an aggressive approach, he was a fearsome sight to batsmen. He debuted against Pakistan in 1972-73, but hampered by a broken bone in his foot (which he hid from the selectors) was ineffective.

“Recalled in 1974-5, and forming a partnership with Dennis Lillee, he terrorised the England tourists with consistent spells of extreme fast bowling, taking 33 wickets in the series. His action put considerable stress on his body, particularly his right shoulder, and he was rarely fit enough to reach those peaks again. He adapted his methods, relying less on pure pace, and more on an excellent cutter, and seam and swing. He was always capable of unleashing a very fast bouncer that would skid and follow the batsman from only just short of a length.

“He remained with the Australian side when many left to join the Packer circus in 1977, and carried their attack through two series against England and India, but left to join WSC shortly afterwards. A capable fielder, and a lower order batsman who could hit, he was frequently heard on radio commentary during the 1997 Ashes series.”

For more information, click here.

Doug Walters – “There are so many stories (about him) that many of them must be true.”

Doug Walters by Peter English

“Doug Walters holds a somewhat mythical place in Australian cricket. Small, cheeky, popular and multi-skilled, he would drink all night without getting drunk then wipe sleep from his eyes to make a shot-laden century or take a crucial wicket or stunning catch – sometimes, in folklore at least, on the same day. Sometimes cricket is not even the tale’s focus. Michael Clarke, who is often compared to Walters, knows him only as a great bloke instead of a great batsman. It is a shame. He was more than a person whose card games were interrupted by falls of wicket.

“…Crowds relaxed and related to his instinctive and aggressive Test batting that three times brought up centuries in a session, the most famous arriving when he smacked the last ball of the day from Bob Willis for six at the WACA in 1974-75.

“…A second Ashes hundred came in the next match as he followed 155 with 22 and 115 in a sparkling start that was upturned in 1966 by conscription for two years’ national service. He was not called up for duty in Vietnam, and smoothly swapped training greens to whites.

“…Another time he borrowed a spectator’s bike to ride from third-man at each end after being punished by Ian Chappell for oversleeping. There are so many Walters stories that many of them must be true, and as a man of the people he was rewarded with a stand on the old SCG Hill.”

For further information, click here.