Sydney, April 10 (IANS) Generations of Australian cricket fans grew up with the smooth voice of commentator Richie Benaud. Sadly, that will no longer be the case as the legendary broadcaster and former Australia skipper passed away at the age of 84 here on Thursday night.
Benaud had fought a long battle with skin cancer and was also suffering from the after-effects of a car accident near his Coogee home in the eastern suburb of Sydney in late 2013.
However, his fans still take joy in many pieces of his verbal brilliance that took cricket commentary to new heights.
Here are some of the most memorable lines Benaud uttered during his incredible commentary career:
– “And Glenn McGrath dismissed for two, just 98 runs short of his century.”
– (After a streaker ran on the field) “There was a slight interruption there for athletics.”
– “The slow-motion replay doesn’t show how fast the ball was really travelling.”
– “His throw went absolutely nowhere near where it was going.”
– “From our broadcasting box you can’t see any grass at all. It is simply a carpet of humanity.”
– “Laird has been brought in to stand in the corner of the circle.”
– “He’s usually a good puller but he couldn’t get it up that time.”
– “There were no scores below single figures.”
– “Well, Bruce Reid is not the worst batsman there is at international level? But those who are worse would not need to hire the Myer Music Bowl to hold a convention.”
– (On a Justin Langer six) “He’s not quite got hold of that one. If he had, it would have gone for nine.”
– “Captaincy is 90 percent luck and 10 percent skill. But don’t try it without that 10 percent.”
– (On Shane Warne’s Ball of the Century in 1993) “Gatting has absolutely no idea what happened to it. (He) still doesn’t know.”