Australia v South Africa, 1st Test, Brisbane, 9-13 November, 2012 (II)

Red wrote:He seemed to be targeting Smith. Clarke said it was friendly banter but he's also happy that Smith made " no runs" in this match. Nice little bit of rubbing it in given his own success with the bat.

Cue a big double from Smiff @ Adi.

Incidentally, this would have been a good six-match series - one at each of the State capitals.

How many T20s and ODI are they packing in this time?

Henry wrote:Firdose Moonda is probably the best South African (rather than English expat ala Manthorp) cricket Journalist going around-

http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia-v-south-africa-2012/content/current/story/591132.html

Sums up South Africa's flaws far, far better and more articulately than Red ever could.

No. Didn't like that article.

The 2005 Ashes C4 commentary was awesome. Boycs was EPIC. (Mcgrath to Vaughan at Old Trafford, Slater and Boycs in commentary)-

Slater "Bowled iiimmm!!!!
Boycs- "Oooh no baaall! Bad looock! Bad looock you Aussies!! *cackle cackle*
Slater- Geez, settle down there Boycs
Boycs- *Cackle cackle*

PeterCS wrote:Incidentally, this would have been a good six-match series - one at each of the State capitals.

How many T20s and ODI are they packing in this time?

Not sure there are any

I don't count Boyks as "English". He's an alien who happened to be dropped off in Barnsley Yorks.

taipan wrote:

PeterCS wrote:Incidentally, this would have been a good six-match series - one at each of the State capitals.

How many T20s and ODI are they packing in this time?

Not sure there are any

Well, there's a relief (T20s esp).

Oh aye. SL have booked the prime year-end location, and SAf have a cracking date back home with uN Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz .......

PeterCS wrote:
Oh aye. SL have booked the prime year-end location, and SAf have a cracking date back home with uN Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz .......

Aye. A nice Boxing Day T20.

Nicholarse was actually alright in this game. Certainly wasn't as "Oh yes! Strong boy! Go Aussie boy go!" as usual. I get the feeling he's been quite badly affected by Tony Greig's illness.

Slater and Healy are well into their 40s, yet still act like little boys when commentating. I can't imagine who they would appeal to other than boozed up Aussie bogans wearing blue wife-beaters.

Glenn Mcgrath was surprisingly good. I expected him to be horribly biased, but he was actually fair and insightful. Instantly outshone the likes of Healy and Slater.

I can't say I have heard a lot of Slater lately - that figures, you might say - but he seems pleasantly zesty, two-eyed, a bit of a scamp, etc. but I have heard a lot worse.

Healy and the aptly named KOK are in a different league. Wouldn't recognise balance if it lurched back up and took a huge bite out of their arse.

I don't mind Slats - he's alright.

Pidge was pretty good, yeah, understated, pretty witty overall.

There were just points where Knickerless went into sensationalist drivel and it brought back some bad old mems.

Yeah. One of the few men alive who can come through their mouths.

The Healy low-point of the match was- "South Africa might look to bring in Sami Solesile...Solesole....Umm...whatever his name is!"

And this man gets paid to talk.

PeterCS wrote:Yeah. One of the few men alive who can come through their mouths.

Aye, it's such crawling sycophancy at times. One could understand it, were it 1950 and people only got to see certain players once a year - but he talks of them as if their strengths need constantly hyping up.

Henry wrote:The Healy low-point of the match was- "South Africa might look to bring in Sami Solesile...Solesole....Umm...whatever his name is!"

And this man gets paid to talk.

One of my biggest annoyances about things like this is that they have a duty to be getting names right. If you're having trouble with the pronunciation, how about spending two minutes of your own time to get it right. It may not be the most fun thing to be doing for two minutes, but it may help your journalistic integrity.

Brass Monkey wrote:

Henry wrote:The Healy low-point of the match was- "South Africa might look to bring in Sami Solesile...Solesole....Umm...whatever his name is!"

And this man gets paid to talk.

One of my biggest annoyances about things like this is that they have a duty to be getting names right. If you're having trouble with the pronunciation, how about spending two minutes of your own time to get it right. It may not be the most fun thing to be doing for two minutes, but it may help your journalistic integrity.

He even manages to give journalists a bad name?

He's so bad, he almost gives Jimmy Savile a good name.

taipan wrote:

Brass Monkey wrote:

Henry wrote:The Healy low-point of the match was- "South Africa might look to bring in Sami Solesile...Solesole....Umm...whatever his name is!"

And this man gets paid to talk.

One of my biggest annoyances about things like this is that they have a duty to be getting names right. If you're having trouble with the pronunciation, how about spending two minutes of your own time to get it right. It may not be the most fun thing to be doing for two minutes, but it may help your journalistic integrity.

He even manages to give journalists a bad name?

Aye, it just adds weight to the notion that in many cases, the cricket TV commentary box has become an easy ride for retired players, who rock up to each game having done no research, and expect to get by based on their vast playing experience. The PROFESSIONAL commentators, ie Richie Benaud, Jonathan Agnew, Jim Maxwell etc, all actually make the effort to learn the pronunciation of each visiting player's name. They're aware they have an audience listening to them, and that's it's not some sort of boozy, back-slapping players reunion function.

Only the Sky and TMS teams seem to be any good these days. If you look around elsewhere- Shastri, Gavaskar, Healy, Nicholas.....it's all become self promoting, ignorant, arrogant, nationalistic crap.

Except in SA. He have no Saffies in our box.

If Ather Ali Khan could become a commentator.

What's the reason behind the lack of former Saffie players turning to commentary?

Polly is a good one though. I like him. Funny and self-deprecating, but also full of knowledge.

Henry wrote:What's the reason behind the lack of former Saffie players turning to commentary?

Polly is a good one though. I like him. Funny and self-deprecating, but also full of knowledge.

We don't seem to get him much. Am frigging tired of HD Ackerman

Anyone from South Africa would be better than Wessels in commentary.

In regards to the games schedule, the Aussie Summer Itinerary:

Nov 9-13 1st Test v South Africa (Brisbane)
Nov 22-26 2nd Test v South Africa (Adelaide)
Nov 30-Dec 4 3rd Test v South Africa (Perth)

Dec 14-18 1st Test v Sri Lanka (Hobart)
Dec 26-30 2nd Test v Sri Lanka (Melbourne)
Jan 3-7 3rd Test v Sri Lanka (Sydney)
Jan 11-23 5 games of JAMODIs v Sri Lanka
Jan 26-28 2 games of JAMTT v Sri Lanka

Feb 1-10 5 games of JAMODIs v West Indies
Feb 13 1 game of JAMITT v West Indies

In other words, ****** all after first week in January.

Yep, nothing but JAMODIs and T20s during the height of the Aussie Summer. A disgrace, really.