Cricket Commentary Team Changes - Steve Waugh

[Hit And Rum]

This is a snippet of an article about Steve Waugh. These two paragraphs are interesting a they point out that Steven Rodger may join his buddies in the commentary box. Further it states Richie and the lads may be given the shove.

Interesting. Billy Birmingham better start getting some new voics ready!


Waugh's place in the history books

Lynn McConnell

December 2, 2003





Steve Waugh: the greatest influence in modern-day cricket

Lynn McConnell

December 2, 2003


Things must be getting a little jittery up in the Channel 9 commentary box. Richie Benaud, the chairman, has said that he will finish up soon, still in a position to regard himself as the greatest exponent of commentary on television. But the other longtime members of the panel - Bill Lawry, Tony Greig and Ian Chappell - are not getting any younger either.

Steve Waugh's retirement has opened up new possibilities for the commentary box, which already has Mark Taylor, Ian Healy, Simon O'Donnell and, occasionally, Shane Warne on its cast list. Is the changing of the guard going to be even greater than we might have expected? Certainly in another five years' time it is reasonable to imagine a very different look to the Australian commentary team.

 

[dr nick]

call me a minority, but i like the old veterans (grieg, richie, chappelli, lawry) and can't stand the new guys (taylor, healy, warne).

O'Donnell is somewhere in the middle of those groups

 

[Wicked Lester]

Inclined to agree with you Nicko.

I think a good commentator needs to be a little more than merely a successful former cricketer.

Perhaps its just familiarity but I actually enjoy the quirky (some call it annoying) personality traits of Lawry, Greig and Benaud.

Healy and Tubby are more like Ian Chappell - striaght down the line. Interesting to see how Tugga would go - he's never struck me as having a dry wit or being anything more than a 'straight down the line' communicator so I suspect he might be more in the Healy/Taylor mould - but you never know!

 

[Hit And Rum]

I am with you boys the older guys are better. But we have to face facts they are getting old so channell 9 will be looking to replace.

They definitely need to find a replacement for the Bill and Tony niggling agro thing though!

 

[fitzmantle]

listening to simon o'donnel commentate is about as exciting as watching batsh?t bevan bat.

 

[CatManDo]

Dont mind Tubby, he has a decent personality and it comes through in his commentating.

I wouldnt like to listen to Tubby, Healy and Waugh though, could be a little dry.

They definitely cant ship out all the veterans without replacing them with some quirky personalities. Hopefully some day there will be a gig for Stuart MacGill in the commentary box.

On O'Donnell - he has seemingly been 'groomed' as Richie's replacement for a couple of seasons now. They often sit in the box together introducing the game, yet O'Donnell often takes the lead role. I think he may well become the lynch pin that Benaud is now.

 

[DaveW]

Give me ABC radio anyday.

Will someone please tell Messr Packer that being a former Test captain is not a prerequisite to being a commentator?

 

[Russian]

Originally posted by fitzmantle
listening to simon o'donnel commentate is about as exciting as watching batsh?t bevan bat.

Bevan's nowhere near that bad

 

[llosis]

Ian Healy was a champion test cricketer.

He is the worst commentator I have heard on TV.

 

[-WWJD-]

Simon Odonnell needs to be shot...I can't believe they're grooming him to take over from Richie...I don't know if I'll beable to watch with out Richie

What did you guys think of Mark Waugh, imo he was the best of the "newbies", he's absolutely hilarious.

 

[diesel]

Brendon Julian is a cure for insomnia if I have ever heard one!
Looking forward to the West Indies & Michael Holding returning
Hey Mon!

 

[dr nick]

Originally posted by DaveW
Give me ABC radio anyday.

Will someone please tell Messr Packer that being a former Test captain is not a prerequisite to being a commentator?

wouldnt mind at all a commentary line up of Tim Lane, Jim Maxwell, Keith Stackpole, Kerry O'Keefe, Dean Jones, Glenn Mitchell.... not too keen on Geoff Lawson though.

I wonder if Harsha Bhogle or Navjot Sidhu are out here this summer?

 

[Zeke]

The oldies are pro's.

Taylor is acceptable, O'Donnell is as boring as a Michal Bevan century, Healy is a ****** - hate him especially.

 

[Tank]

Out: Greig, Lawry, Taylor

In: Mark Waugh, O'Keefe, Slater

 

[pinkus maximus]

Mark Taylor is the closest thing to verbal diarrhoea as i have ever heard.

 

[the_big_sav]

yeh macgill m waugh and okeefe should be on the tv if there changing anything and taylor healy and warne should just give it up

 

[Hit And Rum]

One of the indian commentators in the triseries in India was great. His laconic voice made him sound like an Indian Dr. Evil!

On Bevan:

"Any other batsmen with a strike rate of 40 in the last 10 overs of a one day international would be mortified. Not Michael Bevan, in some strange way he is proud it. You almost have to respect him"!


Cacked myself laughing for days!!!

 

[llosis]

The indian commentators are classic. I think they're likeable because they love their cricket but don't take themselves too seriously and so will come out with some unexpected pearlers.

Hope Harsha Bhogle commentates this series. Sidhu is waaaay out there but when you can decipher him he's a laugh.

As Nicko said, you just can't compare the ABC radio guys to any of the semi-literate hacks on Ch9. There is no comparison.

 

[Darky]

Bring back Geoff Boycott and Maxie Walker.

SOD can sod off, and take Chappelli with him.

Chappelli knows his cricket and makes some valid points, but has a habit of picking a topic for the day (be it regarding a player's technical flaw, bowling or captaincy tactic, field placings, front-foot no-balls etc) and harp on it ball after friggen ball.

For someone with a reputation as a firey customer, he'd be lucky to escape the title of most boring man on earth.

Overall, the ABC radio commentary is infinitely better than that of the TV guys.

 

[Vindaloo Mat]

in - Harsha Bhogle.....met him a week ago. Nice guy...has an MBA from the best business school in India. Sidhu - Indian's hate him but I think he is great. I can also listen to TMS on BBC all day long.

out - can't stand O'keefe....absolute worst commentator I have ever heard. Can't say I think much of any of the ch 9 guys.

 

[pazza]

Why compare ABC Cricket to Channel 9 Cricket? They are chalk and cheese!

Jim Maxwell is the best voice in cricket.
Roger Wills is perhaps the most improved member of the team.
Keith Stackpole, Geoff Lawson, Paul Jackson, Terry Alderman, Bob Massie are all top level special comments men.

But, most importantly, what you get with the ABC are the two things the ABC prides itself on...PROFESSIONALISM and ACCURACY.

Something that commercial radio's coverage of all sports (including cricket) and tv networks haven't yet mastered.

 

[mjm28]

Originally posted by fitzmantle
listening to simon o'donnel commentate is about as exciting as watching batsh?t bevan bat.

How many times do I have to tell you people???? DON'T KNOCK BEVAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[mjm28]

On the commentators - why don't they let James Brayshaw (the great man that he is) commentate tests and one-dayers, instead of the ING games. He gets to the point his bloody funny and a true Aussie bloke. Get him on there Nine!!!!!

 

[dr nick]

Originally posted by Darky
Bring back Geoff Boycott and Maxie Walker.

SOD can sod off, and take Chappelli with him.

Chappelli knows his cricket and makes some valid points, but has a habit of picking a topic for the day (be it regarding a player's technical flaw, bowling or captaincy tactic, field placings, front-foot no-balls etc) and harp on it ball after friggen ball.

For someone with a reputation as a firey customer, he'd be lucky to escape the title of most boring man on earth.

Overall, the ABC radio commentary is infinitely better than that of the TV guys.

good grief. there was one day where his topic was how an increasing number of batters were wearing half spikes and all the bowlers were wearing full spikes. An enthralling days viewing that one
i think there is a limit to the number of times we can put up with stump cams view of the players feet, assisted by that zoom thing they have.

 

[mjm28]

Originally posted by pazza
Why compare ABC Cricket to Channel 9 Cricket? They are chalk and cheese!

Jim Maxwell is the best voice in cricket.
Roger Wills is perhaps the most improved member of the team.
Keith Stackpole, Geoff Lawson, Paul Jackson, Terry Alderman, Bob Massie are all top level special comments men.

But, most importantly, what you get with the ABC are the two things the ABC prides itself on...PROFESSIONALISM and ACCURACY.

Something that commercial radio's coverage of all sports (including cricket) and tv networks haven't yet mastered.

You forgot one thing that the ABC prides itself on.......... putting listeners to sleep!!