He chose to end his British commentary career, which spanned more than 42 years, when the rights to broadcast live Test match cricket were lost by Channel 4 to the subscription broadcaster British Sky Broadcasting. Richard "Richie" Benaud OBE ( / bno /; 6 October 1930 - 10 April 2015) was an Australian cricketer. 'It's obviously been a bit of a strain over the years with Mum and Dad, but Daphne was very kind. Craig had fallen ill, and just when the senior player, Neil Harvey, was expected to succeed to the leadership, Benauds name was announced. [97], In 2004, Benaud starred in a series of television advertisements for the Australian Tourism Commission, aimed at promoting Australia as a tourist destination. In 2017, the Australian Mint issued a 50-cent coin commemorating Benaud. They were booed and heckled as they left the field and Benaud's reputation as a "go ahead" cricket captain was badly tarnished. 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. [10] He had more success with the bat, scoring 93 and narrowly missing a century against South Australia. His performances in South Africa in 1957-58 reinforced that belief. Six further wickets in the drawn Third Test saw Benaud end the series with 84 runs at 28 and 18 wickets at 21.11. 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. Explore Richie Benaud's biography, personal life, family and cause of death. Richie Benaud, who has died aged 84, was perhaps best known latterly for his work as a global cricket commentator, with his distinctive voice, familiar fixed gaze, prominent bottom lip and. No comments have so far been submitted. [20] Benaud struck an unbeaten 100 and totalled 1/64 in the next match against Western Australia before the Australians departed for England. Richie Benaud dies aged 84 - rolling reaction The former Australia cricket captain and commentator, who played 63 Test matches, has died at the age of 84 Updated 9 Apr 2015 9 Apr 2015 Flags. Source: Cricinfo, 22 December 2007. 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. Benaud struck exactly 100 in the first innings, before taking 4/70 in South Africa's reply. The unprecedented public interest saw the Caribbean touring party farewelled with a ticker-tape parade by the Australian public. But I won't be on the live commentary roster. He scored 47 not out and took 3/37 in an innings win over Queensland. 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. 'It's very different to what it is like now. [77], 196263 saw an English team under Dexter visit Australia. 'There was the odd phone call from England,' she told Daily Mail Australia. [7], He took the wicket of Queensland batsman Bill Brown in his third match of the season. Benaud was given a chance against the visiting team when New South Wales played them in Sydney after the First Test. "[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. Benaud, a former Australian captain and cricketing commentator, was 84 when he died in April 2015 after battling skin cancer. We'd have baked dinners on a Sunday at their houses.'. [4] He was appointed an OBE in that year and in 1962 was named as one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year. Greg said he did not wish to discuss his brother Jeff, who is married with no children and is believed to have worked in marketing. [7], For the next season, England toured Australia, and with the Test players back, Benaud was initially forced out of the team. [7] His only wicket was that of the all-rounder Trevor Bailey. Benaud took 3/116 to complement scores of 43 and 90 on his return in the Third Test in Sydney. Benaud was the top wicket-taker on the tour, with 32 wickets at 19.31, and Australia's top wicket-taker in the three matches against New Zealand, with 15 wickets at 21.73. [8], He also showed his hitting ability in a tour match against T.N. Reaction to the death of former Australian cricket captain and commentator Richie Benaud, known as the 'Voice of Cricket'. [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. As the great cricketing icon toured the world with Daphne, dividing their timebetween their beachside Sydney apartment, their house in France and luxury hotels in England, Marcia claims that on more than one occasion she had to challenge Richie in court about payments for their two sons. Benaud's ad featured him in various scenic locations uttering his signature comment, "Marvellous!". Such guarded humour as he evinced bore the touch of a man who was keen to be seen above all else as discerning. The tour included seven first-class matches, three of which were unofficial Tests. In 1963 he became the first player to complete the Test double of 200 wickets and 2,000 runs. Richie Benaud. He ended with 121 and took four wickets in the match as Australia won by an innings and took the series 30. Death date: 10 April, 2015, Friday. [113][123], Benaud was buried on 15 April, in a private funeral ceremony attended only by his immediate family. [73] Benaud had a poor series with the bat, scoring 45 runs at 9, but was more successful with the ball, taking 15 wickets at 32.53. [citation needed], Benaud took over when Australian cricket was in a low phase with a young team. [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. Vale Richie: Greg Benaud, 60, and his younger brother, Jeffrey, were very happy to be invited by Richie's second wife Daphne to attend the private funeral in April, for which Greg quipped he would have haircut, a shave and don a suit to farewell his Dad, 'I want to respect Jeff's privacy,' he said. Prince Andrew has 'offered to manage prestigious Royal estates including Balmoral but King Charles has told PLATELL'S PEOPLE: Yes, Madonna toyboys are fun but not if you value your dignity. Benaud built his reputation as a commentator following an outstanding playing career in which he took 945 wickets in 259 first-class matches and made 11,719 first-class runs, scoring 23 centuries at an average of 36.50. 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. 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 had an ineffective match with the ball, taking 1/162. [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. The cricketer turned broadcaster had been battling skin cancer and recovering from the after-effects of a car accident . Wonderful cricketer, great captain, a master craftsman commentator and top man. 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'. BBC Radio 5 live pays tribute to Richie Benaud. I've got a black dress hanging inside,' Marcia said, laughing. 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. Marcia was to live in the house at Beecroft until 2002, when she sold it and gave the profits to her two sons and moved into the housing cottage on the Central Coast with Greg. After Don Bradman, there has been no Australian player more famous or more influential than Richie Benaud.. [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. 2. Cricket Australia chairman Wally Edwards said Benaud was "the iconic voice of our summer", while the Australian government has offered to hold a state funeral. 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. [25] After a draw in the Second Test,[26] he took three wickets in four balls to end with 4/15 in the first innings at Georgetown, Guyana, before scoring 68 (his first Test half century) as Australia moved to a 20 series lead. [126], In 2007, he was inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame at the Allan Border Medal award evening and in 2009 he was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame. 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. He ended with 3/56, the first time he had taken three wickets in a match. Murdaugh is heckled as he leaves court, Ken Bruce finishes his 30-year tenure as host of BBC Radio 2, Missing hiker buried under snow forces arm out to wave to helicopter, Hershey's Canada releases HER for SHE bars featuring a trans activist, Insane moment river of rocks falls onto Malibu Canyon in CA, Fleet-footed cop chases an offender riding a scooter, Family of a 10-month-old baby filmed vaping open up. [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. Richie Benaud was the captain of the Australian team that was in charge of the Australian side which featured in Test cricket's first-ever tied match, against the West Indies in 1960-61. 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. [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. Richie Benaud, 1959. Cricket icon Richie Benaud, who distinguished himself first as a leg-spinning all-rounder, then as a daring Australian Test captain and later as the . [87], Upon his return, Benaud advised the Australian Cricket Board that it would be in the better interests of the team if Simpson continued as captain for the remainder of the season. RIP Richie Benaud. Benaud, whose witty one-liners from the commentary box resonated far beyond. SURPRISINGLY, there is a French Cricket Association. The boys played cricket in the yard and at school, where Jeffrey made the school eleven and Greg 'started as an off break bowler and ended up as leg spin'. [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. As a batsman, he was tall and lithe, known for his hitting power, in particular his lofted driving ability from the front foot. He made 140, in a seventh-wicket partnership of 255 in just 176 minutes, an Australian record that still stands. [7] Benaud was the only bowler selected for all five Tests of the 195455 series when England visited Australia. [4], Johnnie Moyes said "Certainly Benaud received a little help from the roughened patches, but he could do what the off-spinners could not do: he could turn the ball, mostly slowly, sometimes with more life. 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. Now Richie Benaud's first wife Marcia, who lives with one of Richie's estranged sons in a housing commission cottage, is about to have that once private life become very public. from around the world following the news of Benaud's death. 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. 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. Benaud had a heavy load in the match, taking 8/199 after Davidson tore a hamstring mid-match. 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'. [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. 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'. Jeffrey Benaud is not involved in the court action Marcia and Greg Benaud have taken against Daphne Benaud in the Supreme Court. Although both sons played cricket at the private boys school they attended, Barker College in Sydney's northern suburbs, neither went on to play representative cricket after school like their father and grandfather. [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. 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. Richie Benaud, who has died aged 84, was perhaps best known latterly for his work as a global cricket commentator, with his distinctive voice, familiar fixed gaze, prominent bottom lip and carefully tended coiffure. [79] This was followed by three unproductive Tests which yielded only 5/360 and a win apiece. 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. [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. Former Australia captain and legendary cricket commentator Richie Benaud has died at the age of 84. [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. 'We have been comfortable and had a contented life here,' she said. Oscar Cainer tells all. Birth date: 6 October, 1930, Monday. 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. There would be very few Australians who have not passed a summer in the company of Richie Benaud. She kept me informed so that I knew when Dad was sick. Benaud took 4/69 and 4/42 in the First Test in Dacca (now in Bangladesh), sealing Australia's first win in Pakistan. [109] Chris Barrie of Red Dwarf fame incorporated impressions of Benaud into his stand-up repertoire. ", Australia Prime Minister Tony Abbottexternal-link said Benaud's passing was "a sad day for Australia", adding: "We have lost a cricketing champion and Australian icon. [37] At this stage of his career, he had yet to perform consistently with bat and ball simultaneously, apart from his breakthrough series in the Caribbean. Then came the 1953 tour, the first of three he was to make to England as a player. 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'. 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! Biography - A Short Wiki and "That's stumps and time for a glass of something chilled". [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. [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. [47] Benaud's men won the Second Test,[48] before he took 5/83 and 4/94 in the drawn Third Test. In his later career, he added the flipper, a combination of the googly and top spinner which was passed to him by Bruce Dooland. Despite this impairment to his bowling shoulder, his team played with an aggressive strategy leading them to lose only one Test match and no other matches during the tour, honouring his pre-series pledge. [104], He also helped to design a computer-based parody of himself available for download off Channel 4's website called "Desktop Richie". In October 2018, Benaud became the 40th Legend in the Sport Australia Hall of Fame. 'Not as much as when we were children. It worked at once, and Benaud used it thereafter. He married Marcia in 1953 and had two children with her, Gregory and. He was also a highly regarded tactician and never lost a Test series as Australia captain, winning five and drawing two. Richie Benaud died on April 10, 2015, after being diagnosed with skin cancer. In all he missed a third of the matches due to injury. [19] Even so, he was promoted to vice-captain above several senior players when Ian Johnson and Keith Miller missed the 2nd Test at Sydney through injury and Arthur Morris was made temporary captain. [4], On his third and final tour to England in 1961, he was hampered by damaged tendons in his right shoulder, which forced him to miss the Second Test at Lord's known as the "Battle of the Ridge". He also made 113 against the touring side for the Prime Minister's XI. Benauds crew cruised to a 4-0 victory, the skipper taking 31 wickets for an average of 18.83 runs each. [55] Benaud had less of an impact on the next two Tests, which Australia lost and drew, totaling 6/244. 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). 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. On a green pitch, Benaud came in at 7/96 and featured in a century partnership in only an hour,[14] making 43 himself. That TV commentary style lent itself to much mimicry, and his pronouncements, carefully rationed, were widely regarded as gospel. Daphne Benaud invited sons Greg and Jeffrey to the private service, which was attended by about 20 people, before a more public wake at the Australian Golf Club. Lived: 30867 days = 84 years. It was screened before Australias Test series against India last December. Plastic surgeon reveals five cosmetic procedures she would NEVER get - from dangerous Brazilian butt lifts BEL MOONEY:Why does caring for my dad take over my life? He scored 97 in Australia's only innings and then took 7/46 in the hosts' first innings as the Australians took an innings win. 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. Richie Benaud, ace all-rounder, captain, journalist, and doyen of commentators, passed away on April 4, 2015. [6], In November 1948, at the age of 18, Benaud was selected for the New South Wales Colts, the state youth team. "[94], After the 1956 England tour, Benaud stayed behind in London to take a BBC presenter training course. In addition to his accurate probing consistency, he possessed a well-disguised googly and topspinner which tricked many batsmen and yielded him many wickets. He was buried on April 15 in a private funeral ceremony attended only by immediate family members. [114][115], On 29 October 2008, Benaud's mother, Irene, died, aged 104.