Sports Max

Test Cricket

Max Played Test Cricket in a golden era under the captaincy of Ian and Greg Chappell. Much has been written about this period and many suggest the team is second only to Sir Donald Bradman’s 1948 ‘invincibles’. History may well judge Steve Waugh’s combination as better.

Max proudly pulled on the baggy green cap for Australia through 34 Test matches.

Alongside fast bowling legends Jeff Thomson and Dennis Lillee, Max “Tangles” Walker took 138 wickets at an average of 27.47 and in the field supported his team with 12 catches.

Not just an exceptional bowler with an awkward style Max contributed 586 runs (avg. 19.53).

With Max any time at the crease was always ‘entertaining’.

Max toured New Zealand, England and The West Indies.

Statistics:

* Test matches: 34

* Batting: Runs: 586 (avg. 19.53)

* Bowling: Wickets:138 (avg. 27.47)

* Catches: 12

Quote:

“Max Walker arrived in the hotel foyer…he was barefoot, and walking on his tip toes. The backs of his legs were a mess. Blood Vessels had burst.

He was black and blue and generally in a dreadful sate. It looked as if it would be impossible to get a boot on, let alone bowl in a Test match.

‘Max’ I said ‘ You can’t possibly play in that condition. You’ll do yourself terrible damage.’ His reply was the story of the tour.

‘Somebody has to do it mate’ he said.”

Alan McGilvray

1973 4th Test Australia v West Indies in Guyana

World Series Cricket

During the years 1977-79 the face of international cricket underwent a most significant transformation. Kerry Packer launched a cricket revolution. Turbulent, exciting and tailored for pure entertainment.

World Series Cricket was launched.

Max and his team mates were in the thick of the action.

6 Super Tests, 26 wickets at an average of 23.7 (best 7/77).

Max scored 144 runs (avg. 13.00), 3 n/o and a highest score of 30.

Statistics:

* 6 Super Tests, 1977-79

* Batting: 144 Runs, (avg. 13.00)

* Bowling: 26 Wickets, (avg. 23.7)

* BBI 7/77, (2 x 5 wickets)

Quote:

“White balls, revolutionary wickets, flood lit cricket with the moon beaming down, international stars playing first class matches in the bush – they’ve all helped to create this crackling, thrilling new concept of cricket.”

Cricket Alive! – World Series Cricket 1977

One Day Internationals

24 Games and a bowling best of 4-19 at an average of 27.3. Total wickets, 20.

In a modern game not bad figures. In the age of pioneering a sport even better.

From the beginning until the end of his career Max was always the entertainer, a crowd favourite in front of perhaps Australia’s’ most demanding audience, the sport loving crowd of the MCG’s legendary of Bay 13.

Merv Hughes followed Max and was immediately embraced by fun loving crowds around the world.

Statistics:

* One day Matches: 29

* Batting: Runs: 79 (avg. 9.87)

* Bowling: Wickets: 20 (avg. 27.30)

* Catches: 6

Quote:

”…the rules were changed to prevent the underarm delivery after the controversy in Melbourne on the first day of February, 1981, when New Zealand needed six off the last ball for victory.

It wasn’t a lot of fun in the Australian dressing room after this victory, let me tell you. Usually after a victory in a final there were big celebrations, plenty of noise and heaps of the amber fluid consumed. Not so on this day. You could have heard a pin drop.

While we were all sitting around reflecting the ‘merits’ of the delivery, the door of the players viewing room opened. The dressing room is below the viewing room in Melbourne, and it seemed like an eternity before Sam Loxton, a national selector made his way down the stairs into our silent changing area.”

Rod Marsh.

Sheffield Shield Cricket

Max played a total of 70 Shield games for his adoptive state. Along the way Victoria won three Victoria Sheffield Shields.

During the years 1968-77 and 1979-81, Max was the fast bowler provided the state with a total of 249 wickets.

Statistics:

* 1968-77, 1979-81 Victoria (70 Games)

* One day Matches: 29

* Batting: Runs: 79 (avg. 9.87)

* Bowling: Wickets: 20 (avg. 27.30)

* Catches: 6

Quote:

“An instantly likeable right-arm medium-pace bowler of profound endeavor and uncomfortable technique who gave great pleasure throughout the cricket world.

He did what coaches advise their classes not to do. His arms, legs and body weight were all in the wrong place but produced deliveries that swung and cut sharply.

He bowled off the wrong foot, turned chest-on instead of side-on and crossed his feet in the delivery stride, but in his halcyon days gave batsmen little respite if they survived Lillee and Thomson.

He played several important innings, and had safe hands befitting a star Australian Rules Footballer, but was slow of foot.”

Jack Pollard.

Max Remembers

Australia played Jamaica at the Sabina Park Cricket Ground before the first Text match of the 1973 tour. As usual it had been a very long, hot day and I was approaching my twenty-fifth eight-ball over… I needed a drink!

My prayers were answered under a cloudless sky that afternoon. The perspiration was leaking from my body like a dripping tap… not one part of my cricket attire was dry.

One guy screamed, “Wokko, ya wanna drink of my rum?” I tried to explain to him that if the fellow at first slip with the baggy green cap on his head, Ian Chappell, saw me drinking his rum, I would never play cricket for Australia again.

His reply was. “Ee won’t see ya man!” And with that remark, the big black man turned to his mate in the back row of the bamboo grandstand. He let out a piercing whistle to catch his friend’s attention. Immediately a huge black umbrella was relayed overhead to my new pal in the front row. His name was George.

Before I knew it the umbrella had been thrust through the fence and opened to a diameter of about six foot. I thought to myself, “There is no way known anyone will be able to spot me having a drink now”.

Through the fence came a dirty, grotty, green bottle of home-made rum. I looked carefully at the neck of the bottle – it was not flash! Keith Miller well may have been the last Aussie to drink from it.

Then all the possibilities ran across my mind. I could just have a little sip straight from the bottle… not exactly safe. Maybe if I just dipped my finger in the top of the rum bottle it would be OK. Finally I said, “Bugger it, I’ll go for the whole catastrophe!” And I did. With the black umbrella for protection, I squatted down on my haunches, and drank.

The home-made brew must have been about 500 per cent proof… bloody unreal! I could feel the warm liquid sting on its rapid journey to my stomach. It was strange burning, searing sensation. My Aussie cap almost jumped off the top of my head… this was good stuff, “Oh yeah, Oh yeah!”

The majority of the mob behind me stood up and cheered. Some of their very colourful hats and caps were thrown very high in the air above their heads. (How they got them back, I really don’t know.)

With all this noise, people spun round to see what is happening. I had already handed back the brew to George, who was attempting to dismantle his mate’s very large black brolly, but not without a lot of trouble. From where I stood, it was very difficult to tell the difference between some bent umbrella spokes and the barbed wire fence.

I slowly walked away from the crowd as though nothing had happened. The skipper saw nothing odd and had nothing to say. Two overs later, when I was fielding again in front of my friends in the primitive bamboo stand, things began to happen.

A batsman named Maurice Foster had hit a lofted hook shot behind square leg. The ball hung in the air for a long time. With all the pace I didn’t possess, I managed to get close enough to attempt a diving right handed catch. Without exaggerating, I must have run 40 metres around the boundary line to pull off the catch… it was magnificent. I even rolled over an extra couple of times, after coming to ground heavily, so as to make the effort look even more spectacular.

The masses erupted as I came to my feet. Every second bloke in the stand swayed to his right as if to mimic the catch. I felt obliged to acknowledge the crowd. Obviously it was not my natural pace and ability that enabled me to take the ball safely… it had to be the home-made rum I’d been given! So I began furiously rubbing my hand around in a circular movement over my stomach to show the effects of the jungle juice. Again the crowd roared in acceptance.

At this stage I had my back to the centre wicket area and began really playing to the rowdy, colourful spectators. I was enjoying myself when a deathly SILENCE settled across the entire ground. I must have been the only person at the ground who didn’t realise that it had been called a NO BALL, and the batsmen had just completed three runs.

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