Former Australia captain and coach Bob Simpson passes away at 89
A towering figure in Australian cricket, Simpson played 62 Tests and later became the team's first full-time coach, playing a crucial role in revitalising Australian cricket during the late 1980s and 1990s under the leadership of Allan Border and Mark Taylor.
'Bob Simpson was one of the greats of Australian cricket and this is a sad day for anyone fortunate to have watched him play or who benefited from his wisdom,' said Cricket Australia chairman Mike Baird.
"Bob's decision to come out of retirement to successfully lead the Australian team during the advent of World Series Cricket in 1977 was a wonderful service to the game, and his coaching set the foundation for a golden era for Australian cricket."
Simpson made his Test debut in 1957 against South Africa and went on to score 4,869 runs at an average of 46.81. His career included 10 centuries and 27 half-centuries. Initially selected as an all-rounder, Simpson evolved into a dependable opening batter throughout the 1960s. In 1964, he set a then-record by scoring 1,381 runs in a calendar year, which included his highest Test score of 311 against England in Manchester. Over the next two years, he added two more double centuries to his tally, among several other big innings.
"Bob Simpson's extraordinary service to Australian cricket spanned generations. As a player, captain and then era-defining coach, he set the highest of standards for himself and the champions he led. He will be long remembered by the game he loved. May he rest in peace," Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese wrote on X.
In addition to his batting prowess, Simpson was an effective legspinner, claiming 71 wickets in Tests. He was also known for his sharp fielding in the slips. His best bowling figures came in his final Test before his first retirement - an eight-wicket haul against India - which included one of his two five-wicket hauls in Tests.
After retiring following the 1968 home series against India, Simpson made a comeback in 1977 at the age of 41 to captain Australia again, stepping in after several players joined World Series Cricket. He led the side during the home series against India and on the tour to the West Indies before stepping away from the game once more.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hans India
43 minutes ago
- Hans India
Only way I see Jadeja getting injured is doing a rotator cuff via his celebration, says Lee
Ravindra Jadeja's trademark sword-swinging celebration has been a common sight on the cricketing field. But former Australia pacer Brett Lee has cautioned the veteran all-rounder in pulling off the celebration, saying he is at the risk of injuring his rotator cuff muscle. Jadeja amassed 516 runs in the drawn 2-2 Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy Test series against England, including hitting five half-centuries and one hundred. 'The thing with Jadeja, the only way I see him getting injured is doing a rotator cuff with his, the way he does a sword celebration. So, I love it. Look after your body. Don't celebrate too hard,' said Lee on his YouTube channel on Sunday. Jadeja retired from T20Is after India's T20 World Cup win last year. But he continues to remain a force to reckon with in Tests and ODIs for India. Lee, the former Australian speedster went on to shower praise on Jadeja, and predicted he will go on to play 100 Test matches for India. 'Another sort of 15 Tests, it's about two years. I think he'll go past the 100 mark. I think he's one of the best all-rounders that we've seen. 36 years of age, he's still got a good couple of years left in him.' 'The term we like to use, factory-made cricketer. He has everything that a cricketer needs, and I think he ticks every single box. He does the basics right, he's got a simple technique, no fuss. He runs in and bowls accurately, he bowls the correct line and length when needed, and gets through his overs quickly.' '36 years of age, but the fittest. He's the fittest in the team, he covers a lot of ground, and he prides himself on being the fittest. That is probably the reason why he never shies away from those big moments. He likes to be in the game, he's an entertainer, and he's probably one of the factory cricketers that if you put everything into a mix, throw it into a bucket, mix all up, pick out your best cricketer, Jadeja will be at the top of the list,' he concluded.
India Today
43 minutes ago
- India Today
Alex Carey enjoying gloveless role for Australia in ODIs with Josh Inglis' rise
Alex Carey said that he hasn't had any issues while transitioning from a specialist wicketkeeper to being a specialist batter for Australia in ODIs. Carey has played 80 ODIs for Australia, and has played 74 of them as a keeper. It's only recently that Carey has given up the keeping gloves for Inglis, who has been a regular feature of the Australian ODI year, Carey kept only once on the tour of Sri Lanka, while Inglis donned the keeping gloves in the Champions Trophy. The southpaw said that he's happy to play the role that his team needs from him in the 50-over format."I think it's worked pretty well in the last six months. Any chance I get to play for Australia, I'm happy. I don't mind running around in the field and getting some Ks into the legs,' Carey was quoted as saying on "I was out of the team for a little while post-World Cup and to be able to get back in and play some cricket in the white-ball format, it's been great. Happy to play whatever the role,' Carey was Australia's first-choice wicketkeeper in ODIs for nearly five years, from 2018 until he was dropped after just one match during the 2023 World Cup in India. Since then, Josh Inglis has taken over the Carey's adaptability has remained evident as he recently made his T20I comeback after a four-year absence. Stepping in for an unwell Inglis during the T20I series against South Africa, Carey impressed with the bat, scoring 26 off 18 balls, including three performance showcased his readiness to contribute in any role, underscoring his value to the Australian has shown his skill across formats. In Tests, he scored 2010 runs at an average of 34.65, with a highest score of 156. In ODIs, he managed 2149 runs at 35.81, with one century. His T20I record includes 259 runs at a keeper, Carey has also impressed with 159 catches in Tests, 91 in ODIs, and 19 in T20Is, highlighting his reliability behind the stumps.- EndsMust Watch
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
an hour ago
- First Post
'Stop hoarding the privilege and start sharing the responsibility': Mitchell Johnson slams Cricket Australia CEO
Former Australian pacer Mitchell Johnson strongly criticized Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg for advocating that Test cricket should be exclusive to a select few nations. Former Australian pacer Mitchell Johnson has slammed Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg's suggestion to limit Test cricket to fewer nations. As per Greenberg, only top teams should compete in the longest format of the game, as it will ensure financial viability as well as high-quality contests. 'I don't think everyone in world cricket needs to aspire to play Test cricket, and that might be OK…literally we're trying to send countries bankrupt if we force them to try to play Test cricket'. Quoted by The West Australian. He pointed to the Ashes as an example of how meaningful rivalries between elite nations remain profitable. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Johnson does not see eye to eye with CA CEO Johnson firmly opposed the idea, arguing in his West Australian column that reducing opportunities for developing nations would harm the essence of the game. He emphasised that true leadership involves uplifting others, not eliminating them. 'The solution isn't to scale Test cricket down to three or four rich countries,' Johnson wrote. 'It's to help the rest grow. Players want it, fans want it — so why are we making it so hard? What these nations lack isn't passion, it's support. And if the ICC and the so-called big three want to protect the future, they need to stop hoarding the privilege and start sharing the responsibility.' More from First Cricket 'We're going to...': Alyssa Healy warns of spin challenge ahead of Women's World Cup 2025 Johnson also stressed the notion that there are factors beyond the broadcasting revenue that should be considered as well. He supported his stance by presenting the example of Sri Lanka vs Pakistan, a series that may not break viewership records but means a lot for the players and fans, something which should be protected at all cost. 'A Sri Lanka v Pakistan series might not break streaming records, but to the players and fans it means everything. You don't protect that by cutting it off. You protect it by investing in it.' Johnson further stated that when money can be poured into different T20 leagues, the similar reservation can be made for Test cricket. He said that money should be diverted towards the right direction. 'The money is there — it's just being pointed the wrong way,' Johnson wrote.
