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. He was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1985. I've got a black dress hanging inside,' Marcia said, laughing. ", 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. [citation needed], Benaud took over when Australian cricket was in a low phase with a young team. 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. 581 Former Australia cricket captain and renowned commentator Richie Benaud has died aged 84. Newspaper reports said he drank champagne 'through a straw'. [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. Slow recovery meant he was unable to commentate for Australia's Channel Nine during the 201314 Ashes series. When I was a kid we never ever wore a cap because Keith Miller never wore a cap, Benaud said at the time. [8], Relegated to the Second XI after this match, he was struck in the head above the right eye by a ball from Jack Daniel while batting against Victoria in Melbourne, having missed an attempted hook. We'd have baked dinners on a Sunday at their houses.'. Shane Warne, Australia's record wicket-taker, made a particularly heartfelt contribution.external-link, "Dear Richie, you were a legend on all levels and rightly so too," said Warne. It was presented to his wife. 'Dad had two families to look after and back in the day when Mum was awarded custody, it was the law brought down in the Supreme Court rather than the family court that we lived with Mum and saw Dad once a fortnight,' Greg said. Cricket Australia chairman Wally Edwards said Benaud was "the iconic voice of our summer", while the Australian government has offered to hold a state funeral. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, Someone asked me, "Does that mean you'll never again go into the commentary box? It was something he shouldn't have done. [4] He was appointed an OBE in that year and in 1962 was named as one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year. [60], Both men were noted for their hitting ability and viewed attack as their most effective chance of survival. [5] Lou later moved to Parramatta region in western Sydney, and played for Cumberland. Last updated on 10 April 201510 April 2015.From the section Cricket. [7], In the next match against South Australia, he made 48, took 4/93 and 1/29 and suffered three dropped catches by the wicketkeeper in successive balls. 2. [75] His aggressive tactical style brought large crowds throughout the season, with almost 18,000 watching one match against South Australia. Benaud struck exactly 100 in the first innings, before taking 4/70 in South Africa's reply. [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. 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. The world of sport reacts to the news that former Australia captain and broadcaster Richie Benaud died overnight at the age of 84. There will never be another Richie Benaud. . [51] Benaud contributed 132 runs at 26.4 and 31 wickets at the low average of 18.83,[29][36] as well as his shrewd and innovative captaincy. Often bare-headed, and a somewhat stooping, rangy figure at the crease, he cracked a century in both the Johannesburg Tests, averaged 54 in the series, and took 30 wickets at a rate of just under 22 runs each in the five Tests. [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. [79] This was followed by three unproductive Tests which yielded only 5/360 and a win apiece. He spent two weeks in hospital for the surgery. [7], Despite this, Benaud was chosen for his Test debut in the Fifth Test against the West Indies in 195152 in Sydney. [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. In October 2018, Benaud became the 40th Legend in the Sport Australia Hall of Fame. [16] He suffered a smashed gum and a severely cut top lip when a square cut by John Waite in the Third Test against South Africa at the Sydney Cricket Ground hit him in the face while he was fielding at short gully. [99], He openly criticised the actions by the Chappell brothers (Trevor and Greg) in the post-match reaction to the underarm bowling incident of 1981, proving his moral integrity far outweighed his unconditional patriotism for Australia. [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. [100] He vacated the commentary booth when New Zealand was about to clinch a test victory at Lord's in 1999, allowing former New Zealand captain-turned-commentator Ian Smith to call the famous victory of his compatriots. 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. [15] Hassett allowed him to bowl only in the second innings, when nine West Indian wickets had fallen and Australia were on the verge of an inevitable victory. 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. Australian Test captain Michael Clarke said Benaud was a gentleman who played cricket in the right spirit. [78] Benaud started the series with seven wickets and a half century as the First Test in Brisbane was drawn. He sustained a cracked sternum and shoulder injuries. He made 140, in a seventh-wicket partnership of 255 in just 176 minutes, an Australian record that still stands. 'I watched all the broadcasts. 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. 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. [130], Last edited on 25 February 2023, at 20:19, 195455 series when England visited Australia, 196061 Test series against the visiting West Indians, 196263 saw an English team under Dexter visit Australia, Officer of the Order of the British Empire, Jane McGrath Day for Breast Cancer awareness and fundraising, List of New South Wales representative cricketers, List of international cricket five-wicket hauls by Richie Benaud. It was screened before Australias Test series against India last December. Benaud did not bowl Meckiff from the other end, and at the end of the match Meckiff announced his retirement. [7], The 195152 season saw a tour to Australia by the West Indies. EXCLUSIVE: Head teacher of leading grammar school is sacked for sending parents a list of striking teachers. His success was based on his ability to attack, his tactical boldness and his ability to extract more performance from his players, in particular Davidson. [17] Benaud went on to play in the final four Tests. But that extraordinary five-match encounter produced electrifying batsmanship, and bowling that was less concerned with shutting the game down than keeping it moving. "As a cricketer, commentator and as a person, you were the best there's ever been and, to top it off, an absolute gentleman. [114][115], On 29 October 2008, Benaud's mother, Irene, died, aged 104. This page was last edited on 25 February 2023, at 20:19. Benaud scored 78 and 68 and took a total of 5/238, his dismissals being Davidson and frontline Test batsmen in a 121-run win. 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. Benaud built his reputation as a commentator following an outstanding playing career in which he took 945 wickets in 259 first-class matches and made 11,719 first-class runs, scoring 23 centuries at an average of 36.50. His record reads 12 wins, 11 draws, one tie, and four losses from 28 Tests in charge of Australia. He was buried on April 15 in a private funeral ceremony attended only by immediate family members. He took 18 wickets in these matches, including 3/20 and 3/37 against Oxford University, 5/13 against Minor Counties and 4/38 against Hampshire. His selection was frequently questioned in those early years, when much other flowering talent was evident in domestic cricket. RIP Richie Benaud. But some of them played below expectation, and Australias attack contained several bowlers whose actions were perceived as highly suspicious. Benaud was the top wicket-taker on the tour, with 32 wickets at 19.31, and Australia's top wicket-taker in the three matches against New Zealand, with 15 wickets at 21.73. Up to this point, in seven matches for the season, the young all-rounder had only scored 307 runs at 27.90 and taken ten wickets at 64.80. [113][123], Benaud was buried on 15 April, in a private funeral ceremony attended only by his immediate family. He added another fifty and ended with 250 runs at 31.25. [7], For the next season, England toured Australia, and with the Test players back, Benaud was initially forced out of the team. A pioneering leg-spin bowler, Benaud played in 63 Tests, 28 as captain, before retiring in.
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