5 Iconic voices who will forever be missed by Cricket fans

#1 Richie Benaud

Richie Benaud working for BBC

The ‘Voice of Cricket’, Richie Benaud began his broadcasting career even whilst still being an active international Cricketer when he took up a position as a journalist with the now defunct News of the World newspaper following a Presenter training course organised by the BBC he attended in 1956.

Post his retirement from playing in 1964, he engaged himself as a full-time broadcaster dividing his time working for BBC in Britain and for the Nine Network in Australia. Some of his signature comments like ‘got ‘im!’, ‘that’s stumps’ and ‘marvellous’ have become a part of Cricketing folklore. He was a highly moral and an affable character. Whilst commenting on a Test match between England and New Zealand at Lord’s, London, England, he vacated the commentary box with the Black Caps on the verge of a series win to allow former Kiwi skipper and fellow commentator Ian Smith to call the victory of his countrymen. He heavily criticised fellow Australians Greg and Trevor Chappell in the aftermath of the underarm bowling incident in 1981. Some of Benaud' brilliant moments in a commentary box included the analysis of fellow Australian leggie Shane Warne. Benaud was on air as Warne delivered the 'Ball of the century' and he, in his charismatic manner, added to the magic of the moment.

Benaud retired from commentary in 2011. In November 2014, he revealed that he had been diagnosed with skin cancer and died of the disease in his sleep in April of the following year.