Cricketer Of The Week: R. BENAUD

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28210, 23 February 1957, Page 5

Cricketer Of The Week: R. BENAUD

Benaud, of Australia, was the outstanding individual in the game at Lancaster Park last week, and he made a generous contribution to a memorable match. None who saw it, will forget his powerful assault; on the Canterbury bowling on the! last afternoon, but Benaud’s per-' formance in this game was not] based entirely on the vigour of I iris driving. For a good many years, spin bowling has been a dying art.. Modern captaincy, with its rigid adherence to the principles of Dever giving anything away, and keeping the batsmen on the defensive until another new ball is available, has all but killed legbreak bowling. So Benaud’s approach is most refreshing, when there is a crying need for more positive cricket.

Early Start Benaud began bowling very young, and it was not strange thal he should turn to spin. His fathei bowled leg breaks, and once toot all 20 wickets in a match; Richie began with off-breaks, but the maturity of 15 years turned him tc the more exotic fare, and practised assiduously on a full length backyard pitch. He played foi New South Wales- at 18. Since then Benaud's progress has been sure—not spectacular but steady, and there is little doubl that his best years are still ahead of him. When he was 19 he had scores of 68 and 93 in Sheffield Shield matches .and his first century, 117 against South Australia *as made in the 1951-52 season In 1953 he was selected for the English tour, and celebrated with Scores of 167 and 100 not oul jn the matches the team played before leaving Australia. First Tour In England, Benaud had two outstanding achievements a Double of 97 and seven for 46 Against Yorkshire, and 135. scored in 110 minutes, with 11 sixes, in 8 festival match at the end of the season. But he scored only £33 runs on the tour, and his bowling, progressing less rapidly than his batting, brought him 55 tickets. In 1955 he went to the west Indies, topping the te-t bowling and making his first test century—reaching three figures in * matter of 78 minutes. On his second English tour, BeDaud was no more successful than 011 the first, mathematically, but Sow. m a wet and depressing sea*3o for his team, the calibre of the cricketer was unmistakeabie.

IHe scored 160 against Worcestershire, and played the innings of the season, a fierce, defiant and Jy beautiful 97 in the second test at k Lord’s, when Australia was in e difficulties. On the way home, Australia played Pakistan once, ° Benaud making 56. and in the test against India he had bowling flg- “ ures of seven for 72, six for 52, ,r and five for 53—23 wickets in three games. !S So far, Benaud has scored 864 r ; test runs at an average of 20.5. “ and taken 73 wickets at a cost of " 29 runs each, not figures to make 2 one reach for the record books, ° .but, almost certainly mere pre1_ ’liminaries. Benaud’s bold bat- ’’ ting, and his vastly improved ’• bowling—the result, no doubt, of ® having more overs to bowl—should keep him in Australian " sides for many a day. and it will 0 be a good many years before his magnificent fielding standards descend to the ordinary. o Casual 6 On the field. Benaud at Land caster Park gave an impression n of sleepiness which was quite misd leading. Perhaps it was the legacy y of 28 months of almost continuous s cricket in Australia, India, Engy land, and the West Indies. Off 5 the field he is quietly spoken, e courteous, friendly and still, with 4 so much behind him. eager to ;t absorb more cricketing known ledge. Benaud may not ever rank ■- among the very greatest in the n game, but he must already be it regarded as a leader in what i- every enthusiast hopes is the beif ginning of a cricketing revivalist ?. campaign.