Richie Benaud ill, 300 Richies take his place at the SCG

The Richies club was born in 2009, when a group of 10 friends led by Michael Hennessey decided to celebrate their love for Benaud and his distinctive commentary style by dressing like him for the SCG Test. Since then, the size of the club has swelled to 300, with even a few Richettes — female Richies — turning up for the first time at the SCG on this occasion.

But it isn’t just another fan club. It is a fully functional group divided into various committees, each designated to handle specific tasks. The day begins with all the Richies congregating at the Unicorn Pub in Paddington. They are handed a silver wig and a microphone each, along with a song book that contains the many chants and verses for the group to recite during the course of the day.

“The only way to become a member is via a friend. I am in charge of the committee that makes the giant-sized microphones. They are made with three different chunks of foam,” says Aaron, who is Richie No. 20. “The attire, including the beige suits, have to be arranged for by the members themselves,” he explains.

The Richies have to follow a rule — they have to speak into the microphone at all times, like Aaron does. It doesn’t matter whether they are chanting lines or buying another beer at the counter. If they don’t speak into the microphone, they can be fined.

Generally, all the microphones carry a specific number, which could either indicate their membership status or the row in which they’re seated. On Wednesday, they filled up one section of the lower tier of the Clive Churchill Stand. “This time though, all the microphones are carrying only one number, 408, in honour of Phil Hughes,” says a member who calls himself Richie.

The Richies don’t shy away from stacking up their tally of Crown Lager and Tooheys Dry, or participating in the many drinking games that are indulged in. But they pride themselves on their behaviour. There’s a separate committee in place just to ensure that none of the Richies abuse the players or go overboard with their beer intake. “There are 10 of us always manning the bay, ensuring that there is no form of delinquency. We are here to spread the word of Richie. We are not his fans but his devotees,” says a member.

“Richie, we really miss you, and we can’t wait to have you back,” adds Aaron. There was talk this summer of Benaud commentating from home, but that hasn’t worked out.

The third day of the SCG Test has traditionally been the Jane McGrath Day in honour of Glenn McGrath’s late wife and to spread breast cancer awareness. Hennessey & Co have dubbed Day Two as Richies Day, and they hope to fill a whole bay during the next Ashes.

Somewhere in suburban Sydney, you may hear the real Richie going, “Marvelllloushh!”