Miller's blue shock for Windies

Australia's eccentric spin bowler Colin Miller had a blue shock in store as the West Indies tailenders came out to resume their first innings in the fifth cricket Test in Sydney on Wednesday.

Miller startled the crowd when he took his cap off to bowl the day's opening over, revealing a special blue rinse to celebrate Australia's Centenary of Federation.

It took three and half hours for Miller to get the Federation Blue rinse perfected overnight.

Courtney Walsh took one look at Miller's bright blue hair and immediately stepped away from the crease invoking laughter from the crowd.

And just as he was about to bowl the first ball of the morning, Walsh caught sight of him and broke up.

Walsh was laughing so much he couldn't take strike. But he wandered down the pitch to tell team-mate Colin Stuart to take a look at the man known as "Funky".

Miller, who turns 37 next month, had the last laugh when Walsh, playing in his last Test in Australia, was caught at silly point by Matthew Hayden off his bowling for four.

The West Indies were all out for 272 -- adding 16 runs to their overnight score, with Stuart remaining not out for 12.

Mail Cricket Editor