Bob Simpson, a former participant, captain and coach and one of the vital influential figures in Australian cricket, has died on the age of 89.
Cricket Australia on Saturday confirmed the loss of life of Simpson, who represented Australia in 62 checks and two one-day internationals between 1957 and 1978.
Simpson scored 4,869 check runs, together with 10 centuries and 27 half-centuries, and took 71 wickets, whereas captaining Australia in 39 checks. Simpson was simply 16 when he made his first-class debut for New South Wales state in opposition to Victoria.
He additionally coached Australia from 1986 to 1996 and below his agency and regular steerage, Australia received the 1987 World Cup, 4 Ashes campaigns and in 1995 the Frank Worrell Trophy, ending a 17-year drought in opposition to the West Indies.
Cricket Australia mentioned the Australian crew can pay tribute to Simpson with a second’s silence earlier than Saturday evening’s one-day worldwide in opposition to South Africa at Cairns in northern Australia and also will put on black armbands.
Simpson made his check debut in opposition to South Africa in Johannesburg in 1957, and his first century got here in an Ashes check at Outdated Trafford in 1964, when Simpson went on to attain 311. He’s one in every of solely seven Australians to make a triple-century.
He was additionally one of many best slip-fielders, taking 110 catches.
Australia Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was among the many first to pay tribute to Simpson.
“Bob Simpson’s extraordinary service to Australian cricket spanned generations. As a participant, captain after which era-defining coach, he set the best requirements for himself and the champions he led,” Albanese wrote on X. “He shall be lengthy remembered by the sport he cherished. Could he relaxation in peace.”
Simpson was inducted into the ICC Cricket Corridor of Fame in 2013.
“As an excellent opening batter, unimaginable slips fielder and useful spin bowler, Bob was a mainstay of a really robust Australian crew within the Sixties, and he grew to become a pacesetter throughout the sport as Australian and New South Wales captain and as a coach.” Cricket Australia chairman Mike Baird mentioned in an announcement.
“Bob’s choice to return out of retirement to efficiently lead the Australian crew throughout the creation of World Collection cricket in 1977 was an exquisite service to the sport, and his teaching set the muse for a golden period for Australian cricket.”
