Benaud wants to retire next year

Comments: 25 

Posted by fkenoath on (February 20 2009, 14:39 PM GMT)

what about warnie or gilly? both have shown great tallent in "the box" and warnie, although sometimes uncouth, is the eptiomy of australian sports culture and more-so one of the best cricketing brains on earth. question is, does he want a beige jacket or a winning chip stack? Gilly is proven well oiled (magnatec) means he can start smoothly but can he finish or would he hit out ot a curly on on the 2nd day?

Posted by heckle on (February 20 2009, 06:33 AM GMT)

Of all the times our personal national mentor and cricket genius has chosen to retire this may be the wrong point in Australian Cricket's lifetime; our team is in the terribly difficult process of mourning those who have left the team ( Hayden, McGrath, Warney etc. etc) and welcoming a group of new lads whose focus is on their personal performances, just for now, rather than bonding as an iron-clad unit with unbreakable self belief. Richie's input throughout his time as a commentator and reporter has been of extraordinary value in assisting new players in their transition from the fringes of cricket to the centre of the spotlight. His dispassionate analysis of techniques and skills, his "little chats" with new boys and his endless kindly, constructive, criticism and encouragement will be sorely missed if he withdraws from the Test and Sheffield Shield scene and, as is rumoured, moves to London or Paris. That being said I can only wish him health, wealth and happiness forever.heckle

Posted by SmashingBaby on (February 20 2009, 00:08 AM GMT)

It will be such a shame to see Richie go, but like all the great things we've been enjoying in Australia cricket-wise in the last decade or so (like Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne), it eventually had to come to an end. At least now the captain of the commentary team can give more attention to his vineyard in France, the chateau-leuverthe-fleur (any 12th man fans reading this?? hehe). I would have preferred someone else besides Mark "Smashing Baby" Nicholas to take over the central commentary position and wear the pink, the cream, the white, the off-white, the ivory and the beige jackets - I think Mark Taylor would have been a good choice (seriously) - but for some reason Nine have been grooming Mark for a while so that's that. Sorry to see you go Rich, have loved your Absolutely Marvellous commentary that I've grown up with, both in your front-line role of previous years and the back-of-room expert-one-liner role of recent times which has been both informative and hilarious!

Posted by OriginalDaVe on (February 19 2009, 12:44 PM GMT)

Richie is... obviously... an absolute legend. Gonna miss him after next year. Not too sure I can understand what the problem is with Mark Nicholas. He is as enthusiastic and knowledgeable as anyone, and one of the least biased Aussie commentators going around, regardless of not playing for England.

Posted by bobmartin on (February 19 2009, 09:49 AM GMT)

I think all the previous posters have said it all and I agree with every word. Richie Benaud is an institution and will leave a hole which very few commentators have the talent to fill. As for Mark Nicholas being Richie's heir, surely David Gyngell must be joking. Nicholas is not fit to clean Richie's shoes much less inherit his throne. They are as unalike as chalk and cheese. Richie has supreme class.. Nicholas is a supreme ass.

Posted by choo_for_twenty_choo on (February 19 2009, 09:29 AM GMT)

TOTALLY agree redneck. In memory of this gifted commentating legend's lasting impact on us viewers, I would like to propose that from this point forward, team scores of 2/22 or 2/222 in any form of the game be henceforth known as a "Benaud"? Does anyone second my motion?

Posted by A.S.K. on (February 19 2009, 08:09 AM GMT)

To quote the man himself: Marvellous effort, that!

Posted by Muthu_Team on (February 19 2009, 04:00 AM GMT)

Thanks for all those memories Ritchie.. I still use to listen his comment on the (in)famous "Underarm ball".. It was an nothing extraordinary but a statement of real thing that happened in front of his eye.. I believe only some can express the thoughts in the way it happened and he has that gift.. When he retired cricketing world will be poorer without him, now its the 2'nd turn for the same community... @pragmatist.. please don't compare BCCI lot with Ritchie. Its kind of degrading his image.. From my thought. the only Indian commentator who can come near to him is Ravi Shastri, he is biased but that's OK for me. I accept ur comment on Mike Atherton. He is probably the best of the current lot "The Times" wont pay dozier column journalist...

Posted by redneck on (February 18 2009, 22:29 PM GMT)

summer wont be the same after next year!!! this is on par to when warne and mcgrath retired! well done richie on a great second career! i hope the score 2/22 comes up a lot next summer as well as some of his other classics. why do channel 9 think australian audiences want their cricket bought to them by some pomm who didnt even reach the highest level for his country? nicholas just rocked up for the ashes one year and never took the hint to leave! surely they can find someone better than him!?

Posted by MaraudingJ on (February 18 2009, 21:38 PM GMT)

Richie Benaud is the best cricket commentator of the modern era. His analysis is objective and astute, his commentary calm and laced with a touch of lyricism, his voice soothing and almost a part of the game itself. I really don't know who will replace him.