Former Australian cricketer Bob Simpson passes away at the age of 89

Bob Simpson

Bob Simpson, who has died at the age of 89, was the archetypal granite-jawed comic-book Australian cricketer who opened the batting, bowled leg-spin and is still cited as the greatest slip catcher the game has seen.

Across four decades, in different roles, he was a key figure in Australian cricket. Picked for the first time on the 1957-58 tour of South Africa, Simpson, nicknamed ‘Simmo,' took 30 Tests before scoring his first hundred against England at Manchester in 1964, by which time he was also skipper.

He made sure to cash in, going on to post 311 in that Old Trafford innings, the first of his Test centuries - at that time the second highest individual score by an Australian after Don Bradman's 334 against England in 1930.

Special maiden century

He is one of only three batsman whose maiden Test centuries were triples, the others being the great West Indian Garry Sobers and India's Karun Nair. In 62 Tests, which stretched between 1957 and 1978, Simpson racked up 4,869 runs at an average of 46, took 71 wickets and pocketed 110 catches.

Australia's Bob Simpson. PICS/Getty Images

He had two spells as captain, first in the 1960s and then again as a 41-year-old recalled to the side a decade later when Kerry Packer's World Series Cricket deprived Australia of its most experienced cricketers. Simpson also played two ODIs for Australia.

Rebuilt Australia as coach

And in the mid-1980s he took over as coach, working alongside captain Allan Border to rebuild a mediocre Australia team and turning them into the dominant force in world cricket.

Robert Baddeley Simpson was born in the Sydney suburb of Marrickville on February 3, 1936, the third son of immigrant parents from Scotland whose belief in physical and mental toughness rubbed off on young Bobby.

He was still only 16 when he made his debut for New South Wales against Victoria in the 1952-53 season. It took a move to Western Australia though to get enough cricket to nudge the selectors.

4869
No of runs scored by Bob Simpson in Tests

71
No of wickets taken by Bob Simpson in 62 matches