Bruce Yardley was an Australian cricketer who played in 33 Test matches and seven One Day Internationals between 1978 and 1983, taking 126 Test wickets. Known to his teammates as 'Roo', Yardley was an off-spin bowler who began as a fast-medium pace seamer. In his late 20s Yardley switched to off-spin and had success at club and then state level. His technique was slightly unusual in that he bowled at near medium pace, spinning the ball off his middle finger rather than the index finger like conventional off-spinners. A handy number-eight batsman who scored four Test half-centuries his batting was often characterised by a "Yardley yahoo" over the top of slips.

Yardley began playing grade cricket with Midland-Guildford as a fast medium bowler. He made his first-class cricket debut in 1966/67, taking one wicket against Queensland. However West Australia had fast bowlers during this period and he struggled to find a permanent spot, only playing in two games over six seasons. In 1971 Yardley began developing his abilities as a spin bowler and worked on his batting. He gained selection for WA as a batsman in 1973/74. He scored 43 not out against the touring New Zealanders in 1974. He would occasionally bowl as well. In 1973–74 he scored a quick fire 59 in a Gillette Cup game, helping WA beat NSW.

1976/77 was Yardley's breakthrough season as he became a full-time spinner. He took 2/44 and 3/40 against South Australia, also scoring a useful 35 runs. Two games later against NSW he took 6/62 then made 97 not out. In 1977/78 the Australian Test team had lost a number of its leading players to World Series Cricket. Tony Mann was tried as a spinner but was dropped after four Tests. Yardley had a strong domestic season. He scored 51 in 65 minutes in a game against South Australia, then took 7/44. This saw him leap into contention for the spinner's spot for the fifth Test, the other contenders being Jim Higgs and Graham Whyte. Yardley ended up being selected for both the fifth Test against India and the tour of West Indies.

Yardley's Test debut was promising. One of four Australians playing in their first Test, he made useful scores of 22 and 26 and although he went wicketless in the first innings, took 4/134 in the second, helping bowl Australia to victory. Yardley enjoyed considerable success in the 1978 West Indies tour, forming a notable spin combination with Jim Higgs. He began the tour well, taking five wickets against Leeward Islands, including a second innings return of 4/91. He followed this up with nine wickets against Trinidad and Tobago, 4/51 and 5/89.

There was some discussion Yardley would miss the second Test but he ended up playing. Yardley had an excellent game with the bat, scoring 74 off 73 balls in Australia's first innings and 47 in the second. He only bowled two overs, in another Australian defeat. Yardley went wicketless in a tour game against Guyana and was injured while batting, retiring hurt for 37. He recovered to play in the third Test which was an Australian victory. He did find however that Bob Simpson often preferred to bowl himself rather than Yardley.

Yardley encountered controversy in a tour match against Jamaica when he was twice no-balled for throwing by umpire Douglas Sang Hue. It marred a fine game for him as he took 5/63 in the second innings and his score of 15 with the bat helped Australia win by two wickets. In the fifth Test Yardley almost bowled Australia to victory with second innings figures of 4/35 but the game ended in a riot. With Australia about to win the fifth Test in Jamaica, it wasn't rain that saved West Indies, but a riot. In Bob Simpson's last Test, the Aussies needed just one more wicket with 38 balls left when the crowd took matters into their own hands after Vanburn Holder was given out caught behind. The match could have been finished the next day, but one of the umpires, Ralph Gosein, refused to stand.

Yardley kept his place for the first Test of the 1978/79 Ashes. He had a poor game, only taking one wicket, although a first innings score at 17 did arrest an Australian collapse. His batting ensured he kept his place in the second Test over Higgs; he took four wickets. Yardley was not selected for the next two games. He was recalled for the fifth Test, in which he took no wickets. In the sixth Test, Yardley took two wickets although he top scored in Australia's second innings with a knock of 61. He and Higgs famously opened the bowling together in England's second innings.

Yardley toured India in 1979. He was made 12th man for the first Test. He returned to the side for the second test, making 47 as nightwatchman then taking 4/107 before illness meant he was too sick to bowl. A Kapil Dev yorker broke his foot in the second innings, ruling him out for the fourth Test. He missed three games but returned for the fifth test. Yardley responded to his captain's faith by scoring 61 off 70 balls in Australia's first innings and taking 4/91.

Yardley suffered a form slump at the beginning of the 1979/80 domestic season, which saw him only make 58 runs in five innings, and was dropped from the West Australian side. He later contracted a virus which affected his health so badly he dropped out of cricket altogether for a while to recover.

Yardley had a return to form during the 1980–81 season. He made 78 in a game against Queensland then took 5/85 against South Australia and 7/62 and 4/36 against Tasmania. This form – he was the second highest wicket taker in the Sheffield Shield that season at the time – saw him recalled to the Australian side for the second test against India. Australia lost the two Tests, but towards the end of the summer, Yardley's 3-40 against Queensland in a crucial game helped WA win the Shield.

Yardley's greatest season came in 1981–82. He started well with 4/54 against South Australia and was picked in the Australian 12 for the first Test against Pakistan over Ray Bright. Yardley rewarded the selectors taking 6-84 in Pakistan's second innings. He then took 1/51 and 4/77 in the second Test, contributing to another Australian victory. Australia then played the West Indies. The first game was the famous Boxing Day Test, best remembered for Kim Hughes' century. Yardley took 4/38 in their second innings helping considerably to an Australian victory.” Bruce bowled better than at any time I have seen him before", said Greg Chappell. "He is a great spin-bowler because he attacks the batsman and that is an asset that is rare among spinners"

In the second Test he took 3/87 and 7/98, and hit 45 off 33 balls, giving Australia an outside chance of winning the game, but it ended in a draw. For the third Test, Yardley took 5/132 in the West Indies' first innings but no wickets in the second, as Australia lost. Yardley was not selected in Australia's one day side for the latter part of the summer. However he was voted International Cricketer of the Year.