Austin Robertson lifts the lid on Kerry Packer’s World Series Cricket in tell all book ‘Cricket Outlaws’

[Trichromatic]

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IT’S 40 years since Kerry Packer shook the game of cricket like it had never been shaken before with the creation of World Series Cricket.

Packer signed a rebel World Series Cricket troupe featuring most of the game’s best players, including Greg and Ian Chappell, Dennis Lillee, a star-studded West Indian team and international stars such as Pakistan hero Imran Khan.

Austin Robertson, former journalist and West Australian AFL star, was one of Packer’s key wing men who helped to secretly recruit 35 of the game’s leading players.

 

He resisted all approaches to tell the inside story of Packer’s crusade until watching a day-night Test in Adelaide convinced him it was time to unveil his thoughts, which have been penned in a new book titled Cricket Outlaws.

In today’s SUNDAY SESSION, Robertson tells ROBERT CRADDOCK of the deals, secrets and broken friendships from a period that revolutionised the game

Robertson at Gazebo in Kings Cross where a key World Series Cricket meeting took place.

You were at the gates of the members’ area at the famous day-night match in Sydney when Kerry Packer said “let them in” as thousands lined up outside. That must have been a crazy?

I can remember as clear as a bell. He was in his shirtsleeves and I was about two feet behind him actually when he saw the ground was full and there were not too many people in the members’ area and he said “let them in”. He made a snap decision to charge $10 a pop. He was standing on the turnstile, he was a foot above everybody and he was stuffing money in his pockets.

There must have been some funny expressions from the punters seeing Packer standing on the turnstiles?

It was pandemonium because there were thousands of them that couldn’t get in. And the two guys in the grey coats, they were being pulled from pillar to post. They didn’t know what to do. Kerry just took over as he is inclined to do and there was no stopping him.

 

 

http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/cricket/austin-robertson-lifts-the-lid-on-kerry-packers-world-series-cricket-in-tell-all-book-cricket-outlaws/news-story/7d63690869260b00b646d8191b173947

 

So the guy who worked as young lawyer for Pecker to recruite top players actually turned out to be Australian prime minister.

[Chalks]

6 hours ago, Trichromatic said:

http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/cricket/austin-robertson-lifts-the-lid-on-kerry-packers-world-series-cricket-in-tell-all-book-cricket-outlaws/news-story/7d63690869260b00b646d8191b173947

 

So the guy who worked as young lawyer for Pecker to recruite top players actually turned out to be Australian prime minister.

And not a very good one.

 

(Though to be fair, we haven't really had even a moderately good PM since Hawke/Keating.)

Edited January 1, 2018 by Chalks

[Chalks]

On a serious note, WSC changed the face of the game, and today's players should be made more aware of what those pioneers for a fairer go for the players like Ian Chappell, Tony Greig (RIP), and Dennis Lillee did on and off the field during that time. Also you ask anyone who played over the two seasons of that Packer series, and they'll tell you it was the toughest cricket they ever played. The very best fast bowlers were coming at you all the time, there was no respite.

Edited January 1, 2018 by Chalks