RIP Richie Benaud

[cover drive man]

Gutted. The man was there for so long that he was almost as common as the bat and ball, it's hard to think of cricket without him

 

[BoyBrumby]

doyen noun: the most respected or prominent person in a particular field.

The great man in a word.

Vale.

 

[GotSpin]

Such a great man. What could he do wrong? Even inspiring the 12th man.

 

[SeamUp]

RIP Richie

Just so many great cricketing memories you've left in peoples minds. What a great man.


PS anyone know where I can find the footage of him rattling off the Pakistan players names in comm work ? Loved it.

 

[andmark]

Robelinda has surpassed himself by already getting three tribute videos up on YouTube. Worth a look.

RIP Richie Benaud. My personal favourite aspect of him was making Shane Warne's bowling understandable at a time when leg spin was a near forgotten art. It's always glorious to see him say what ball Warne had bowled even when it was still in the air. A true great of not just cricket but sport.

 

[paulted]

Richie Benaud was never one of the "It was better in my day" brigade. It is testament to the man that he loved the game in all its forms and rejoiced in the modern game, recognising that it has to evolve. Great cricketer, great man. Marvless!

 

[smash84]

RIP Richie

Just so many great cricketing memories you've left in peoples minds. What a great man.


PS anyone know where I can find the footage of him rattling off the Pakistan players names in comm work ? Loved it.

I thought I was the only one who loved his reading of Pakistan player names off the team sheet. Some of the 1992 wc highlights has that part On youtube

 

[wpdavid]

The finest sports commentator I have ever heard. A unique combination of brilliance and humility, eloquence and pithiness, which every other commentator should learn from. RIP you great man.

 

[GIMH]

"He's not quite middled that...otherwise it would have gone for nine."

 

[weldone]

I always envied people like Benaud (and Dravid, for example).

So talented, yet so humble, and respected by everyone for their good nature...I know I can never be like them (nature-wise)...That's why I feel jealous.

Died while sleeping - that sounds like another reason to be jealous now...I wish I can...

 

[Fuller Pilch]

]The finest sports commentator [/B]I have ever heard. A unique combination of brilliance and humility, eloquence and pithiness, which every other commentator should learn from. RIP you great man.

Simply a great great commentator, only second to the late Bill McLaren (incredible Scottish rugby commentator) imo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJ003OdNcSE&list=PL986BC84BB33313A1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=si5GLe7zfb0&index=3&list=PL986BC84BB33313A1

 

[Flem274*]

I think my favourite thing about Richie was he is the ultimate image of Australian cricket, yet he never shouted about it or basked in it. He was excellent at everything he did but he just got on with it.

Tony Cozier, Bryan Waddle and Neil Manthorp

We need to get Ron Snowden more overseas gigs. Foreign shores need to hear his amazing voice.

 

[_Ed_]

Don't always care for the Mark Nicholas columns, but I loved this:

"West Indies cruising to victory here, all Carl Hooper has to do is keep his head as Shane Warne switches to bowl round the wicket into the rough outside leg stump." At which point, Hooper charges down the pitch and has a mighty heave at Warne. The ball spins and catches the leading edge of Hooper's bat. It is about to drop into Steve Waugh's hands as Benaud says: "Oh Carl" and nothing more.

Mark Nicholas pays tribute to Richie Benaud | Cricket | ESPN Cricinfo

 

[Burgey]

Loved that piece of commentary. Also his work on the 93 Ashes tour when Boon on-drove Illott with nothing more than a punch. "Oooh shot! I don't know if contempt is too strong a word, but David Boon really did give that a tremendous bit of hammer".

 

[Zinzan]

RIP to the great Richie Benaud.

My heart's gone straight into the confectionery stall and out again.

 

[slippy888]

Richie was one of the greats, he called the match as he saw it, he was never bias towards australia, RIP Richie

 

[zaremba]

Don't always care for the Mark Nicholas columns

I'm no fan of Mark Nicholas either, but I came to post another gem from that piece.

When modern cricket folk talked of "aggression" and "sledging" as "part of the game", Richie raised his eyebrows and cringed. Such attitudes were not part of his game, nor of the game played by Keith Miller, Garry Sobers, Ted Dexter or the Nawab of Pataudi. If modern cricketers want to do the Benaud legacy justice, they should reward his unwavering faith in their abilities and performance by ceasing such mean-spirited behaviour as of today.

 

[The Sean]

I have little to add that hasn't already been said, but Richie Benaud has quite simply been the voice - and face - of cricket for as long as I have loved the game. I'll continue to love it of course, but it won't quite be the same.

RIP

 

[Noble One]

Minimalist use of words, dry humor and an unsurpassed cricketing knowledge. We will never see another person that comes close to matching Benaud.

 

[Adders]

Yeah not much I can add that hasn't already been said.........cricket has lost a true icon, the biggest asset the game has ever had.

Anyone watch the Channel 9 tribute last night? I found it a pretty ordinary effort but then realised the only person capable of doing an R Benaud tribute justice would be the great man himself. So it wouldn't have mattered what Ch 9 did or who they got involved it was always going to seem inadequate.