Richie Benaud - Beyond the Channel 9 broadcast box

Richie Benaud in action for Australia (File Photo)

Most of us know Richie Benaud as an astute and vivid commentator with wit and imagination beyond the realms of extraordinaire. However, not too long ago before his tryst with the mike and EA Sports, he was one of Australia’s most celebrated captains as well as the best leg-spinner they had produced along with Clarrie Grimmett and Bill O’Reilly before the spin wizard Shane Warne came along.

If I were to define irony, my rather glum answer would be – the world writing a few words on the best cricket journalist that has ever walked the face of the earth after he can write no more.

The most influential of cricketers

“Perhaps the most influential cricketer and cricket personality since the Second World War,” is what the effervescent Gideon Haigh had to say about Benaud. Probably the most telling description of them all.

While a plethora of cricketers come and go, few leave their marks as humongous as Benaud did. Perhaps similar to what was the story of his life, Benaud took some time earning his stripes in international cricket. But once he had his foot firmly on the pedal, there was no slowing down, not until the time his vehicle slowly but surely faded into oblivion.

At 84, Benaud hardly had anything left to achieve. Widely regarded as one of the best cricket analysts and broadcasters, people would pay generously just to get a chance to hear the “wise old man of cricket” speak.

Kerry Packer, one of the game’s most interesting and shrewd ‘rebels’, apparently also the heir to Channel Nine, where Benaud spent the second innings of his life wouldn’t have gone more than a couple of blocks without the guile of this wily leg-spinner. Nearly 20 years after Packer assumed control of Channel Nine, it is safe to say the broadcasting powerhouse is as much as Benaud’s as his.

But before he picked up the pen, he wielded the willow powerfully lower down the order but even before that, he was a wise ol’ fox with all tricks in the book.

Australian selectors kept faith in Benaud

Benaud was handed his baggy green by Lindsay Hassett for the first time in the 5th Test against the West Indies in 1952 after the Australians had an unsurpassable 3-1 lead leading into the game. Ironically selected as a batsman, Benaud had a rather forgettable debut – scoring 3 and 19.

The selectors, however, persisted with Benaud after a sting of unimpressive performances and soon the tree bore nice, juicy fruits.

Benaud is a prime example of a leg-spinner bowling within himself. He did not try for the magic ball like Shane Warne – he knew what his fingers and wrists were capable of. Instead, he wore on tirelessly like a workhorse looking for a mistake, a ball to behave mysteriously from the rough. Later, much later, he brought in tons of variation to the subtle art of leg-spin – the blossoming sunflower became perfectly ripe with the aid of the top spinners and googlies.

Benaud has the rare distinction of being the first cricketer in international cricket to achieve the double of 2,000 Test runs and 200 Test wickets.

As a batsman, he was similar to a typical number 8 in the modern era, coming in and thwacking the cherry to all parts of the ground – unleashing a lethal counter attack capable of blowing the opposition away.

As well-known cricket historian Abhishek Mukherjee aptly noted, there was the Scarborough Festival match in 1956 when Benaud, still an infant at the highest level, was a bit too cautious. A Yorkshire fielder taunted him: “What the matter, lad? Art playing for average?” Benaud nonchalantly lofted Johnny Wardle into the stands the very next ball.

Unbeaten as a captain

In the early 1950s, the Australians were going through a troubled phase. Benaud was made captain over vice-captain Neil Harvey after regular captain Ian Craig fell ill before the start of the 1958-59 season – half owing to the fact that Harvey was now deputy to Benaud in New South Wales after shifting from Victoria and half owing to the fact that Benaud had a terrific 1957-58 season.

His very first assignment was to reclaim the Ashes from the touring English side who landed down under as favourites.

When you have little captaincy experience, lead from the front, they say. Benaud did exactly that, taking 7/112 on debut, en route to reclaiming the Ashes 4-0 against a fancied English side.

In all, he captained in 28 Tests, winning 12 and losing only 4. He was unbeaten in all series he captained – winning five of those including series victories against the West Indies at home, on the dry pitches of India and Pakistan away from the green comforts as well as regaining the Ashes. He drew a couple of them, having an awe striking CV of 5 series wins and 2 draws as captain.

Over 40 years in retirement, the cricket Richie Benaud played has been buried deep inside the flowery bed of his melodious, calm voice, wit and impeccable cricketing sense. For some, this is how it is fit. However, for others, Benaud bereft of his playing days is akin to Butch without Sundance.