text: The Legendary voice of Australian cricket Richie Benaud has been described as a national treasure and a cricket icon after his death, aged 84. The cricket commentator had been receiving radiation treatment for skin cancer since November when he was admitted to a Sydney hospice on Thursday. Benaud  died peacefully in his sleep overnight  surrounded by his wife Daphne and family members. A veteran of 63 Test matches, Benaud played a pivotal role in the formation of World Series Cricket in the 1970s and was one of the world's most recognised commentators. Tributes have been flowing for the legendary commentator and one of Australia's most influential cricketers. Scroll down for videos . Cricket commentator Richie Benaud has died aged 84 in a Sydney hospice after battling skin cancer . 'Our country has lost a national treasure,' Cricket Australia chairman Wally Edwards said in a statement on Friday. 'After Don Bradman, there has been no Australian player more famous or more influential than Richie Benaud.' Australian Test captain Michael Clarke said Benaud was a gentleman who played cricket in the right spirit. 'He was a great player and a great captain; a wonderful leader of men and he continued that off the field,' Clarke told the Nine Network. 'He loved winning. He helped the Australian team have the attitude where they wanted to win. He played the game the right way. 'There's no doubt he's certainly going to be missed.' Former Australian fast bowler Brett Lee said: 'When Richie walks into the Channel Nine box everyone stands up. 'When Richie was on, you'd see all the commentators listening in to see what Richie had to say. At the time of his death in Sydney overnight Benaud had witnessed - as both player and commentator - well over 500 Test matches . Benaud died peacefully in his sleep surrounded by his wife Daphne and family members . A veteran of 63 Test matches, Benaud played a pivotal role in the formation of World Series Cricket in the 1970s . 'A lot of children growing up know him as a commentator but he's a great cricketer in his own right.' Shane Warne penned a heartfelt tribute on social media calling him 'an absolute gentleman'. 'As a cricketer, commentator and as a person, you were the best there's ever been,' he wrote in a note to Benaud. 'For me it was an honour and a privilege to call you a close friend and mentor. We had so many wonderful times together, talking cricket and in particular, our love and passion of leg spin bowling. Warne also thanks Benaud for the support he gave to him as a young cricketer. 'Richie, you were loved by everyone, not just the cricket family, you were the godfather of cricket and you will be missed by all.' Floral tributes have started to gather at the bronze statue of Richie Benaud at the Sydney Cricket Ground . The flags at the Sydney Cricket Ground were flying at half mast on Friday following Benaud's death . A veteran of 63 Test matches, Benaud played a pivotal role in the formation of World Series Cricket in the 1970s and was one of the world's most recognised commentators . Former  captain Richie Benaud stands by a sculpture of himself at the Sydney Cricket Ground in 2008 . Benaud was one of the world's most recognised commentators having initially started with the BBC in England before anchoring the Nine Network's cricket coverage in Australia for decades . Prime Minister Tony Abbott has offered Richie Benaud's family a state funeral following his death. 'There would hardly be an Australian over the last 40 years who hasn't listened to Richie Benaud,' he told ABC radio on Friday. 'He certainly will be very, very much missed.' Benaud had anchored the Nine Network's cricket coverage in Australia for decades. 'Richie Benaud's passing has robbed us not only of a national treasure but a lovely man,' Nine Network CEO David Gyngell said in a statement. 'Richie earned the profound and lasting respect of everyone across the world of cricket and beyond. First as an outstanding player and captain, then as an incomparable commentator and through it all, as a wonderful human being.' At the time of his death in Sydney overnight Benaud had witnessed - as both player and commentator - well over 500 Test matches. After retiring, Benaud (pictured here in England in 2005) became a commentary icon initially with the BBC in England and later in his native Australia . As a player, Benaud appeared in 63 Test matches between 1951 and 1963, becoming the first man from any nation to score 2000 Test runs and take 200 Test wickets . Hundreds of admirers dressed up as the legendary commentator during the Sydney Ashes Test of 2014 when Benaud lay in hospital with complications from a serious car accident some months earlier . Benaud was born in Penrith in western Sydney in October 1930 . Benaud was born in Penrith in western Sydney in October 1930. He enjoyed a remarkable Test career as a wily leg-spin bowler and middle-order batsman which ended with his retirement in 1964. Benaud was the first player to score 2,000 Test runs and take 200 Test wickets yet was as much renowned for his captaincy - he never lost a Test series as Australian captain. After retiring, Benaud became a commentary icon initially with the BBC in England and later in his native Australia. He was the mainstay in Australian cricket television commentary until the past two summers - a car accident in 2013 sidelined him before he announced in November last year that he was fighting skin cancer. The cricket commentator had been receiving radiation treatment for skin cancer since November when he was admitted to a Sydney hospice on Thursday . Penrith-born Benaud enjoyed a remarkable Test career as a wily leg-spin bowler and middle-order batsman which ended with his retirement in 1964 . Benaud and ex-Hampshire cricket captain and TV presenter Richie Benaud pictured here at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff during the first England v Australia Test match in 2009 . He enjoyed a remarkable Test career as a wily leg-spin bowler and middle-order batsman which ended with his retirement in 1964 . 'When I was a kid we never ever wore a cap... because Keith Miller never wore a cap, ' Benaud said at the time. 'If I knew, when I was at school and playing in my early cricket days, the problems that would have come if I didn't do something about protection of the head and using sunscreens and all sorts of things like that, I'd have played it differently. 'It's one of those things in life: you live and learn as you go along.' Benaud did, however, manage to voice a touching tribute to Phillip Hughes, who died when struck by a bouncer last November, which was screened before Australia's Test series against India last December. Shane Warne penned a heartfelt tribute to Richie Benaud on social media on Friday . As a player, Benaud appeared in 63 Test matches between 1951 and 1963, becoming the first man from any nation to score 2000 Test runs and take 200 Test wickets. His Australian record Test tally of 248 wickets has since been overtaken by many, most notably fellow legspinner Shane Warne, whose career tally of 708 was unimaginable in Benaud's day. Benaud scored three Test centuries and once hit 11 sixes in a first class innings. As captain he led Australia to four consecutive series victories, beginning with a 4-0 demolition of Peter May's 1958-59 tourists (Benaud took 31 wickets in the five tests). He never lost a series as captain. The Nine Network will air a special on the life of cricketing great Richie Benaud on Saturday night at 7pm. Nine will screen Richie Benaud: A Marvellous Life 1930-2015 about the public, private and cricketing achievements of the former Australian cricket captain and legendary commentator. Richie and his wife Daphne had been married for almost 50 years . Benaud was the mainstay in Australian cricket television commentary with crowd members even dressing up as him as he became something of a cult figure in his later years . Benaud was the face and voice of cricket, much admired, much imitated, and in his later years something of a cult figure . Former Prime Minister John Howard greeted Richie Benaud at the Sydney Cricket Ground back in 2001 . Richie Benaud married his wife Daphne in July 1967 .
target: Cricket commentator Richie Benaud has died overnight aged 84 .
  He had been receiving radiation treatment for skin cancer since November .
  Former Australian captain died peacefully in his sleep at a Sydney hospice .
  Benaud had witnessed - as both a player and commentator - more than 500 Test matches throughout his career .
  Tributes flowed in on Friday morning for the voice of Australian cricket .
  Prime Minister Tony Abbott also offered his family a state funeral .