Just heard that Richie Benaud has died aged 84. A superb player, inspirational captain (so they tell me - it was before my time) and a personable, well-informed and scrupulously even-handed commentator. He’ll be missed.
He never lost a series as captain, and was the all-time leading wicket taker for a while, so yeah, looks like he could play a bit.
A great commentator, and very even handed as well - listen to him roundly condemn the underarm incident on the fly back in 1981. (from about 6:30 on).
I remember reading a few years ago that Benaud had attended something like 40% of all test matches ever played.
He’s a big loss to the cricketing world.
For anyone who grew up in the late 70’s/80’s in Australia he is the voice of cricket. Whenever I turn the cricket on I always expect to hear Richie’s voice.
Up here, we “lost” Richie some time ago - as he refused to commentate for pay TV broadcasters, when all England Tests moved onto Sky, he bowed out, fittingly with one of the best series ever played, the 2005 Ashes, in which he was was good as he ever was, complementing the on screen action with his usual economy and style. A man of principle, as noted above, who stuck to his guns. Prior to the Sky move, he was almost as much of a fixture in English cricket as he was Australian cricket. Generations up here grew up with him as, essentially, the lead commentator on all our matches, and as such, I’d put him up there with the other iconic English voices and writers in terms of his import to the game - he absolutely belongs with Swanton and Arlott (and to a lesser extent, Brian Johnston). You could obviously hear him on the Channel 9 feeds that Sky take when Australia play anyone other than England in Australia but for me it wasn’t really the same, hearing that voice call out in the dead of night, rather than on a summer’s afternoon.
Too young to have ever seen him play - my Dad saw him a few times though and swore he was one of the best ever.
Long battle with cancer, I believe. I’m never very unhappy when a sick man, who isn’t going to get better, finally goes - having seen it happen in my family, the pain and the knowing it’s coming are horrendous - so it’s time to remember the good times, with a smile on my face and a thank you for bringing me a game I love, in a manner that I doubt will be surpassed.
Fine Innings by Benuad…but he has like all of us eventually kicked one to the keeper.
Just shows his brilliance as a commentator that few are aware of his time as a player. Him, Tony Grieg, Blofeld. Boycott. Bill Lawry et al were the foreign I grew up with.
The new lot suck arse.
Well if death has only hit him on the boot he may get it reversed by DRS perhaps?
No, if the cancer’s been giving him a hard time then I figure he gives the foot a pointed rub, but not such as to get cited for, then grins, says “She’s good, ump” and goes for a cold beer and something off the barbie. 
Good of Alistair Cook to use his terrible form in getting himself out to bring up 22-2 in tribute to Richie.