Famous Cricketers No 100 - Richie Benaud

Benaud recently scotched rumours that he was about to hang up his beige jackets for good by signing to Channel nine for a further three years. The quality of his commentary has not wavered; indeed younger colleagues marvel at his efficiency and zest for his work. David Gower explained “Richie works very hard, he keeps himself informed, on a number of topics let alone cricket…He is capable of, on any given day’s play, of watching the cricket, betting on 300 horses, writing an autobiography and at the same time he won’t miss a ball”. The BBC’s Nick Hunter described Benaud as “one of the best organised people I have ever met. He is unbelievable. I have always reckoned that he doesn’t waste any time even when he has a kip”. Many feel the broadcasts won’t quite be the same when Benaud goes. Sports columnist Richard Hinds recently made the tongue-in-cheek suggested that a knockout competition entitled ‘Australian Benaud’ be held to find a worthy successor. His lifestyle remains an enviable one. He divides his time between a base in Sydney’s glamorous Eastern Suburbs when commentating on the Australian summer, relocates to England for their season and also spends some time on the French Riviera. Perhaps fittingly, wherever Richie Benaud is, it’s always summer. 1948/49 In 1947/48, Benaud had enjoyed some success with the bat in grade cricket, but had only been regarded as a part-time bowler, taking a lone wicket at the cost of 198 runs. In what became a pattern over his career, Benaud was promoted before his time, receiving the call-up to the New South Wales side the following year. He was just 18 years and three months old. His team-mates included Arthur Morris, Ray Lindwall and Keith Miller, all of whom played valuable mentor roles in Benaud’s career. Some players have talked of a social schism in Australian teams at this time with the ex-Soldiers forming something of a clique. For Benaud, this was something that never bothered him in the slightest. He recognised the sacrifice these players had made during the war and always acknowledges their contribution to his career. The guidance they gave to him seems to have been very much a case of quality over quantity, a quiet word here and there and sometimes a demonstration of field placements using salt and pepper shakers and beer glasses over a table. At the same time as his promotion to the state side, Benaud was named in the New South Wales Second XI side as selectors saw him as a fringe first-class player who needed more experience at a higher level. His shield debut was an unpromising one as he made just two runs and was not given a bowl in his state’s straightforward victory. After the match, he went straight down to Melbourne for the second XI fixture. Listed to bat at number 7, he was offered the nightwatchman role and jumped at the chance. He survived until the next morning when he miscued a hook shot off Victorian Jack Daniel and copped a vicious blow between the eyes. He was carried off the field with an indentation the size of half a cricket ball in his forehead. At Royal Prince Alfred hospital, where he was held for a fortnight, doctors told him he was fortunate – had the blow been a couple of inches to either side, it could have been fatal. As frightening as the episode must have been, it never put Benaud off the horizontal bat strokes which he continued to play so profitably throughout his career. In a revealing footnote, the first ball Benaud faced upon returning to grade cricket was a bouncer. He got inside the ball and hooked it for four. Benaud came into first-class cricket just as Don Bradman was retiring and once bemoaned his apparent misfortune in missing bowling to The Don to Keith Miller, who replied “Don’t worry son, everyone has some piece of good luck in their lives”. 14