RICHIE BENAUD

 FROM SAMPATH’S DESK:

 

 

 

  

 

RICHIE BENAUD

(6 October 1930 –-10 April 2015)

 A voice that touched the sky!

 

Richie Benaud (born Richard Benaud) was a legendary and popular cricketer-cum-commentator from Australia. His great first innings of cricket and the second innings of commentary spanning for decades that enthralled millions of the game fans ended with his departure. His English language accent was fast yet clear, louder than the stereophonic system. His assertive voice of commentary wafted through the air to reach the ears of countless Cricket lovers across the world for decades. His commentaries couched as they were with strong tinges of emotion amply demonstrated his deep involvement in the game, making one wonder whether he was speaking from the commentary box or right from the pitch itself. Richie, an enterprising cricketer-cum-commentator that he was for a long time, had great attachment, involvement, engrossment, and fascination for the game.

 

He played 64 Test Matches for Australia between 1952 and 1964. However, he became more famous as a cricket commentator than as a player. He began commentating with the BBC even while still captaining the Baggy Greens in 1960. He worked for the Corporation for many years before moving to Australia's Channel 4 in 1999. Benaud chose to end his British commentary career which spanned for decades when the rights to broadcast live Test match cricket were lost by Channel 4 to Sky.

 

He believed and it was also true that he was more successful in his second innings viz. commentating than his first innings of cricketing, and with time, his performance after performance as a commentator became stronger and stronger, and from a good one to the best, even sending the memories of his first innings into oblivion.

 

Unbuttoned shirt, emotional celebrations, objectivity, subtle humour, and praise for good performances of cricketers - to whichever country they belonged - were the hallmarks of his decades-long career as a commentator.

 

Richi Benaud, considered the ‘Father of Cricket Broadcasting’, was one of the few commentators who respected the nostrum of silence. In fact, one of his most famous quotes on cricket commentary states, "If you can add to what’s on the screen then do it, otherwise shut up."

 

Commentary is an extremely important conduit for linking fans with the romance and mythology of the game of Cricket. Richie Benaud was the undisputed doyen in the world of cricket broadcasting. Australians were pioneers in commercial cricket broadcasting as they set up a national government-owned radio network as early as 1932. The network, now known as ABC, started its operation by delivering live nationwide broadcasts of the massively popular but controversial Bodyline Series in the summer of 1932-33.

 

Richie Benaud was hailed as the ‘Sound of Silence’. His commentary was always insightful. He had the great ability to explain the complex aspects of the game in a way that was easy to understand. When commenting on a batsman's technique, he would break down his footwork and head position, and explain why it was effective or ineffective! He also had a deep understanding of the game's strategy, which allowed him to provide an analysis of a team's tactics and predict how the game might develop and go on!

 

With his departure, watching the game and listening to the commentary will never be the same for millions of cricket fans across the world. Yes, the cricket world has become poorer in the passing of this overly-revered personality.

 

People in general and Cricket commentary listeners, in particular, hailed his following attributes - knowledge and analyses, clarity of thought, dry humour, impartiality, and mutual respect, among others.

 

 

 

(R.SAMPATH)

3/7/2023