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Legendary Australian Test opener Keith Stackpole and former TV and radio commentator has died aged 84. He is survived by his wife Pat and children Peter, Tony, and Angela.
Stackpole played in 43 Test matches and six One Day Internationals between 1966 and 1974 and later became a cricket commentator on radio and TV in the 1980s and '90s. His father, Keith Stackpole Sr., also played first-class cricket and was a noted Australian rules footballer for Collingwood and Fitzroy.
He played all five of the unofficial “Tests” between Australia and the Rest of the World in 1971–72, a series put together to replace the South African tour of Australia that was cancelled because of opposition to apartheid.
"Keith was one of the great contributors to the game of cricket and his legacy will live long into the future," said Cricket Australia chair Mike Baird.
"Not only was he an outstanding player for Australia and Victoria, but 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."
His final Test match was against New Zealand at Eden Park, Auckland, in March 1974, and was notable for Stackpole being dismissed for a pair, including being out on the first ball of the game.
After retiring from active sports, he went on to have a two-decade career in broadcasting with the Nine and Seven Networks and the ABC, before retiring in 2005.
Stackpole won the Ryder Medal three times as the best player in Melbourne’s district cricket competition.
