His final commentary in England came during the 2005 Ashes series, but he continued to work for Channel Nine in Australia until 2013. ", At the age of 83, he crushed two vertebrae when his 1963 Sunbeam vintage sports car, Test debut against West Indies at Sydney Cricket Ground, First of 248 Test wickets and 2,201 Test runs, First Test as Australia captain, v England at Brisbane, In his 60th Test, the first to 2,000 Test runs & 200 wickets, Final Test against South Africa at Sydney Cricket Ground, Final commentary in England after 42 years. She said that after their split, Richie Benaud had preferred to keep his past quiet and that she was not encouraged to call 'Coogee', the name she used to refer to Richie and Daphne Benaud when they were in Sydney at their apartment. [105] It was also emulated by New Zealand broadcaster John Campbell. They were booed and heckled as they left the field and Benaud's reputation as a "go ahead" cricket captain was badly tarnished. Benaud took 4/69 and 4/42 in the First Test in Dacca (now in Bangladesh), sealing Australia's first win in Pakistan. As a batsman, he was tall and lithe, known for his hitting power, in particular his lofted driving ability from the front foot. Benaud returned and scored 37 and took a total of 2/68 in the final match, ending the season with 184 runs at 36.80 and 11 wickets at 34.63. [8], Relegated to the Second XI after this match, he was struck in the head above the right eye by a ball from Jack Daniel while batting against Victoria in Melbourne, having missed an attempted hook. Richard (Richie) Benaud, cricketer and commentator, died on April 10th, aged 84. On March 29, 1967 Marcia divorced Richie Benaud on the grounds of desertion. Thus, the 2005 Ashes series was the last that Benaud commentated on in Britain. After his retirement from international cricket in 1964, he became a well-known commentator on the game. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. 1930 - 2015. Regular boundaries and quickly-run singles took the score to 226, a seventh-wicket partnership of 134. He had been receiving treatment for skin cancer since November. Some famous Benaud phrases and one-liners: "It's gone straight into the confectionary stall and out again"", "And Glenn McGrath dismissed for two, just ninety-eight runs short of his century", Cricket Australia chairman Wally Edwards said Benaud was "the iconic voice of our summer", while the Australian government has. Birth date: 6 October, 1930, Monday. 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. Australian Test captain Michael Clarke said Benaud was a gentleman who played cricket in the right spirit. He ended the Test series with 15 runs at 3.00 and two wickets at 87.00. [31] He was unable to maintain the standards he had set in the West Indies, contributing little apart from the Lord's Test. I made chicken soup and we had roast chicken and salad. But he chose to study architecture over cricket, although not finishing his degree, Marcia Benaud (pictured in the garden of her Central Coast home) said following the end of her marriage to Richie Benaud, the cricketing great preferred to keep his past quiet and contact with their famous Dad became less frequent as they got older, Richie and Marcia Benaud pictured with their two sons, Jeffrey (left) and Greg (centre) in the early 1960s during the early days of his Test career at a time when cricketers earned little reward and Benaud had do advertisements to pay for keeping a family. When I was a kid we never ever wore a cap because Keith Miller never wore a cap, Benaud said at the time. The great voice of cricket is no more. The chairman of selectors, Sir Donald Bradman, made it clear that he was keen to see Test cricket rescued from a period of dull introversion, and the two captains approached the series in a positive frame of mind. In 1960, he made his first radio commentary in the United Kingdom at the BBC, after which he moved into television. Australia never lost a series under the leg-spinning all-rounder's . [7] In the opening match of the season, he struck 158 and took 5/88 and 1/65 against Queensland. Richie Benaud. [11] He scored 20 not out and was not called on to bowl in the second innings. Marcia Benaud kept her surname 'for the sake of my sons. The parents who fear their 11-year-olds will be scarred for life by the graphic sex education lessons that Two Insulate Britain protesters are jailed for contempt of court after they defied a judge's orders not to 'Derek fights on, it makes me fall in love with him all over again:' Kate Garraway reveals there are days French authorities fear 'narco-tourists' could flock to Normandy beaches after 'more than two tonnes of Hopes for cervical cancer vaccine after trials in mice showed it reduced tumours 80 per cent of the time. 'It's 39 years since I spoke to or saw him, except on TV,' she said. Former Australia captain and legendary cricket commentator Richie Benaud has died at the age of 84. Selected as a batsman who could bowl, he had totalled 309 runs at 15.45 without passing 50, and taken 23 wickets at 37.87 with only two four-wicket innings hauls. The death of Richie Benaud has reverberated around the world after news broke on Friday morning of the former Australia cricket captain's death at the age of 84. [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. [6][7] New South Wales were the dominant state at the time, and vacancies in the team were scarce, particularly as there were no Tests that season and all of the national team players were available for the whole summer. At Adelaide, a nation was brought to a standstill during a long, pulsating last-wicket stand between Ken Mackay and the near-hopeless No 11 Lindsay Kline as they secured an unlikely draw for Australia. Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group, Mom who lost both sons to fentanyl blasts laughing Biden, Two Russian tanks annihilated with bombs by Ukrainian armed forces, Isabel Oakeshott receives 'menacing' message from Matt Hancock, Pavement where disabled woman gestured at cyclist before fatal crash, Pro-Ukrainian drone lands on Russian spy planes exposing location, 'Buster is next!' Benaud scored 78 and 68 and took a total of 5/238, his dismissals being Davidson and frontline Test batsmen in a 121-run win. It came from Jeff and I'm glad he told me because I didn't know why.'. Marcia Benaud said she had not seen her former husband Richie (pictured in the West Indies in 1991) for 39 years 'except on TV', 'I enjoyed cricket, even though Richie said I didn't like it. 'Dad thought it was important not to cut us off from our grandparents,' Greg said, 'and so we kept in contact with Nan and Pa Benaud and Nanna and Grandpop Lavender and continued to visit them when Dad was overseas. [51] Benaud contributed 132 runs at 26.4 and 31 wickets at the low average of 18.83,[29][36] as well as his shrewd and innovative captaincy. [30] His fielding, in particular at gully and short leg, was consistently of a high standard, in particular his acrobatic catch to dismiss Colin Cowdrey. [101] Some of his other memorable moments he commentated on included Shane Warne's "Ball of the Century",[102] Ian Botham's dominant all-round display during the 1981 Ashes,[97] Dennis Lillee overtaking Benaud's record for most wickets, and subsequent 300th and 310th wickets, and Andrew Symonds' tackle on a streaker. We will remember him forever. Wonderful cricketer, great captain, a master craftsman commentator and top man. It was his first five-wicket haul in a Test innings. Along with fellow bowling all-rounder Alan Davidson, he helped restore Australia to the top of world cricket in the late 1950s and early 1960s after a slump in the early 1950s. Its one of those things in life: you live and learn as you go along.. It is only a shame he did not get the send-off he deserved - the game of cricket has not had a chance to say goodbye, BBC commentator Jonathan Agnew told the broadcaster. RIP Richie Benaud. It was presented to his wife. Asked whether that was sad for her, Marcia said: 'I've accepted it'. [12] Hassett struck 179 in four hours, and took 47 runs from Benaud's seven overs. Richie Benaud death. [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. [7] Although his form with the willow dropped off in his remaining six matches before the Testsa 35 was his only score beyond 20 in seven attemptsBenaud continued to strike regularly with the ball. He had managed, in the 14 Tests since then, 559 runs at 27.95 and 67 wickets at 24.98. Do not sell or share my personal information. Following the divorce hearing in the NSW Supreme Court, Richie Benaud was required to pay Marcia and her sons ten pounds per week. While a heart attack was the cause of Warne's death while holidaying in Thailand, Healy revealed that he feared the spin king would succumb to another health issue. England and Wales Cricket Board chairman Giles Clarke said cricket had "lost perhaps its greatest advocate and someone who was a true giant of the modern game". At the time, Ms Benaud said she was upset she hadn't been invited to her former husband's funeral. or debate this issue live on our message boards. 'Daphne has been kind and fair over the years to me and has welcomed me, even when it was undeserved on my part,' Greg said. He was known for his unbuttoned shirt, and raised eyebrows with his on-field exuberance. The next season saw the last of Benaud on the field of play, apart from some later charity matches and light-hearted private tours. The young leg spinner claimed Hassett in the second innings when a ball landed in a crack and skidded through onto his foot. Cause of Richie Benaud death. Link to video: Richie Benaud became a household name for a whole new generation when he moved from the oval to the commentary box. 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. On a green pitch, Benaud came in at 7/96 and featured in a century partnership in only an hour,[14] making 43 himself. His selection was frequently questioned in those early years, when much other flowering talent was evident in domestic cricket. [20] Benaud struck an unbeaten 100 and totalled 1/64 in the next match against Western Australia before the Australians departed for England. But I will be doing all sorts of, what I regard as, interesting things for Channel Nine on the cricketspecial features on the cricket". Benaud was another contender with 219 wickets, but it was Statham who broke the record (only to be overtaken by Trueman in New Zealand) and Benaud had to be content with breaking Ray Lindwall's Australian record of 228 Test wickets. Often bare-headed, and a somewhat stooping, rangy figure at the crease, he cracked a century in both the Johannesburg Tests, averaged 54 in the series, and took 30 wickets at a rate of just under 22 runs each in the five Tests. [72], During England's chase on the final afternoon it became apparent that, with Ted Dexter scoring quickly, Australia would lose the Test unless England were bowled out. At one stage, New South Wales were six wickets down with less than 150 runs scored, but Benaud refused to attempt to defend for a draw. Rich couldn't make it and I'll always be grateful that Mr Menzies said, "well your wife might like to go".'. When live Test cricket disappeared from the BBC in 1999 he moved to Channel 4, and when terrestrial broadcasting ended in 2005 he refused to switch to pay TV. Benaud stated he would spend the Northern Hemisphere summer in Britain writing, and would continue working for the Nine Network in Australia. First wife: The former Marcia Lavender (pictured) married Richie Benaud in 1953, had two boys and divorced in 1967 and at the time of the cricketing legend's death in April had not seen him - except on TV - for 39 years. [130], Last edited on 25 February 2023, at 20:19, 195455 series when England visited Australia, 196061 Test series against the visiting West Indians, 196263 saw an English team under Dexter visit Australia, Officer of the Order of the British Empire, Jane McGrath Day for Breast Cancer awareness and fundraising, List of New South Wales representative cricketers, List of international cricket five-wicket hauls by Richie Benaud. ', Home territory: Richie Benaud was the king of the commentary box and at complete ease on cricket grounds around the world including the SCG (above), but as he forged his international commentary career he saw less of his two sons by first wife Marcia, Marcia Benaud said: 'I was at the stage where I preferred to be happy with a little, than rich and unhappy and so I accepted it and I haven't seen him since that day in court.'. A personal letter from Richie Benaud to a young English leg-spinner almost 20 years ago has emerged as a touching example of the great cricketer's personal qualities and deep respect for his fans. His instinctive, aggressive captaincy and daring approach to cricket and his charismatic nature and public relations ability revitalised cricket interest in Australia. [76], In another match against Victoria, he ordered his team to attempt to score 404 on the final day to take an unlikely victory in accordance with a promise to score at 400 per day. [99], He openly criticised the actions by the Chappell brothers (Trevor and Greg) in the post-match reaction to the underarm bowling incident of 1981, proving his moral integrity far outweighed his unconditional patriotism for Australia. He was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1985. [74] Benaud was the leading wicket-taker of the season with 47 at 17.97. He loved winning. Greg joked that before his father's death he had visited him and gained some style advice for the funeral. He was also a highly regarded tactician and never lost a Test series as Australia captain, winning five and drawing two. His leg spin yielded ten wickets at 30.60, with a best of 4/118 in the Fourth Test in Adelaide when he was given a heavy workload, totalling 58 overs,[7] when Ray Lindwall and Keith Miller broke down during the match. What an innings. 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. More surprisingly, its patron until his death was Richie . Our nation has lost an icon, he said at a media conference. With Ray Lindwall, Keith Miller and Ernie Toshack, three of Australia's leading four bowlers from the 1948 Invincibles tour of England unavailable, Benaud bowled heavily in some matches. Greg Benaud said he and brother Jeffrey met Australian Test players, such as Alan Davidson and Arthur Morris, who his father invited round for team meetings in the garage of the Beecroft home, 'starting off with Davo leading a prayer and then they would discuss tactics and show 8mm home moves of games'. . 'But it suited [Richie] to keep it quiet, and so that's how it was kept.'. How did Richie Benaud Die? [125] In 1999, he was awarded a Logie Award for Most Outstanding Sports Broadcaster. 581 Former Australia cricket captain and renowned commentator Richie Benaud has died aged 84. In his three Tests he averaged just three runs with the bat scoring 15 runs over five innings and took two wickets for 174 before ending the long tour in glory with 135 in a festival match at a crowded Scarborough ground, hitting 11 sixes to equal the world record at that time. He was buried on April 15 in a private funeral ceremony attended only by immediate family members. [7] This was part of a month-long run in which he made only 123 runs in eight innings and took only seven wickets in four matches. 'It was a 6pm wedding. Ms Benaud said Richie hadkept in touch with their sons, but as the years went by they 'didn't see him as often'. [7] 'It was very, very difficult.'. The best of his career hung principally on the exhilharating Test series of 1960-61, when he captained Australia against the visiting West Indies side led by Frank Worrell. The great voice of cricket is no more. His performances in South Africa in 1957-58 reinforced that belief. [6] At the start of the 194950 season, he was still in the Second XI, but when the Test players departed for a tour of South Africa soon afterwards,[7] vacancies opened up. [70][71] With the series balanced at 11, the Fourth Test at Old Trafford initially brought no improvement, with Benaud scoring 2 and taking 0/80 in the first innings. He secured his place after scoring 125 against Queensland at the start of the season,[23] although his lead-up form in two matches against England for his state and an Australian XI was not encouraging. There were good times when he was home at the family house in Beecroft, in Sydney's north. Richie Benaud, ace all-rounder, captain, journalist, and doyen of commentators, passed away on April 4, 2015. Australia's chances of winning looked remote when they reached tea at 6/109 with 124 runs still required with only the tailenders to follow. [7][11] He then finished the summer strongly, and ended the season with 811 runs at 62.38 and 35 wickets at 30.54. [1], Gideon Haigh described him as "perhaps the most influential cricketer and cricket personality since the Second World War. [36], Benaud was awarded life membership by the New South Wales Cricket Association, but he returned it in protest in 1970 when his younger brother John was removed from the captaincy. Tributes have been pouring in from around the world following the news of Benaud's death. [35] He took 6/52 and 5/53, his best-ever match analysis, ending the series with 113 runs at 18.83 and 24 wickets at 17.66. . Although Benaud preferred to avoid controversy, he waded in when covering Australias tour of the West Indies in 1965, taking eye-opening photographs of the fast bowler Charlie Griffith and writing of his concerns over the legality of the Barbadians action. By Andrew McGarry. They brought back all the old memories, sad ones. Benaud was given a chance against the visiting team when New South Wales played them in Sydney after the First Test. [citation needed], The First Test in Brisbane ended in the first tie in Test history, which came about after Benaud and Alan Davidson, rather than settle for a draw, decided to risk defeat and play an attacking partnership, which took Australia to the brink of victory. [7], He took the wicket of Queensland batsman Bill Brown in his third match of the season. 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. [31] Benaud and Daphne often stayed at their holiday home in Beaulieu-sur-Mer on the French Riviera. Source: Cricinfo, 22 December 2007. Like all fans of the sport, I will miss him very much.. A pioneering leg-spin bowler, Benaud played in 63 Tests, 28 as captain, before retiring in 1964 to pursue a career in journalism and broadcasting. 'It's very different to what it is like now. And despite the years since she saw the only man she ever married, Marcia Lorraine Lavender Benaud said she had watched the television tributes to her late former husband with mixed feelings. The pharmacist, Ivan James, suggested a treatment with calamine lotion and boracic acid. [29][36], When Ian Craig fell ill at the start of the 195859 season, Benaud was promoted to the captaincy ahead of vice-captain Neil Harvey. 'It's obviously been a bit of a strain over the years with Mum and Dad, but Daphne was very kind. Lou Benaud, who had once taken all 20 wickets in a bush match, keenly and wisely guided his two sons. "Meeting Ivan James was a remarkable piece of luck," he wrote later; "walking into that chemist's shop in Timaru saved my bowling career. Benaud did not bowl Meckiff from the other end, and at the end of the match Meckiff announced his retirement. R ichie Benaud, Australia's legendary cricket captain and commentator, died in Sydney on Friday, his family said. Marcia Benaud spoke of her past with Richie with laughter and tears, but said although she believed he should have never left their marriage she has made a life of contentment, politely responding that she was 'the first wife' if people asked about her name, Richie Benaud, pictured shaking the hand of Queen Elizabeth II, before the start of play during his Test cricket years, which his first wife Marcia said led to some delightful occasions, including her invitation to dine with the Queen on the Britannia when in Sydney. He sustained a cracked sternum and shoulder injuries. [97], After retiring from playing in 1964, Benaud turned to full-time cricket journalism and commentary, dividing his time between Britain (where he worked for the BBC for many years before joining Channel 4 in 1999), and Australia (for the Nine Network). I know Mum found it difficult to live on ten pounds a week. Ritchie Benaud pictured in 2004, when he was commentating for Channel 4. How remorseless Stephen Bear continued his arrogant antics up until or debate this issue live on our message boards. [80][81][82] Benaud returned to form with match figures of 5/142 and 57 in the Fifth Test at Sydney,[83] which ended in a draw when Benaud ordered Bill Lawry and Peter Burge to play out the last afternoon for a draw that would retain the Ashes. [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. 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'. Shane Warne, Australia's record wicket-taker, made a particularly heartfelt contribution.external-link, "Dear Richie, you were a legend on all levels and rightly so too," said Warne. Benaud had an ineffective match with the ball, taking 1/162. Against Len Huttons dominant England tourists in 1954-55 he again did little with bat or ball, just as he struggled in 1956 on his second tour of England, the Lords Test apart: having taken a memorably sharp reflex catch in the gully to dismiss Colin Cowdrey, Benaud was at his cavalier best in an innings of 97, ended by a top edge as he tried to reach his hundred in the grand manner by hooking Fred Trueman. [7] However, this was not enough to ensure his selection in the First Test, where he was made 12th man. [52] He took four wickets in a Second Test in Lahore that sealed the series 20,[53] the last time Australia would win a Test in Pakistan until Mark Taylor's men in 1998, 37 years later. He was the accompaniment of an Australian summer. [55] Benaud had less of an impact on the next two Tests, which Australia lost and drew, totaling 6/244. Around 150,000 deaths are registered in Australia every year, but few receive the "end of an era" tribute accorded Richie Benaud. Discover the real story, facts, and details of Richie Benaud. [114][115], On 29 October 2008, Benaud's mother, Irene, died, aged 104. [9] This was the only match he played for the second-string state team that summer. "[39], After a break in the international calendar of a year, the 195758 tour to South Africa heralded the start of a phase of three international seasons when Benaud was at his peak. But I won't be on the live commentary roster. SUBSCRIBE TO US What an innings. ", added: "So sad to hear about the passing of Richie Benaud. Along with the West Indian captain Frank Worrell, Benaud's bold leadership enlivened interest in Test cricket among a public who had increasingly regarded it as boring. [45] He had been a major contributor to the series win, scoring 329 runs at 54.83 and taking 30 wickets at 21.93, establishing himself as one of the leading leg spinners of the modern era.
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