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. [59], Benaud had contributed 91 runs at 15.16 and 29 wickets at 19.59. In addition to his accurate probing consistency, he possessed a well-disguised googly and topspinner which tricked many batsmen and yielded him many wickets. His control was admirable, and when Benaud gets a batsman in trouble he rarely if ever gives him a loose one. 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. 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. [45] He had been a major contributor to the series win, scoring 329 runs at 54.83 and taking 30 wickets at 21.93, establishing himself as one of the leading leg spinners of the modern era. 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. In 1961 he was made an OBE for services to cricket. 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. 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. 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. South Africa. In England, Richie met Daphne Surfleet, who had worked for the English cricket writer E. W. Swanton. 'Dad thought it was important not to cut us off from our grandparents,' Greg said, 'and so we kept in contact with Nan and Pa Benaud and Nanna and Grandpop Lavender and continued to visit them when Dad was overseas. 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 . On the way home Benaud finally fulfilled his potential by taking 7 for 72 (this remained his best Test return) at Madras to set up an Australian innings victory over India, the short series being sealed at Calcutta in the third Test when Benaud took 11 wickets for 105. Coupled with his subtle variations in flight and angle of the delivery, he kept the batsman under constant pressure. Marcia Benaud kept her surname 'for the sake of my sons. 'Our story is one of hope': Conjoined twins who made history as first EVER pair survive to separation As Charles Bronson faces a parole hearing on Monday Will Britain's most violent prisoner soon be painting Is this Britain's most despicable man? [44] He took 5/82 in the second innings of the Fifth Test, the fourth consecutive match in which he had taken five wickets in an innings, as Australia took a 30 series win. EXCLUSIVE: Head teacher of leading grammar school is sacked for sending parents a list of striking teachers. [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. [7][11] He then finished the summer strongly, and ended the season with 811 runs at 62.38 and 35 wickets at 30.54. Birth date: 6 October, 1930, Monday. 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. Inside Matt Hancock's 41-hour battle to save his career when photo of 'a snog and heavy petting' with aide Will Vladimir Putin's empress pay the ultimate price for his war on the West? But he had been a distinguished performer for Australia on the cricket field himself, playing for his country for 12 years until 1964. Leading opposition batsman Everton Weekes edged Benaud in his first over, but Gil Langley dropped the catch. It came from Jeff and I'm glad he told me because I didn't know why.'. 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. [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. . 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. [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. He was recalled for a match against the Englishmen. [7], Despite this, Benaud was chosen for his Test debut in the Fifth Test against the West Indies in 195152 in Sydney. [29][36], When Ian Craig fell ill at the start of the 195859 season, Benaud was promoted to the captaincy ahead of vice-captain Neil Harvey. Rich couldn't make it and I'll always be grateful that Mr Menzies said, "well your wife might like to go".'. 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. 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. But he chose to study architecture over cricket, although not finishing his degree, Marcia Benaud (pictured in the garden of her Central Coast home) said following the end of her marriage to Richie Benaud, the cricketing great preferred to keep his past quiet and contact with their famous Dad became less frequent as they got older, Richie and Marcia Benaud pictured with their two sons, Jeffrey (left) and Greg (centre) in the early 1960s during the early days of his Test career at a time when cricketers earned little reward and Benaud had do advertisements to pay for keeping a family. [109] Chris Barrie of Red Dwarf fame incorporated impressions of Benaud into his stand-up repertoire. [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. . "[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. John, who played in three Tests, was 13 years younger. He was shrewd not only from the weight of experience but in the cautious way he rationed opinions. [101] Some of his other memorable moments he commentated on included Shane Warne's "Ball of the Century",[102] Ian Botham's dominant all-round display during the 1981 Ashes,[97] Dennis Lillee overtaking Benaud's record for most wickets, and subsequent 300th and 310th wickets, and Andrew Symonds' tackle on a streaker. [93] Benaud was regarded as one of the finest close-fielders of his era, either at gully or in a silly position. On Channel 4's live commentary, Benaud often made sarcastic comments regarding the advertisement of Desktop Richie. [17] Benaud went on to play in the final four Tests. 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. Richard "Richie" Benaud OBE ( / bno /; 6 October 1930 - 10 April 2015) was an Australian cricketer. When I was a kid we never ever wore a cap because Keith Miller never wore a cap, Benaud said at the time. Benaud did not bowl Meckiff from the other end, and at the end of the match Meckiff announced his retirement. Richard (Richie) Benaud, cricketer and commentator, died on April 10th, aged 84. Talking about her marriage to the onetime Australian cricket captain, Ms Benaud's eyes filled with tears and she said: 'He shouldn't have left'. 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. 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. 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. Benaud went around the wicket and bowled into the footmarks, having Dexter caught behind and then Peter May bowled around his legs. The Cricket Player, Journalist Richie Benaud passed away at the age of 92. England and Wales Cricket Board chairman Giles Clarke said cricket had "lost perhaps its greatest advocate and someone who was a true giant of the modern game". He was buried on April 15 in a private funeral ceremony attended only by immediate family members. His final commentary in England came during the 2005 Ashes series, but he continued to work for Channel Nine in Australia until 2013. "He was an integral part of the BBC team for decades and will be sorely missed by everyone who had the pleasure of working with him.". [55] Benaud had less of an impact on the next two Tests, which Australia lost and drew, totaling 6/244. RIP Richie Benaud." The 63 Test matches veteran was the first player to score 2,000 Test runs and take 200 Test wickets. [1], Gideon Haigh described him as "perhaps the most influential cricketer and cricket personality since the Second World War. Benaud had a heavy load in the match, taking 8/199 after Davidson tore a hamstring mid-match. 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. [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. 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!" Menu! He was a one-off., Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. [7] Benaud scored his maiden first-class century, 117 against South Australia, in the next match, two years after falling short of the milestone by seven runs. Wedding bells: Pretty young typist Marcia Lavender pictured after marrying Richie Benaud in January 1953, days after Benaud had been hit in the mouth during a Test match against South Africa and had trouble kissing the bride because of the stitches in his lip, Second love: Following Richie Benaud's divorce from first wife Marcia in March 1976, he married English secretary Daphne Surfleet in July (pictured on their wedding day) and there began a romance and partnership which ended only with his death in April from cancer, Daphne and Richie Benaud (pictured in 2005) travelled the world with his international cricket commentating career, and thought he saw his sons infrequently, his eldest Greg, said Daphne and been 'kind and fair over the years'. [7] However, this was not enough to ensure his selection in the First Test, where he was made 12th man. 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. Renowned cricket broadcaster Richie Benaud passed away on Friday in Sydney. I used to go to matches and even went on the Hill in Sydney when he was batting with Norm O'Neill.'. Benaud died late on Thursday . 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. [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. But that extraordinary five-match encounter produced electrifying batsmanship, and bowling that was less concerned with shutting the game down than keeping it moving. However, cricketers like Shane Warne, Ian Chappell, Michael Clarke among several others visited his commemoration service on the same day. [7] His only wicket was that of the all-rounder Trevor Bailey. He was known for his unbuttoned shirt, and raised eyebrows with his on-field exuberance. [97], In 2004, Benaud starred in a series of television advertisements for the Australian Tourism Commission, aimed at promoting Australia as a tourist destination. Slow recovery meant he was unable to commentate for Australia's Channel Nine during the 201314 Ashes series. Legendary Australian cricket commentator Richie Benaud has died. The lawsuit against Richie Benauds estate involves complex trusts and superannuation funds both in Australia and overseas, the NSW Supreme court was told on Friday. 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. [124], Benaud was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1961 for services to cricket. His record reads 12 wins, 11 draws, one tie, and four losses from 28 Tests in charge of Australia. Benaud had an ineffective match with the ball, taking 1/162. He finished the innings with 6/70. This memorial website was created in memory of Richie Benaud, 84, born on October 6, 1930 and passed away on April 10, 2015. He loved winning. This included figures of 2/70 and 4/90 against the touring He was the accompaniment of an Australian summer, his voice was even more present than the chirping of the cicadas in our suburbs and towns, and that voice, tragically, is now still. 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'. The world of sport reacts to the news that former Australia captain and broadcaster Richie Benaud died overnight at the age of 84.