Benaud’s most memorable quotes

Cricket365
April 24, 2015

Richie Benaud wasn't called the Voice of Cricket for nothing. Here we've collected some of the legendary commentator's best quotes on all things cricket.

On commentary: "My mantra is: put your brain into gear and if you can add to what's on the screen then do it, otherwise shut up."

On captaincy: "Captaincy is 90 per cent luck and 10 per cent skill. But don't try it without that 10 per cent."

On the media: "Media were never allowed into an Australian dressing room until I became skipper. I changed that and invited them in at the close of play each day, thereby confirming for many administrators they had appointed a madman as captain."

Joking about a Glenn McGrath innings: "And Glenn McGrath dismissed for two, just ninety-eight runs short of his century."

On Shane Warne's 1993 'ball of the century: "What a cricketer, what a match-winner, what a ball. Gatting has absolutely no idea what has happened to it.

"Still doesn't know. He asked (umpire) Kenny Palmer on the way out. Kenny Palmer just gave him a raised eyebrow and a little nod."

On a streaker at Lords: "There was a slight interruption there for athletics."

On match fixing in the game: "My every waking moment was spent working out how to win cricket matches. Now I suddenly find that around the cricket world there are bastards who spend every waking moment working out how to lose cricket matches."

On cricket grounds: "A cricket ground is a flat piece of earth with some buildings around it."

And finally, a bit of prize banter: Co-commentator: "He's really hurting, that ball caught him just on the inside of the right thigh."

Richie Benaud (as the replay is played): "Yes….(replay shows the ball nipping up straight into the batsman's box)… just inside the left thigh as well."