Melbourne, April 23 (HS): Former Australian Test opener Keith Stackpole passed away from a heart attack on Tuesday at the age of 84. He played 43 Test matches in his career and scored 7 centuries. Stackpole contributed to the team not just with the bat but also with the ball and later became a popular TV and radio commentator.

Stackpole made his Test debut in 1966 against England as a middle-order batsman and leg-spin bowler. However, at the beginning of 1969, he was given the responsibility of opening, where he formed a strong partnership with Bill Lawry.

Keith Stackpole scored his first Test century in Cape Town against South Africa, while his highest score of 207 runs came against England in 1970 at the Gabba (Brisbane). His performance against England was particularly impressive—he scored at an average of 55.21 and hit three centuries. In the 1972 Ashes series, he served as Ian Chappell’s vice-captain and was the highest run-scorer with 485 runs. For this, he was named the Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1973.

In 1974, he played his last Test match against New Zealand in Auckland, where he did not score in either innings. He was out on the very first ball during a full toss, writing, I saw the ball a yard above my head and backed away, but it edged off the bat and went to slip. Perhaps it was the first time in Test cricket that someone got out without the ball touching the ground!

Stackpole also participated in the first-ever ODI match played in 1971, where he took 3 wickets for 40 runs at the MCG.

Stackpole amassed 10,100 runs and took 148 wickets in first-class cricket. After retirement, he became a well-known name in the world of TV and radio commentary.

The cricketing world will always remember him as a multifaceted player and an excellent analyst.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar