Former Australian Test player Bill Brown dies

Brisbane: Bill Brown, a former Australian Test cricketer and a member of the 1948 Invincibles squad that toured England unbeaten, has died at the age of 95.

Brown died at a nursing home in Brisbane on Sunday, Cricket Australia confirmed.

Only four of the Invincibles, which included Don Bradman, remain; Neil Harvey, Arthur Morris, Sam Loxton and Ron Hamence.

Former Australian Test captain Steve Waugh said he regarded Brown as a mentor.

''He certainly had a very big influence over my era,'' Waugh said. ''I was very keen to have him involved in the Australian side because I looked at Bill and thought he was what the baggy green was all about.''

''The spirit he had and the respect he had playing for Australia and what it meant, he understood the modern era very well and gave us a great perspective on what it was like to play in his era.''

Brown is survived by his wife Barbara, three sons, 10 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.

Brown played in 22 Tests, hitting four centuries among his 1,592 runs at 46.82 and, after an eight-year gap, he captained Australia for its first Test after the Second World War.

He formed a strong combination with Jack Fingleton and the pair averaged 63.75 in their opening stands in 10 Tests.

In 1938 at Lord's during the Ashes tour, Brown carried his bat for an unbeaten 206. He made his Test debut in 1934 in Nottingham and scored 73, which was followed by his maiden century in the next match at Lord's.

He made his first-class debut in 1932-33 for New South Wales state, although he was born in Toowoomba, Queensland, and later returned to Queensland as a captain-coach. He later became a state and Australia team selector and public speaker and owned a sports store in Brisbane.

He was Australia's oldest Test cricketer and last pre-World War 2 Test cricketer, Cricket Australia said.

Cricket Australia chairman Creagh OConnor, in expressing condolences to Brown's wife Barbara, sons Peter, Geoffrey, Steve, family and friends, said cricket had lost a good friend and great character.

''Bill was a fine cricketer, good enough to carry his bat while making a double century at Lord's, and will always be honored as a member of the extraordinary Invincibles,'' he said.