Cricket: Benaud returns to the middle for coin toss

A familiar face took pride of place at the coin toss for the Third Test between Australia and South Africa at the Adelaide Oval.

Richie Benaud, the late cricket legend, returned to the crease in the guise of a commemorative 50c coin for the traditional start of the match.

The former Australian skipper, who attended 28 coin tosses during his playing career, had his likeness turned into a special collectable coin by the Royal Australian Mint.

The coin depicts Benaud in both his playing career and, more famously, behind the microphone as the “voice of cricket”.

However, Benaud couldn’t bring much luck to the Australians with South African skipper Faf du Plessis winning the toss and electing to bat.

The Mint will produce just 95, 929 of the coins, reflecting Benaud’s fine career in the middle.

Benaud died in April last year after being diagnosed with skin cancer.