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IN PHOTO: Cricket commentator Richie Benaud (L) gives an address next to a picture of Australian businessman Kerry Packer and Tony Greig at a memorial service for Packer in the Sydney Opera House February 17, 2006. Packer, who was Australia's richest man, died on December 26, 2005 and even in death, Packer continued to stir divisive emotions on Friday as mourners and protesters gathered for a state memorial service at the Sydney Opera House. REUTERS/Will Burgess

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has offered a state funeral to cricketing legend Richie Benaud. Abbott said that there was hardly any Australian in the last 40 years, who had not heard his voice.

Benaud, popularly known as the “voice of cricket,” died at the age of 84 on Apr. 10. The former Australian cricket captain was a legendary cricket commentator who was one of the first icons in the field. He was fighting skin cancer and started receiving radiation treatment recently.

The Australian PM said that people would miss Benaud’s voice. He said that there was hardly anyone over the last 40 years, who had not been thrilled to Benaud’s cricket commentary or to his personality and character. Abbott called the cricketing legend as "a very, very effective cricketer, a great captain, a great character and great personality.”

Abbott added that Benaud was a part of the lives of millions of Australians. He said that the former Australian captain would “certainly be very much missed." “This is the greatest loss for cricket since the loss of Don Bradman and for that reason I'm pleased to have offered the Benaud family a state funeral," Abbott said, "There would be very few Australians who have not passed a summer in the company of Richie Benaud.”

The Australian prime minister associated Benaud with an Australian summer. He said that Benaud’s voice “was even more present than the chirping of the cicadas in Australian suburbs and towns.” He added that it was tragic that the voice had got “still.”

According to Abbott, Benaud was not only the “voice of cricket” but an extraordinarily successful Australian cricket captain as well. Benaud led Australia in 28 Tests for five years. Abbott informed that Benaud had never lost a Test series while he was the first cricketer to achieve 200 Test wickets and 2,000 Test runs.

The Australian cricket fraternity has started paying tribute to the legend. Michael Clarke said that it was an “extremely sad day” while David Warner said that he was “sad to hear the passing of the voice of cricket, great player and a true gentleman.”

Contact the writer: s.mukhopadhyay@ibtimes.com.au

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