The Sky Commentary Team Thread

[Hass]

OK. We're only a day-and-a-half into the Ashes and this commentary team is already making me want to tear my hair out.

Firstly, where's the Australian presence? I thought Warney was going to be in the box. I'd even settle for a non-entity like Blewett just to break up the monotony.

They've been dull and biased. And I don't mean biased in a fun way, like Geoff Boycott or Bill Lawry. I mean biased in their entire approach to the commentary. Everything is looked at from an English perspective.

It's a far cry from 2005, when I had the option of listening to the Channel 4 team - that lot were commentary gold.

[Zat]

Turn the radio on Hass.

[Demelza]

I think it's all great. Wouldn't change anything except to get rid of Michael Holding.

Yes, they keep saying Warne is coming.

[Bradman]

I thought they were banning effigies of Warnie in Cardiff at the mo.

[Shoeshine]

It's always been the problem with Sky's commentary that it's far too England-centric. To be fair, Australian commentary is horrendously biased too, but when they play England we have our own commentators down there.

But Sky usually just have the one "opposition" commentator in every series, and it does get boring how they act as cheerleaders all the time. Channel 4 always tried to avoid that, Sky have never made any pretence.

Your bad luck that your broadcaster couldn't be bothered to send it's own team here.

Oh, and Warnie's playing cards apparently.

[Demelza]

Anthony Hopkins would be a good choice. Also Richard Burton. But he's a bit dead now.

[PeterCS]

They should have paid a king's ransom for Warney. Or better still, Richie.

But Richie has never worked for Pay TV I think, even if you got him to travel again.

[Hass]

Turn the radio on Hass.

It's the damn delay though.

ABC is telling me what happens three seconds before I see it on tele.

[PeterCS]

The BBC Radio has James Maxwell and Chappelli.


You'd sort of miss Henry.

Not.

[Bradman]

ABC radio is messing with a channel that syncs the radio and TV. Channel 9 hate the farking thing but I thought they were trialling it this series.

[Demelza]

They're not saying much atm.

[PeterCS]

Because Aus are quietly, almost snoozily accumulating to an advantage.

[JGK]

There was a bit of a funny moment yesterday when the camera panned to a couple in the crowd including a lady with rather well developed cans. Bumble's comment was "there's a full crowd in here today".

I thought it was in inadvertent.

[DJ_Smerk]

Bumble is never inadvertent.

[Ash]

bumbles the only decent one. nasser and atherton arent too bad/biased. willis, gower and botham are truly dreadful though

[filosofee]

OK. We're only a day-and-a-half into the Ashes and this commentary team is already making me want to tear my hair out.

Firstly, where's the Australian presence? I thought Warney was going to be in the box. I'd even settle for a non-entity like Blewett just to break up the monotony.

They've been dull and biased. And I don't mean biased in a fun way, like Geoff Boycott or Bill Lawry. I mean biased in their entire approach to the commentary. Everything is looked at from an English perspective.

It's a far cry from 2005, when I had the option of listening to the Channel 4 team - that lot were commentary gold.

Hass, today, Jason Gillespie reported on TMS radio that "he'll (Ponting) be as happy as a fat spider" on Ponting reaching his 38th Test century. Fat spider, happy?!!!!!

[JKLever]

What's this? English commentary team full of Englanders in biased commentary shocker!?

Sky are not that bad IMO, but then again i'm not an Aussie. To me they want England to do well and report on the cricket from a very england-focused way. I think they're fair & neutral in their analysis though.

Perhaps it's revenge for Chappell,Lawry & Healy

[G.Wood]

What's this? English commentary team full of Englanders in biased commentary shocker!?

Aye, being able to shout at the tv "shut up ya pommy thunderqunt" is part of the fun.

plus you can see the pictures so you can work out what is happening yourself - you don't have to believe the pommy thunderqunts

[Zat]

Yes, they keep saying Warne is coming.

They're just reading the texts he's sending them.

[PearlJ]

Sometimes I put the TV on mute for a 'cooling off' period, so I don't throw something at the TV. Usually when Botham comes on.

[JKLever]

I forgot Aus got the C4 feed in 2005, much better. And Richie.

Speaking of which, I though i'd read Richie was going to be doing something for C5.... instead we get Chappell

[Shoeshine]

I was hoping Sky would have Chappell just to enjoy the fight when he and Botham were scheduled on together.

[Chandan]

Is Border also there in some commentary team? And when is Warne coming?

[PearlJ]

Is Border also there in some commentary team? And when is Warne coming?

After his poker apparently. Getting quite far in a big poker tournament in Vegas. $10m prize. I'd stay if I was him.

[Basil]

You have to laugh at Aussies bitching about Sky's commentators - this from the nation that brought us the commentary geniuses that are Messrs Healy, Lawry and Chappell

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