Legendary Australian cricketer and coach Bob Simpson passes away at 89

Under Bob Simpson's tutelage, Australia won the 1987 World Cup and 1989 Ashes away from home.

Australian cricket has lost one of its great pillars with the passing of former captain and celebrated coach Bob Simpson in Sydney at the age of 89. A cricketer, leader, and mentor whose influence stretched across generations, Simpson leaves behind a legacy that will be remembered for ages.

Bob Simpson’s obituary

As a player, Simpson was among Australia’s finest openers of his era. Between 1957 and 1978, he played 62 Tests, scoring over 4,500 runs at an average of 46.81, and was admired for his sharp slip fielding and handy leg-spin. His 311 against England in Manchester in 1964 remains one of the great Ashes innings. Though he initially retired in 1968, he made a remarkable comeback a decade later, guiding a depleted Australian side during the World Series Cricket upheaval.

It was, however, as a coach where Simpson’s impact was truly transformative. Taking charge in 1986 during one of Australia’s lowest ebbs, he, alongside Allan Border, instilled discipline, fitness, and professionalism into a young side. That foundation produced stars like Steve Waugh, Shane Warne, and Glenn McGrath, paving the way for Australia’s dominance in the late 1980s and 1990s. Under his watch, they won the 1987 World Cup, regained the Ashes in 1989, and toppled the West Indies in 1995.

He was named Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1965. He is a member of the ICC Hall of Fame and the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame. To some, Simpson was a hard taskmaster; to others, a mentor who set them on the right path. But for Australian cricket, he was the man who held it together when it threatened to fall apart.