Richie Benaud

Australian Cricketer/Commentator - [b.1930]

Baby-Biography

Richard ('Richie') Benaud is born in Australia on 6th October 1930. He makes his cricketing debut for New South Wales at the Sydney Cricket Ground on 1st January 1949. He goes on to play 73 matches (1948-1984) for New South Wales in the Sheffield Shield, 32 as Captain, winning 25, losing 6, drawing 1. As a right-arm leg spinner and right-handed batsman, he plays 259 matches in first class cricket, scoring 11,719 runs - 23 centuries and 61 half-centuries - taking 945 wickets and 255 catches. He becomes one of only ten Australian cricketers to score 10,000 runs and take 500 wickets in at this level.

In 1951, Benaud plays his debut Test Match for Australia. He goes on to play in 63 Tests for his country until ending his international career in 1964. He captains Australia 28 times, never losing a series in this period. In his test career, Benaud scores 2,201 runs, takes 248 wickets and holds 65 catches.

After retiring, Benaud continues to work close to the game both as a journalist and a highly respected commentator for the B.B.C. and Channel 4 Television in the U.K., plus Channel 9 Television and Radio 2UE Sydney in Australia. He is an International Sports Consultant and has published several books.

Phespirit's Hero

Richie Benaud may have been a hero of test cricket - both as an undefeated leader of men and a damn fine right-arm leg spinner - but it is through his latter career as a media pundit that Phespirit, in common with millions of cricket fans the world over, has come to idolise the man.

Phespirit's hero, Richie Benaud, is the epitome of:

complete self-assurance in his beliefs and principles, without a trace of arrogance;
meticulous attention to detail in his outward appearance and his phrasing of observations;
charm, modesty, integrity, wisdom, common sense and profound knowledge of his field.

Top man.

TEST STATISTICS:

BATTING:    Innings   N/O   Runs   H/S  Average  100s  50s  C't    S'd

Player           57     3   1385   122    25.64     3    4   33      -
Captain          40     4    816    77    22.66     -    5   32      -
Aggregate        97     7   2201   122    24.45     3    9   65      -

Opponent:

England          41     2    767    97    19.66     0    4   32      -
India            12     2    144    25    14.40     0    0    5      -
Pakistan          6     1    144    56    28.80     0    1    2      -
South Africa     21     2    684   122    36.00     2    1   15      -
West Indies      17     0    462   121    27.17     1    3   11      -


BOWLING       Balls  M'ns   Runs  W'ts  Average  Best   5w  10w    S/R

Player         8388   299   3145   110    28.59  7-72    7    1  76.25
Captain       10720   506   3559   138    25.78  6-70    9    -  77.68
Aggregate     19108   805   6704   248    27.03  7-72   16    1  77.05

Opponent:

England        7284   289   2641    83    31.81  6-70    4    0  87.76
India          2953   198    956    52    18.38  7-72    5    1  56.79
Pakistan       1446    99    416    19    21.89  5-93    1    0  76.11
South Africa   4136   116   1413    42    27.17  5-49    5    0  98.48
West Indies    3289   103   1278    42    32.42  5-96    1    0  78.31