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. 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 . Nor have they sought the limelight occupied by their father. How did Richie Benaud Die? 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. [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. [78] Benaud started the series with seven wickets and a half century as the First Test in Brisbane was drawn. Midway through the season, he played in Morris's XI in a testimonial match for Hassett, who captained the other team. 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. [31] Benaud and Daphne often stayed at their holiday home in Beaulieu-sur-Mer on the French Riviera. He ended the series with 200 runs at 25 and eight wickets at 42.5. He was recalled for a match against the Englishmen. [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. 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'. There would be very few Australians who have not passed a summer in the company of Richie Benaud. [91] In 196768 he captained a Commonwealth team against Pakistan, playing in his last five first-class fixtures. [7], After returning home from his first overseas tour, Benaud was prolific during the 195354 Australian season, which was purely domestic with no touring Test team. It was screened before Australias Test series against India last December. Such guarded humour as he evinced bore the touch of a man who was keen to be seen above all else as discerning. Wonderful cricketer, great captain, a master craftsman commentator and top man. [4] Benaud had the tendency to bowl around the wicket at a time when he was one of the first players to do so; it had an influence on spin bowlers like Shane Warne and Ashley Giles. I made chicken soup and we had roast chicken and salad. Asked whether that was sad for her, Marcia said: 'I've accepted it'. Marcia Benaud pictured with elder son Greg, then aged 18 months, on Umina Beach in 1956. Benaud was the first man to achieve 2,000 runs and 200 wickets at Test level. Shane Warne, Australia's record wicket-taker, made a particularly, said Benaud's passing was "a sad day for Australia", adding: "We have lost a cricketing champion and Australian icon. It was screened before Australias Test series against India last December. Born October 6, 1930, Benaud was a legend by every definition on the book, but there . Benaud went around the wicket and bowled into the footmarks, having Dexter caught behind and then Peter May bowled around his legs. The unprecedented public interest saw the Caribbean touring party farewelled with a ticker-tape parade by the Australian public. In the next four matches, Benaud passed 15 only once, scoring a 34, and took only seven wickets. Richie Benaud, 1959. By Candace Sutton for Daily Mail Australia, Published: 05:25 GMT, 2 October 2015 | Updated: 10:26 GMT, 2 October 2015. 6 October 1930 City of Penrith: Date of death: 10 April 2015 Sydney: Manner of death: natural causes; Cause of death: cancer; Country of citizenship: Australia; Country for sport: Australia; Educated at: Parramatta High School; Occupation: cricketer; journalist; Benaud died late on Thursday . 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. ", Sri Lanka wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkaraexternal-link added: "So sad to hear about the passing of Richie Benaud. [7] In the opening match of the season, he struck 158 and took 5/88 and 1/65 against Queensland. Catches/ stumpings. Do not sell or share my personal information. [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". CNN Former Australia cricket captain and legendary broadcaster Richie Benaud has died at the age of 84. 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). Slow recovery meant he was unable to commentate for Australia's Channel Nine during the 201314 Ashes series. 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. 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 had managed, in the 14 Tests since then, 559 runs at 27.95 and 67 wickets at 24.98. [58] A further seven wickets from the captain in the Fifth Test saw Australia secure a draw and the series 21. Now an 85-year-old pensioner, Marcia Benaud hadn't seen Richie Benaud since the 1970s when he was contesting the maintenance paid to support her and their sons. 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. Benaud stated he would spend the Northern Hemisphere summer in Britain writing, and would continue working for the Nine Network in Australia. ', 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.'. 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'. Benaud had an ineffective match with the ball, taking 1/162. Three months later, Benaud married Daphne Surfleet and they embarked on a life of adventure in which Richie would cement his name in history and he and Daphne Benaud would forge an ironclad relationship that endured until his death last Friday. It was here that Richie Benaud grew up, learning how to bowl leg breaks, googlies and topspinners under his father's watch. [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. 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. [7], On arrival in the British Isles, Benaud quickly made an impression with both bat and ball. 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. Like all fans of the sport, I will miss him very much.. Its one of those things in life: you live and learn as you go along.. [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. According to Eryk Bagshaw of The Sydney Morning Herald, Benaud had been in hospice care while. 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. His selection was frequently questioned in those early years, when much other flowering talent was evident in domestic cricket. Thus, the 2005 Ashes series was the last that Benaud commentated on in Britain. Six further wickets in the drawn Third Test saw Benaud end the series with 84 runs at 28 and 18 wickets at 21.11. [4] Benaud took 5/72 and scored 43 in the First Test,[86] but then injured himself in a grade match, so Bob Simpson captained the team for the Second Test and won the match in Benaud's absence. 'He told me I should cut my hair for the funeral, but not to take toomuch off,' Greg told Daily Mail Australia. His instinctive, aggressive captaincy and daring approach to cricket and his charismatic nature and public relations ability revitalised cricket interest in Australia. His major advisory work for Kerry Packer during crickets revolutionary upheaval in the late 1970s alienated him in some traditional quarters, one consequence being an outcry for Benaud to be removed from BBCs television commentary panel. He married after the match and had to mumble his wedding vows through a swathe of bandages. [61], The Test was tied when Solomon ran out Ian Meckiff with a direct hit. Regular boundaries and quickly-run singles took the score to 226, a seventh-wicket partnership of 134. He led his country in 28 Tests and never lost a series as Australian captain. It was his first five-wicket haul in a Test innings. One of Benauds last public contributions was a touching voiceover tribute to Phillip Hughes, who died when struck by a bouncer in November 2014. '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. Benaud struck exactly 100 in the first innings, before taking 4/70 in South Africa's reply. 'I kept on seeing Dad throughout my life - occasionally,' confirmed Greg Benaud. A strong England party, led by Peter May, were widely expected to retain the Ashes. He spent two weeks in hospital for the surgery. [20] Benaud struck an unbeaten 100 and totalled 1/64 in the next match against Western Australia before the Australians departed for England. The selectors long-term planning had reached fulfilment. SURPRISINGLY, there is a French Cricket Association. 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. Benaud embraced his players when opposition wickets fell, something that was uncommon at the time. [92], During Benaud's captaincy, Australia did not lose a series, and became the dominant team in world cricket. [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. We'd have baked dinners on a Sunday at their houses.'. This included figures of 2/70 and 4/90 against the touring Benauds first marriage, to Marcia Lavender, with whom he had two sons, Greg and Jeffery, was dissolved; he later married Daphne Surfleet, who had been secretary to the cricket writer EW Swanton. 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. In a one-off Test against Pakistan in Karachi, he scored 56 and took 1/36 as Australia fell to defeat. 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. "Meeting Ivan James was a remarkable piece of luck," he wrote later; "walking into that chemist's shop in Timaru saved my bowling career. 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. [7] As a specialist batsman, he made his first-class debut for New South Wales at the Sydney Cricket Ground against Queensland in the New Year's match of the 194849 season. 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? Only seven runs were required with four wickets in hand as time was running short. 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. But I won't be on the live commentary roster. Abbott described him as the voice of cricket. 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. Afterwards, they flew to Adelaide where Richie took part in the fourth Test. or debate this issue live on our message boards. 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. 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. 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. [93] Benaud was regarded as one of the finest close-fielders of his era, either at gully or in a silly position. However, cricketers like Shane Warne, Ian Chappell, Michael Clarke among several others visited his commemoration service on the same day. Pearce's XI at Scarborough. They are Richie Benaud's secret first family, whose lives are far removed from the glittering sporting career the cricket legend led in the media spotlight before his death in April. [42] He followed this with 5/114 in a drawn Third Test,[43] before a match-winning all round performance in the Fourth Test in Johannesburg. In the case of the latter, comedian Billy Birmingham's impersonations of Benaud on The Twelfth Man comedy recordings have become very successful, spanning more than twenty years. R ichie Benaud, Australia's legendary cricket captain and commentator, died in Sydney on Friday, his family said. Elder son: Greg Benaud, 60, (pictured) at the public housing cottage he shares with his mother Marcia, who married Richie Benaud in 1953 and had two sons who would only see their famous father occasionally after their parents divorced, Glamorous: Marcia Benaud, in January 1953, following her marriage to Richie, after which the newlyweds went to the Adelaide Oval where the new Mrs Benaud is pictured, above, watching her husband play a Test against South Africa, Sons of the father: Richie Benaud pictured at the beach with his two sons, Jeffrey (left) and Greg (right) in the happier days of his marriage to first wife Marcia, when he was playing Test cricket for Australia, Young beauty: Marcia Lavender was a shorthand typist when she met cricketer Richie Benaud at a Sydney city accounting firm in the early 1950s and he went on to begin his Test career. In England, Richie met Daphne Surfleet, who had worked for the English cricket writer E. W. Swanton. Cricket great Richie Benaud dies at 84 In October 2013, Benaud, then 83, was involved in a car crash and did not recover sufficiently to broadcast the Ashes series and in November 2014, he announced he was been treated for skin cancers. He was playing first class cricket in the Sheffield Shield series before being selected for his first test, against the West Indies in Sydney in 1952. Swanton. 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. 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. I used to go to matches and even went on the Hill in Sydney when he was batting with Norm O'Neill.'. 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. Richie Benaud. The matter will return to court on December 4. 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. [89][90] His batting had been steady though with 231 runs at 33,[29] but his bowling was less so, taking 12 wickets at 37.42. Marcia Benaud and Greg Benaud have launched legal action in the NSW Supreme Court challenging Richie Benaud's second wife Daphne for a slice of his multi-million-dollar estate. In 1958 he became Australia's Test captain until his retirement in 1964. 'There was the odd phone call from England,' she told Daily Mail Australia.
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