Bruce Yardley, who played test cricket for Australia and coached Sri Lanka’s national team, has died after a long struggle with cancer. He was 71.Yardley died Wednesday in a hospital in Western Australia state.He played 33 tests, starting in 1978 during the split in Australian cricket amid the World Series era, after converting from a medium pacer to off-spin bowling.Aided by his unusual grip of the ball, Yardley took 126 test wickets, a long-time record for Australian off-spinners. He also scored 978 runs, including four test half centuries. One of those, off 29 balls against the West Indies in 1978, was the Australian record for 38 years as the fastest test 50.