Benaud was recalled to the New South Wales First XI in late December for the Christmas and New Year's fixtures.

Richie Benaud recalled that he was a very correct batsman, but Barrington was returned to the Second XI.

" In his review of Benaud's autobiography Anything But, Sri Lankan cricket writer Harold de Andrado wrote: " Richie Benaud possibly next to Sir Don Bradman has been one of the greatest cricketing personalities as player, researcher, writer, critic, author, organiser, adviser and student of the game.

Benaud was a Test cricket all-rounder, blending thoughtful leg spin bowling with lower-order batting aggression.

Benaud was born in Penrith, New South Wales in 1930.

It was here that Richie Benaud grew up, learning how to bowl leg breaks, googlies and topspinners under his father's watch.

In November 1948, at the age of 18, Benaud was selected for the New South Wales Colts, the state youth team.

In his early career, Benaud was a batting all-rounder, marked by a looping backlift which made him suspect against fast bowling but allowed him to have a wide attacking stroke range.

The next season, England toured Australia, and with the Test players back, Benaud was initially forced out of the team.

Benaud was cementing his position and was in the senior team for four consecutive matches even with the Test players available.

Benaud was given a chance against the tourists when New South Wales played them in Sydney after the First Test.

Despite this, Benaud was chosen for his Test debut in the Fifth Test against the West Indies in 1951-52 in Sydney.

Although his form with the willow dropped off in his remaining six matches before the Tests — a 35 was his only score beyond 20 in seven attempts — Benaud continued to strike regularly with the ball.

In eight first-class matches after his Test campaign was over, Benaud added a further half-century in addition to the century against Pearce's XI, and took 22 more wickets, including 4 / 20 against the Gentlemen of England.

After returning home from his first overseas tour, Benaud was prolific during the 1953 – 54 Australian season, which was purely domestic with no touring Test team.

Despite his inability to contribute with either bat or ball in England, Benaud was the only bowler selected for all five Tests of the 1954-55 series when England visited Australia.

After a break in the international calendar of a year, the 1957-58 tour to South Africa heralded the start of a phase of three international seasons when Benaud was at his peak.

When Ian Craig fell ill at the start of the 1958-59 season, Benaud was promoted to the captaincy ahead of vice-captain Neil Harvey.

Benaud took over when Australian cricket was in a low phase with a young team.

Australia needed six runs from the final over, in which Benaud was caught and the last two wickets fell to run outs while attempting the winning run.

Australia won the series 2 – 1, and although Benaud was below his best, scoring at 21. 77 and taking 23 wickets at 33. 87, the series was a success for cricket.

The First Test at Edgbaston was drawn with Benaud taking three wickets.

Benaud scored his maiden first-class century, 117 against South Australia, in the next match, two years after falling short of the milestone by seven runs.

Booth was dismissed for 71 while attempting to loft the spin of Tony Lock over the infield, as captain Richie Benaud needed quick runs ; observers felt the need to attack cost Booth his maiden Test century.

Benaud went on to dismiss tail-ender Alf Valentine for his first Test wicket, conceding 14 runs from 4. 3 overs.

Benaud went around the wicket and bowled into the footmarks, having Dexter caught behind and then Peter May bowled around his legs.

His last goodbye was interrupted by Glenn McGrath taking Kevin Pietersen's wicket ; Benaud simply wove his description of the dismissal into what he was already saying.

Sobers, wrote Benaud, was " a brilliant batsman, splendid fielder, particularly close to the wicket, and a bowler of extraordinary skill, whether bowling with the new ball, providing orthodox left-arm spin or over-the-wrist spin ".

Playing back to a topspinner bowled by Richie Benaud, his cap fell off and dislodged a bail, so he was out " hit wicket ".

* 1961 – With England firmly in control going into the fourth day, Richie Benaud took 6 – 70 to win Australia the game.

Richie Benaud described Bradman as " a brilliant administrator and businessman ", warning that he was not to be underestimated.

Richie Benaud described Sobers as " the greatest all-round cricketer the world has seen ".

The First Test in Brisbane was a low scoring match described by Australian captain Richie Benaud as producing " some of the slowest and worst cricket imaginable ", O ' Neill made 34 in Australia's first innings of 186 to help secure a lead of 52.

On arrival in the British Isles, Benaud quickly made an impression with both bat and ball.

Benaud hit a ball into the covers and the pair attempted a quick single when a direct hit from Joe Solomon saw Davidson run out.

Benaud had an unpenetrative match with the ball, taking 1 / 162.

Benaud was not a large spinner of the ball, but he was known for his ability to extract substantial bounce from the surface.

Johnnie Moyes said " Certainly Benaud received a little help from the roughened patches, but he could do what the off-spinners could not do: he could turn the ball, mostly slowly, sometimes with more life.

With Alan Davidson injured Benaud brought gave the new ball to Bill Lawry who nearly knocked his cap off with a beamer that went for 4 byes.

* 2nd ball: Benaud attempted a hook shot but was caught behind by wicket-keeper Gerry Alexander.

Benaud said: " I ’ ll be doing Australian cricket next year – 2010 – but I don ’ t do any television at all anywhere else now and when I finish next year, then I ’ ll be doing other things ... But that ’ ll be no more television commentary ".

Benaud said: " I won't be doing live commentary.

", " Well, the answer to that ", Benaud replied, " If there is, as there always can be, some emergency or a sensational happening on or off the field where it would be quite ridiculous not to go into the commentary box, of course I'll be in there doing my job and doing it as professionally as I can.

Benaud was to describe the innings as " magnificent ", later saying " I knew I was watching a champion.

Commentating on the match, Richie Benaud called Hughes's actions " as curious a captaincy decision as I have ever seen ".

Playing with ten men, Benaud said that Harvey " proceeded, with a certain amount of anger, to play one of the best innings I have seen in Sheffield Shield ".

Richie Benaud said that Lindwall was " technically the best fast bowler " that he ever saw .< Ref name =" p211 "/> During the 1950s, Lindwall's action was copied by young children and a number of first-class Australian bowlers, including Ron Gaunt, John Power and Barry Fisher consciously copied his action .< Ref name =" az "/> Alan Davidson, who succeeded Lindwall as Australia's pace spearhead, labelled him as " the best fast bowler I ever saw ".< Ref name =" a159 "> Armstrong, p. 159 .</ ref > Lindwall's childhood hero Harold Larwood rated Dennis Lillee to be equal to Lindwall " but not ahead of him ".< Ref name =" a159 "/> Following Lindwall's tour of England in 1953, his English counterpart Alec Bedser said that Lindwall was " the best fast bowler I've seen, because of his variety and control ".