[68] After Harvey led the team to victory at Lord's,[69] Benaud had an unhappy return in the Third at Headingley scoring two runs in two innings and taking match figures of 2/108 as Australia lost within three days. Richie Benaud Biography Richie Benaud Networth 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. The reason for Richie Benaud death was stated that he died due to Skin cancer. Richie Benaud: Former cricketer and broadcaster dubbed 'The voice of cricket' dies, aged 84. 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. 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. On March 29, 1967 Marcia divorced Richie Benaud on the grounds of desertion. Australian Test captain Michael Clarke said Benaud was a gentleman who played cricket in the right spirit. Benaud was a Test cricket all-rounder, blending leg spin bowling with lower-order batting aggression. 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. Six further wickets in the drawn Third Test saw Benaud end the series with 84 runs at 28 and 18 wickets at 21.11. [113][123], Benaud was buried on 15 April, in a private funeral ceremony attended only by his immediate family. It was presented to his wife. 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. Marcia Benaud pictured with elder son Greg, then aged 18 months, on Umina Beach in 1956. The next season saw the last of Benaud on the field of play, apart from some later charity matches and light-hearted private tours. [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. [91] In 196768 he captained a Commonwealth team against Pakistan, playing in his last five first-class fixtures. Greg Benaud had just turned twelve and his brother Jeffrey was nine. He had been receiving treatment for skin cancer since November. 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. from around the world following the news of Benaud's death. [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. [36] His batting was reliable, with 227 runs at 32.47. 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. [49] Benaud produced an all-round performance of 46, 5/91 and 4/82 in the Fourth Test in Adelaide to take an unassailable 30 series lead and regain the Ashes,[50] before scoring 64 and match figures of 5/57 to help take the Fifth Test and a 40 series result. The unprecedented public interest saw the Caribbean touring party farewelled with a ticker-tape parade by the Australian public. 'There was the odd phone call from England,' she told Daily Mail Australia. Although Benaud preferred to avoid controversy, he waded in when covering Australias tour of the West Indies in 1965, taking eye-opening photographs of the fast bowler Charlie Griffith and writing of his concerns over the legality of the Barbadians action. Only seven runs were required with four wickets in hand as time was running short. [7], The 195152 season saw a tour to Australia by the West Indies. ", Sri Lanka wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkaraexternal-link added: "So sad to hear about the passing of Richie Benaud. Lou Benaud, who had once taken all 20 wickets in a bush match, keenly and wisely guided his two sons. He married Marcia in 1953 and had two children with her, Gregory and. ', 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.'. 'We have been comfortable and had a contented life here,' she said. 2. He spent two weeks in hospital for the surgery. 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. 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). [72], During England's chase on the final afternoon it became apparent that, with Ted Dexter scoring quickly, Australia would lose the Test unless England were bowled out. 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. Do not sell or share my personal information. 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. In the previous seasons when he and his team were at their peak, he had scored 636 runs at 31.8 with taken 108 wickets at 20.27 in eighteen Tests, averaging six wickets a match. 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. It was developed by the software company Turtlez Ltd. Having downloaded this, cricket fans would be treated to live Test match updates and weather reports from a cartoon version of Benaud with real voice samples such as "Got 'im!" RIP Richie Benaud. However, cricketers like Shane Warne, Ian Chappell, Michael Clarke among several others visited his commemoration service on the same day. 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. His performances in South Africa in 1957-58 reinforced that belief. Asked whether that was sad for her, Marcia said: 'I've accepted it'. 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. He helped the Australian team have the attitude where they wanted to win. [97], After retiring from playing in 1964, Benaud turned to full-time cricket journalism and commentary, dividing his time between Britain (where he worked for the BBC for many years before joining Channel 4 in 1999), and Australia (for the Nine Network). He finished the first-class tour with 627 runs and 61 wickets at 23.54. R ichie Benaud, Australia's legendary cricket captain and commentator, died in Sydney on Friday, his family said. In a one-off Test against Pakistan in Karachi, he scored 56 and took 1/36 as Australia fell to defeat. 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'. [28] Benaud had contributed 246 runs at 41 and taken wickets steadily to total 18 at 26.94. Marcia Benaud kept her surname 'for the sake of my sons. Following the divorce hearing in the NSW Supreme Court, Richie Benaud was required to pay Marcia and her sons ten pounds per week. 'But I wasn't invited Rich asked that I not attend. [80][81][82] Benaud returned to form with match figures of 5/142 and 57 in the Fifth Test at Sydney,[83] which ended in a draw when Benaud ordered Bill Lawry and Peter Burge to play out the last afternoon for a draw that would retain the Ashes. Later that same day, there was a commemoration service officiated by former teammate turned lay preacher Brian Booth; attendees included his family and close friendsamong them former players, including Ian Chappell and Shane Warne, and Australian Test captain Michael Clarke. RIP Richie Benaud." The 63 Test matches veteran was the first player to score 2,000 Test runs and take 200 Test wickets. But he had been a distinguished performer for Australia on the cricket field himself, playing for his country for 12 years until 1964. He added another fifty and ended with 250 runs at 31.25. Explore Richie Benaud's biography, personal life, family and cause of death. In his final Ashes series, in 1962-63, the tempo reverted to that of the bad old days. 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'. Marcia Lavender was a shorthand typist from Strathfield in Sydney's inner west and working at a chartered accountants office in Sydney's CBD where young cricketer Richie Benaud was trying to make a career. Rich couldn't make it and I'll always be grateful that Mr Menzies said, "well your wife might like to go".'. Someone asked me, "Does that mean you'll never again go into the commentary box? Wonderful cricketer, great captain, a master craftsman commentator and top man. He played the game the right way., Our country has lost a national treasure, Cricket Australia chairman Wally Edwards said in a statement. [105] It was also emulated by New Zealand broadcaster John Campbell. But some of them played below expectation, and Australias attack contained several bowlers whose actions were perceived as highly suspicious. But I won't be on the live commentary roster. [7] He was selected for an Australian XI match against England, in what was effectively a trial for Test selection, but suffered a chipped bone in his thumb. 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. She rushed to St Vincent's Hospital where he was having his mouth stitched. [62] He took 4/107 in a seven-wicket victory in Melbourne,[63] before the West Indies levelled the series with a 22-run win in Sydney. [110], On 18 February 2009, during a radio interview, Benaud announced that he would be retiring from television commentary. Read about our approach to external linking. [8], He also showed his hitting ability in a tour match against T.N. Benaud was given a chance against the visiting team when New South Wales played them in Sydney after the First Test. 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'. 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. '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. Benaud took 4/69 and 4/42 in the First Test in Dacca (now in Bangladesh), sealing Australia's first win in Pakistan. [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. She said that after their split, Richie Benaud had preferred to keep his past quiet and that she was not encouraged to call 'Coogee', the name she used to refer to Richie and Daphne Benaud when they were in Sydney at their apartment. He was 84 years old. [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. Like all fans of the sport, I will miss him very much.. Lived: 30867 days = 84 years. [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. ", added: "So sad to hear about the passing of Richie Benaud. "As a cricketer, commentator and as a person, you were the best there's ever been and, to top it off, an absolute gentleman. He secured his place after scoring 125 against Queensland at the start of the season,[23] although his lead-up form in two matches against England for his state and an Australian XI was not encouraging. They were different times and it was the right thing to do for them.'. This was enough for him to gain selection for the start of the Tests. [118], In November 2014, at age 84, Benaud announced that he had been diagnosed with skin cancer. Richard "Richie" Benaud OBE ( / bno /; 6 October 1930 - 10 April 2015) was an Australian cricketer. The selectors persisted in Benaud despite his unproductive Test performances, selecting him for the squad for the 1953 Ashes tour of England. 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. Wonderful cricketer, great captain, a master craftsman commentator and top man. He ended the series with 200 runs at 25 and eight wickets at 42.5. His first BBC radio commentary came in 1960, followed by his first television appearance three years later. Benaud had an ineffective match with the ball, taking 1/162. Richie Benaud died on April 10, 2015, after being diagnosed with skin cancer. It was not the first time he had been hospitalised by a blow to the head.