Benaud is one of the earliest full-length biographies of Richie Benaud, written and published while he was still actively shaping his reputation as Australia’s most influential post-war cricketer and captain.
 
Authored by A. G. (“Johnnie”) Moyes — one of Australia’s most respected cricket journalists — the book provides a contemporary portrait of Benaud as a thinking all-rounder, tactician, and leader, rather than a retrospective legend. Moyes traces Benaud’s development from New South Wales prodigy to Test captain, with particular emphasis on his bowling craft, batting resilience, and calm authority on the field.
 
The narrative is firmly grounded in the cricketing context of the late 1950s and early 1960s, covering:
Benaud’s rise through Australian domestic cricket
His emergence as a leading Test all-rounder
The transformation of Australia’s Test side under his captaincy
His approach to leadership, sportsmanship, and attacking cricket
 
Illustrated throughout with black-and-white photographs, the book captures Benaud at the height of his playing powers and reflects the tone of mid-century Australian cricket writing — measured, analytical, and respectful of the game’s traditions.
 
As a contemporary biography, Benaud offers insights unavailable in later works written after his retirement, making it an important reference point for collectors and historians of Australian Test cricket.