Famous Cricketers No 100 - Richie Benaud

SEASON’S AVERAGES Batting and Fielding M I NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct Tour 6 8 2 323 113 53.83 1 1 3 Career 134 192 16 6273 167* 35.64 13 32 125 Bowling O M R W BB Ave 5i 10m Tour (6b) 285.2 93 618 32 6-79 19.31 1 - Career (8b) 1833.1 302 } 10806 400 7-46 27.01 16 2 (6b) 1741.4 498 1957/58 – Australia in South Africa Led by Ian Craig, the Australian team arrived in South Africa as unfancied outsiders (to the local press at least) and left triumphant, having won the Test series 4-0. The Australian won all their other fixtures handsomely and, for good measure, soundly defeated a South African baseball team in an exhibition match, a result that was said to have set South African baseball back many years. Ian Craig deserves credit for getting the side back into winning form and playing a more positive brand of cricket than the team had employed under the largely conservative leadership of Ian Johnson. The appointment of Craig was also a clear pointer that the board now favoured a young leader – Craig was the youngest of all Test captains, just 22 when given the role. He followed three long-term captains (Johnson, Hassett and Bradman) who had all been over 39 when they led the side. For Benaud, the tour was one of unbridled success – his batting had never been this devastating before, and nor was it again. His bowling, now supplemented by a well-controlled googly, had progressed to another level. He broke numerous records; his 106 first-class wickets for the tour equalled the most in a season outside England by C.T.B.Turner in Australia in 1887/88. Benaud also became only the fourth Australian after George Giffen, Jack Gregory and Keith Miller to record 250 runs and 20 wickets in a series. At Johannesburg, he recorded another rare statistical feat with a century and five wickets in an innings. He was only the fourth Australian to achieve this, after Charlie Kellaway, Jack Gregory and Keith Miller (twice). To top it off, he took the freakish figures of 9/16 against Northern Rhodesia in a non first-class fixture. With Ian Johnson now retired, Benaud was now the team’s most experienced spinner. The magnificent careers of Ray Lindwall and Keith Miller were also over, leaving Benaud and Alan Davidson as the team’s main strike bowlers and all-rounders. This added responsibility was something Benaud responded to in the best possible fashion. Those around him noticed a greater maturity. Where there had once been a touch of aloofness, now Benaud was a fine team man. He was often found with a beer in the dressing room long after play had ended, something he had not been noted for in previous years. He and Harvey had a lot of time for the younger players and the age-based social divisions which had characterised earlier Australian teams quickly evaporated. Ian Meckiff later recalled “The beauty of that tour was that, where previously younger and older players had tended to go their separate ways, Benaud and Harvey made sure that the younger guys were included in everything”. The seniority and respect Benaud now commanded within the team was recognised in a match against North East Transvaal, where he acted as captain when Neil Harvey (deputising for Ian Craig) sustained a finger injury. The tributes flowed. Johnny Moyes marvelled at his “accuracy of length, a cleverness of flight and an aggressive spirit which imprisoned the opposing batsman”. Keith Miller wrote in his newspaper column that Benaud should be made captain. Another unusual (but warmly appreciated) tribute came from the Kingsmead ground in Durban where Benaud and Wally Grout were invited to plant trees as a memento of their fine performances. Perhaps the final word, however, should go to Wisden , which simply stated: “No all-rounder in the history of the game had performed so consistently in one series”. 39