Richie Benaud: Friends and family bid adieu to legend one last time

Sydney: A private funeral and commemoration service attended by ex-players Shane Warne and Ian Chappell was held on Wednesday for former Australia cricket captain and commentator Richie Benaud.

Cricket commentator Ian Chappell makes a speech during Richie Benaud's funeral ceremony. (Photo: AP)

Flowers are placed at the foot of a statue of former Australia cricket captain Richie Benaud at the Sydney Cricket Ground. (Photo: AP)

Benaud died last Friday at the age of 84 of complications from skin cancer. His wife, Daphne, declined a government offer for a state funeral in favour of a smaller service at the Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park attended only by family and close friends.

Sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik creates a sand sculpture to pay tribute to late Richie Benaud. (Photo: AP)

Benaud's former teammate, Brian Booth, led the service. In the memorial booklet, his family described Benaud as "a special person who means so much to each of us in many different ways."

Later at a commemoration service, Warne and Chappell were joined by former Australia captain Mark Taylor and current test skipper Michael Clarke. Benaud, considered one of the most influential cricket identities of the past century, played 63 tests for Australia but was more well-known for his career in the commentating booth.

Taylor said following Benaud's death, that the celebrated television personality covered all the bases. "I think that's what set him apart from a lot of people who came before him and probably after him. That he loved playing, he loved competing and he loved commentating and being involved in the game," Taylor said.

In the hours after Benaud's death, Warne took to Instagram to post a photo of an introspective Benaud, along with the words, "I've known you & Daphne for close to 30 years & to everyone you were a legend on all levels & rightly so too. As a cricketer, commentator & as a person, you were the best there's ever been."