Richie Benaud praises Salman Butt after Pakistan’s inspiring win against Australians

Former Australian cricket captain and well-known commentator Richie Benaud has hailed Pakistan cricket captain Salman Butt as a hero for taking his team to victory against Australia after 15 years.“He batted splendidly and was a gracious winner. There were plenty of nerve-ends showing in the Pakistan run chase on the final morning of this second Test, but his calm approach was a novelty after all the chaos Pakistan have manufactured over the years,” says Benaud in an article for the News of The World. “Fifteen years since a Test win over Australia must have seemed like a nightmare, but Ricky Ponting's men were not good enough to win. On this final morning, they (Australians) bowled and caught magnificently,” he adds.“Ricky Ponting has plenty to do with the work in progress that forms the rehabilitation and restructuring of the top level of Australian cricket. In the aftermath of this match that restructuring has suddenly assumed much more damaging proportions with the Ashes battle starting in November,” Benaud said. “They (Pakistanis) will have derived far more from the game than the Australians,” he said.