Famous Cricketers No 100 - Richie Benaud

slightly anxious about changes to his bowling run-up. He took 7/72, his best Test figures. Perhaps in his earlier years he was too focused on success and his better performances came when he forgot about the end result and loosened up. There is also an argument that the game’s rules weren’t favourable for spinners in the early 1950s, particularly the “crazy” rule which allowed the new ball to be taken after just 40 overs in Australia. ‘Cricket’s Mastermind’ – Benaud the captain If the 1957/58 South Africa tour finally and unequivocally established Benaud as a very good Test player, the captaincy saw him achieve greatness. If his appointment over Craig and Harvey was a surprise move, made out of necessity and timing, it soon appeared an inspired choice. Benaud was a revelation as a tactician, unafraid of an unorthodox move and possessing an uncanny knack for field placement. He was unflappable, self-assured and dynamic in the field, all qualities that seemed to rub off on his team-mates. The players played for him and his diplomacy skills, both on and off the field were first rate, vital at a time when television was becoming important, replacing traditional captain’s responsibilities such as addressing after-dinner functions. Perhaps most importantly, he instilled an attacking philosophy into the side. Playing for a draw from the outset was now out of the question. So were slow over rates and defensive fields. He went on to lead Australia in 28 matches, a new record. To appreciate fully the attractive style and winning record of the Australian teams that Benaud led, his captaincy must be put into context. He inherited a team that had lost the past three Ashes series and was given little chance against May’s star-studded outfit. More broadly, there was grave concern for the long-term viability of Test cricket. A post-Bradman malaise had spread across the game and crowds, for the most part, were down. So serious were concerns over the game’s longevity that state cricket associations held meetings to discuss initiatives to restore the game and familiar appeals for ‘brighter cricket’ took on a new ring of urgency. Other sports, such as tennis and swimming were making inroads into the hearts and minds of Australians, particularly the younger generation, with their young and successful stars. Also principal amongst the reasons for cricket’s decline was the negative mentality that many Test teams adopted, where their first focus was on not losing, rather than winning. To this end, there were slow over-rates, negative field settings and endless hours of defensive-minded, unimaginative batting. It is hardly coincidental that, decades later, a list of the ten slowest innings in Test cricket comprised solely of scores made in the 1950s. Benaud was very much an innovator as captain. Neil Harvey believes he was the first captain to hold a team dinner on the eve of a Test match and also the first to hold team meetings, where everyone’s opinion was listened to. He also introduced a new policy of sharing any individual prize money amongst the team and ensuring that any congratulatory gifts were given to the whole team, not just an individual. These kinds of measures could only improve team harmony and many of his innovations are still in place today. Contemporary Australian players have often commented on how Australian teams seem to have a greater sense of camaraderie than their English counterparts. This team spirit can be traced back to a culture that Benaud did much to encourage. Like his erstwhile Ashes counterpart Peter May, Benaud’s suave appearance and geniality concealed a fierce competitiveness, an unshakable resolve to get the most out of himself in every performance. Neville Cardus wrote that Benaud’s smiling exterior, his captaincy was “fairly uncompromising and tactically ungenerous”, though he conceded Benaud “was a shining light of magnanimity amongst the dark lanterns of Collins, Armstrong, Bardsley and Co”. Cardus was in the minority in considering Benaud’s bowling his main contribution to the game. To most others, it was his captaincy. To Alan Davidson, for instance, he was simply ‘Cricket’s Mastermind’. Jim Laker considered him “the greatest captain I ever came across”, while his fellow commentator Bill Lawry rates him “the greatest of all modern captains” and feels his leadership is yet to be bettered. At the very least, Benaud’s name must figure prominently in any debate on the best Australian captain. He may not have achieved the 8