Do you prefer radio or television?

[Uppercut]

Am I the only one who doesn't mind Beefy's commentary?

Quite like him tbh.

 

[zaremba]

I have to admit, I find Beefy intolerable too. My new year's resolution is to try to give him a chance. I'm not optimistic, particularly since the bloody knighthood ("and now, in the 3rd Man's chair, it's over to SIR Ian Botham").

 

[fredfertang]

Cut Bumble some slack guys - have any of you ever been to Accrington?

 

[Richard]

Am I the only one who doesn't mind Beefy's commentary?

I'm not particularly fussed about him TBH, but as I've said before, the only commentators I can do without are the truly diabolical types like Srinath, Waqar Younis, Stewart, etc.

There are very few commentators I'm a massive fan of, especially TV ones, but I can happily listen to most, especially those that've been around a while who I've gotten used to.

Botham for one thing is an excellent bowling analyst. It's a shame he's not used more by England (or indeed anyone) for bowling coaching. But in his position as a commentator he does indeed have something to offer those who're watching who play the game as bowlers, including the famed next generation who Sky apparently don't damage the chance of getting involved in the game.

 

[Jigga988]

Am I the only one who doesn't mind Beefy's commentary?

Judging by the general reaction of him... probobly.

He is just extremely irritating, he constantly repeats the same thing. I dont mind his views on players. I don't really know why i don't like him, I just find him really annoying.

 

[Jigga988]

I'm not particularly fussed about him TBH, but as I've said before, the only commentators I can do without are the truly diabolical types like Srinath, Waqar Younis, Stewart, etc.

There are very few commentators I'm a massive fan of, especially TV ones, but I can happily listen to most, especially those that've been around a while who I've gotten used to.

Botham for one thing is an excellent bowling analyst. It's a shame he's not used more by England (or indeed anyone) for bowling coaching. But in his position as a commentator he does indeed have something to offer those who're watching who play the game as bowlers, including the famed next generation who Sky apparently don't damage the chance of getting involved in the game.

Yeah, not only him, I think the whole third-man feature they have going on is specifically designed to help younger viewers.

 

[GIMH]

I probably like him because he's Freddie fanboy just like me

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Put me firmly in the Bumble-hatred club. I like pretty much everyone in the Sky team, certainly a much better group than Nine is these days, but David Lloyd ****s me to tears.

 

[zaremba]

Botham for one thing is an excellent bowling analyst. It's a shame he's not used more by England (or indeed anyone) for bowling coaching. But in his position as a commentator he does indeed have something to offer those who're watching who play the game as bowlers, including the famed next generation who Sky apparently don't damage the chance of getting involved in the game.

I disagree completely that Botham is an excellent bowling analyst. This is imho one of his major failings. Clearly he must have an incredible amount of technical knowledge to impart during his commentary, but he just doesn't do it. He'll always prefer instead to resort to cliches ("the only way that one's swinging is.... off the bat, all the way to the boundary - ha ha ha") or backhanded self-congratulation ("Freddie Flintoff is the kind of player the public wants to see, he always empties the bars and loves to stick it up the Aussies" etc).

 

[Richard]

Yeah, not only him, I think the whole third-man feature they have going on is specifically designed to help younger viewers.

The third-man feature, BTW, in case anyone doesn't know is obviously based on C4's "The Analyst" (which rather than being rotated was assigned to a specialist, Simon Hughes). Which was a feature I always enjoyed, as Simon Hughes is an excellent technical observer and explanist (if that's a word, and CBA to look).

 

[Richard]

I disagree completely that Botham is an excellent bowling analyst. This is imho one of his major failings. Clearly he must have an incredible amount of technical knowledge to impart during his commentary, but he just doesn't do it. He'll always prefer instead to resort to cliches ("the only way that one's swinging is.... off the bat, all the way to the boundary - ha ha ha") or backhanded self-congratulation ("Freddie Flintoff is the kind of player the public wants to see, he always empties the bars and loves to stick it up the Aussies" etc).

I realise this, and yes it's vaguely irritating, but there are times when he can offer stuff that no-one else does, even if he doesn't do it as often as might be ideal.

I've watched James Anderson bowl for years and seen about 10 or 15 people commentate on him in that time. But it was only last summer that I finally saw an explanation of how he bowls the outswinger and inswinger. Who was responsible? Sir ITB. And if I'd seen this 6 years previously (OK, Anderson wasn't playing international cricket in 2002 so it'd have had to be a different bowler, but still) it'd probably mean I'd bowled a hell of a lot better myself in the meantime. For years I've bowled outswing without really having much of a clue what the reasons were that I was doing it and never being able to get it to go the other way. Since watching that minute or so of footage, I've looked at my own action, realised how I get outswing and realised why I've never been able to get it to go the other way (though part of it is lack of trying).

 

[zaremba]

The third-man feature, BTW, in case anyone doesn't know is obviously based on C4's "The Analyst" (which rather than being rotated was assigned to a specialist, Simon Hughes). Which was a feature I always enjoyed, as Simon Hughes is an excellent technical observer and explanist (if that's a word, and CBA to look).

The Analyst feature was absolutely excellent for the reasons you have given. The 3rd Man slot is a pale imitation, although still worthwhile.

 

[Uppercut]

I prefer him to Bumble, Boycott, Nicholas and Hussain. Bob Willis is probably actually funnier than Lloyd but his humourous comments don't have "i am making a funny" written all over them. Boycott calls for the public hanging of anyone who gets out playing a shot. Nicholas tries to turn the match into a Victorian-era period drama. Hussain is horrifically boring.

 

[Jono]

I reckon Nasser is the best commentator going around atm. To each his own I guess.

 

[TT Boy]

AWTA. How come when Lloyd spouts inane bias it's "Loveable Bumble is so Loveable " but when Botham does it it's "****ing Botham, what a ****ing ****er"?

Because Beefy despite being a legendary cricketer and doing champion charity work, is a tosser and David Lloyd doesn’t argue by saying, “so how many Test caps have you got then?”. They are both equally bad but at least Lloyd has knowledge of cricket outside of England and what he is commentating on. Botham and David Gower are akin to Lawry, Healy, Slater in being pig ignorant of the opposition.

Gem from Slats during the recent test match between Aus and South Africa, “this Amla is a dasher”…No Slats he isn’t, he just happens to look aggressive because the Australians serve him up tripe.

I try to listen to TMS when I can but it’s slowly but surely got worse over the years. I can’t stand Gooch and Stewart and there is only so much you can take of Blofeld and his Imperial/Etonian dribble.

 

[zaremba]

I realise this, and yes it's vaguely irritating, but there are times when he can offer stuff that no-one else does, even if he doesn't do it as often as might be ideal.

I've watched James Anderson bowl for years and seen about 10 or 15 people commentate on him in that time. But it was only last summer that I finally saw an explanation of how he bowls the outswinger and inswinger. Who was responsible? Sir ITB. And if I'd seen this 6 years previously it'd probably mean I'd bowled a hell of a lot better myself in the meantime.

Yep, fair point, well made.

What I want to hear from Botham is not the fact that he racked up 373 Test wickets and 14 Test Centuries, but some sharing of the knowledge and skill which underpinned those achievements. Likewise Gower.

 

[GIMH]

The third-man feature, BTW, in case anyone doesn't know is obviously based on C4's "The Analyst" (which rather than being rotated was assigned to a specialist, Simon Hughes). Which was a feature I always enjoyed, as Simon Hughes is an excellent technical observer and explanist (if that's a word, and CBA to look).

The Analyst feature was absolutely excellent for the reasons you have given. The 3rd Man slot is a pale imitation, although still worthwhile.

Yeah, I think Sky deliberately simplified the thing, which is odd really, you'd expect the sports channel to be more technical than the terrestrial channel.

The first year of sky coverage though, 06, the 3rd man was abysmal, they were doing crowd shots and **** like that. Seems to have improved now, or had done for 08 (I never had sky in 07)

 

[zaremba]

at least Lloyd has knowledge of cricket outside of England and what he is commentating on.

Fair point

 

[Uppercut]

I miss Simon Hughes.

 

[zaremba]

I miss Simon Hughes.

He's now on TMS and like a fish out of water. He gets a lot of things wrong and says some odd things.

An example, which some of you may mistakenly feel to be at the less serious end of the scale: I heard him banging on about the origins of Nelson (111) the other day: "People say that it's because Nelson had one eye, one arm and one leg - but it's not correct - Nelson had two arms". No he didn't, Simon. His actual complement (as at 1805) was:
Legs: 2
Arms: 1
Eyes: 1.