Wednesday 3 December 2008

Channel 9

I get to see quite a bit of Test cricket, most of it via my armchair and television. Occasionally I go to see them live but since Old Trafford is now Test matchless and the next nearest venue (Headingly) is a dive I probably will not be seeing any ‘in the raw’ for a while. During the recent Test series (if you can call two matches a series) between Australia and New Zealand I got reacquainted with the Channel 9 team in Australia.

The Australian coverage is the best – it must be because they tell me so. Technically the coverage is excellent, the camera work is fantastic and their hotspot cameras seem better than other countries. The high speed camera work is good too; although possibly not as good as Sky Sports it does seem to have a wider field of view. I don’t like the overall feel of the commentary; it is very overbearing and labours points repeatedly. I find myself thinking ‘I wish they would just shut up and let me watch the cricket’. I expect Australian commentators to be ‘pro Australia’ but the Channel 9 team are more like apologists, so much so that I can only imagine it is company policy. Favourites from the team? There is only one worth mentioning and of course that is Richie Benaud, who is head, shoulders and a tall building above the rest of them.

8 comments:

Unknown said...

Australia is not a country that is associated with winging. If anything, its people are one of the hardiest in the world and who revel in trying out new things and are unafraid of adventure, and are probably the most down to earth people in the world.
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kesha
internet marketing

Rob said...

I like Australia and Australians ... its the commentary team I am not keen on.

Mahesh said...

Richie is a legend. Probably the *best* cricket TV commentator I've ever heard.

My ideal team would be ..

Benaud, Boycott, Gavaskar, Shastri and Chappel maybe.

Rob said...

I quite like Tony Cozier and oddly a few of the South African's are growing on me.

I like Boycott, mainly because he is funny and insulting. I really liked Jim Laker, sadly not with us.

Mahesh said...

Aye, Old Tony ain't bad .. too young to have heard Jim Laker though :)

Anonymous said...

Come on Guys what about Bumble he reminds me of my Granddad a bit, I dont really like Idian Cricket commentators cause of there accent its sounds like one quick blur, I love Richie, Miss him now he better commentate on the Ashes in england. I hate that Bob Willis, He thinks hes above everyone else, He's so insulting "4.8 runs per over is negative? Get a life mate, will you? What more do you want?"
A surprisingly animated Bob Willis responds to a viewer's complaint that India batted negatively on the fourth day of the second Test against England. It's not nessery to be that rude. I dont really like that Guy who did channel 5 lots of hair, brown, used to be criceter

Rob said...

Who is the Indian guy that talks in metaphors all the time? I used to love listening to him.

Mahesh said...

Navjot Sing Sidhu :) More cliche's and quotes! Terrific batsmen for India.

He was called Sixer Sidhu. Interesting career. He was elected as an MP, then killed someone in road rage!!

http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=c0TnWnJLoHE

Classic!!