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Over But Not Out: My Life So Far
Few people understand cricket as well as Richie Benaud. Born in New South Wales, he was a high class attacking batsman and a masterful leg-break bowler, captaining Australia in 28 of the 63 Tests in which he played. After retiring as a player in 1964, Richie Benaud quickly became a successful TV commentator. No one else has found such favor with the vast majority of cricket lovers at both ends of the world for so long. He has known every major figure in cricket for forty years, as colleague and friend or both, and with his gift as a raconteur, this is a cricket autobiography like no other. Now fully updated to also include the last 10 years of Richie's career, Anything But An Autobiography is the must-read cricket book of 2010.
404 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2010
About the author
Richie Benaud
54 books7 followersRichard "Richie" Benaud OBE (born October 6, 1930 in Penrith, New South Wales) is an Australian former cricketer who, since his retirement from international cricket in 1964, has become a highly regarded commentator on the game.
Benaud was a world-class Test cricket all-rounder, blending thoughtful leg spin bowling with lower order batting aggression. Along with fellow bowling all rounder Alan Davidson, he helped restore Australia to the top of world cricket in the late 1950s and early 1960s after a slump in the early 1950s. In 1958 he became captain of the Australian cricket team and, until his retirement in 1964, took international cricket into the modern era by emphasizing the need for positive play, using his media expertise to communicate his and his team's goals clearly and effectively.
He was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 1961 for services to cricket.
Benaud was a world-class Test cricket all-rounder, blending thoughtful leg spin bowling with lower order batting aggression. Along with fellow bowling all rounder Alan Davidson, he helped restore Australia to the top of world cricket in the late 1950s and early 1960s after a slump in the early 1950s. In 1958 he became captain of the Australian cricket team and, until his retirement in 1964, took international cricket into the modern era by emphasizing the need for positive play, using his media expertise to communicate his and his team's goals clearly and effectively.
He was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 1961 for services to cricket.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 29, 2024
Like a lot of autobiographies, it ran out of steam after a long , detailed start. The most notable aspect of Benaud's climb up the cricket ladder was the oppressive nature of administration and the games played off the field to get selected. I would have liked more of his involvement in WSC to be included but i seemed glossed over. Little wonder that Benaud was knee deep in setting Packer up against the same administrators who had caned his brother over the Addidas shoes and had regularly worked against his friends in the game such as Neil Harvey.
September 22, 2019
I particularly liked the story about the New Zealand pharmacist who provided Benaud with a curative mixture for his raw and damaged spinning finger. We have a deal of measured autobiographical material in this volume, but I get the impression we are only learning what the author wishes to reveal and no more. There's a certain coldness which I find hard to reconcile with his on field presence and the almost universal regard with which he is held by those who played with him.
February 14, 2022
Richie Benaud was a skilled cricketer, a knowledgeable reporter and broadcaster, and an enthusiastic supporter of the sport, but too often I found his writing in this book to be dry and lacking complete cohesion – possibly due to its editor, and not the author?
Regardless, Richie shares interesting details about his youth and junior development as a player, and provides many details about teammates, opposition players, tours, selectors, captaincy, team management, injuries (including the wear and tear of spin bowling) and controversies. It’s all very readable, and at times quite illuminating, however, sometimes it’s a bit of a slog to get through. Chapter 33 ‘The Greatest Series’ is a clear standout; describing the 2005 Ashes with colourful details that capture some of the ever-changing excitement of that dramatic series.
Unfortunately, Richie’s sharp-minded wit is mostly missing here; a quality that made him one of the most enjoyable commentators I’ve listened to in any sport. It’s also an element that would have added significant appeal to the final product, providing a more personal touch in contrast to all of the comprehensive data, tour and match summaries, and observations shared about his life and the evolving game of cricket.
Regardless, Richie shares interesting details about his youth and junior development as a player, and provides many details about teammates, opposition players, tours, selectors, captaincy, team management, injuries (including the wear and tear of spin bowling) and controversies. It’s all very readable, and at times quite illuminating, however, sometimes it’s a bit of a slog to get through. Chapter 33 ‘The Greatest Series’ is a clear standout; describing the 2005 Ashes with colourful details that capture some of the ever-changing excitement of that dramatic series.
Unfortunately, Richie’s sharp-minded wit is mostly missing here; a quality that made him one of the most enjoyable commentators I’ve listened to in any sport. It’s also an element that would have added significant appeal to the final product, providing a more personal touch in contrast to all of the comprehensive data, tour and match summaries, and observations shared about his life and the evolving game of cricket.
March 15, 2022
A great read
I have always enjoyed listening to Richie Benaud over the many years of watching and following cricket and to read his book was not only insightful into the world of cricket, but bought back a lot of memories as well. I highly recommend his book. Thanks
I have always enjoyed listening to Richie Benaud over the many years of watching and following cricket and to read his book was not only insightful into the world of cricket, but bought back a lot of memories as well. I highly recommend his book. Thanks
April 17, 2022
- Book Review: "Over But Not Out: My Life So Far" by Richie Benaud - 📚🏏🇦🇺
Written in 2010, Richie Benaud shares the memoirs of his distinguished 50+ year career as both cricketer and cricket journalist.
Born in Sydney to descendants of French Huguenots, Benaud played for New South Wales (and Australia) as a frontline leg-spinner and lower-order batter. His exploits as batter, bowler, and captain led to an extended period of success for Australia in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
Benaud became the first cricketer in Test cricket history to achieve the double milestone of "2,000 runs & 200 wickets", a unique achievement emulated since by only a select few.
At the same time as his cricketing career was taking off, Benaud invested time into developing a parallel career as a cricket writer, journalist, and broadcaster, such that by the time he retired in 1964, he transitioned seamlessly into the broadcasting side of cricket.
The book has several interesting aspects concerning Benaud.
One of the most interesting being Benaud's surprising support for short form cricket (ODIs & T20s), though he himself never played those formats at international level.
Secondly, he was far from a purist. He promoted an aggressive brand of attacking cricket, encouraging his team to make bold declarations and bat at a run-rate of 4 runs per over.
A third surprising aspect is his involvement in "mic-ing up" as a player some 33 years before it became a staple in modern cricket broadcasting.
For Bangladesh cricket fans, a pleasant surprise being that Beanud was also part of the 1959 Australian tour of Pakistan that involved a match hosted in Dacca, East Pakistan. Benaud played a pivotal role taking 8 wickets in the match as Australia beat Pakistan by 8 wickets.
Overall, the book will be "an absolutely marvelous" read for cricket lovers about the man who was without doubt "the voice of cricket" for multiple generations.
My rating: 4.5/5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌙
Written in 2010, Richie Benaud shares the memoirs of his distinguished 50+ year career as both cricketer and cricket journalist.
Born in Sydney to descendants of French Huguenots, Benaud played for New South Wales (and Australia) as a frontline leg-spinner and lower-order batter. His exploits as batter, bowler, and captain led to an extended period of success for Australia in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
Benaud became the first cricketer in Test cricket history to achieve the double milestone of "2,000 runs & 200 wickets", a unique achievement emulated since by only a select few.
At the same time as his cricketing career was taking off, Benaud invested time into developing a parallel career as a cricket writer, journalist, and broadcaster, such that by the time he retired in 1964, he transitioned seamlessly into the broadcasting side of cricket.
The book has several interesting aspects concerning Benaud.
One of the most interesting being Benaud's surprising support for short form cricket (ODIs & T20s), though he himself never played those formats at international level.
Secondly, he was far from a purist. He promoted an aggressive brand of attacking cricket, encouraging his team to make bold declarations and bat at a run-rate of 4 runs per over.
A third surprising aspect is his involvement in "mic-ing up" as a player some 33 years before it became a staple in modern cricket broadcasting.
For Bangladesh cricket fans, a pleasant surprise being that Beanud was also part of the 1959 Australian tour of Pakistan that involved a match hosted in Dacca, East Pakistan. Benaud played a pivotal role taking 8 wickets in the match as Australia beat Pakistan by 8 wickets.
Overall, the book will be "an absolutely marvelous" read for cricket lovers about the man who was without doubt "the voice of cricket" for multiple generations.
My rating: 4.5/5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌙
July 14, 2013
A review of one of Mr Benaud's previous books in, i think the Wisden Cricketer made the point that autobiography is not for Benaud; while he loves to talk about cricket he doesn't want to talk about himself. I approached this book with that in mind. I was surprised to find that there's much more about his achievements and struggles, struggles especially with those running Australian cricket in the past, and even some paragraphs about his personal life.
His heroes and mentors are written about lovingly, Don Bradman, Keith Miller, Arthur Morris, and Ray Lindwall; is appreciation for his contemporaries, especially Alan Davidson and Ken "Slasher" McKay is evident.
Benaud is sometimes accused of being too much of an apologist for the modern game, however i wonder whether this is fair, it seems to me he is damning of the events he doesn't care for. It's just that he spends much more time on the events and players in the modern game that he loves, Shane Warne, 20/20 matches, Andrew Flintoff and Brett Lee for example. As he believes that the game constantly evolves, and he admires the events of the past he's not sentimentally attached to it. I do admire that in him.
His training and background as a journalist shines out, the chapters are short, sentences to the point and not a word wasted. Those years on the Police round in Sydney in the 1950s do seem to have served him well.
I've missed his commentaries since Sky took over the broadcasting, his knowledge and especially his aridly dry humour is i am sure a big reason why i fell for is still, for me despite and sometimes because of the controversies, the greatest game in the world.
His heroes and mentors are written about lovingly, Don Bradman, Keith Miller, Arthur Morris, and Ray Lindwall; is appreciation for his contemporaries, especially Alan Davidson and Ken "Slasher" McKay is evident.
Benaud is sometimes accused of being too much of an apologist for the modern game, however i wonder whether this is fair, it seems to me he is damning of the events he doesn't care for. It's just that he spends much more time on the events and players in the modern game that he loves, Shane Warne, 20/20 matches, Andrew Flintoff and Brett Lee for example. As he believes that the game constantly evolves, and he admires the events of the past he's not sentimentally attached to it. I do admire that in him.
His training and background as a journalist shines out, the chapters are short, sentences to the point and not a word wasted. Those years on the Police round in Sydney in the 1950s do seem to have served him well.
I've missed his commentaries since Sky took over the broadcasting, his knowledge and especially his aridly dry humour is i am sure a big reason why i fell for is still, for me despite and sometimes because of the controversies, the greatest game in the world.
December 2, 2013
One of the most authoritative and well know voices in cricket Richie is a master in terms of his insight into the game. I remember getting up as a kid early mornings to watch test matched being played in Australia invariably to the eponymous voice of Test Match Cricket. The book takes us through his fascinating cricketing career and highlights the rise of a small town boy to the voice of cricket. His thoughts regarding the evolution of the game into its current form and suggestions for improvement highlight his ability to think ahead of the curve and make for an interesting read for any cricket fan.
December 29, 2016
Started off ok, chronicling his early years and his cricketing and broadcasting careers. However, the last few chapters were rambling and disjointed. He flitted from subject to subject giving his opinion of them randomly and, from there, the book seemed to lose its flow and continuity.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews