Gentlemen callers

The one day interstate cricket final was played today in Adelaide and it turned out to be as good an advertisement as you could wish for for 50 overs a side cricket. NSW crept over the line to win by one wicket, after it looked as if SA had surrendered to some tight NSW bowling but had got back into the game thanks to Shaun Tait. For the full score see here.

It was also the last match of the season televised by Channel 9, so it gives me a reason (not that I really needed one) to give my opinions on some of the TV and radio cricket commentary this season.

Channel 9 TV: comments on the best three

# Mark Nicholas

Gradually easing into the role of Channel 9 front man, and rightly so. He is extremely polished in his presentation and, as I noticed during both test and one day internationals when I was present at the ground, is able to run an al fresco (ie with music and ads blaring in the foreground) discussion with three or four of his colleagues and to keep them focused. Appearance isn't everything, but he could do with a new hairstyle (or hairdresser) so that the gentlest zephyr doesn't ruffle his hair and distract his audience from what he is saying.


# Richie Benaud

Remains a very perceptive commentator who is able to read a game well and communicate his reading succinctly. Gradually becoming commentator emeritus, though I'd like to see him around for a while yet.

# Simon O'Donnell

Wasted on the lunch show during the tests; constructively forthright when he gets a chance to comment on matches being played. Today he gave two examples of this:

(1) Criticised Brad Haddin (NSW Captain) for ostentatiously spitting the dummy when a player dropped a difficult outfield catch. Anyone who has played cricket at any level knows that if a catch is dropped you shouldn't abuse them but say "don't worry, catch the next one" to the erring fielder.

(2) Stated that Jason Gillespie has lost a metre of pace even though he's still bowling quite well.

The others are all in their way competent, as you'd expect from people who've been doing the job for many summers.

ABC Radio

Jim Maxwell and Glenn Mitchell are sound but not flashy and are supported by generally good comments from Peter Roebuck and, in his folksy way, Geoff Lawson. Kerry O'Keefe is sui generis though some of the other "experts" tend to see the game through spectacles of their own tinting eg Damien Fleming is apt to recall his test hat trick every time a wicket falls. Peter Walsh is able to call and comment on several sports knowledgeably and is invariably enthusiastic and his dress flamboyant, as the photo of him above dashing onto the field at the end of the first one day final shows.

He, Maxwell and Mitchell are quintessential ABC people, and there's not the slightest hint of left wing bias about them (unless they are calling one of the football codes and the play moves in that direction). Even Piers Akerman last week described Jim Maxwell as "sagacious".




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