He was one of those commentators, unlike the abundance of ex-captain's, who was there to inform not entertain.
Tuning in to the Nat West Final you would encounter long periods of silence, hearing the chattering of the crowd and feeling the atmosphere of the day. The camera would move to the square and the next ball would be delivered. Richie might say a single line, or not. You knew exactly the circumstances of the match, and how it was balanced. There was no need for a sarcastic quip about the lack of hair on the bonce of a co-commentator. If you love Cricket, Richie was all you needed to supplement your enjoyment of it.
There are still some fine people in TMS, but the last of the great television commentators has sadly lost his wicket, and I fear that is 'all-out'.
Another thing to add to all the comments so far was despite being a former Australian player and captain, whenever he was commentating on the Ashes he seemed completely neutral on who he wanted to win, which was very professional and part of the reason he was so popular this side of the world as well.