Bob Simpson, one of Australian cricket’s towering figures, has died at the age of 89, Cricket Australia confirmed on Friday.
Across two decades in the baggy green, Simpson featured in 62 Tests between 1957 and 1978, scoring 4869 runs at an average of 46.81 and claiming 71 wickets with his part-time spin.
He captained the side in 39 matches, guiding them to 12 victories. Famously, he returned from retirement at 41 to lead a depleted Australian team during the turbulent years of World Series Cricket.
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From the field to the dressing room
After hanging up his boots, Simpson went on to reshape Australian cricket from the sidelines.
Appointed the country’s first full-time coach, he inherited a side that had gone four years without a series win and rebuilt it into one of the world’s most formidable outfits. His tenure included the 1987 World Cup triumph, four Ashes victories and the 1995 Frank Worrell Trophy, ending a 17-year wait against the West Indies.
Recognition for his service came in abundance. He entered the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1985, the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame in 2006 and the ICC’s Hall of Fame in 2013. He was also made a Member of the Order of Australia in 1978.
“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 in a statement. “On behalf of Cricket Australia, I would like to express my warmest condolences to Bob’s family, friends, teammates and all those touched by his vast contribution to cricket.”
The men’s national team will observe a moment’s silence before Saturday’s ODI against South Africa in Cairns.