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Few cricketers have matured so gradually yet ripened so fruitfully as Richie Benaud. With little to show for his first six years in Test cricket, he blossomed as a fully fledged all-rounder in South Africa in 1957-58, then flowered as a charismatic captain at home against England in 1958-59.
Richie Benaud strongly qualifies as amongst the most successful Australian all-rounders after the war. Son of an experienced Australian first-grade player who once took 20 wickets in a match, Benaud scored 2,201 runs in 63 Tests and took 248 wickets. The five successive and triumphant series that Australia played from 1958 onwards were under his astute and aggressive captaincy.
Richie Benaud was a classical leg spinner, the usual break, googly and top spinner released from a high action. In addition he had perfected the 'flipper', bowling it when least expected. its 'nip' off the wicket making a batsman play back and late, often to his dismay.. Accuracy replaced vastness of turn. Cowdrey considered Benaud at his deadliest when "bowling into a breeze from the area of third man".
Twelve years after he had played his last Test, he was pressed into a club centenary match in England at the last moment. He hadn't bowled a serious leg break for years---but he walked in and 'put' his first 6 on the spot.
(To be continued)
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