MELBOURNE - The Australian cricket team has been acclaimed as the best in living memory by a member of Don Bradman's Invincibles.

Keith Miller, regarded as Australia's greatest allrounder and a member of Bradman's all-conquering 1948 tour of England, said Steve Waugh's men deserved every accolade they received.

In a rare public appearance tonight, Miller said the current Australian side was the best he had seen and had the all-round skill and depth to continue dominating world cricket.

"We have to be the best side that I've seen, without doubt," Miller told a dinner in Melbourne.

"I think they're brilliant.

"The batting is outstanding, the bowling is pretty good too and the fielding is just brilliant, just brilliant."

He said Australia had an unrivalled depth in first-class cricket.

Miller, 83 next week, is well qualified to judge teams having played a handful of Tests with Bradman, including the 4-0 drubbing of England in the 1948 Ashes series.

In total he played 55 Tests and scored 2,958 runs including seven centuries and took 170 wickets.

Miller was also an outstanding footballer before he turned to cricket full time, playing 50 VFL games for St Kilda in the 1940s and representing Victoria.

© 2002 AAP

This report does not necessarily represent the views of the Australian Cricket Board.