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. Australian Cricket Commentator Richie Benaud Dies at 84 | Time Having helped Australia win the 1955 series in the West Indies (Benauds century in Jamaica, one of five in an innings of 758 for 8 still Australias highest total in Tests came in a mere 78 minutes), after four years and 27 Test matches it was felt at last that he truly belonged in the side. [107], Benaud commentated for the BBC TV highlights of the 200607 Ashes in Australia as part of his continuing commentary work for Australia's Nine Network. 'It's very different to what it is like now. 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. Catches/ stumpings. Following his retirement from international cricket in 1964, Benaud became a highly regarded commentator on the game. Benaud had an ineffective match with the ball, taking 1/162. Sprawling home where JonBenet Ramsey was found murdered in 1996 is listed for sale for $7 MILLION by current Royal Mail increase price of first class stamp by 15p to 1.10 in record-breaking hike. ", 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. [44] He took 5/82 in the second innings of the Fifth Test, the fourth consecutive match in which he had taken five wickets in an innings, as Australia took a 30 series win. He still managed to say I do quite firmly. 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. His voice was even more present than the chirping of the cicadas in our suburbs and towns and that voice, tragically, is now still., British prime minister David Cameron said: I grew up listening to Richie Benauds wonderful cricket commentary. Benaud retired from international cricket in 1964 and turned to full-time cricket journalism and commentary, for which he already had runs on the board with the BBC. He was the accompaniment of an Australian summer. 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. Greg remembers him filing newspaper stories down the phone to copytakers and instructing them to wait until he read it back, 'reading it back on 5-4-3-2-1'. The selectors long-term planning had reached fulfilment. 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. But Richie asked the pretty young woman out, and when he moved on to a job as a clerk at The Sun newspaper their relationship grew. He ended the Test series with 15 runs at 3.00 and two wickets at 87.00. Benaud hit a ball into the covers and the pair attempted a quick single when a direct hit from Joe Solomon saw Davidson run out. [1], Gideon Haigh described him as "perhaps the most influential cricketer and cricket personality since the Second World War. Marcia Benaud, who always refers to her only husband as 'Rich' rather than 'Richie', spoke about the fantastic life she had with Benaud, the young Test cricketing star she had been married to in the 1950s and 60s, and their two sons she had sometimes struggled to raise in the years since. He had been battling skin cancer By Charlie Eccleshare Until. 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. By that summers end, with the beaten but popular West Indies having had a tickertape motorcade send-off in Melbourne, Richie Benauds own popularity was sealed. ", said: "Farewell Richie Benaud. His father Louis, a third-generation Australian of French Huguenot descent,[4] was a leg spinner who played for Penrith District Cricket Club in Sydney Grade Cricket, gaining attention for taking all twenty wickets in a match against St. Marys for 65. Benaud removed Meckiff from the attack and did not recall him. "Meeting Ivan James was a remarkable piece of luck," he wrote later; "walking into that chemist's shop in Timaru saved my bowling career. 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. 581 Former Australia cricket captain and renowned commentator Richie Benaud has died aged 84. His final commentary in England came during the 2005 Ashes series, but he continued to work for Channel Nine in Australia until 2013. Lou Benaud, who had once taken all 20 wickets in a bush match, keenly and wisely guided his two sons. [7], In his early career, Benaud was a batting all-rounder, marked by a looping backlift which made him suspect against fast bowling but allowed him to have a wide attacking stroke range. Richie Benaud, Australian Cricket Legend, Dies at Age 84 [7] In the opening match of the season, he struck 158 and took 5/88 and 1/65 against Queensland. [74] Benaud was the leading wicket-taker of the season with 47 at 17.97. He had been receiving treatment for skin cancer since November. Three of the Tests were drawn, Australias Bill Lawry, Bob Simpson and Ken Mackay scoring at a snails pace (matched by Geoff Pullar, Ken Barrington and Cowdrey for England). The world of sport reacts to the news that former Australia captain and broadcaster Richie Benaud died overnight at the age of 84. [125] In 1999, he was awarded a Logie Award for Most Outstanding Sports Broadcaster. [7], Up to this point, his first-class batting average was below 30 and his bowling average close to 40, and he had never taken more than four wickets in an innings or six in a match. 'When I heard that it was serious and Greg told me he had got [the cancer] in its bloodstream, I accepted that whatever God decided to do would be right,' she said. Her son Greg told Daily Mail Australia that the pretty young brunette was 'one of Sydney's top three beauties', but Marcia passes that off, laughing, as 'nonsense'. [72] Benaud then took four wickets in the drawn Fifth Test to end the series 21. The tour included seven first-class matches, three of which were unofficial Tests. The well-groomed couple divided their time between their apartment in the Sydney beach suburb of Coogee, their house in France and five star hotels near the cricketing grounds of England as he pursued his broadcasting career. Benaud, a former Australian captain and cricketing commentator, was 84 when he died in April 2015 after battling skin cancer. Benaud, Richard (Richie) (1930-2015) by Kersi Meher-Homji. [19] It was thought that the surface at the Oval would favour pacemen, but Australia's selection proved to be a blunder[21] as England's spinners[22] took them to the only win of the series, allowing them to regain the Ashes. Source: Cricinfo, 22 December 2007. On a green pitch which was struck by a downpour on the opening day, Benaud's spin was not used by Arthur Morris, and he failed to make an impression with the bat in his only innings, scoring only two. [88] His final two Tests saw no fairytale finish, yielding only four wickets and 55 runs. They were different times and it was the right thing to do for them.'. ', 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.'. Richie Benaud - ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) Former Australia captain and legendary cricket commentator Richie Benaud has died at the age of 84. He scored 817 runs including four centuries, two of them in Test matches. 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. Their faith was rewarded by an improvement in performances. BBC Radio 5 live pays tribute to Richie Benaud. When, a few months later in England, Benaud took veteran Ray Lindwalls advice and bowled his leg-spin around the wicket into the rough, when all seemed lost in the Old Trafford Test, his wicket-taking that afternoon ensured that Australia retained the Ashes and raised the captain close to sainthood in the estimation of his team and his country. As a batsman, he was tall and lithe, known for his hitting power, in particular his lofted driving ability from the front foot. Marcia Benaud pictured with elder son Greg, then aged 18 months, on Umina Beach in 1956. Benaud, born in Penrith, New South Wales, enjoyed a successful career as a wily leg-spin bowler and middle-order batsman. 'It's 39 years since I spoke to or saw him, except on TV,' she said. [55] Benaud had less of an impact on the next two Tests, which Australia lost and drew, totaling 6/244. Time and again he and fellow bowler Alan Davidson took the opposition by storm, and the Australians, led by 22-year-old Ian Craig, finished the tour unbeaten. Oscar Cainer tells all. As per theguardian.com, Richie Benaud's Cause of Death was revealed that he died of Skin cancer. CNN Former Australia cricket captain and legendary broadcaster Richie Benaud has died at the age of 84. He was with us as a player, journalist . Fred Trueman with 216 Test wickets and Brian Statham with 229 were poised to overtake the record of 236 Test wickets set by the assistant-manager Alec Bedser. 1930 - 2015. After scoring 60 and 37 and taking 1/60 in an Australian XI against the South Africans following the Test, he was selected for the Second Test. [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. He was a one-off., Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. His success was based on his ability to attack, his tactical boldness and his ability to extract more performance from his players, in particular Davidson. His performances in South Africa in 1957-58 reinforced that belief. This put him in a small group of spinners whose career averages were inferior to their performances against India, generally regarded as the best players of spin in the world. National Archives of Australia, A1200, L33209. In the next four matches, Benaud passed 15 only once, scoring a 34, and took only seven wickets. Benaud was the first man to achieve 2,000 runs and 200 wickets at Test level. Within the year he had spun his way to a further 47 wickets in eight Tests in Pakistan and India, and all was set for what was perceived as a world championship contest against the visiting West Indies team. But I will be doing all sorts of, what I regard as, interesting things for Channel Nine on the cricketspecial features on the cricket". This was enough for him to gain selection for the start of the Tests. On Channel 4's live commentary, Benaud often made sarcastic comments regarding the advertisement of Desktop Richie. Reaction to the death of the 'Voice of Cricket' Benaud | Reuters [113][123], Benaud was buried on 15 April, in a private funeral ceremony attended only by his immediate family. By Andrew McGarry. 2. Harsha Bhogle remembers Richie Benaud on 5th death anniversary with sad Final respects: Greg Benaud (pictured) dressed for his father's funeral in April, for which Greg said Richie had given him some advice before he died to 'get a haircut, but don't take too much off'. Despite this, Benaud told chairman of selectors Don Bradman that he would still be going for an improbable victory in accordance with his policy of aggression. [31] He was unable to maintain the standards he had set in the West Indies, contributing little apart from the Lord's Test. The tour saw his bowling talents come to the fore when he took 106 wickets,[40] surpassing the previous record of 104 by England's Sydney Barnes. 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. [4] The first of these came in the First Test at Johannesburg, where after conceding 1/115, Benaud struck 122, his highest Test score, to see Australia reach a draw. He spent two weeks in hospital for the surgery. Will always be remembered and admired. There were good times when he was home at the family house in Beecroft, in Sydney's north. The next season saw the last of Benaud on the field of play, apart from some later charity matches and light-hearted private tours. [33] After taking four wickets in the drawn Second Test in Bombay,[34], Benaud bowled Australia to victory in the Third Test in Calcutta, sealing the series 20. [24], Australia's selectors persisted and selected him for the squad to tour the West Indies in 195455. Four years previously he had been hit in the face while batting for New South Wales 2nd XI in Melbourne. 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. [7], He managed only eight runs in four innings in the first two Tests, and having taken only two wickets for 136 runs was dropped for the Third. [92], During Benaud's captaincy, Australia did not lose a series, and became the dominant team in world cricket. EXCLUSIVE: Head teacher of leading grammar school is sacked for sending parents a list of striking teachers. Benaud often spoke of a return to commentary but, to the great sadness of his legions of admirers, it did not materialise. Benaud took 3/116 to complement scores of 43 and 90 on his return in the Third Test in Sydney. Richie Benaud cricketer (1930-2015) . [7] It was here that Richie Benaud grew up, learning how to bowl leg breaks, googlies and topspinners under his father's watch. Around 150,000 deaths are registered in Australia every year, but few receive the "end of an era" tribute accorded Richie Benaud. [119] He died in his sleep on 10 April 2015. His Australian cricket television commentary continued until it was brought to a halt by a car accident in 2013 and shortly afterwards he announced that he had skin cancer a legacy, he suspected, of his bareheaded days on the field. He played the game the right way., Our country has lost a national treasure, Cricket Australia chairman Wally Edwards said in a statement. [79] This was followed by three unproductive Tests which yielded only 5/360 and a win apiece. 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. It was screened before Australias Test series against India last December. [7] Benaud was the only bowler selected for all five Tests of the 195455 series when England visited Australia. [109] Chris Barrie of Red Dwarf fame incorporated impressions of Benaud into his stand-up repertoire. [7] He was recalled immediately for the Fourth Test, but was dropped for the Fifth after managing seven runs in his only innings and going wicketless. He was also a highly regarded tactician and never lost a Test series as Australia captain, winning five and drawing two. 'But it suited [Richie] to keep it quiet, and so that's how it was kept.'. 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. His first series as skipper was remarkable for a number of reasons. Six further wickets in the drawn Third Test saw Benaud end the series with 84 runs at 28 and 18 wickets at 21.11. The young leg spinner claimed Hassett in the second innings when a ball landed in a crack and skidded through onto his foot. How remorseless Stephen Bear continued his arrogant antics up until or debate this issue live on our message boards. [7] Hassett was known for his prowess against spin bowling, being the only batsman to score centuries in a match against the leg-spin of Bill O'Reilly, regarded as the finest bowler of his age. He was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1985. Richie Benaud obituary: the 'voice of cricket' was the game's shrewdest Richie Benaud: Australia cricket legend & commentator dies at 84 'He told me I should cut my hair for the funeral, but not to take toomuch off,' Greg told Daily Mail Australia. [31] Benaud and Daphne often stayed at their holiday home in Beaulieu-sur-Mer on the French Riviera. 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. Richie Benaud's Death - Cause and Date Born (Birthday) Oct 6, 1930 Death Date April 10, 2015 Age of Death 84 years Cause of Death Skin Cancer Profession Cricket Player The cricket player Richie Benaud died at the age of 84. He was recalled for a match against the Englishmen. "[2] In his review of Benaud's autobiography Anything But, Sri Lankan cricket writer Harold de Andrado wrote: "Richie Benaud possibly next to Sir Don Bradman has been one of the greatest cricketing personalities as player, researcher, writer, critic, author, organiser, adviser and student of the game."[3]. He ended the series with 200 runs at 25 and eight wickets at 42.5. He finished the innings with 6/70. [7][11] He also put on 167 in a partnership with Alan Davidson, the first collaboration between the pair, who would later go on to lead Australia's bowling in the last five years of their career. Benaud died late on Thursday . 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. Marcia Benaud kept her surname 'for the sake of my sons. He played three Tests against South Africa in 1963-64 under his successor as captain, Simpson, whacking a memorable 90 on his home ground, Sydney, having calmly endured the trauma at the start of the season of captaining for the last time while his key fast bowler, Ian Meckiff, was repeatedly called by umpire Colin Egar for throwing. ''I was devastated when he left. [8], He also showed his hitting ability in a tour match against T.N. He had been seventh and eighth in the domestic run-scoring and wicket-taking aggregates for the season, but was yet to convert this into international performance. Benaud died peacefully in his sleep in a hospice, the Sydney Morning. 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 played international cricket from 1952 to 1964, and Australia never lost a series under his captaincy (28 games). The opener at Brisbane delivered the thrill of crickets first tied Test match. One of Benauds last public contributions was a touching voiceover tribute to Phillip Hughes, who died when struck by a bouncer in November 2014. [29], During the 1956 tour to England, he helped Australia to its only victory in the Lord's Test, when he scored a rapid 97 in the second innings in 143 minutes from only 113 balls. He made 140, in a seventh-wicket partnership of 255 in just 176 minutes, an Australian record that still stands. At the suggestion that it showed dignity, she said 'thank you.'. Benaud's ad featured him in various scenic locations uttering his signature comment, "Marvellous!". SURPRISINGLY, there is a French Cricket Association. 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". He had been receiving treatment for skin cancer since November. Richie Benaud Cause of Death, How did Richie Benaud Die? Benaud was a Test cricket all-rounder, blending leg spin bowling with lower-order batting aggression. [20] Benaud struck an unbeaten 100 and totalled 1/64 in the next match against Western Australia before the Australians departed for England. [124], Benaud was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1961 for services to cricket. Former Australia cricket captain and renowned commentator Richie Benaud has died aged 84. Midway through the season, he played in Morris's XI in a testimonial match for Hassett, who captained the other team. I know Mum found it difficult to live on ten pounds a week. Discover the real story, facts, and details of Richie Benaud. Even worse, many such slurs aren't from men but 'I couldn't do it without you': Victoria Beckham poses with her whole family after her PFW show - as she Brooklyn Beckham puts on a loved-up display with wife Nicola Peltz as they head back to hotel after Cruz Beckham supports his mother Victoria as he carrying his very own VB handbag on the way to her show Like father, like daughter! Marcia remembers making the salads for the West Indies team, with Richie cooking on the barbecue he had made himself from Besser blocks, and legends including Everton Weekes, Garfield Sobers, Wes Hall and Frank Worrell standing around in the back yard. [60], Both men were noted for their hitting ability and viewed attack as their most effective chance of survival. Harvey and Benaud had been captains of their respective states until Harvey moved in the same season for employment purposes from Victoria to New South Wales and became Benaud's deputy. In all he missed a third of the matches due to injury. At the age of 83, he crushed two vertebrae when his 1963 Sunbeam vintage sports car hit a brick wall near his home in Coogee, Sydney. [128] After rain interrupted the 2016 SCG Test against West Indies, the second day unofficially became Richie Benaud Day as 501 Benaud impersonators stayed at the SCG, which is a day before the annual Jane McGrath Day for Breast Cancer awareness and fundraising, which was again rained out.[129]. '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 appeared in Richie Benaud's Greatest XI, a video in which he chooses his own team. She remained in the Beecroft house as the boys grew up, seeing their father 'now and again for birthdays'. The great voice of cricket is no more. Marcia Benaud's eyes misted up when she spoke about watching the tributes which flowed on TV following her late ex-husband's death in April, saying the coverage brought back sad memories of the life they had together, Muzzled: Richie Benaud, pictured in 1953, with his fiancee Marcia Lavender prior to their wedding and following an injury while he was fielding and a ball hit him in the face, causing his lip to split, but Marcia says he managed to utter a firm 'I do', Marcia Benaud (pictured with son Greg) remembered the day her then husband Richie rang up to say Sir Donald Bradman was coming over for dinner and after an initial panic over what to serve, she came up with chicken soup followed by roast chicken with salad for the legend in her Beecroft living room, Richie Benaud in his Test playing days, pictured in 1961, when he was still married to Marcia and they were bringing up two young sons, Greg, then aged six and Jeffrey, aged four, 'There was another time when the prime minister Robert Menzies invited us to have dinner with the Queen on the Britannia when it was docked in Sydney. [29], Benaud's bowling reached a new level on the return leg of Australia's overseas tour, when they stopped in the Indian subcontinent in 195657 en route back to Australia.
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