Former Australian Test captain and veteran commentator Bill Lawry voiced what many felt when they heard about former cricketer and legendary broadcaster Richie Benaud's passing on Friday, as he said that there would not be 'another Richie Benaud'
Benaud passed away on Friday overnight in his sleep aged 84 after battling skin cancer. Channel Nine's cricket commentary has undergone a generational change in recent years, but the one irreplaceable face has been that of Benaud, a trained journalist and former Sydney police rounds reporter.
Lawry said that he doesn't think that they would ever see another 'Richie Benaud'. He added that Benaud's love for the game, his demeanour, his expert ability to be able to write or call games the way they should be called, is second to none, Stuff.co.nz reported.
Lawry claimed that it was a sad day, adding that he believes that Benaud's wife Daphne and the family would be quite relieved that the commentary doyen is no longer with them because he had been very, very sick.
Lawry said that from the general public point of view, he believes it's a sad loss from somebody who has been in their homes for most of their lives. He claimed that if someone is 50 years of age, then that person has known Benaud, whether they are a sports person or not.
Lawry claimed that Benaud has just been a true professional and added that to him, personally, he lost a great friend.