Favourite commentary lines

[GIMH]

Yesterday, for some reason I had the famous "Is that the Ashes? Yes that's the Ashes" line in my head, even though I shamefully can't remember who coined it (think it was said in 1953 though).

Got me thinking, what commentary lines do I like best, from my time watching cricket live?
I couldn't think of any from my younger days, and in the end went with the gloriously simple, "Jones...Bowden!!" from Richie Benaud.

Will summon the memory banks for more that I like but I am interested in seeing what other CWers have to say on the matter

 

[BoyBrumby]

"Pretty piss-poor effort, that" - Richie Benaud*.

*Well, Billy Birmingham, technically.

 

[PavlovsDog]

The bowler's Holding, the batsman's Willey.

 

[Manee]

Not sure it counts but..."I would have..." - Richie Benaud completely fluffing reading Kasprowicz statement after the second Ashes Test 2005 in a lunch break.

 

[cpnend]

"Aggers, for goodness sake stop it!"

Brian Johnston

 

[aussie]

Some that i tend to remember a lot:

Bill Lwary - GONNEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Geoff Boycott:

- thats money for Ol rope
- Hooper is a lollipop bowler
- my grandmother could play with a stick of rubar (or something never quite got it with that yorkshire acsent)

Tony Greig (India vs Australia Mumbai 2001) - There is Tendulkar, then daylight & the rest this wonderful batting what a player...

Richie Benaud (Giles to Martyn OT 2005) - oh my... anytime you see a batsman go forward in what seems like the perfect defensive stroke & you hear a crash of ash, you know you have heard something special..

Mark Nicholas (Harmison to Clark Edgbaston 05) - given the match, given the situation that was a staggering gamble to worked brilliantly..

David Hookes (Kumble to Cairns ICC Knockout final 2000) - down the wicket goes Cairns and one bounce into sideboard TRASHHHHHHHHHHHHH, hahaha

 

[nexxus]

For no particular reason except that it's permanently lodged in my head.....

"BOWLEDHIM!!!! REEVE IS ON A HATRICK" - Charles Colville HK Sixes 1998

I think Dermott Reeve took 4 wickets in that over & Colville was going absolutely batty.

 

[Swervy]

Benaud 81- 'Into the confectionary stall, and out again'

I think that was it anyway

 

[Uppercut]

"Gone! What a bowler! What a matchwinner!"

Can't remember who said it, but it was at the legendary Adelaide fifth day last Ashes after Warne took another wicket. Stuck in my head for some reason.

 

[itduzz]

" These are not hits, these are scud missiles" Shastri on Afridi 37 ball 100 on debut .

 

[Uppercut]

Btw, if there's an inverse thread on the worst commentary lines of all time, i challenge anyone to come up with better than,

"It's another DLF MAXIMUM SIX!" and "That HAS to qualify for a Citi moment of success!"

from, well, every Indian commentator. None of whom i'll ever forgive.

 

[tin_tin]

"Bowled Him!!!!.. Pitched it up.....got his reward......three wickets for Malcolm.......1 for 3!"


Malcolm's 9/57. Good old Bannister.


Geoff Boycott on Michael Bevan

"In comes Bevan bowling is dolly mixtures and licoriche allsorts"

 

[Chemosit]

"Looks like Mullally has gone Doolally"

Michael Holding - you have to say it out loud with the accent to truly appreciate it.

 

[Julian87]

My least favourite would be:

NO, no, no, no, no ,no , no, no, no ,no!

 

[NUFAN]

"And Donald is run out and Australia are through to the final" Not sure who the commentator was.

 

[Top_Cat]

After Steve Waugh hit Lara in the 'nads with the 5th ball of the over, David Gower can't resist;

"Lara facing Waugh.......one ball left......"

You get the feeling he'd been dying to say that.

 

[Burgey]

A few stand out, more for their appropriateness to the moment more than being particaularly enlightening in themselves:

1993 Ashes - Left arm English seamer bowls a ball to Boon, who on drives for four, with virtually no follow through.

Benaud: [Pause] Ooh shot. I don't know if contempt is too strong a word, but David Boon really did give that a tremendous bit of hammer!!"

1999 WC semi - not sure the commentator "Kluesener pushes straight down the wicket. Mark Waugh - there could be a run out. There WILL be a run out!!! Unbelieveable!!!" Think it was Jim Maxwel on ABC radio, but not sure.

S Waugh's ton SCG v England. Bill Lawry "Steve Waugh on 98. One ball remaining......
He's gone for it........ there it is!!!!"

Same day, on the radio, Aggers to Skull "of course Kerry, he need not go for it, he can just defend this ball then come back tomorrow and bat on"
"Aggers, we're Aussies mate. Stuff the silver, we go for the gold. He'll smash it".

WI tour of Australia, WI batsman given out to a dodgy decision. Commentator: "Not sure about the decision"
Michael Holding: "Not sure? That was a pathetic decision".

 

[_Ed_]

"Aggers, for goodness sake stop it!"

Brian Johnston

Yes.

I also loved a line from Mark Richardson when Craig McMillan was involved in a mix-up and was nearly run out - "trouble here, he has to turn around HE'S A BIG MAN!".

 

[Jamee999]

Oh jeez...

 

[Spikey]

A frog goes into a bank and approaches the teller. He can see from her nameplate that the teller's name is Patricia Whack. 'Miss Whack, I'd like to get a 30,000 loan to take a holiday....