http://www.theage.com.au/sport/cricket/max-walker-dead-at-68-20160924-grnplu.htmlMax Walker, one of Australian sport's larger-than-life characters in his heyday as a cricketer and raconteur, has died aged 68 of melanoma.
Walker died from cancer, Cricket Australia said.
Nicknamed "Tangles" because of his wrong-footed action, Walker gave more than strong support to frontline quicks Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson, but was also capable of leading the attack himself, as he did in the sixth Test of the 1974-75 Ashes series when he claimed 8-143.
Cricket Australia chief executive, James Sutherland, said Walker would be sadly missed.
"Max was an outstanding cricketer who played an important role in the emergence of successful Australian cricket teams in the 1970s," Sutherland said.
"It was a golden era of Test Cricket under the captaincy of Ian and Greg Chappell, and Max's medium fast bowling and his unmistakeable bowling action were a feature of those teams, and then in the late 1970s when he joined World Series Cricket.
"The cricket world will be deeply saddened to hear of Max's sudden passing. As a cricketer, with ball or bat in hand, Max was always fiercely competitive. He was a genuine crowd favourite wherever he played - and nowhere more so than at his beloved MCG, where he had also played senior football prior to his Test debut.
"On behalf of everyone at Cricket Australia our deepest sympathies go out to Max's family, friends and all those in cricket who had the pleasure of dealing with him."
Cricket Victoria CEO Tony Dodemaide described Walker as "a gentleman of his era".
"Max was a positive and jovial character and devoted much of his life to playing and serving the game, during what many would call a revolutionary period for cricket. At the completion of his playing career, Max charmed many on our TV screens as he built his career in the entertainment industry," Dodemaide said.
"Max was able to be part of some moments that will be cherished forever in cricket history and will continue to inspire future generations."
The ABC cricket book of Australia's tour of England in 1977 encapsulated his career, saying: "No captain would want for a better performer in the attack, taking into account ability, motive, a never give in approach, stamina and purpose than Max Walker."
After retiring following World Series Cricket, Walker appeared on the ABC, 3AK and 2UE radio commentary teams and, after a stint at Channel Seven, joined Channel Nine.
A trained architect, he featured on the network's cricket commentary between 1986 and 1991 and was parodied by satirist Billy Birmingham in The Twelfth Man series. He also presented the nightly news sports bulletin alongside host Brian Naylor
