Doug Walters holds a somewhat mythical place in Australian cricket. Small, cheeky, popular and multi-skilled, he would drink all night without getting drunk then wipe sleep from his eyes to make a shot-laden century or take a crucial wicket or stunning catch. At his best Walters was a magnificent, if occasionally careless, batsman and a reliable fast medium swing bowler, once recording 5-66 in the 1973 series against the West Indies. 

Doug in total played 74 Tests for Australia scoring 5357 Test runs at an average of 48.26 including 15 centuries. He took 49 Test wickets at an average of 29.08. His One-Day international record included 28 games for Australia scoring 513 runs at an average of 28.50 and claimed 4 wickets.

As a man of the people he was rewarded with a stand in 1985 on the old SCG hill. “There will never be another like him,” Dennis Lillee said. “I never saw him throw a bat, never heard him talk badly of anyone. He was so cool. He could bat, too”.

Doug was awarded an MBE for his services to cricket in June 1975 and during the year 2000, he was awarded an Australian Sports Medal, also in recognition for his services to cricket. In 2011, Doug was inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame.

Off field Doug was renowned for his humour and love of practical jokes. Some of these stories are featured in his books “One For The Road”, published in October, 1988 and “Two For The Road”, published in October, 1992.