The Dubai press box is decorated by a framed picture of the late Richie Benaud, one of the finest cricket commentators and former Test captain of Australia (photo:Dhaka Tribune/Ali Shahriyar Bappa)
Ali Shahriyar Amin from Dubai
Publish : 12 Nov 2021, 07:24 AMUpdate : 24 Dec 2021, 05:00 PM
One of the first things I noticed in the Dubai Press Box after entering the beautifully decorated media center was a framed picture of an absolute legend of the game.
It was the picture of the Voice of Cricket, Richie Benaud holding a microphone in his hand.
Standing in front of his picture, it was a sudden flashback for me of hearing Benaud’s commentary during many series in the Australian summers from the last two decades.
I have another fond memory of Benaud’s voice as in my teenage days, in early 2000s, I used to play computer games of cricket on my desktop PC a lot.
Those were the days of Windows 98 or Windows XP and I spent many hours playing EA Sports cricket games on my computer.
And one of the most entertaining parts of that gaming time was Benaud’s serene voice.
It was actually pre-programmed commentary lines during game play but Benaud’s voice took it to another level for me.
It is impossible to frame him for just one role as Benaud was a great leg-spinning all-rounder during his playing days in the 1960s, and he was also the former Test captain of Australia.
But his post retirement activities in cricket bestowed countless contributions to the game.
Benaud was a journalist, sports columnist, broadcaster, commentator after his retirement and received many awards for his contributions to the game.
Dubai Press Box also has framed pictures of other legendary and famous commentators who have passed away, like Christopher Martin-Jenkins and Tony Cozier.
Martin-Jenkins was a British cricket journalist and president of the prestigious Marylebone Cricket Club.
He was also the longest serving commentator for Test Match Special on BBC Radio, from 1973 until diagnosed with terminal cancer.
He passed away in 2013.
And Cozier was a famous Barbadian cricket journalist, writer, and radio commentator on West Indian cricket for over half a century.
If Benaud was the voice of Australian cricket then Cozier was surely the voice of West Indies cricket.
But among these three legendary commentators, Benaud’s voice was more attached to me as from my childhood, I was a fan of Australian cricket and followed their cricket or Test matches for many years.
During Bangladesh v Australia match-day, I worked for the last time at the Dubai press box in this T20 World Cup.
Bangladesh had a horrible end to the mega event and it was a frustrating day for the Bangladeshi journalists who came to cover the T20 World Cup.
When I was leaving the press box, I did not forget to stand for a moment in front of Benaud's picture again.
His famous lines like "Beautiful shot”, "Got 'em!" and "That's stumps” echoed in my ears for a few seconds before I left the media center.
The three legendary commentators Martin-Jenkins, Benaud and Cozier, framed in the Dubai press box, left us in 2013, 2015 and 2016 respectively.
Within three years cricket world lost three of its finest commentators.
Their live commentary is no more with us.
But their voice will live on in cricket.
So before leaving the press box, I murmured humbly: Goodbye legends, you are gone, but you will never be forgotten.
Tour Diary: Gone, but never to be forgotten
One of the first things I noticed in the Dubai Press Box after entering the beautifully decorated media center was a framed picture of an absolute legend of the game.
It was the picture of the Voice of Cricket, Richie Benaud holding a microphone in his hand.
Standing in front of his picture, it was a sudden flashback for me of hearing Benaud’s commentary during many series in the Australian summers from the last two decades.
I have another fond memory of Benaud’s voice as in my teenage days, in early 2000s, I used to play computer games of cricket on my desktop PC a lot.
Those were the days of Windows 98 or Windows XP and I spent many hours playing EA Sports cricket games on my computer.
And one of the most entertaining parts of that gaming time was Benaud’s serene voice.
It was actually pre-programmed commentary lines during game play but Benaud’s voice took it to another level for me.
It is impossible to frame him for just one role as Benaud was a great leg-spinning all-rounder during his playing days in the 1960s, and he was also the former Test captain of Australia.
But his post retirement activities in cricket bestowed countless contributions to the game.
Benaud was a journalist, sports columnist, broadcaster, commentator after his retirement and received many awards for his contributions to the game.
Dubai Press Box also has framed pictures of other legendary and famous commentators who have passed away, like Christopher Martin-Jenkins and Tony Cozier.
Martin-Jenkins was a British cricket journalist and president of the prestigious Marylebone Cricket Club.
He was also the longest serving commentator for Test Match Special on BBC Radio, from 1973 until diagnosed with terminal cancer.
He passed away in 2013.
And Cozier was a famous Barbadian cricket journalist, writer, and radio commentator on West Indian cricket for over half a century.
If Benaud was the voice of Australian cricket then Cozier was surely the voice of West Indies cricket.
But among these three legendary commentators, Benaud’s voice was more attached to me as from my childhood, I was a fan of Australian cricket and followed their cricket or Test matches for many years.
During Bangladesh v Australia match-day, I worked for the last time at the Dubai press box in this T20 World Cup.
Bangladesh had a horrible end to the mega event and it was a frustrating day for the Bangladeshi journalists who came to cover the T20 World Cup.
When I was leaving the press box, I did not forget to stand for a moment in front of Benaud's picture again.
His famous lines like "Beautiful shot”, "Got 'em!" and "That's stumps” echoed in my ears for a few seconds before I left the media center.
The three legendary commentators Martin-Jenkins, Benaud and Cozier, framed in the Dubai press box, left us in 2013, 2015 and 2016 respectively.
Within three years cricket world lost three of its finest commentators.
Their live commentary is no more with us.
But their voice will live on in cricket.
So before leaving the press box, I murmured humbly: Goodbye legends, you are gone, but you will never be forgotten.
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