Richie Benaud facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Richie Benaud

Benaud in 1956
Personal information
Full name	Richard Benaud
Born	(1930-10-06)6 October 1930 Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
Died	10 April 2015(2015-04-10) (aged 84) Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Right-arm leg spin
Role	All-rounder
Relations	John Benaud (brother)
International information
National side	Australia
Test debut (cap 190)	25 January 1952 v West Indies
Last Test	12 February 1964 v South Africa
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1948–1964	New South Wales
Career statistics
Competition Test First-class Matches 63 259 Runs scored 2,201 11,719 Batting average 24.45 36.50 100s/50s 3/9 23/61 Top score 122 187 Balls bowled 19,108 60,481 Wickets 248 945 Bowling average 27.03 24.73 5 wickets in innings 16 56 10 wickets in match 1 9 Best bowling 7/72 7/18 Catches/stumpings 65/– 254/–
Source: ESPNcricinfo, 22 December 2007

Richard "Richie" Benaud (born October 6, 1930 – died April 10, 2015) was a famous Australian cricketer. He played for New South Wales and the Australia national cricket team. After he stopped playing international cricket in 1964, Richie became a very respected commentator on the game.

Richie Benaud was a Test cricket all-rounder. This means he was good at both leg spin bowling and aggressive batting. With his teammate Alan Davidson, he helped Australia become a top cricket team again. This happened in the late 1950s and early 1960s. In 1958, he became Australia's Test captain. He held this role until he retired in 1964. He was the first player to get 200 wickets and 2,000 runs in Test cricket. He reached this amazing goal in 1963.

Many people saw Richie as a very important person in cricket. He was known for his playing, writing, and understanding of the game.

Early Life and Cricket Beginnings

Richie Benaud was born in Penrith, Australia, in 1930. His family loved cricket. His younger brother, John Benaud, also played Test cricket for Australia. Richie's father, Louis, was a leg spinner too. He taught Richie how to bowl different spin balls like leg breaks and googlies.

Richie started playing for Cumberland, a local team, at age 16. He was mainly a batsman then. In 1948, at 18, he played for the New South Wales youth team. Soon after, he made his first-class debut for New South Wales. This was at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

During one match, a ball hit Richie in the head. This caused a skull fracture, and he had to stop playing for the rest of the season. Doctors said he was lucky it wasn't worse.

In his early career, Richie was a batting all-rounder. He had a unique batting style. When Test players were away, Richie got more chances to play. He bowled a lot in some games but didn't take many wickets. However, he was good with the bat, scoring 93 runs in one game.

He kept working hard to improve his game. He played against the touring England team. He also got selected for an Australian XI match, which was a trial for the Test team. Unfortunately, he chipped a bone in his thumb, which kept him from playing.

Starting His Test Career

In the 1951–52 season, Richie got his chance to play for Australia. He made his Test debut in the Fifth Test against the West Indies in Sydney. Australia had already won the series. Richie was chosen as a batsman. He took his first Test wicket, dismissing Alf Valentine.

For the 1952–53 season, Richie played well in state matches. This helped him get selected for the Second Test against South Africa. In the Third Test, while fielding, a ball hit him in the face. This caused a severe cut and a smashed gum. Doctors said he was very lucky.

Richie continued to play in the Test series. He scored some runs but didn't get a half-century. He took ten wickets in total. His bowling and batting averages were still not great.

Despite this, the selectors chose him for the 1953 Ashes tour to England. Before leaving, he showed his skills. He scored 167 not out and took 7 wickets in one match. He also scored another century against Western Australia.

In England, Richie quickly impressed everyone. He scored 97 runs and took 7 wickets in a match against Yorkshire. However, he struggled in the Test matches. He was dropped from the team for some games. He ended the Test series with very few runs and wickets.

He did show his powerful hitting in a tour match. He scored 135 runs very quickly, including eleven sixes.

Becoming a Strong Player

After returning from England, Richie played very well in the 1953–54 Australian season. He helped New South Wales win the Sheffield Shield. This was the first of nine wins in a row for his team. He scored two centuries and took many wickets that season.

Richie was chosen for all five Tests in the 1954–55 series against England. Even though his Test results were not great yet, he was made vice-captain in one match. This showed the selectors believed in him.

His performances improved greatly during the 1954–55 tour to the West Indies. He scored his first Test half-century and then a century in just 78 minutes. He also took many wickets. This series was a turning point for him.

In the 1956 tour to England, he scored a quick 97 runs in one Test. He was also an excellent fielder, making amazing catches.

Richie's bowling got even better when Australia toured the Indian subcontinent in 1956–57. He took his best Test innings figures of 7 wickets for 72 runs against India. He then took 6 wickets and 5 wickets in another Test, helping Australia win the series. He became known for his success against India, who are usually very good at playing spin bowling.

During a tour of New Zealand in 1957, Richie found a special cream for his spinning fingers. This cream helped his fingers heal and saved his bowling career.

Leading the Team: Captaincy and Peak Years

Richie Benaud's Test career batting performance

From 1957 to 1961, Richie Benaud was at his best. In the 1957–58 tour to South Africa, he took 106 wickets, which was a record at the time. He also scored four centuries, two of them in Test matches. He took five wickets in an innings in four matches in a row. He was a key player in Australia's series win.

In 1958, Richie became Australia's Test captain. He took over when the original captain got sick. Richie was a bold and smart captain. He led his team to win the Ashes back from England. He took 31 wickets in that series. He was also the first captain to hold team meetings, which is common practice today.

He then led Australia on a tour of the Indian subcontinent. Australia won the series against Pakistan and India. Richie's strong performances with both bat and ball were a big reason for this success. Under his captaincy, Australia became a very strong team, winning many matches.

Later Career and Impact

Richie Benaud became captain when Australian cricket was not doing well. His exciting and aggressive style of captaincy made cricket popular again in Australia. This was clear during the 1960–61 Test series against the West Indies. The stadiums were full of fans.

The First Test in Brisbane ended in the first-ever tie in Test history. Richie and Alan Davidson played very aggressively to try and win the game. Australia needed only a few runs to win when two players were run out, leading to the tie. Even though Richie's bowling wasn't at its best, the series was a huge success. Richie's leadership, along with the West Indies captain Frank Worrell, made Test cricket exciting again.

In 1961, Richie toured England for the last time. He had a shoulder injury, which made bowling difficult. But his team played very aggressively and kept the Ashes. In one famous match at Old Trafford, Richie bowled around the wicket. He took 5 wickets in just 25 balls, causing England to collapse and helping Australia win. He was given an OBE award that year.

The 1961–62 season was a domestic one in Australia. Richie led New South Wales to win the Sheffield Shield. He was the top wicket-taker that season. His aggressive tactics brought large crowds to the games. In one match, he scored 140 runs in a record-breaking partnership.

In the 1962–63 series against England, Richie broke the Australian record for most Test wickets. He took 7 wickets in one match against England for his state team. The series ended in a draw, and Richie's reputation as an aggressive captain was questioned when he played for a draw in the final Test.

Richie announced that the 1963–64 season would be his last. In the first Test, a controversial incident happened when a bowler was called for throwing. Richie later stepped down as captain, suggesting Bob Simpson should lead the team. Richie's final two Tests were not as successful.

During Richie's time as captain, Australia did not lose a series. They became the best team in the world. He was known for his bold tactics and for getting the best out of his players. He was also famous for his unbuttoned shirt and for hugging his teammates when they took wickets, which was unusual then.

Playing Style and Skills

Richie Benaud was not a big spinner of the ball, but he could make the ball bounce a lot. He was very accurate and had a well-hidden googly and topspinner that fooled many batsmen. Later, he learned the flipper. He also varied how he bowled, keeping batsmen guessing. He was one of the first bowlers to bowl around the wicket, which influenced later spin bowlers like Shane Warne.

Richie was also one of the best close-fielders of his time. As a batsman, he was tall and powerful, known for hitting the ball high.

Cricket Career Highlights

• He scored 100 runs against the West Indies in just 78 minutes. This was one of the fastest Test centuries ever.
• He was captain during the first-ever tied Test match in 1960–61.
• His highest Test score was 122 runs against South Africa in 1957–1958.
• His best Test bowling was 7 wickets for 72 runs against India in 1956–1957.
• He captained Australia in 28 Tests, winning 12, drawing 11, tying 1, and losing 4.
• In 1963, he was the first player to achieve the "Test double" of 200 wickets and 2,000 runs.
• He was one of only 10 Australian cricketers to score over 10,000 runs and take over 500 wickets in first-class cricket.
• He ended his Test career with 248 wickets, which was an Australian record at the time.

Media Career

Richie Benaud during his media career

After his 1956 tour to England, Richie trained to be a presenter for the BBC. He then became a sports writer for the News of the World. In 1960, he started commentating on radio and then television.

After retiring from playing in 1964, Richie became a full-time cricket journalist and commentator. He worked for the BBC in Britain and the Nine Network in Australia. He commented on about 500 Test matches in his career.

He was known for his honest opinions. For example, he criticized the "underarm bowling incident" in 1981, even though it involved Australian players. He also let a New Zealand commentator call his country's famous victory at Lord's in 1999. Some of his most memorable commentary moments include Shane Warne's "Ball of the Century" and Ian Botham's amazing performance in the 1981 Ashes.

Richie became famous for wearing a cream or white jacket while commentating. This idea came from Kerry Packer, the owner of Channel 9, to make Richie stand out.

He also appeared in TV ads for Australian tourism, saying his famous line, "Marvellous!". His unique speaking style was often copied by comedians.

In 2009, Richie announced he would retire from live television commentary. He continued to work for the Nine Network in Australia, doing special features.

Personal Life

Richie Benaud married Marcia Lavender in 1953 and had two sons. He later married Daphne Surfleet in 1967. They often stayed at their holiday home in France.

In 2008, Richie's mother, Irene, passed away at 104 years old. Richie remembered her saying, "You can't go out and play cricket until you have eaten all your vegetables."

In 2013, Richie was in a car accident near his home in Sydney. He crashed his vintage car and hurt his chest and shoulder. This meant he couldn't commentate for a season.

Richie's famous "Baggy green" cap (given to Australian Test cricketers) was lost early in his career. A replacement cap was meant to be given to him, but he was too unwell to receive it before he passed away. It was given to his wife.

Death

In November 2014, Richie Benaud announced he had been diagnosed with skin cancer. He passed away peacefully in his sleep on April 10, 2015, at the age of 84.

Australia's Prime Minister offered a state funeral, but Richie's wife, Daphne, declined. She respected his wish for a private funeral. Richie was buried in a private ceremony. Later, a commemoration service was held for his family and close friends, including many former cricketers.

Recognition and Legacy

Fans dressed as Richie Benaud during a cricket match in 2018

Richie Benaud received many awards for his contributions to cricket:

• In 1961, he was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).
• He was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1985.
• In 1999, he won a Logie Award for being the Most Outstanding Sports Broadcaster.
• He was inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame in 2007.
• In 2009, he joined the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame.
• In 2015, he became an honouree at the Bradman Foundation.
• In 2016, a day at the SCG was unofficially called "Richie Benaud Day," with many fans dressing up like him.
• In 2017, the Australian Mint released a 50-cent coin to honor him.
• In 2018, he became the 40th Legend in the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.

Books by Richie Benaud

Richie Benaud also wrote several books about cricket:

• The Way of Cricket (1961)
• A Tale of Two Tests (1962)
• Spin Me a Spinner (1963)
• The New Champions (1966)
• Willow Patterns (1969)
• Test Cricket (1982)
• World Series Cup Cricket 1981–82 (1982)
• The Hottest Summer (1983)
• The Ashes 1982–83 (1983)
• Benaud on Reflection (1984)
• The Appeal of Cricket (1995)
• Anything But (1998)
• My Spin on Cricket (2005)
• Over But Not Out (2010)

See also

• French Australian
• List of New South Wales representative cricketers
• List of international cricket five-wicket hauls by Richie Benaud
• Benaud–Qadir Trophy