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Richie Benaud

Richard "Richie" Benaud OBE is born on 6th October 1930 in Penrith, New South Wales. He was a former Australian cricketer and become a regarded commentator on the game.In 1964, he took retirement from international cricket.

Benaud was an all-rounder players and good leg spin bowling with aggression batting. In the late 1950s, he and Alan Davidson helped reinstate Australia to the top and after a slump in the early 1950s. In November 1948, Benaud made his first class debut for New South Wales and scored 47 runs and took 3/37 in an innings. Benaud became test captain in 1958 to 1964.

Personal Life

Benaud came from a cricket family and his father Louis was a leg spinner who played for Penrith in Sydney Grade Cricket and a member of Australian of French Huguenot descent. His father moved to western Sydney, and played for Cumberland where Richie Benaud grew up and learned how to bowl under his father's guidance. He was educated at Parramatta High School and made his first debut as a batsman at the age of 16 for Cumberland.

Benaud married Daphne Surfleet in 1967, who had been secretary to the English cricket writer and he had two sons from an earlier marriage. In 2008, his mother Irene was died at the age of 104.

Recognition

In 1961, he became an officer of the Order of the British Empire to offer services and in 1985 he allowed to work in the Sport Australia Hall of Fame. He was awarded with Australian Cricket Hall in 2007 and ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in 2009.

Cricket Career Highlights

Early in his career, he made his first century against the West Indies.
In 1960-61 Frank Worrell Trophy against the West Indies he was in charge for the series.
In 1957–1958 test series, the highest score of 122 against South Africa.
In 1956–1957, he took 7 for 72 runs against India.
As a captain of Australia in 28 Tests won 12 matches, 11 draws, 1 tie, 4 losses.
In 1963, he made fist test double century and in first-class cricket he have scored more than 10,000 runs and 500 wickets.
At end of his test career in Sydney he took 248 wickets at average of 27.03 and 2, 201 runs at average of 24.45.