Richie Benaud (1930–2015)

This was the first cricket book I ever read and while some of the references went way over my head, and at that point I only knew David Hookes and one or two other players involved in World Series Cricket, Cricket Alive helped suck me into a lifetime of cricket watching and reading.

More a series of unrelated articles regarding Australian cricket and Richie's career than a coherent book, so best taken in small chunks. As it was written at the point at which he was due to retire from commentary abroad the focus is naturally nostalgic, there's a wealth of detail about Australian cricket (particularly between 1930 and the mid 60s, from Benaud's birth to playing retirement). The trouble is perhaps that, for a man who clearly has a deep knowledge and innate understanding of show more the game, the chapters are probably too short and superficial to do justice to the subjects, not do they have space to convey that knowledge properly. There's a little too much drifting into the disappointing 'best innings' and 'best matches' territory that so experienced a man as Benaud could easily avoid. The book only really flies when delving into cricket controversies during Benaud's playing career and unearthing nuggets such as the origin of the term sledging.

That said, even in print, Benaud comes across as pleasant, knowledgeable company with a gift for explaining the complexities of cricket in simple terms which makes for an amiable, though superficial read. show less

Read shortly after Richie's death, this is a book of Richie just thinking about different aspects of cricket from a view of umpteen years as player and commentator. Written at the time of his retirement and just before the 2005 Ashes, he looked back and forwards and reflected on what he had seen and been involved in. Almost a collection of essays on different aspects of the great game. Good stuff

The voice of cricket for all of my life, and on reading this it kind of shows the man as totally dedicated to the game that made him famous. I bit too one dimensional for my liking and therefore a tad dissappointing, perhaps Ive been spoiled by the biographies of sports controversial charachters. Richie certainly doesnt come across as one in this book.