Well played Mr Benaud. We need more public figures like you

He came to occupy a unique status as the voice of commentary for traditional, five-day Test matches. Today, the British press and media have been as quick to heap praise on him as their Australian counterparts. This is testament to the man's decency and fairness, as much as his sporting knowledge.

Benaud offered punditry without ever loudly supporting any team – despite his proud record as a bowler and all-rounder for Australia. In fact, he called the 2005 Ashes tournament, won by England, the greatest Test series of all time.

Richie Benaud’s approach to broadcasting – and, one suspects, to life – was that if he couldn’t add anything through his TV commentary, he would say nothing. Unlike many who’ve followed him - both in the media and in politics - his punditry involved silence, too – especially when the pictures or events told the whole story.

He would have approved, I think, of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s dictum for public figures and speakers: ‘Be sincere, be brief and be seated.’

Benaud knew not only how to be silent during a game, he also recognised when it was time to move toward a permanent silence, stepping aside for emerging generations.

Though he was still broadcasting in Australia late in his life – the public would have demanded it anyway – he did not do so with any inflated sense of his own importance.

His colleagues, to a man, respected him, as did cricketing fans from Australian Prime Ministers down, yet he saw himself as one of a team and behaved in public with humility and grace.

When a well-loved public figure passes, it is easy to become hagiographic about their achievements, character and personality.

We perhaps know relatively little of Richie Benaud the man, away from the world of cricket. By all indications he was much loved by family and friends – he passed away surrounded by his wife and children.

Yet the public side of his life is laid open before us. He played that game with distinction. We need more public figures like him, in every sphere and not least politics. Thank you and well played, Mr. Benaud.