The Battle of the Commentators

[The_Bunny]

Benaud

Dont think Boycott deserved to be in the final, Cozier Nasser or Lloyd are second for mine.

 

[SJS]

I'm off up the wooden hill to Bedfordshire, so I hope I'm not being too presumptuous when I vote for Benaud.

Voting against him because he's become boring (which I would dispute, but anyway) is rather like voting against Bradman in a battle of batsmen because he scored a duck in his last innings. What had gone before had clearly established him as one of the greats, if not the great. If Arlott was the king of the airwaves, Richie was the crown prince of the televisual age.

Very well said BB.

Everyone please read this before voting.

Benaud (even though I am a huge fan of Boycott)

 

[SJS]

People must be voting on reputation, not present form, because there's no way the Benaud of today is in the top two commentators in the world. In fact two tv commentators (although maybe Boycott is also radio, don't know, am not English) should not be in the final; radio commentators are always superior given the nature of their medium and the absence of the 'star' factor. I nearly always watch cricket with the sound down and the abc turned on. A very dissapointing final two. Abstain.

I think you should read what BB said ... I quote :

Voting against him because he's become boring (which I would dispute, but anyway) is rather like voting against Bradman in a battle of batsmen because he scored a duck in his last innings. What had gone before had clearly established him as one of the greats, if not the great. If Arlott was the king of the airwaves, Richie was the crown prince of the televisual age.

I would have voted Boycott if the vote was for greatest current commentator. But it isn't otherwise those who are no longer in this world would not be with us - and if they were, they wouldn't, in all probability, be at their best as commentators - as Benaud isn't too. Thats not to be held against him. Otherwise sachin is no where being close to being one of (if not the) greatest one day batsman of all time.

 

[archie mac]

Benaud

 

[biased indian]

Aganist Benaud

 

[Blackadder]

Benaud

 

[Athlai]

Would have voted for Nasser because of how much a pleasure he is to listen too, yet enjoyment aside it has to be Benaud.

 

[Mister Wright]

Against: Benaud.

 

[Unattainableguy]

Benaud

 

[Perm]

For: Richie Benaud.

Voice of cricket, I grew up listening to him.

 

[Goughy]

Boycott

 

[honestbharani]

Well, I am one of the biggest fans of Boycott but can't go past Benaud here.


As others have said, he was great for such a long time that his past 4 or 5 years work can be excused to an extent.

 

[neville cardus]

Richie.

 

[The Sean]

People must be voting on reputation, not present form, because there's no way the Benaud of today is in the top two commentators in the world.

With this mindset (expressed by a lot of voters on here, not just you), I fear for Bradman when he comes up against Hussey in the next Battle of the Batsmen, because The Don's current form isn't much to speak of...

 

[The Sean]

Benaud.

 

[burr]

With this mindset (expressed by a lot of voters on here, not just you), I fear for Bradman when he comes up against Hussey in the next Battle of the Batsmen, because The Don's current form isn't much to speak of...

yeah well i guess i just have a different mindset on this game - i think it would be better to find out the best commentator currently instead of saying well richie used to be good 5 years ago, but even though he's crap now, i'll vote for him. that's why i think it's dumb having people like arlott in the comp who most people haven't heard and thus get knocked out because people vote saying well i haven't heard him so i'll vote for the other guy by default. it's silly imo.

 

[archie mac]

yeah well i guess i just have a different mindset on this game - i think it would be better to find out the best commentator currently instead of saying well richie used to be good 5 years ago, but even though he's crap now, i'll vote for him. that's why i think it's dumb having people like arlott in the comp who most people haven't heard and thus get knocked out because people vote saying well i haven't heard him so i'll vote for the other guy by default. it's silly imo.

Or maybe they hope you will do some research and see what you have been missing from the greatest game of all

 

[Athlai]

Well it's not like it's an all-time commentator battle, and frankly at the moment I'd rather listen to Nasser or Holding than Benaud, regardless of how good he once was.

 

[The Sean]

Well it's not like it's an all-time commentator battle, and frankly at the moment I'd rather listen to Nasser or Holding than Benaud, regardless of how good he once was.

Surely with the likes of McGilvray, Arlott and Laker in it, it is.

 

[Athlai]

Surely with the likes of McGilvray, Arlott and Laker in it, it is.

Because people decided to nominate them, it's commentary, something to do with entertainment value and TBH when I was younger I didn't enjoy cricket the way I do now so I can't see the point in researching who the best ever was. It's not going to improve what I'm hearing now. I fully agree with people saying 'Benaud was the voice of cricket helped me to grow to love the game' those kind of things.

Yet

With this mindset (expressed by a lot of voters on here, not just you), I fear for Bradman when he comes up against Hussey in the next Battle of the Batsmen, because The Don's current form isn't much to speak of...

Just comes across to me as unnecessary, particularly when you can judge cricket by the output of runs, yet something like commentary all comes down to individual taste.