Obituary: As Richie Benaud would have said ... it's been marvellous
A record-breaking leg-spinner and cricket captain, he then became the voice of summer as doyen of commentators
The moments of silence across the globe as cricket fans reflect on Richie Benaud's life will speak volumes about his contribution to the game.
It was the frequent pauses - the air time between comments - as much as the insightful observations and dry wit that endeared the elegant former Australian test captain to people who followed cricket.
He spoke with an assured authority, clipping his words in a distinctive manner that spurred so much reverent mimicry that added to his appeal.
After Don Bradman, there has been no Australian player more famous or more influential than Richie Benaud
Benaud, who was born on October 6, 1930, at Penrith in Sydney's outer west, died on Friday at the age of 84 from complications from skin cancer.
He took months to recover from chest and shoulder injuries after crashing his vintage sports car on the way home from a round of golf in October 2013.
Last November, he revealed he was receiving treatment for skin cancer.
"When I was a kid we never ever wore a cap ... because [teammate] Keith Miller never wore a cap," Benaud said at the time. "If I knew, when I was at school and playing in my early cricket days, the problems that would have come if I didn't do something about protection of the head and using sunscreens and all sorts of things like that, I'd have played it differently."