Benaud joins Hall of Fame by Cricket Archive Staff Reporter

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Player:

R Benaud, CG Macartney

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DateLine: 5th February 2007

 

Legendary commentator and former Australia captain Richie Benaud will be inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame at the 2007 Allan Border Medal on Monday night. The champion leg-spinner and Charles Macartney will be in illustrious company, joining 25 predecessors in the Hall of Fame, which was established in 1996. "It is a great privilege to be inducted to the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame which, in my view, is the most prestigious of its kind in the sporting world," Benaud said. "There are 25 people in the Hall of Fame at the moment. I played cricket with or against eight of them and watched eight others from various grandstands at the Sydney Cricket Ground." Benaud, who claimed 248 wickets in 63 Tests and hit three centuries, was thrilled to be inducted with Macartney. Macartney was a fine batsman in the early 1900s, averaging 41.78 with the bat in 35 Tests, as well as being a useful finger spinner. "Of particular pleasure is that I am listed with Charlie Macartney, one of the greats of the game," the 76-year-old Benaud said. "My father Lou's 17th birthday present from his parents way back in February 1921 was to travel from Coraki to Sydney to watch Warwick Armstrong's team create a clean sweep of the five-match series, with Macartney making a brilliant 170." A selection panel including ex-players, administrators and media chooses Hall of Fame inductees, with players required to have been retired for at least five years to be eligible. Benaud will be present on the night, while former Australian captain Ian Chappell will present the award to Macartney's biographer, Peter Sharpham. Australian Cricket Hall of Fame: Inducted 1996 - Fred Spofforth, John Blackham, Victor Trumper, Clarrie Grimmett, Bill Ponsford, Sir Donald Bradman, Bill O'Reilly, Keith Miller, Ray Lindwall and Dennis Lillee 2000 - Warwick Armstrong, Neil Harvey and Allan Border 2001 - Bill Woodfull and Arthur Morris 2002 - Stan McCabe and Greg Chappell 2003 - Lindsay Hassett and Ian Chappell 2004 - Hugh Trumble and Alan Davidson 2005 - Clement Hill and Rod Marsh 2006 - Monty Noble and Bob Simpson 2007 - Charles Macartney and Richie Benaud