Best and worst cricket journalists

[Slow Love™]

Mike Coward
Simon Barnes
Amit Varma
Tim DeLisle
Neil Manthorp
Osman Samiuddin

are probably my favorites, off the top of my head.

Roebuck is a bit of a special case - I find he's an arse a lot of the time, and his writing style has gotten real old on me, but for some reason I still care what he thinks.

I probably rate Robert Craddock as one of the worst. Boock pretty bad too, IMO.

EDIT: Used to not mind that Lynn McConnell guy from NZ, but haven't read anything of his for a while.

 

[armchairumpire]

Richard Boock's my favourite.

As far as columnists go, Adam Parore's the worst in the world IMO.

I agree, but I'd add Mark Richardson as nearly as bad as Parore.

 

[Dasa]

Roebuck is a bit of a special case - I find he's an arse a lot of the time, and his writing style has gotten real old on me, but for some reason I still care what he thinks.

I find Roebuck as a commentator is decent, but dislike his writing.

 

[FRAZ]

I think Richard gave me the idea to start this thread.?

And I thought it was me who is so concerned with journalism !!!

 

[cameeel]

Best 2:

Gideon Haigh
Tim de Lisle

Worst:

Keith Stackpole
(Daylight)

 

[Perm]

I agree, but I'd add Mark Richardson as nearly as bad as Parore.

Ian Smith wouldn't be far off either, I read an article of his today and he said "McCullum is the second best wicket-keeper batsman in ODI's, second only to Gilchrist. His glovework is already better than the Australians" Felt like yelling at somebody.

 

[Fiery]

Ian Smith wouldn't be far off either, I read an article of his today and he said "McCullum is the second best wicket-keeper batsman in ODI's, second only to Gilchrist. His glovework is already better than the Australians" Felt like yelling at somebody.

Yeah, Ian Smith...pffff... what would he know about wicket-keeping?

 

[AussieDominance]

Terry Smith in Australia is not bad.

 

[Perm]

Yeah, Ian Smith...pffff... what would he know about wicket-keeping?

I wasn't dencouning Smith's lack of knowledge about wicket keeping but the fact he completely forgot about Dhoni and Sangakarra, two wicket keeper-batsman who are better than McCullum in ODI's by a fair way.

 

[Johnners]

I'm one of the few who like Roebucks work. Also, Gideon Haigh, Aggers & Tim De Lisle are favourites.

Robert Craddock certainly isn't a favourite, and neither is Ben Dorries. The fulla who calls Shaun Tait a lefty isn't a Journalist i'd say anyone apart from myself knew, Cameron Leslie, he writes for the Toowoomba Chronicle.

 

[BoyBrumby]

I think Haigh is the top man currently by quite a far way. I also enjoy Mike Selvey a lot too, something about his slightly world-weary, slightly cynical style appeals to me.

Roebuck, whilst clearly having some talent as a writer, is probably the one who annoys me the most. He seems to becoming increasingly bitter as the years roll by & rarely misses a chance to stick the boot in to his former home country.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Find Brendan McArdle not too bad when talking about Victorian cricket.

 

[howardj]

Malcolm Conn is usually on the money and very plugged in.

 

[TT Boy]

Neil Manthorp.

 

[Jono]

I find Roebuck as a commentator is decent, but dislike his writing.

My theory is that they're not the same person, that or he suffers schizophrenia .

 

[PhoenixFire]

Kevin Mitchell = Rubbish

 

[GIMH]

I certainly like Gideon Haigh and Osman, too. Simon Barnes (usually) is right up there, even if he let himself down badly of late. CMJ and Aggers are rightly very, very well respected as both coms and journos.

Matthew Engel is my personal favourite, though.

I often think the likes of Michael Henderson go OTT but they undoubtedly know their stuff.

There are many, many cricket journos out there, though, who don't have a clue IMO - the top posters on this forum could take 'em to the cleaners. Clapo's "lefty Shaun Tait" guy probably takes the biscuit, though.

Barnes is a great read but a pretentious **** at the same time IMO

 

[viktor]

Mike Coward
Simon Barnes
Amit Varma
Tim DeLisle
Neil Manthorp
Osman Samiuddin

are probably my favorites, off the top of my head.

Roebuck is a bit of a special case - I find he's an arse a lot of the time, and his writing style has gotten real old on me, but for some reason I still care what he thinks.

I probably rate Robert Craddock as one of the worst. Boock pretty bad too, IMO.

EDIT: Used to not mind that Lynn McConnell guy from NZ, but haven't read anything of his for a while.

I wish he would write more on cricket...has pretty much stopped I think... Of the others, I used to like Manthorp, but his last few articles, the one on Gibbs didn't really impress me much..Lawrence Booth, is quite funny as The Spin...

Craddock is definitely the worst..

 

[wpdavid]

I think Haigh is the top man currently by quite a far way. I also enjoy Mike Selvey a lot too, something about his slightly world-weary, slightly cynical style appeals to me.

Roebuck, whilst clearly having some talent as a writer, is probably the one who annoys me the most. He seems to becoming increasingly bitter as the years roll by & rarely misses a chance to stick the boot in to his former home country.

I'd agree with all of that. Haigh is miles ahead of the rest. Too many of the English journos just don't appear to be watching the same game as me, afaics.

I used to hugely enjoy Engel when he started out for the Grauniad about 20 years ago, although I can take or leave much of his stuff nowadays.

 

[Richard]

Gideon getting the universal seal-of-approval to date...

(Cue "Haigh is rubbish" comment)

I'd add Neil Manthorp to my list to date, too - another good measured writer.

I'm amazed anyone can like Malcolm Conn, though - the Ian Chappell of the Press Box IMO.