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Rank your country's commentary team
- Thread starter morgieb
- Start date
Calm_profit
State Vice-Captain
Bob willis as well
Red_Ink_Squid
Global Moderator
#1 chris.hinton
morgieb
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Think I might give this another crack, certainly as both teams have changed a bit since I last did it. Focusing on thse that do internationals, mostly as BBL commentary is very different and I haven't heard enough of the specialist BBL guys cricketing commentary (or the ladies) to have a solid opinion:
Fox
Border 5 - years (and Parkinsons, sadly) haven't been too kind to AB and he's largely more a story-teller at this point rather than an actual analyst. I don't mind the rhythm he offers and he does feed off some of the older more considered commentators well, but just a little too boring most of the time and watching him is sadly rough.
Gilchrist 7 - a safe pair of hands to lead the commentary team and plays the ball-by-ball and hosting roles very well. That said, when he plays analyst I don't think he's as cluely as he could be, I'm not sure I hear a lot of interest from there. Then again, there's not too many in the world where I do.
Guha 7 - probably could be a little bit more assertive in her opinions, but like Gilchrist is a quality host. Gets the conversation flowing well, and does it in solid style.
Haddin 3 - occasionally says something of interest. More often than not full of **** though and has a really bloky way of speaking that grates.
Healy 6 - needs work and not the best speaker but I like that she offers something different when doing men's internationals; she seems willing to actually analyse and isn't annoying.
Howard 5 - plays the hype man role well, but doesn't seem to move certain characters away from crapping on too much all that comfortably and has nothing of interest to say himself.
Hussey 6 - my opinion of Hussey tends to fluculate a lot. Sometimes I find him quite considered, other times it feels like he speaks a lot of dead air. I think in recent times he's cut back on that though and now mostly only speaks when he thinks he's got something to say which is nice. Downside is that often time he can go through an entire stint saying like 5 words....
Julian 2 - the worst of the bunch. Knows nothing about the game, is a pretty boring speaker and is prone to constant stuff-ups. Everyone else on Fox I can at least see what they add, I really don't in Julian's case.
Lee 4 - just not that bright. He does have decent knowledge about fast bowling techniques and I guess isn't too annoying otherwise, but too often says dumb things and adds little of interest.
O'Keefe 8 - when he sticks to basics, he is great and is without the best analyst Fox has. Can be a bit self-indulgent though and tries to be a bit too much of a hot take merchant without justification at his worst. But in recent years I haven't heard that as much and seems to have calmed down.
Vaughan 5 - mixed bag. At his best he's actually pretty clever and does know a lot about the game, but can fall a bit too easily at times into obnoxious hot take merchant as per his Twitter persona. Just feels a bit too punchable.
Warner 4 - actually can say decent insights, but man does he not present himself well and that harms the package. And given the way other commentators go, I think as he moves more away from the game the insights will disappear but I'm skeptical he'll be a better speaker.
Waugh 5 - he does at least seem willing to go against the grain and speak his mind even if it's against the expected consensus, and while he can be massively wrong and idiotic I can appreciate that on certain commentary teams. But he's still prone to coming across as too disinterested in the game and seems a bit too arrogant for my tastes. I think he's improved a bit in recent years though.
Seven
Ball-by-ball
Brayshaw 3 - he can be OK at times, but for the most part offers little. It feels like he only watches cricket when he's paid to, and while once upon a time I thought he could be OK at hyping up big moments that day has long since gone.
Lane 5 - at least he's professional. But too often seems to say some stupid things and I feel like his age is starting to show.
Mitchell 8 - best of the BBB people on 7 I think. Maybe you could say she isn't that all that effective at delivering for the big moments, but is generally rather good at getting the conversation flowing, generally speaks sense and is all round pretty solid.
Experts
Blewett 4 - I guess the kindest thing I can say is that he doesn't annoy me. But he rarely says anything of interest, and comes across as being too much of "one of the boys" to make much of a positive impression.
Finch 8 - it's early days, but I'm impressed. Speaks well, is pretty considered and generally knows what he's talking about. How good he'll be in a few years time is another question, but I can't see him being bad.
Fleming 4 - it's tough as I honestly haven't heard him all that much in recent years, but I just have bad memories of his late 2010's form when all he was good for was delivering "avenue of apprehension" style nonsense and trying to talk about how awesome he is. I guess you could say he's not been too offensive in the little I've heard of him recently.
Hayden 1 - just awful. Virtually everything he says (especially when paired with another halfwit) makes me want to strangle him.
Katich 6 - hasn't adapted to TV all that well, I feel. Don't get me wrong, he's hardly a poor commentator but I feel like he's not been as interesting (well other when he was talking about Siraj) since he's been on 7 compared to the ABC. Still solid enough overall though.
Langer 2 - maybe slightly less obnoxious than Hayden is, but really he offers nothing beyond trite soundbites and sycophancy. Just plain insufferable.
Ponting 10 - without a doubt, the best analyst in the world. When he speaks, it is generally essential listening and rarely gets things wrong. You could argue that he might not be all that suited to ball-by-ball stuff, but he doesn't need to be on 7.
Fox's team isn't awful, but I don't really rate it either. I guess you could say it's not insufferable in the same way peak McNamara-era 9 was, but there's just not enough quality there and all are flawed in their own ways. Still, it's probably one of the better commentary teams worldwide because a lot of the other ones (especially in the subcontinent) tend to be quite a bit worse.
As for Seven, they'd be quality if they fired Hayden and Langer into the sun (and maybe get a good hype-man to do ball-by-ball stuff). Unfortunately, those two really hurt the team especially as we hear from them quite a lot.
Fox
Border 5 - years (and Parkinsons, sadly) haven't been too kind to AB and he's largely more a story-teller at this point rather than an actual analyst. I don't mind the rhythm he offers and he does feed off some of the older more considered commentators well, but just a little too boring most of the time and watching him is sadly rough.
Gilchrist 7 - a safe pair of hands to lead the commentary team and plays the ball-by-ball and hosting roles very well. That said, when he plays analyst I don't think he's as cluely as he could be, I'm not sure I hear a lot of interest from there. Then again, there's not too many in the world where I do.
Guha 7 - probably could be a little bit more assertive in her opinions, but like Gilchrist is a quality host. Gets the conversation flowing well, and does it in solid style.
Haddin 3 - occasionally says something of interest. More often than not full of **** though and has a really bloky way of speaking that grates.
Healy 6 - needs work and not the best speaker but I like that she offers something different when doing men's internationals; she seems willing to actually analyse and isn't annoying.
Howard 5 - plays the hype man role well, but doesn't seem to move certain characters away from crapping on too much all that comfortably and has nothing of interest to say himself.
Hussey 6 - my opinion of Hussey tends to fluculate a lot. Sometimes I find him quite considered, other times it feels like he speaks a lot of dead air. I think in recent times he's cut back on that though and now mostly only speaks when he thinks he's got something to say which is nice. Downside is that often time he can go through an entire stint saying like 5 words....
Julian 2 - the worst of the bunch. Knows nothing about the game, is a pretty boring speaker and is prone to constant stuff-ups. Everyone else on Fox I can at least see what they add, I really don't in Julian's case.
Lee 4 - just not that bright. He does have decent knowledge about fast bowling techniques and I guess isn't too annoying otherwise, but too often says dumb things and adds little of interest.
O'Keefe 8 - when he sticks to basics, he is great and is without the best analyst Fox has. Can be a bit self-indulgent though and tries to be a bit too much of a hot take merchant without justification at his worst. But in recent years I haven't heard that as much and seems to have calmed down.
Vaughan 5 - mixed bag. At his best he's actually pretty clever and does know a lot about the game, but can fall a bit too easily at times into obnoxious hot take merchant as per his Twitter persona. Just feels a bit too punchable.
Warner 4 - actually can say decent insights, but man does he not present himself well and that harms the package. And given the way other commentators go, I think as he moves more away from the game the insights will disappear but I'm skeptical he'll be a better speaker.
Waugh 5 - he does at least seem willing to go against the grain and speak his mind even if it's against the expected consensus, and while he can be massively wrong and idiotic I can appreciate that on certain commentary teams. But he's still prone to coming across as too disinterested in the game and seems a bit too arrogant for my tastes. I think he's improved a bit in recent years though.
Seven
Ball-by-ball
Brayshaw 3 - he can be OK at times, but for the most part offers little. It feels like he only watches cricket when he's paid to, and while once upon a time I thought he could be OK at hyping up big moments that day has long since gone.
Lane 5 - at least he's professional. But too often seems to say some stupid things and I feel like his age is starting to show.
Mitchell 8 - best of the BBB people on 7 I think. Maybe you could say she isn't that all that effective at delivering for the big moments, but is generally rather good at getting the conversation flowing, generally speaks sense and is all round pretty solid.
Experts
Blewett 4 - I guess the kindest thing I can say is that he doesn't annoy me. But he rarely says anything of interest, and comes across as being too much of "one of the boys" to make much of a positive impression.
Finch 8 - it's early days, but I'm impressed. Speaks well, is pretty considered and generally knows what he's talking about. How good he'll be in a few years time is another question, but I can't see him being bad.
Fleming 4 - it's tough as I honestly haven't heard him all that much in recent years, but I just have bad memories of his late 2010's form when all he was good for was delivering "avenue of apprehension" style nonsense and trying to talk about how awesome he is. I guess you could say he's not been too offensive in the little I've heard of him recently.
Hayden 1 - just awful. Virtually everything he says (especially when paired with another halfwit) makes me want to strangle him.
Katich 6 - hasn't adapted to TV all that well, I feel. Don't get me wrong, he's hardly a poor commentator but I feel like he's not been as interesting (well other when he was talking about Siraj) since he's been on 7 compared to the ABC. Still solid enough overall though.
Langer 2 - maybe slightly less obnoxious than Hayden is, but really he offers nothing beyond trite soundbites and sycophancy. Just plain insufferable.
Ponting 10 - without a doubt, the best analyst in the world. When he speaks, it is generally essential listening and rarely gets things wrong. You could argue that he might not be all that suited to ball-by-ball stuff, but he doesn't need to be on 7.
Fox's team isn't awful, but I don't really rate it either. I guess you could say it's not insufferable in the same way peak McNamara-era 9 was, but there's just not enough quality there and all are flawed in their own ways. Still, it's probably one of the better commentary teams worldwide because a lot of the other ones (especially in the subcontinent) tend to be quite a bit worse.
As for Seven, they'd be quality if they fired Hayden and Langer into the sun (and maybe get a good hype-man to do ball-by-ball stuff). Unfortunately, those two really hurt the team especially as we hear from them quite a lot.
Shady Slim
International Coach
big agree as re finch and mitchell too
i’ve said it before and i’ll say it again: i rate the BIG DOS
i’ve said it before and i’ll say it again: i rate the BIG DOS
Line and Length
Cricketer Of The Year
As annoying is as Langer and Haydn may be, none are as annoying as Fleming. An absolute pain.
Prince EWS
Global Moderator
Wtf is BIG DOS? Hayden?
SJS
Hall of Fame Member
Aritro
International Regular
Basically, these ***** were so bad that I'm just really grateful to hear anything else and all of it sounds like a relief.