Tiger: 60 Years of Cricket

Irish by name and Irish by nature, Bill O'Reilly has been the most controversial observer of Australian cricket for nearly forty years. Before that, for fifteen years he was indisputably the best spin bowler in the world. Bowling a mixture of leg spinners, wrong 'uns and top spinners at medium pace, he opened the bowling for Australia on a number of occasions, and was accurate, tireless and relentless. Mercurial of temperament, it was said that 'hitting him for four was like disturbing a hive of bees'. Sir Donald Bradman has described him as 'the greatest bowler [he] ever saw'. Here at last is Bill O'Reilly's story, recounted in his own inimitable style, irascible, humorous, full of informed opinion and down-to-earth common sense, with anecdotes from his youth in the Australian bush and his early encounters with Don Bradman, to the bodyline controversy and the delights of touring overseas with Australian cricket teams.