RIP Richie Benaud

[harsh.ag]

I think he disapproved of the Windies pacers and their tactics a bit, which is perhaps also why he celebrated Shane Warne and Abdul Qadir with such a flair in the 80s and 90s. I think he made a very fine distinction between aggression and intimidation.

 

[Red]

I think he disapproved of the Windies pacers and their tactics a bit, which is perhaps also why he celebrated Shane Warne and Abdul Qadir with such a flair in the 80s and 90s. I think he made a very fine distinction between aggression and intimidation.

Highlighted by his sit down chat about his ATG team with Mark Nicholas where no WI quicks were selected, nor even shortlisted.

FWIW he shortlisted his quicks as

- Lindwall
- Trueman
- McGrath
- Larwood
- Lillee
- SF Barnes

Plus he also had Miller, Imran, Hadlee, Botham and Kapil shortlisted as ARs.

Making his eventual team as quicks were Lillee, Barnes, Imran (and Sobers).

Quite intriguing that he didn't include even one of Marshall, Ambrose, Holding, Roberts or Garner in the shortlist.

I actually do think he was reacting against the demise of spin in that era, because surely if he is excluding them because of intimidatory bowling he'd not include Larwood in his shortlist? Think his reaction was more against the barrage of monotonous quick bowling over anything else. The fact that those WIs quicks played right in his commentary prime is weird too.

 

[smash84]

I think Richie's XI wasn't necessarily the best XI of all time that he would pick but rather the one that he would like to watch. I remember when he was questioned over the selection of some of his team he did mention that this was a team that he would like to watch over any other team.

 

[Days of Grace]

He did seem to contradict his own advice when he described Derek Randell's run out in 1977 as a "tragedy."

 

[harsh.ag]

I think Richie's XI wasn't necessarily the best XI of all time that he would pick but rather the one that he would like to watch. I remember when he was questioned over the selection of some of his team he did mention that this was a team that he would like to watch over any other team.

Which I guess reveals his relative lack of affection for the Windies quicks.

 

[smash84]

Which I guess reveals his relative lack of affection for the Windies quicks.

Which isn't too difficult a view to digest tbf.

I am sure there are many who would have preferred to watch Waqar running in with his toe crushers than to watch Ambrose (or put in any other bowler) bowl short pitched stuff to batsman.

 

[burr]

Not sure if mentioned but the two Richie moments I admire are:

1. The comments on Chappell underarm, from a man who isn't prone to criticism, those words stuck and stung - and were well deserved.
2. The decision to stand down from commentary in England in '05 because of the loss of the cricket from free-to-air in UK. Such foresight. May the game never go the same way in Australia.

Also, his iconic commentary of the Gatting ball, almost as famous as the ball itself.

Anyway, he's had a great innings, so it's not necessarily sad, but rather goodbye to a great. Marvellous innings Richie!

 

[watson]

One of the greatest Test matches of all time - Edgebaston 2005 - seems just like yesterday thanks to Richie Benaud. His summation of the final moments is his finest work for mine -

Jones (pause), Bowden (pause), Kasprowicz the man to go, and Harmison has done it despair on the faces of the batsman and joy for every England player on the field. Victory (pause) by 2 runs.

Just brilliant.

 

[Chrish]

Watching youtube interviews and commentary and I miss this man

Without a doubt the Australian I admired the most. Benaud was pure class and a voice of reason.

 

[Gob]

 

[Line and Length]

Not Billy Birmingham's best work.

 

[mr_mister]

Did Richie Benaud do enough to be considered an ATG as a player?

27 is only a few points off being considered an ATG spinner, but it still feels not quite there

Batting average of 24 a bit lacking compared to his FC record but there were some important centuries scored by him

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Did Richie Benaud do enough to be considered an ATG as a player?

27 is only a few points off being considered an ATG spinner, but it still feels not quite there

Batting average of 24 a bit lacking compared to his FC record but there were some important centuries scored by him

With astute captaincy added, I would say yes.

 

[Calm_profit]

Did Richie Benaud do enough to be considered an ATG as a player?

27 is only a few points off being considered an ATG spinner, but it still feels not quite there

Batting average of 24 a bit lacking compared to his FC record but there were some important centuries scored by him

He would be if his countrymen weren't Warne, Grimmett and O'Reilly.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Anyone ever expressed a good reason why Aus ATG spinners are all leggies and England's are all finger spinners?

 

[ataraxia]

presumably because Aussies are alpha males and the English are betas

 

[Gob]

Anyone ever expressed a good reason why Aus ATG spinners are all leggies and England's are all finger spinners?

 

[Burgey]

Lovely symmetry on this page with Chrish digging the thread and following up a post by watson

 

[271 & 16/166]

Horse called Benaud running in tomorrow's Caulfield Cup