Parramatta District Cricket Club (formerly known as Central Cumberland)
Obituary – Richie Benaud {By Tom Wood – Club Historian }
Born – 6th October 1930 and died 10th April 2015.
Icon is a much overused word these days but in the case of Richie Benaud it was an apt title to bestow upon him – he was without doubt an iconic figure to the Parramatta District Cricket Club and to the cricket world at large.
To sports fans across Australia Richie was household name, even non cricket lovers instantly recognized the white- haired gentleman, in the beige sports jacket with the distinctive voice and turn of phrase, such was his fame as a television Sports Presenter – face & voice of summer to cricket tragics.
But to the Parramatta District Cricket Club he represented its most celebrated and applauded figure – a true blue Parramatta boy growing up in the district as a fledgling cricketer rising from Burnside Primary School and Parramatta High School cricket teams, honing his skills in the backyard of his family home in Sutherland Road North Parramatta under the watchful eye of his Father Lou (just a stone’s throw from the nearby oval that now bears his name) to ultimately reach the exalted post of Australian Test captain.
Richie retained his interest in the welfare of the club from which he launched his outstanding career holding the No.1 Membership Ticket in the “True Blues” Supporters’ club and readily gave his time to headline the annual Sporting Luncheon fund-raiser – his family connections with the club dated back to the 1920s when his talented leg-spinning father Lou first appeared in the “two-blue” colours, whilst Richie and younger sibling John both starred for Cumberland and played Test cricket.
Acknowledged as one of Australia’s greatest ever all-rounders – a gifted leg-spinner, swashbuckling batsman and splendid fieldsman – Richie earned his highest praises as a Test captain ranked amongst Australia’s best ever due to his shrewd tactics and attacking flair.
His illustrious career has been well documented in many publications, but a summary of his statistics and achievements bare testament to his standing in the cricket world:-
- Statistics:
Tests – 63 matches, 2,201 runs @ 24.46 (H.S. 122), 248 wickets @ 27.03 (B.B 7/72). Total First-class – 11,719 runs @ 36.50 (H.S. 187), 945 wickets @ 24.71 (B.B. 7/18) For NSW – 4,116 runs @ 37.08 (H.S. 158), 322 wickets @ 26.00 (B.B. 7/18)
- Honours :
Captain of New South Wales in Sheffield Shield – 1955/56 to 1963/64 (33 matches)
Captain of Australia in Tests – 1958/59 – 1963/64 (28 matches)
Awarded O.B.E. 1961
Inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame in 2007
Included as one of Wisden’s Five Cricketers of the Year - 1962
In 1944/45 at 14 years of age Richie first appeared in the Central Cumberland A.W. Green Shield team and he continued in this team until 1946/47 – his all-round ability confirmed with 666 runs (H.S. 104) and 99 wickets (B.B. 5/8 & 8/32 v. Wests), he also captained the side 1945/47.
His full grade career with Parramatta (Cumberland) District Cricket Club spanned the seasons 1945/46 to 1967/68 during which he scored 5,692 runs @ 40.95 (H.S. 160*), captured 362 wickets @ 18.55 (B.B. 8/36) and snapped up 76 catches – 12 centuries, 30 half-centuries and 17 “5 wicket hauls”.
It all started in earnest in 1945/46 when Richie debuted in Third grade compiling 283 runs @ 17.67 (H.S. 79) and securing 16 wickets @ 12.81 and after good early season form in the Thirds in 1946/47 he was elevated into First grade on 26th October 1946 – just 20 days after his 16th birthday – this produced the unique feat of becoming a team-mate of his father Lou in this premier grade of cricket.
Over the ensuing seasons he secured his first grade spot and became more prolific in his performances notching his initial First grade century (160* v. Gordon) and first “5 wicket bag” (5/81 v. Waverley) in 1949/50) – he had previously made his first-class debut for NSW at 18 years of age on 31st December 1948 and a Test debut followed in 1951/52 v. West Indies.
In 1953/54 Ron James stepped down from the captaincy of Cumberland’s First grade team to enable Richie to gain experience skippering a team of this level, and further his future claims for leadership of the NSW State team. The plan bore fruit and in 1958/59 Richie Benaud became Australia’s Test captain in the home Ashes Series against England.
1961/62 saw younger brother John the dashing batsman and spinner join his illustrious older sibling in the Cumberland Firsts – they played together in the 1964/65 and 1965/66 First grade Finals – winning the premiership in 1964/65; Richie wound-up his career with the “Bumble-Bees” in 1967/68 as one of only four all-rounders to have scored 5,000+ runs and taken 300+ wickets in First grade for the Parramatta club.
The Benaud family shared other Parramatta honours – Richie and Lou the only father and son to have captured 300+ wickets in First grade – Richie, John and Lou being member of a very small band of father and sons to have captained Parramatta in First grade.
Below is a picture of the Cumberland 1953/54 Team – Richie Benaud’s first tilt as captain:-
Farewell to Richie Benaud a Parramatta “All Time Great”!!