Australia's leading cricket historian has revealed that it was the meeting between legendary batsman Sir Donald Bradman and former skipper Richie Benaud that revolutionized the sport and laid the foundations for an attacking brand of cricket.
Ahead of the 1960-61 tour by the West Indies, Australia's cricket selector Bradman had asked the nation's captain Benaud, the legendary commentary doyen who passed away on Friday aged 84 after battling skin cancer, for a sit-down.
Australia's leading cricket historian, Mike Coward, revealed that in Benaud's room at Lennon's Hotel in Brisbane, Bradman had told him that the selectors would look in kindly fashion on players who play aggressively and were clearly thinking about those who pay their money at the turnstiles, News.com.au reported.
In the previous decade crowds had dwindled and interest in Test cricket was beyond waning. Coward revealed that Bradman had made it clear to Benaud that the drabness and dullness of the game could not continue, and that it needed to be attractive.
Coward revealed that Benaud took that on board, adding that he spoke to rival captain Frank Worrell, who also took that on board.
Also Read
What followed was one of the most famous Test series in the game's history including the tied Test that currently stands as the most exciting match played, because both teams attacked for the win rather than defending for the draw.
The foundations of attacking cricket were laid down in that series and they filtered through to the 70s, 80s and 90s, and can even be seen currently.
Following the success of the 60-61 Worrell Trophy series, Benaud and Bradman shared a close relationship, but that was shattered when Kerry Packer introduced World Series cricket, and the two iconic cricketers didn't speak for two years while the greatest evolution in the game's history transpired.
Coward revealed that when Benaud got involved with World Series, that rocked Bradman, adding that the commentary doyen was seen very much as an establishment figure but he was often critical and quite trenchant in his demands for the administration to be progressive.
He added that after World Series, Bradman and Benaud mended their relationship and ended up having a respectful rapport.
Coward claimed that Benaud was the most significant cricketer in Australia outside of Bradman, because of his style of leadership, and by making players more accessible to the media and therefore the public.
