After 28 X-rays showed nothing, it was finally diagnosed that the crater in his forehead had resulted in a skull fracture and he was sidelined for the remainder of the season,[6] since a second impact could have been fatal. [7], Despite this, Benaud was chosen for his Test debut in the Fifth Test against the West Indies in 195152 in Sydney. [103], The idea for what became his trademarkwearing a cream or white jacket during live commentarycame from Channel 9 owner Kerry Packer, who suggested the look to help Benaud stand out from the rest of the commentary team. By Andrew McGarry. [4] The First Test at Edgbaston was drawn with Benaud taking three wickets. Richie Benaud Biography Richie Benaud Networth He made 140, in a seventh-wicket partnership of 255 in just 176 minutes, an Australian record that still stands. [106], Benaud became a staunch advocate of cricket being available on free-to-view TV. A petite and gracious lady with a merry laugh and a gentle demeanour, Marcia Benaud has lived a 'contented' life a world apart from the public life Richie Benaud led with second wife Daphne. After the 1956 Ashes tour in England, he completed a BBC training course while still a player, marking the beginning of a 40-year association with the corporation. [4] Educated at Parramatta High School, Benaud made his first grade debut for Cumberland at age 16, primarily as a batsman. [29][36], It was the first of his successes against India, against whom he took his wickets at an average of 18. [111], It was announced on 15 November 2009, that Benaud had signed a three-year contract with the Nine Network to continue being part of their cricket coverage until 2013, although his role would change from that of ball-by-ball commentary. [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. In England, Richie met Daphne Surfleet, who had worked for the English cricket writer E. W. Swanton. Soon after television came to Australia he appeared in a commercial, tending his garden with a Victa lawnmower. Benaud did not bowl Meckiff from the other end, and at the end of the match Meckiff announced his retirement. In 1963 he became the first player to complete the Test double of 200 wickets and 2,000 runs. Benaud, Richard (Richie) (1930-2015) by Kersi Meher-Homji. Swanton. [4] He was appointed an OBE in that year and in 1962 was named as one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year. [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. [108], Benaud's distinctive speaking style has been frequently parodied on the Australian comedy series Comedy Inc. and The Twelfth Man. 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. 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. Jeffrey Benaud is not involved in the court action Marcia and Greg Benaud have taken against Daphne Benaud in the Supreme Court. But he was a survivor, even if his friendship with Bradman never quite recovered from that cricket civil war. 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 took 3/116 to complement scores of 43 and 90 on his return in the Third Test in Sydney. 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. 1930 - 2015. It worked at once, and Benaud used it thereafter. His instinctive, aggressive captaincy and daring approach to cricket and his charismatic nature and public relations ability revitalised cricket interest in Australia. ", Former England batsman Geoffrey Boycottexternal-link said: "Farewell Richie Benaud. [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. Richie Benaud remembered in private ceremony for friends and family, Richie Benaud dies aged 84 rolling reaction, Richie Benaud: archive match reports of his playing career, Richie Benaud: a personal reflection on a colossus of cricket, Cricket legend Richie Benaud his life in pictures. In addition to his accurate probing consistency, he possessed a well-disguised googly and topspinner which tricked many batsmen and yielded him many wickets. The Ashes were retained in England in 1961, though a shoulder injury kept Benaud from the Lords Test, which was won by Australia under Harvey. 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'. In a one-off Test against Pakistan in Karachi, he scored 56 and took 1/36 as Australia fell to defeat. With his mellifluous, light delivery, enthusiastically imitated by comedians and cricket fans alike, Benaud also became the lead commentator on Australian television's Channel Nine from 1977. The unprecedented public interest saw the Caribbean touring party farewelled with a ticker-tape parade by the Australian public. 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. Former Australia cricket captain and renowned commentator Richie Benaud has died aged 84. [77], 196263 saw an English team under Dexter visit Australia. Regular boundaries and quickly-run singles took the score to 226, a seventh-wicket partnership of 134. What an innings. Australian cricketer who led his country in 28 Test matches and later became one of the worlds most respected commentators. He was buried on April 15 in a private funeral ceremony attended only by immediate family members. 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. The Cricket Player, Journalist Richie Benaud passed away at the age of 92. Four years previously he had been hit in the face while batting for New South Wales 2nd XI in Melbourne. Richie Benaud's widow, ex-wife and son settle estate dispute The reason for Richie Benaud death was stated that he died due to Skin cancer. "Meeting Ivan James was a remarkable piece of luck," he wrote later; "walking into that chemist's shop in Timaru saved my bowling career. Marcia gave birth to their first son Greg in 1955, and Jeffery in 1958. 'I would have liked to have gone [to the funeral]. [8] Selected as a batsman, he scored 3 and 19. He was with us as a player, journalist . Within hours of his death, Tony Abbott, the Australian prime minister, offered Benauds family a state funeral. Richie Benaud death. ", 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. [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. Richie Benaud, 1959. It was not the first time he had been hospitalised by a blow to the head. whose family has been offered a state funeral after his death at the age of 84. The Caribbeans were skittled for 134 in reply and went on to lose the match, although they attacked the young leg-spinner, who took 1/130 in total from 36 overs. She rushed to St Vincent's Hospital where he was having his mouth stitched. Explore Richie Benaud's biography, personal life, family and cause of death. But that extraordinary five-match encounter produced electrifying batsmanship, and bowling that was less concerned with shutting the game down than keeping it moving. . One of Benauds last public contributions was a touching voiceover tribute to Phillip Hughes, who died when struck by a bouncer in November 2014. [7] Marcia Benaud pictured with elder son Greg, then aged 18 months, on Umina Beach in 1956. Category:Richie Benaud - Wikimedia Commons On March 29, 1967 Marcia divorced Richie Benaud on the grounds of desertion. [7] In the opening match of the season, he struck 158 and took 5/88 and 1/65 against Queensland. [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. 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. This page was last edited on 25 February 2023, at 20:19. 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. [97], In 2004, Benaud starred in a series of television advertisements for the Australian Tourism Commission, aimed at promoting Australia as a tourist destination. Benaud embraced his players when opposition wickets fell, something that was uncommon at the time. Richie commentated regularly during the 201112 season and was part of Nine's commentating team/roster. SUBSCRIBE TO US 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. 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'. [91] In 196768 he captained a Commonwealth team against Pakistan, playing in his last five first-class fixtures. 'There was the odd phone call from England,' she told Daily Mail Australia. He added another fifty and ended with 250 runs at 31.25. [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. Lou Benaud, who had once taken all 20 wickets in a bush match, keenly and wisely guided his two sons. "As a cricketer, commentator and as a person, you were the best there's ever been and, to top it off, an absolute gentleman. Benaud struck exactly 100 in the first innings, before taking 4/70 in South Africa's reply. The tour included seven first-class matches, three of which were unofficial Tests. Benaud, who was born in Penrith, just west of Sydney, into a family of Huguenot origin, had a keen cricketer for a father. [113][123], Benaud was buried on 15 April, in a private funeral ceremony attended only by his immediate family. Richie Benaud became a household name for a whole new generation when he moved from the oval to the commentary box. [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. 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. Cricket, commentary and the dollar: Benaud's legacy is complex 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'. [31], The 196162 Australian season was purely a domestic one, with no touring international team. He ended the series with 200 runs at 25 and eight wickets at 42.5. [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. Catches/ stumpings. [31] He was unable to maintain the standards he had set in the West Indies, contributing little apart from the Lord's Test. 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. "Richie was not just a great cricket commentator, he was one of the finest sports commentators of his generation," said Barbara Slater, Director of BBC Sport. Benaud was the first player to score 2,000 Test runs and take 200 Test wickets yet was as renowned for his captaincy. Richie Benaud: Former cricketer and broadcaster dubbed 'The voice of cricket' dies, aged 84. In 1958 he became Australia's Test captain until his retirement in 1964. 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. [7] Benaud was the only bowler selected for all five Tests of the 195455 series when England visited Australia. Richie Benaud Cause of Death, How did Richie Benaud Die? RIP Richie Benaud." The 63 Test matches veteran was the first player to score 2,000 Test runs and take 200 Test wickets. His performances in South Africa in 1957-58 reinforced that belief. We'd have baked dinners on a Sunday at their houses.'. Wonderful cricketer, great captain, a master craftsman commentator and top man. '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 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. Richie Benaud: Australia cricket legend & commentator dies at 84 Opening the batting, he struck 135 in 110 minutes in the second innings, including an Australian record of eleven sixes, four of them in one over. 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. Richie Benaud's 90th birth anniversary celebrated in new Cricket He finished the first-class tour with 627 runs and 61 wickets at 23.54. [75] His aggressive tactical style brought large crowds throughout the season, with almost 18,000 watching one match against South Australia. 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. [79] This was followed by three unproductive Tests which yielded only 5/360 and a win apiece. 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. [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 fact they have shunned it. Richie Benaud, Australian Cricket Legend, Dies at Age 84 'I kept on seeing Dad throughout my life - occasionally,' confirmed Greg Benaud. 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. Our nation has lost an icon, he said at a media conference. '"[116], In October 2013, Benaud crashed his vintage 1965 Sunbeam Alpine into a wall while driving near his home in Coogee, a beachside suburb in Sydney's east. 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. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, 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. [109] Chris Barrie of Red Dwarf fame incorporated impressions of Benaud into his stand-up repertoire. [6][46] Benaud had little prior leadership experience, and faced the task of recovering the Ashes from an England team which had arrived in Australia as favourites. [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 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. Over the first years of their marriage, Benaud would tour overseas with the Australian cricket team to the West Indies, England, India, Pakistan and South Africa. He scored 47 not out and took 3/37 in an innings win over Queensland. Richie Benaud (1930-2015) *84, Grave #86215750 - Sysoon RIP Richie Benaud. 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. However, cricketers like Shane Warne, Ian Chappell, Michael Clarke among several others visited his commemoration service on the same day. [29][36][54] Benaud made a strong start to the series against India, taking 3/0 in the first innings of the First Test in Delhi, before a 5/76-second innings haul secured an innings victory.