The Channel Nine commentary team

Richie Benaud- Remains a legend. Occasionally talks jibberish these days, but I guess that's down to old age.

Bill Lawry- I like him because unlike some of his fellow commentators he's honest and not afraid to criticise Aus. He wasn't afraid to criticise Ponting when he thought he had stuffed up with the field placings in this match. Makes the start of every new day seem potentially full of excitement by the way he talks. The only downside is his tendency to be a bit condescending towards the touring teams, like they're the children and Aus are the adults.

Tony Greig- He gets almost everything wrong, but he's generally fair and balanced. Worth keeping him as he clearly wants Aus to be brought back down to earth a bit, and doesn't pretend that the Aussies are angels.

Ian Chappell- A real bore. Recycles so many of the same theories and stories every year, and clearly thinks his theories are the only ones that are right. He was on South Africa's back right through this test match so I hope he's feeling like a complete prick right now, because he was certainly carrying on like one. I think he'll be the first one to get 'boned'.

Mark Nicholas- To be honest, there are times when he is bearable these days. Maybe it's because Aus haven't been so successful recently? Behind all of the gush and polish, he does seem to know his cricket. His blatent homosexual outbursts should really be sensored, mind.

Mark Taylor- One of the more tolerable of the newer brigade. Still talks like he's having a beer with his mates in the backyard, but he has a friendly manner.

Michael Slater- Boyish enthusiasm. But it gets sickening how he talks about all of the Aus players like they're his best buddies.

Ian Healy- Probably the worst of the lot. Arrogant, smart arse, jokes that aren't funny, completely biased towards Aus....The guy is woeful, and should be sacked along with Chappell.


Oh, and their method of having 3 commentators really, really sucks. As does their new policy of not having any overseas guest commentators.

You're way too kind about all of them. Langer easily outshone all of them in his first serious commentaary stint on the ABC.

Oh, and Greig and Nicholas are absolute shite; I think your love of everything that is anti-Australian has blinded you to their utter shiteness. If their mouths were filled with Readymix tonight it would be years too late.

I used to really like the Channel 9 commentary, but nowadays it's pretty unbearable. I think it's because a three-man commentary team increases the chances of having a w@nker talking you through each half hour of play by half. Whereas in the past you could get a bit of Benaud with a decent enough comm.

I remember on our tour of Aus in 86/7 they had Max Walker doing some of the commentary.

Enthusiastic & knowledgable too.

They could mix up the team by bringing in more commentators from the touring side's country.

lardbucket wrote:You're way too kind about all of them. Langer easily outshone all of them in his first serious commentaary stint on the ABC.

I couldn't bear it when Langer was on.

His voice is so grating it makes Ian Healy sound like Laurence Olivier.

As for the three commentators at once concept - I don't like it. There are times when the commentators just need to shut up, but with three of them in the box there's never any chance of that happening.

Richie Benaud's poignant silences end up giving way to yet another Greigy or Chappelli rant.

Greig is embarrassing "Oh he's bowled him, no he hasn't" .. I mean, WTF game is he watching half the time ? The other half he's just there to make up the noise.
Nicholas is a patronising twat ... Aus should give him a permanent resident visa. "Ooooh, my my my my ... glorious ... absolutely glorious ... divine "
Chappelli is just a self-important obnoxious pr!ck ... my one criticism of Botham is that he didn't finish off the job all those years ago.
Lawry and Taylor are okay ... honest and enthusiastic to a fault.
Healy is just being Healy ... the ultimate arsehole, no change there.
Slater aye, boyish and syrupy ... nothing wrong with that ... jags a bit of humour into his commentary and observations which isn't a bad thing!
Benaud - the ultimate Master. Needs no elaboration.

But what does having 3 commentators on at the same time achieve - other than perhaps some light entertainment should a fight break out between them in the box and Chappelli gets nutted in the cobblers!!

Hass wrote:

lardbucket wrote:You're way too kind about all of them. Langer easily outshone all of them in his first serious commentaary stint on the ABC.

I couldn't bear it when Langer was on.

His voice is so grating it makes Ian Healy sound like Laurence Olivier

Unfortunate voice, I agree, but at least the content was good. Very similar pros and cons to Damien Fleming, who also has a voice able to peel paint, but speaks knowledgeably and fairly.

... and Manthorp (sic?) was excellent.

I only remember hearing Channel 9 once. That world cup game when SA bottled it at the end against Australia.

As it went to the wire one Seth Effrican bat scored a run. "Oh lord" (IIRC) groaned an Australian commentator, whereas the Seth Effrican com promptly snapped "I think it is a perfectly good stroke" (IIRC).

I think the Australian was Lawry but am not sure.

That there cured me of a lot of pre- conceived biases about how only Asians were unprofessional enough to so crudely display their biases in the commentary box. Also that Asian commentators were as good as anyone else.

Well they're at least as good as the commentators on Nine.

furriner wrote:I only remember hearing Channel 9 once. That world cup game when SA bottled it at the end against Australia.

As it went to the wire one Seth Effrican bat scored a run. "Oh lord" (IIRC) groaned an Australian commentator, whereas the Seth Effrican com promptly snapped "I think it is a perfectly good stroke" (IIRC).

I think the Australian was Lawry but am not sure.

That there cured me of a lot of pre- conceived biases about how only Asians were unprofessional enough to so crudely display their biases in the commentary box. Also that Asian commentators were as good as anyone else.

Good commentators are just good commentators.

That Sri Lankan one Ranjit someone- totally humourless and dull as dishwater whereas I quite like Shastri - doesn't go over the top much either way. Saw Shastri described somewhere as someone doing an impression of someone from Wales doing an Indian accent - and thats spot on

Best (and fairest) commentators I've heard over many years ... Benaud, Arlott, Johnson, Ian Bishop, Bhogle, McGilvray, and that Kiwi responsible for the famous remark about Cunis ...

Used to love Jim Laker on the BBC - aside from him all the best pom commentators were on Radio.

This may be a heinous crime but I quite liked the Aus guest commentator in 1989 - Neville Oliver I think. Maybe because he even felt sorry for us in the end....

William Lawry is brilliant

PlanetPakistan wrote:William Lawry is brilliant

faisal ... because he talks loudly?

(aka the Steyne-Shoaib principle of commentary)

If Channel 9 were smart they'd poach Damien Fleming.

The only bowlers on the commentary team are Benaud and Greig (and even then they're both all-rounders).

That makes the score "out and out batsmen" five, "out and out bowlers" zero.

Are they sure they've got the balance right?

I always liked Bob Massie as a commentator ... he probably doesn't talk enough for Channel 9 TV, though.

JKLever wrote:Used to love Jim Laker on the BBC - aside from him all the best pom commentators were on Radio.

This may be a heinous crime but I quite liked the Aus guest commentator in 1989 - Neville Oliver I think. Maybe because he even felt sorry for us in the end....

I too enjoyed listening to Neville Oliver, not that many of my Aussie compatriots on this board agree with me (If I remember correctly).

I thought Neville Oliver was excellent.

I thought he was sufferable.

IIRC, Big Dog absolutely hated him.

lardbucket wrote:

PlanetPakistan wrote:William Lawry is brilliant

faisal ... because he talks loudly?

(aka the Steyne-Shoaib principle of commentary)

actually i don't get along with loud and obnoxious people

"Oh he's bowled him, no he hasn't"


Bill is also one who goes for the premature "Gottim!" or "Out!" these days. He should probably wait for the umpire's decision.

lardbucket wrote:I thought he was sufferable.

IIRC, Big Dog absolutely hated him.

jim maxwell is even worse than oliver and is cravenly pro spiv...

BNLG gave a classical BN performance on the ABC during the test...esp. in defending his mates in the team and talking down the saffie chances..

Flem gives an ok peformance being capable of humour and analysis..

the worst aspect of the Perth test commentary was the return of the GLAWSON to the ABC commentary booth...I think Australia should ban all cricket with the Stanlanders until they agree to take GLAWSON back on a "not allowed to speak to the media or commentate contract"

I'm not a fan of the 3 person commentary team.