Famous Cricketers No 100 - Richie Benaud

124. New South Wales v Victoria, Junction Oval, Melbourne, December 22, 24, 26, 27 (Match tied) (7) c R.N.Harvey b I.Meckiff 8 281 26 2 67 4 C.C.McDonald b 244 K.H.D.Kendall c W.J.Watson S.J.E.Loxton b W.A.Dick b (7) c J.H.Shaw b L.F.Kline 63 160 21 9 34 2 L.V.Maddocks b 197 W.A.Dick b 125. New South Wales v Queensland, Sydney, December 29, 31, January 1, 2 (Match drawn) (6) c P.J.P.Burge b R.R.Lindwall 15 271 44 10 138 1 R.B Lyons c O.Lambert 574-8d 1 (6) c A.T.W.Grout b J.D.Bratchford 2 335-8 126. R.N.Harvey’s XI v R.R.Lindwall’s XI (Stan McCabe and Bill O’Reilly Testimonial Match), Sydney, January 5, 6, 8, 9 (R.N.Harvey’s XI won by seven wickets) (6) lbw R.A.Gaunt 8 419 23 3 75 1 L.V.Maddocks c A.K.Davidson 428 1 (5) not out 45 198-3 16.4 3 66 4 C.C.McDonald b 188 2 R.B.Simpson b K.D.Mackay c R.N.Harvey R.R.Lindwall c and b 127. New South Wales v South Australia, Sydney, January 18, 19, 21, 22 (Match drawn) (6) c and b A.A.Bedford 0 386 22 5 73 3 L.E.Favell st O.Lambert 248 2 J.R.Ducker c and b G.B.Hole c O.Lambert did not bat - 6-0 31 10 70 5 J.R.Ducker st O.Lambert 333 1 P.L.Ridings b B.N.Jarman c and b J.Drennan b J.W.Beagley b 128. New South Wales v Victoria, Sydney, January 26, 28, 29, 30 (Match drawn) (6) c L.V.Maddocks b S.J.E.Loxton 8 149 24 3 87 0 441 1 (6) c L.V.Maddocks b L.F.Kline 47 400 - - - - 5-0 SEASON’S AVERAGES Batting and Fielding M I NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct Sheffield Shield 7 11 0 195 63 17.73 - 1 12 Other matches 1 2 1 53 45 53.00 - - 3 Season 8 13 1 248 63 20.66 - 1 15 Career 128 184 14 5950 167* 35.00 12 31 122 Bowling O M R W BB Ave 5i 10m Sheffield Shield 305.1 71 800 33 5-59 24.24 2 - Other matches 39.4 6 141 5 4-66 28.20 - - Season (8b) 344.5 77 941 38 5-59 24.76 2 - Career (8b) 1833.1 302 } 10188 368 7-46 27.68 15 2 (6b) 1456.2 405 1956/57 – Australia in New Zealand The touring schedule for this season also included New Zealand, a country in which Benaud has always been keen to see cricket develop. On this tour, he found the pitches a little slow for his liking, but still managed to take 32 wickets to be the leading wicket-taker in first-class matches. He also ranked second in the batting averages. If Benaud was indeed ‘pampered’ through his early years in the Australian side, as team-mate and good friend Wally Grout believed, then he was now starting handsomely to reward the selectors that had stuck with him. What Benaud remembers most from this tour however, was a visit to Ivan James’s pharmacy in Timaru. Handing over his prescription for cold tablets, the chemist noticed Benaud’s calloused fingers and gave him a cream which had been used to treat leg ulcers on returned soldiers. Benaud 37