The Richie Benaud Commentators Thread

[Hector]

Originally Posted by sharky

It would be a bit silly having just spent a billion quid on cricket TV rights.

Assuming there's no clauses for them to get out of the contract. Cant imagine a business would commit a billion quid without some sort of exit plan if it all goes wrong.

Anyhow, that commitment doesnt necessarily safeguard the cricket channel if its not making money. Sky still televise other sports, most notably darts, that dont have a dedicated channel.

[Aidan11]

Sky's cricket channel is filled with a lot of crap.

They have an archive of almost 30 years televised live cricket. They could show highlights of a lot of those.

Recently both Sky and BT Sport were advertising classic matches at the same time. BT showed highlights of old triangular series from Australia in the 80s. Sky went for highlights from the recent T20 World Cup. Nuff said.

[D/L]

First live cricket watched on the box for quite some time today. Must have missed it somewhat to watch T20!

Sadly, commentary did not really distinguish itself from other background noise.

[Maty]

Graeme Swann was embarrassing this morning, putting that performance down as merely a bad day at the office. It's like the complete opposite extreme to Boycott.

[sanskritsimon]

Originally Posted by Maty

Graeme Swann was embarrassing this morning, putting that performance down as merely a bad day at the office. It's like the complete opposite extreme to Boycott.

Swann is always a bit too sure of himself but his position is credible. All batsmen get out cheaply fairly often, so sometimes they are all going to do it at once.

[Sir Coolerking]

Originally Posted by sanskritsimon

Swann is always a bit too sure of himself but his position is credible. All batsmen get out cheaply fairly often, so sometimes they are all going to do it at once.

But what if they keep on doing it, like in India or in Australia?

[Psyduck]

Who is the Kiwi woman who has been commentating for Sky? She's pretty good IMO.

[sanskritsimon]

Originally Posted by Sir Coolerking

But what if they keep on doing it, like in India or in Australia?

The point at which one diagnoses a problem can vary enormously. In these instances it is interesting to hear what a range of views there are on to what extent there is really a problem, what the problem is, and what must be done about it -- and also to hear the variations in how sure people are of their diagnoses.

[geoff_boycotts_grandmother]

Originally Posted by Maty

Graeme Swann was embarrassing this morning, putting that performance down as merely a bad day at the office. It's like the complete opposite extreme to Boycott.

Swann's far too close to some of the team to be impartial. It'll be interesting to see when Cookie, Jimmy and Broady retire if he'll stop pulling punches but he could just be a jinogistic flag-waver.

Maybe they should get KP as a commentator as he's unlikely to be accused of either?

[sharky]

Yes Swann is becoming increasingly painful to listen to. I find it hard to think how it was possible for KP to be a bigger ******** than Swann, as rumour has it.

[Michelle Fivefer]

Some good news:

Charles Colvile is back on The Verdict - now renamed as The Cricket Debate.

Couldn’t have a better day for it. Just wind Willis up and let him go...

[Ali TT]

Mark Nicholas always seems to know the names of the all the WAGs.

[Ali TT]

Can someone tell Warne to stop chatting in the background?

[D/L]

I wonder if the broadcasters are aware that the commentators voices are being drowned out by the chants of the barmy army and the noises made by their trumpeter?

Most commentary is as valuable as background noise anyway but at least one hears the occasional useful snippet. The caterwauling of the barmy army too close to the effects microphones is tedious in the extreme.

[Comte Nom de Plume]

Originally Posted by D/L

I wonder if the broadcasters are aware that the commentators voices are being drowned out by the chants of the barmy army and the noises made by their trumpeter?

Most commentary is as valuable as background noise anyway but at least one hears the occasional useful snippet. The caterwauling of the barmy army too close to the effects microphones is tedious in the extreme.

I'm glad that I didn't travel to the other side of the world to experience the moronic chants of the BA (worse than ever) and their chuffing trumpeter.

[geoff_boycotts_grandmother]

Originally Posted by Ali TT

Mark Nicholas always seems to know the names of the all the WAGs.

Him and Allen Stanford.

[sharky]

Channel 9 have lost the TV rights to cricket in Australia so hopefully that's the end of having to listen to the likes of Healy in future.

[square leg umpire]

Originally Posted by sharky

Channel 9 have lost the TV rights to cricket in Australia so hopefully that's the end of having to listen to the likes of Healy in future.

Thought they had them in perpetuity more or less. Whoever's got them may hire the Channel 9 commentary team.

[sharky]

Originally Posted by square leg umpire

Thought they had them in perpetuity more or less. Whoever's got them may hire the Channel 9 commentary team.

Yes I guess there's a fair chance of that. Channel 7 have Tests while Fox have Tests and all the one day stuff so no Healy and co is probably just wishful thinking on my part.

[Ali TT]

Originally Posted by sharky

Yes I guess there's a fair chance of that. Channel 7 have Tests while Fox have Tests and all the one day stuff so no Healy and co is probably just wishful thinking on my part.

Imagine having all England’s men’s and women’s international matches and all of the upcoming EPL on free TV?