Reaction to the death of former Australian cricket captain and commentator Richie Benaud, known as the 'Voice of Cricket'. [47] Benaud's men won the Second Test,[48] before he took 5/83 and 4/94 in the drawn Third Test. Richie commentated regularly during the 201112 season and was part of Nine's commentating team/roster. Benaud was the first man to achieve 2,000 runs and 200 wickets at Test level. [112], "This is the greatest loss for cricket since the loss of Don Bradman and for that reason I'm pleased to have offered the Benaud family a state funeral. [127], In November 2015, Benaud became an honouree at Bradman Foundation, having been a long-serving patron in his life. Richie (Richard) Benaud, cricketer, journalist and broadcaster, born 6 October 1930; died 10 April 2015, When Richie Benaud made a teenage cricket fans day | Letters, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, Richie Benaud, at the Montcalm Hotel, London in 2005, Richie Benaud remembered in private ceremony for friends and family, Richie Benaud, former Australia cricket captain, dies at 84, Richie Benaud dies aged 84 rolling reaction, Richie Benaud: archive match reports of his playing career, Richie Benaud: a personal reflection on a colossus of cricket, Cricket legend Richie Benaud his life in pictures, Richard Cooke pays tribute to crickets permanent witness, Rolling blog: how the world reacted to Benauds death, Gallery: Richie Benaud his life in pictures, From the archive The Joy of Six: Richie Benaud. His first series as skipper was remarkable for a number of reasons. [6][46] Benaud had little prior leadership experience, and faced the task of recovering the Ashes from an England team which had arrived in Australia as favourites. His last goodbye was interrupted by Glenn McGrath taking Kevin Pietersen's wicket; Benaud simply wove his description of the dismissal into what he was already saying. When the time came for Richie Benaud's final departure, Greg and Jeff were given the opportunity to visit their father, and they informed Marcia who said she took the philosophical view 'that it might be God's will'. Richie Benaud had a thing for cars, starting off with a Morris Minor, graduating to Renaults when, as a lowly paid cricketer of the era, he took to advertising shaving cream, and the French cars with the jingle 'Renault for Benaud'. He still managed to say I do quite firmly. Former Australia cricket captain and renowned commentator Richie Benaud has died aged 84. In 1952-53 Benaud played against South Africa, recording a duck and having his front teeth smashed while fielding at gully in the Sydney Test, which coincided with his honeymoon. Six further wickets in the drawn Third Test saw Benaud end the series with 84 runs at 28 and 18 wickets at 21.11. Will always be remembered and admired. Abbott described him as the voice of cricket. [6] In eight first-class matches after his Test campaign was over, Benaud added a further half-century in addition to the century against Pearce's XI, and took 22 more wickets, including 4/20 against the Gentlemen of England. [1], Gideon Haigh described him as "perhaps the most influential cricketer and cricket personality since the Second World War. He added another fifty and ended with 250 runs at 31.25. Coupled with his subtle variations in flight and angle of the delivery, he kept the batsman under constant pressure. A veteran of 63 Test matches, Benaud played a pivotal role in the formation of World Series Cricket in the 1970s and was one of the worlds most recognised commentators. The first Test of the season, against the touring South Africans, saw high drama as Australia's left arm paceman Ian Meckiff was called for throwing by Colin Egar and removed from the attack by Benaud after one over. [109] Chris Barrie of Red Dwarf fame incorporated impressions of Benaud into his stand-up repertoire. Benaud, who was appointed OBE in 1961 for services to cricket, leaves a wife of 48 years, Daphne, and two children from his first marriage. Richard Benaud OBE ( / bno /; 6 October 1930 - 10 April 2015) was an Australian cricketer who played for New South Wales and the Australia national cricket team. He wrote a number of books, rather serious works written with little flourish, and there were two books about him, one by AG Moyes and a later study by Mark Browning. After retiring, Benaud became a commentary icon, with the BBC and later for Channel 4 in the UK and also in his native Australia. [66] With Davidson back, Australia won the final Test by two wickets,[67] after a controversial incident in which Australian wicketkeeper Wally Grout was not given out hit wicket when a bail was dislodged and the umpires did not notice. It's been very much appreciated.'. Marcia said that from time to time when people inquired about her name, she would quietly respond that yes, she was the first Mrs Richie Benaud. [60], Both men were noted for their hitting ability and viewed attack as their most effective chance of survival. [117], Benaud had last handed "Baggy green" caps to Simon Katich and Mitchell Starc when they made their test debut, but Benaud's own was lost early in his Test career, and former captainnow commentator and the Director of Cricket Australia, Mark Taylorwas to present the replacement cap to him at the semi-final of the 2015 Cricket World Cup between Australia and India at the SCG, but Benaud was too unwell to attend, and when the cap arrived at Channel 9 headquarters, it was the day before Benaud died. Australia never lost a series under the leg-spinning all-rounder's . In 1961 he was made an OBE for services to cricket. [5] Lou later moved to Parramatta region in western Sydney, and played for Cumberland. He had brought novel flashes of exhibitionism into play on the cricket field, racing over to embrace a fieldsman after a catch, his own shirt unbuttoned almost to the navel. Benaud said: "I won't be doing live commentary any more." This was exhibited in the 196061 Test series against the visiting West Indians, in which the grounds were packed to greater levels than they are today despite Australia's population doubling since then. However, he did not have much success in his five games, taking only five wickets at 54.00. Richie Benaud, pictured during his touring days as Australian Test captain had an interest in cars, particularly Renaults and Sunbeams, and passed that interest down to his sons Greg and Jeff, Richie Benaud (pictured) married his second wife Daphne, an ardent cricket fan, in 1967 and together the couple forged a remarkable partnership during which the former Test captain became a legend behind the microphone. He married after the match and had to mumble his wedding vows through a swathe of bandages. [7], In the next match against South Australia, he made 48, took 4/93 and 1/29 and suffered three dropped catches by the wicketkeeper in successive balls. Benaud's highest Test score of 122 was made against South Africa, His best Test bowling effort of 7 for 72 was against, He captained Australia in 28 Tests: 12 wins, 11 draws, 1 tie, 4 losses. Benaud erroneously recalled in an autobiography that this was his maiden wicketit was, in fact, his fourthand described the ball as "the worst I ever bowled". [111], It was announced on 15 November 2009, that Benaud had signed a three-year contract with the Nine Network to continue being part of their cricket coverage until 2013, although his role would change from that of ball-by-ball commentary. [84][85] The draw meant that the series was shared 11, the first time he had drawn a series after five successive wins. There would be very few Australians who have not passed a summer in the company of Richie Benaud. [4] Educated at Parramatta High School, Benaud made his first grade debut for Cumberland at age 16, primarily as a batsman. Aussie TV stands up for England", "12th Man Billy Birmingham on Richie Benaud", "Richie Benaud retires from all television commentary", "Richie Benaud signs new three-year deal with Channel Nine", "Richie Benaud dies: Prime Minister Tony Abbott offers a state funeral for cricket great", "Bon Voyage, 'Sir Richie': a teacher, a gentleman", "Voice of cricket happy to strengthen his French connection", "Richie Benaud A Marvellous Life 19302015 Full Episode", "Richie Benaud: time to say goodbye to cricket's permanent witness", "Richie Benaud: World pays tribute to cricket legend & commentator", "Richie Benaud family declines Australia state funeral", "Richie Benaud: Private funeral for cricket legend", "Richie Benaud obituary: the 'voice of cricket' was the game's shrewdest analyst", "Benaud, Gooch, Compton, Larwood and Woolley inducted into Cricket Hall of Fame", "Marvellous Richie Benaud becomes the 40th Legend of Australian sport", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Richie_Benaud&oldid=1141586246. In an early tour match Benaud took his best first class innings haul of 1810187 for New South Wales against the MCC, which lost by an innings and 80 runs, the state's biggest win against the English team. Benaud's 5/13 in 25 balls instigated an English collapse which saw Australia retain the Ashes. A petite and gracious lady with a merry laugh and a gentle demeanour, Marcia Benaud has lived a 'contented' life a world apart from the public life Richie Benaud led with second wife Daphne. I used to go to matches and even went on the Hill in Sydney when he was batting with Norm O'Neill.'. For the following Australian season in 195253, Benaud started modestly; and, in the five first-class matches before the Tests, he scored 208 runs at 26.00, including a 63 and 69, and 14 wickets at 38.64. Greg said that instead of cricket he chose to study architecture after leaving school in 1972, but never finished his degree 'for various reasons I can't talk about' said he had 'worked at various things, any job'. This page was last edited on 25 February 2023, at 20:19. This put him out of action until the last match of the season,[13] leaving him with little opportunity to impress the national selectors for his rise to international cricket. Marcia Benaud, a gracious lady with a merry laugh and good sense of humour (pictured with son Greg, 60, at their Central Coast home) spoke with affection and sadness about her marriage to cricketing legend Richie, Greg Benaud (pictured), the elder son of cricketing legend Richie, was an off-break and then leg-spin bowler encouraged by his Dad. He made 124 runs at 20.66, making double figures in four of seven innings, but was unable to capitalise on his starts, with a top score of 45. Leading opposition batsman Everton Weekes edged Benaud in his first over, but Gil Langley dropped the catch. The decisive victory came in the fourth Test, at Old Trafford, when Benauds 6 for 70 and an unlikely Australian 54-run victory shamed England, who fell from 150 for one to 201 all out. [49] Benaud produced an all-round performance of 46, 5/91 and 4/82 in the Fourth Test in Adelaide to take an unassailable 30 series lead and regain the Ashes,[50] before scoring 64 and match figures of 5/57 to help take the Fifth Test and a 40 series result. It was developed by the software company Turtlez Ltd. Having downloaded this, cricket fans would be treated to live Test match updates and weather reports from a cartoon version of Benaud with real voice samples such as "Got 'im!" This was enough for him to gain selection for the start of the Tests. Wedding bells: Pretty young typist Marcia Lavender pictured after marrying Richie Benaud in January 1953, days after Benaud had been hit in the mouth during a Test match against South Africa and had trouble kissing the bride because of the stitches in his lip, Second love: Following Richie Benaud's divorce from first wife Marcia in March 1976, he married English secretary Daphne Surfleet in July (pictured on their wedding day) and there began a romance and partnership which ended only with his death in April from cancer, Daphne and Richie Benaud (pictured in 2005) travelled the world with his international cricket commentating career, and thought he saw his sons infrequently, his eldest Greg, said Daphne and been 'kind and fair over the years'.