Differences in watching International cricket - Tests/ODI/20-20

neng

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After having watched the Australian innings last night, I found myself becoming rather bored (as did most of you by the sound of the Aren't T20s Exciting thread). I didn't watch a single ball of the Indian innings. And to be honest, didn't even care about the result. It felt meaningless. Almost as if the game being a bit of fun reflected on the way I felt about the result.

Now this is coming from a 20 year old, who loved watching the big bash, I thought the Fox Sports team did a great job with that, I have watched T20s live and find them rather entertaining. But last night did nothing for me.

Firstly like everyone else I will take shot at the channel 9 team. Their hyperbole and pumping up went up three-fold from the Test matches. Now like many others I find them very hard to listen to during the Test matches, but last night rose to a whole new level of idiocy. The shouting and carrying on into the microphone caused a turn off more so than excitement, it was unbearable. It was all just over the top. Don't even mention the 'moneyball' rating, FFS any bloke in that side could hit a six, I don't care what the chances are of a player actually hitting one, because even though David Hussey hit a couple over the rope, he could barely get the rest off the square for the rest of the time, not that impressive if you ask me. They made a mockery of it last night.

Now to what I wanted to say, I am finding more and more, that I can sit through a whole five days of Test cricket, be it watching it if I can or listening to it if I don't have the chance. I can watch a ODI from start to finish no troubles. But T20 I am finding it's all getting a bit boring, it is the same thing over and over again, bowlers being given no leeway whatsoever so the batsmen have the greatest chance of hitting sixes for the viewers, batsmen hitting sixes is just not the same any more, it isn't a skill, with big bats, attempted yorkers into half volleys or pacemen putting pace on the ball for the batsmen, you can be Chris Martin (well maybe) and be able to hit a boundary or a six.

Test cricket and for a lesser part ODIs are much more skillful and thus why I believe particularly for International cricket's sake, T20 are a waste. I love the fact they have given the young guys a crack. But International cricket is about the most skilful players in your countries playing one another. So while T20 has some of it's own skill set, the ramp shot, the yorker, the full ball outside off, the slower ball that are applied all the time nowadays I don't find this entertaining, the novelty wore off.

Give me Ed Cowan battling a 50 on a green top pitch against quality quicks over a 50 blasted off a few balls by a bloke with a big bat. That is true skill, which is why Big Bash batting form never translated into Test form.

/End Rant

Cue tl;dr
 

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EFC 1871

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#2
Agree with all of that.

I don't even watch T20's anymore. I couldn't care less, it's tedious.

ODI's I don't really care for anymore, which I think's probably because of T20 as well.

Test cricket, I could watch from start to finish for five straight days. It's fantastic.
 

The Passenger

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#5
it'd be interesting to see what the ratings were last night??

sure there was a big crowd. but channel's 9 typical crap got to a lot of people last night.

i didn't really watch much of it but it was on while i was working away on the computer and having dinner.

i just wish fox would pick up the occasional shield match aside from the final (which is usually in the worst ten matches of the season)... even just a few matches a season would be great. they're a pretty good team, and they do a good job.
 

The Passenger

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#6
you know whati think it is too. everything with the international T20's feels forced. everyone in that team is doing very well, their all well known within cricket circles. you'll get a few "who's that guy?" comments from those who only have a passing interest in the game, but for the most part there just isn't anything exciting.

but with the domestic most people watching don't know half the blokes playing but for some reason it works. usually that's a turn off, but because most of the guys in the BBL are year to year proposition with their state and you can feel them doing everything they can to put in and get the result (and ultimately keep them on the park in the state level arena)... whereas the internationals, for the most part, you can just feel the players going through the motions...

i don't know i could be wrong. i don't really like T20 that much and i don't watch heaps of it to be fair, but i think BBL works well and should be given a chance and it provides a good opportuny for a lot of young players.

even with newly manufactured teams, the BBL still felt more genuine the international T20. if my 12 year old nephew is anything to go by (right in the target market), he watched pretty much every ball of the big bash, but was happy to tune in and out of other activities last night.
 

Yabba

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#7
The biggest difference between Ch9 & Foxtel is that in the coverage CH9 are all gimmicks. Foxtel sells you the cricket as its form of entertainment.

Someone at Ch9 obviously decided that cricket isnt exciting enough so they need to 'glam it up'.

Al they actually do is make themselves look like idiots.
 

Kristof

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#8
"The T20 match was also the most viewed program for the evening in Sydney and Melbourne and had a peak audience in the five metro capital cities of 1.89 million, according to preliminary OzTAM data. It also won all key demographics."

This from the Australian.

And a good example why the opinions of folks on this board don't align with those of the majority of Australians, for whom T20 is a fun entertainment that you can actually sit down and watch in its entirety, unlike a ODI which is frankly too long for the majority of people.
 
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#10
Agree with all of that.

I don't even watch T20's anymore. I couldn't care less, it's tedious.

ODI's I don't really care for anymore, which I think's probably because of T20 as well.

Test cricket, I could watch from start to finish for five straight days. It's fantastic.
I dont mind T20 at domestic level, as something to watch. International T20 is shit
Agree with both of these - test cricket is where it is at!

OD cricket whether domestic or international has lost all appeal - it used to be the fast paced action game - but it isn't anymore. It's now caught in between two worlds and just doesn't seem to have a place anymore. The fact that they have butchered around with the rules doesn't help either.

I actually don't mind domestic T20 - it seems that it is a perfect forum for T20 cricket - ie village cricket. I've even watched a few 1st grade T20's which were great spectacles. But international T20's don't seem to have a point at this stage. Perhaps they might gain in important if and when ODI cricket dies off. But a 2 x T20 series seems a bit of a non-event.
 

nicko99

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#11
Just a personal opinion, they should scrap international t20s and just play the franchise version world wide as a 'friendly' so to speak while maintaining the domestic comp.
 

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Bombers_Forever

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#12
CA should make Nine treat it more seriously. Having commentators being told to act like excited tools and interviewing players while they are playing the game is moronic.
Exactly. Fox Sports and the ABC can commentate the match the way it should be, Channel 9 looks like they think the audience have never watched cricket before so they have to yell/screach at the viewers.

But the actual 20/20 format itself is interesting - I will keep watching, will always watch tests but 50 over cricket, forget it.
 

PykeDream

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#13
Just a personal opinion, they should scrap international t20s and just play the franchise version world wide as a 'friendly' so to speak while maintaining the domestic comp.
I dont mind T20 at domestic level, as something to watch. International T20 is shit
Agree with both. Domestic T20 seems to be reasonably down to Earth. I'd even say they've even removed some of the tat in the transition from State based teams to the franchises, in Perth anyway - though someone should take those orange morph men people and drop them in the ocean. I think there is a big future for Domestic T20, provided CA aren't too over the top with in the next few years. I actually quite enjoyed this year, apart from being torn by the Perth and Adelaide teams.

International T20 seems like a bit of a joke at the moment, maybe that'll change in the future.
 

Underarm

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#14
"The T20 match was also the most viewed program for the evening in Sydney and Melbourne and had a peak audience in the five metro capital cities of 1.89 million, according to preliminary OzTAM data. It also won all key demographics."

This from the Australian.

And a good example why the opinions of folks on this board don't align with those of the majority of Australians, for whom T20 is a fun entertainment that you can actually sit down and watch in its entirety, unlike a ODI which is frankly too long for the majority of people.
And I think most t20 supporters stayed well away from the other t20 bashing thread. It's been done before. I personally find the international games a bit blasé as they are usually used as warm up games for the odi's, but the sport of t20 I enjoy as much as odi matches. Those that say there are no tactics in t20 are very ignorant. The crowds and ratings don't lie, they will be higher than the ODI's this summer.
 

Sman-21

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#15
Dont mind domestic 20/20 because atleast theres a reason for it and they can go on an play in ICL to bring in much needed $$$ to the club.

But international 20/20s are just meaningless an nothing more than an exhibition game.
 

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#17
"The T20 match was also the most viewed program for the evening in Sydney and Melbourne and had a peak audience in the five metro capital cities of 1.89 million, according to preliminary OzTAM data. It also won all key demographics."

This from the Australian.

And a good example why the opinions of folks on this board don't align with those of the majority of Australians, for whom T20 is a fun entertainment that you can actually sit down and watch in its entirety, unlike a ODI which is frankly too long for the majority of people.
Using TV ratings is hardly a guide.

The general public is so dumbed down and plain stupid these days, they would watch anything.

Look at the amount of reality TV, observational TV or contest type TV to back up my point.

People switch off their brains to watch that type of rubbish. 20/20 cricket is perfectly suited to them in this regard.
 

Tiff

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#18
I'll end up watching this stupid thing tonight.

It's pure curiosity, and after about 15 minutes I'll let the missus watch ****ing episodes of six feet under.

I can watch 5 days straight of a test match without once getting bored. Even the idiots comentating gets drowned out by my pure unadulterated interest.

Like the OP mentioned, how memorable is a hard fought 50 off 120 deliveries. Or a one wicket spell that turns a game on it's head. Or a freakish run out that turns the tide in an even contest that's been plodding along for four hours. Or a captains knock on a bowlers pitch when its 3/40. It's a foolish man who takes his eyes off of a 'boring' test match. This is the times when the real greats show their colours. Go to the fridge to get a beer, come back, and the test match is on it's head.

Watch Steve Waughs farewell century at the SCG. It gives you tingles through your body and a tear to the eye.

Even some ODI's can do this. The classics.

Name me one T20 moment that made you feel like a tear was going to stream down your face, and proud to be Australian.

That's right, there's **** all :thumbsdown:
 

Kram

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#20
I love the the T20 game at local level but a bit pretty indifferent to in for the internationals, only watched bits and pieces on Wednesday but rarely miss a BigBash game. Having a decent commentary team on Fox that don't act like complete peanuts during game also helps I guess.
 

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#22
I love the the T20 game at local level but a bit pretty indifferent to in for the internationals, only watched bits and pieces on Wednesday but rarely miss a BigBash game. Having a decent commentary team on Fox that don't act like complete peanuts during game also helps I guess.
That's me, too. Maybe not as keen as you on the BBL, but would rather that than internationals.
 

legend166

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#24
it'd be interesting to see what the ratings were last night??

sure there was a big crowd. but channel's 9 typical crap got to a lot of people last night.

i didn't really watch much of it but it was on while i was working away on the computer and having dinner.

i just wish fox would pick up the occasional shield match aside from the final (which is usually in the worst ten matches of the season)... even just a few matches a season would be great. they're a pretty good team, and they do a good job.
It averaged 1.46 million over the whole coverage.

For comparison, the final session of the first day of the Perth Test got 1.25 million. And that's without figures from Perth being counted.
 
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Moderator #25
CA should make Nine treat it more seriously. Having commentators being told to act like excited tools and interviewing players while they are playing the game is moronic.
What makes you think Cricket Australia wants to make Nine treat it seriously? Perhaps Nine is doing exactly what CA want them to do?

T20 is fast food cricket. Too much of it is not a good thing.
 
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