The world of cricket is today paying tribute to former Australia captain and broadcaster Richie Benaud, who has died at the age of 84.

Benaud, who played 63 Test Matches for Australia between 1952 and 1964 and also led his country on 28 occasions, was one of the foremost cricketing figures of the post-war era, a leg-spinning all-rounder and a shrewd and innovative captain.

After his retirement he became a hugely respected and widely revered television commentator; a figure synonymous with the sport through his commentaries for BBC Television, Channel Four and his native Channel Nine.

He was thought to be involved in 500 Test matches during a combination of his playing and broadcasting career.

"Richie was a charismatic player who combined skilful leg-spin bowling with attacking batting, sharp fielding and decisive leadership to become a record-breaking all-rounder and captain," said Cricket NSW Chairman John Warn.

“Yet for all his success on the field his greatest influence over the game he loved came later in life.

“He was a revolutionary with his involvement in World Series Cricket during 1977 and more recently embraced the Twenty20 game.

“As head of the Channel Nine commentary team for decades Richie was clear, crisp, dry and understated, with his astute observations often capturing an undercurrent of humour.


“Richie is an enormous loss to the cricket community the world over, especially in NSW, Australia, and England, where he was warmly embraced as a BBC commentator for decades.

“All involved with Cricket NSW extend our deepest sympathies to Richie’s wife Daphne, brother John and the entire Benaud family at this sad time.”

RICHIE BENAUD FACT FILE COMPILED BY CNSW HISTORIAN DR COLIN CLOWES

Batting and fielding averages

                        Mat      Runs    HS       Ave      100      50        ct        

Tests               63        2201    122      24.45   3          9          65

First-class        259     11,719 187       36.50   23        61        254

NSW Shield     73        3749    158      39.05   9          22        92       

First Grade      137      5721    160*     40.57   12        31        n/a

Bowling averages

 

                        Mat      Wkts    BBI       BBM     Ave      5w        10

Tests               63        248      7/72     11/105 27.03   16        1

First-class        259      945      7/18     13/134 24.73   56        9

NSW Shield     73        266      7/32     12/148 26.96   10        3

First Grade      137      366      8/36      n/a       18.68   22        n/a

 

Test debut       Australia v West Indies at Sydney, Jan 25-29, 1952

Last Test          Australia v South Africa at Sydney, Feb 7-12, 1964

First-class career         1948/49 - 1963/64 

 

PERFORMANCES 

*His name appears in the Central Cumberland (now Parramatta) Annual Report for the first time in 1943-44. Playing in second grade, he was credited with 18 runs in two innings. He did not bowl.

*The first of his three test centuries was his 121 vs. West Indies in the 5th Test in the West Indies in June 1955. He reached his fifty in 38 minutes and his century in 78 minutes, the third fastest (in time). He batted in all for 96 minutes, hitting 2 sixes and 18 fours as Australia, with five players scoring centuries, amassed 8-758 before it closed its innings. He hit five fours off the first five balls Tom Dewdney delivered with the fourth new ball.

*On five occasions he has scored a century and taken five wickets in an innings in a match:

   - 5/87 + 167*  - Australian XI vs. Combined Tasmania 1952-53

   - 5/88 + 158   - NSW vs. Queensland 1953-54

   - 117* + 6/93 - Australian XI vs. Rhodesia 1957-1958

   - 187   + 5/71 - Australian XI vs. Natal 1957-58

   - 100   + 5/84 - Australia vs. South Africa, 4th Test, 1957-58.

 

*In the last first-class match of the 1953 Australian Tour of England, he scored 135 in the second innings against T.N. Pearce XI. He scored his runs in 110 minutes, hit 11 sixes and 9 fours. It remained the record for most sixes in a first-class innings by an Australian until Dean Jones hit 12 in scoring 248 for the touring Australian against Warwickshire in 1989.

*In his last Sheffield Shield match, and his last match for NSW, he scored 76 and 120* and took 3/77 and 2/32 against South Australia in 1963-64. The match ended on 4th February 1964. He added 221 with Brian Booth (162*) in an unfinished 6th wicket partnership. It was his 20th century partnership for New South Wales. The highest of these was the 264 he added with Arthur Morris (171) for the 5th wicket against Queensland in 1953-54. In that innings he scored 158.