Richie Benaud’s was the first Australian accent I ever heard (Obituary, 10 April). In 1956, as a 13-year-old, I was at the County Ground in Jesmond, Newcastle upon Tyne, watching the touring Australians play the Minor Counties. He was shouting at a fellow tourist outside the pavilion as I walked by. The Minor Counties v Tourists fixture at Jesmond was the only way many north-east youngsters could see their idols from overseas. I was amazed that men should come so far and so near to my home to play cricket.
Years later I noted that a fixture against touring Aussies had not been arranged for Jesmond. I wrote to Richie to tell him how wonderful it was for the public and, in particular, youngsters to be able to see the tourists and how sad it was that that opportunity was to be lost. He wrote back by return, agreeing, saying it was sad that there was no time to fit in all requests for fixtures, but that a fixture had been arranged for Belfast. At least, I thought, some folk would benefit. As ill-luck would have it, the Troubles in Belfast scuppered the fixture and the Jesmond match was restored. As soon as he learned this, Richie contacted me again with the good news. I am 72 now but there are some things you never forget. The Aussie twang in Jesmond and the kindness. He was a gem.
B Graham Bell
Penicuik, Midlothian
• Tributes paid to Richie Benaud serve to remind us of a lost world. At school, “What’s the score?” was the routine inquiry among pupils eager to know the progress of the MCC in the Test match. In summer holidays, we watched the Test on TV. Later in life, after a week’s work one could relax on Saturday watching the Test (in colour now), absorbed by the flow of play, sometimes with the TV sound turned off and the radio commentary on. These pleasures have gone. One can only watch a Test now by contributing to the wealth and power of a media baron. I imagine eager inquiries about “the score” are now rare in schools.
Robert Moore
Holywell, Flintshire
• For me, Richie Benaud was the doyen of all commentators, particularly because he understood the value of silence. Today’s commentators, in all sports, prattle endlessly, inanely and irritatingly about all sorts of trivia and irrelevant historical allusions. Richie knew when to let the game do the talking and his sparing comments were finely tuned to illuminate the events on the field.
Mike Turner
Teddington, Middlesex
