Cricket's legendary yarn spinners

IF you were in Longreach on Sunday and Monday, it was hard not to run into an Australian cricketing legend or two.

Players from the Cricket Legends Outback Tour made their presence felt in the town, with official engagements, autograph signings and the much anticipated game between local side Outback Heat all featuring in the whirlwind stop.

It was a great opportunity for cricket enthusiasts and players to hit up their favourite player at the bar for a chat.

Colin ‘Funky’ Miller told The Longreach Leader that cricket continued to take him around the world, with commitments in Thailand next month.

“Team sports always lend themselves to spending time at the bar, and when you can do that with 12 mates, you have got to consider yourself pretty lucky,” Mr Miller said.

The chance to talk about old times was too good for Victorian fast bowler Rodney Hogg to pass up.

“It was better in the old days,” Mr Hogg said.
“You didn’t have to train as hard in the 1970s and 1980s.
“In those days, the Australia team didn’t have a coach, training schedules and regimes were up to the individual.
“If you got five ducks in a row or didn’t take any wickets in two tests then you knew you were doing something wrong and that you would probably get axed.”

The Legends Outback Tour will continue until next Sunday with the players taking in Mount Isa and Townsville.