MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Ex-Australia test vice-captain Keith Stackpole, one of Wisden's cricketers of the year in 1973, has died, Cricket Australia said Wednesday. He was 84.
Stackpole made his international debut in 1966 and played 43 tests, scoring 2,807 runs and taking 15 wickets with his wrist spin, in an era when batters usually didn't wear helmets or much in the way of protective clothing.
He also played in the very first one-day international, taking three wickets in Australia's five-wicket win over England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in 1971.
He produced his best cricket in the Ashes, averaging 50.6 in 13 tests including his high score of 207 against England at the Gabba in 1970. He led the scoring in the 1972 Ashes series when he was deputy to Ian Chappell.
Stackpole had a long and distinguished career in the media and broadcasting after his international retirement in 1974.
Cricket Australia chairman Mike Baird said Stackpole's “legacy will live long into the future.”
“Not only was he an outstanding player for Australia and Victoria, his work in the media, radio and TV commentary and as a mentor to many players who followed in his footsteps demonstrated his enduring passion and influence in the game,” Baird said. “It is testament to his talent and standing that he was one of the five ‘Wisden Cricketers of the Year’ in 1973.”
Merv Hughes, who was also from Victoria state and later became a fast bowler for Australia, paid tribute to Stackpole in a social media post.
“Very sad news indeed — Stacky was a fantastic cricketer. … but more so a great bloke — and one hell of a cricket coach,” Hughes said. “R.I.P. Keith.”
Stackpole was initially selected as a legspinner and middle-order batter for Australia but he was quickly promoted to open the batting. Former Victoria and Australia bowler Damien Fleming said Stackpole, his former coach, revolutionized the approach to opening a test match innings.
“In some ways, he changed the way opening batters went about things at test level. Often they were dour .... but Stacky actually took on the opposition fast bowlers in that first over," Fleming told SEN radio. "Keith Stackpole — a legend of Australian cricket. A wonderful character.”
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The Associated Press
