Geoff Miller

Geoff Miller

Personal information
Full name	Geoffrey Miller
Born	8 September 1952 (1952-09-08) Chesterfield, Derbyshire, England
Batting style	Right-hand bat
Bowling style	Right-arm offbreak
Test debut	12 August 1976 v West Indies
Last Test	28 June 1984 v West Indies
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1973–1986 and 1990	Derbyshire
1987–1989	Essex
First-class debut	14 July 1973 Derbyshire v Lancashire
Last First-class	7 September 1990 Derbyshire v Yorkshire
Career statistics
Competition	Tests	ODIs	First-class	List A
Matches	34	25	383	334
Runs scored	1213	136	12,027	4234
Batting average	25.80	8.50	26.49	20.16
100s/50s	–/7	–/–	2/72	–/17
Top score	98*	46	130	88*
Balls bowled	5149	1268	59,221	13,389
Wickets	60	25	888	278
Bowling average	30.98	32.52	27.98	29.44
5 wickets in innings	1	–	39	4
10 wickets in match	–	n/a	7	–
Best bowling	5/44	3/27	8/70	–
Catches/stumpings	17/–	4/–	309/–	110/–
Source: [1], 18 July 2010

Geoffrey Miller (born 8 September 1952, Chesterfield, Derbyshire, England) is an English former cricketer, who played in thirty four Tests and twenty five ODIs for England from 1976 to 1984. He played for Derbyshire from 1973 to 1986, captaining the side from 1978 to 1981, and returned in 1990 after playing for Essex between 1987 and 1989.

The cricket writer, Colin Bateman, noted, "Geoff Miller concedes that he probably enjoyed cricket too much. He did not take it as seriously as some, And when it became a rigorous, grim-faced business, he was not sorry to bow out of an eight-year Test career that never reached the peaks many expected".

Life and career

Miller was educated at Chesterfield Grammar School. From 1971 he was playing in Derbyshire Second XI and in young cricketer's teams. He made his first-class debut for Derbyshire in July 1973, in a match against Somerset, when he scored a duck in his only innings. He was the Cricket Writers' Club Young Cricketer of the Year in 1976. Miller became Derbyshire captain in 1978, and in the 1981 season, led the Derbyshire side to victory in the National Westminster Bank Trophy. He ended the 1982 Boxing Day Test in Australia by catching Jeff Thomson - England winning by a mere three runs. Miller went to Essex in 1987, but returned to Derbyshire for his last first-class season in 1990. In 1991, he played Minor counties cricket for Cheshire.

Miller was a correct right-handed batsman and a reliable right-arm off-break bowler, taking 888 wickets in 283 first-class matches (1973–1990) and 278 wickets in 334 List A matches (1973–1994). He took 60 wickets in thirty four Tests and 25 wickets in twenty five ODIs for England. Remarkably, Miller never scored a test century despite twice coming extremely close scoring 98 against both Pakistan away in 1977/8 (not out) and India at home in 1982.

Miller was elected as National Selector by the England and Wales Cricket Board in January 2008. He led a panel, which then contained Ashley Giles, Peter Moores and James Whitaker. He previously served on the panel of his predecessor David Graveney since 2000.

Miller also ran Moss & Miller, a sporting goods emporium in Chesterfield, with Chesterfield F.C. footballer Ernie Moss, for a number of years. He also became a sought after after dinner speaker.

External links

• Cricinfo profile

Sporting positions
Preceded by Eddie Barlow	Derbyshire cricket captains 1978–1981	Succeeded by Barry Wood