Bob Simpson, former Australian captain passes away age 89, played 62 Tests and would then go on to shape Australian cricket.
Former Australia captain and coach Bob Simpson dies aged 89.
Bob Simpson, the first full-time coach and former Test captain, passed away in Sydney at the age of 89, leaving Australian cricket without a giant.
Among the most significant individuals in Australian cricket history is Simpson. Known as one of the best slip fielders of his era, he averaged 46.81 in 62 Test matches from 1957 to 1978 and took 71 wickets. Simpson, whose legspin would go on to collect 21,029 runs and take 349 wickets, made his first-class debut for New South Wales at the age of 16.
One of Australia’s best openers for 11 years, he played 50 Test matches and led 29 of them until first retiring from the game in 1968. However, following the World Series Cricket schism in 1977, he made a remarkable comeback as Test captain during Australia cricket’s time of need. At 41, Simpson took the lead in five Test matches at home against India and five away matches against a West Indies team that was playing at full strength at the time.
Including 311 against England in Manchester in 1964, his first hundred in his 30th Test match, and two further double-centuries, he finished with eleven Test hundreds, all of which he achieved while serving as captain.
After failing to reach a century and averaging just 33.67 before to taking over as captain from Richie Benaud during the home summer of 1963–64, he averaged 54.07.
Together with Bill Lawry, Simpson created one of Australia’s most successful Test opening combinations; their 382 against the West Indies in 1965 still stands as the first wicket record.
In 1986, when Australia’s on-field performance as a Test nation was at its lowest point and they had not won a series for more than two years, Simpson was once more called upon by the then Australian Cricket Broad (now Cricket Australia).
David Boon, Dean Jones, Steve Waugh, Craig McDermott, and Merv Hughes were among the younger players chosen to revitalise Australian cricket, and Simpson played a key role in fostering a culture of discipline and hard work in them alongside skipper Allan Border.
Mark Taylor, Ian Healy, Mark Waugh, Shane Warne, Justin Langer, Matthew Hayden, Damien Martyn, Glenn McGrath, and Ricky Ponting were among the players chosen and coached by Simpson until his retirement in 1996. He was added to the selection panel in 1987, which was chaired by Laurie Sawle.
“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,” Cricket Australia chair Mike Baird said. “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.”