The Ashes Battle is Close, But...

[Shane Warne]

Channel 4 lost a bit of credibility today when Shane Warne was out and they said he was bowled. Then about five minutes later Mark Nicholas suddenly realised what really happened and said "I don't think anyone noticed that". Well I knew what had happened when I first saw it because the ball was obviously gone by the time the stumps were disturbed. If I saw it then I'm sure many people on both sides of the hemisphere also saw it.

My dad said exactly the same thing.

Pretty poor miss.

 

[superkingdave]

Channel 4 lost a bit of credibility today when Shane Warne was out and they said he was bowled. Then about five minutes later Mark Nicholas suddenly realised what really happened and said "I don't think anyone noticed that". Well I knew what had happened when I first saw it because the ball was obviously gone by the time the stumps were disturbed. If I saw it then I'm sure many people on both sides of the hemisphere also saw it.

lol yeah but Nicholas is a muppet, as i said in the official thread the ball was 6 inches outside leg so there was no way it could have been bowled, added to the fact the noise of the bails coming off came as the ball went to Gerian Jones, he was just trying to cover up, im sure the rest of the commentary team ripped the **** out of him

 

[Entrael]

Out of all the c4 commentators who are pretty good, Nicholas would be by far the worst. Theres just something about him and the way he commentates that gets on my nerves

 

[luckyeddie]

Out of all the c4 commentators who are pretty good, Nicholas would be by far the worst. Theres just something about him and the way he commentates that gets on my nerves

He was commentating when Harmison did Clarke yesterday - and went up 1000% in my estimation.

 

[Shane Warne]

He was commentating when Harmison did Clarke yesterday - and went up 1000% in my estimation.

I liked it when Flintoff hit that six.

"HELLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOO"

"MASSIVE......MASSIVE"

 

[age_master]

Easily the Channel 4 coverage. Richie, Tony, Boycott (gold, imo), Slater, Atherton are all quality. Plus Im quite enjoying this analyst thing with Simon Hughes.

yeah i love 'the analyst'

Richie and Slats are the best of the lot for mine, i hope Slater gets a gig at Ch 9 soon

 

[age_master]

Out of all the c4 commentators who are pretty good, Nicholas would be by far the worst. Theres just something about him and the way he commentates that gets on my nerves

indeed i really dislike him.

 

[Shane Warne]

indeed i really dislike him.

He's God.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Channel 4 is the best commentary team in the world, imo. Excellent throughout.

Slater I'm particularly impressed with, and Richie and Boycott are the best around as always.

 

[archie mac]

Channel 4 is the best commentary team in the world, imo. Excellent throughout.

Slater I'm particularly impressed with, and Richie and Boycott are the best around as always.

They are leaving our own CH9 for dead. Nice not having to hear the 'great shows on 9' every other over, and what limited framed picture of Hayden cooking breakfast, 'Which you can purchase for just $3k limited to how many we can sell'

I wonder which station Sir Richie prefers working for?

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

They are leaving our own CH9 for dead. Nice not having to hear the 'great shows on 9' every other over, and what limited framed picture of Hayden cooking breakfast, 'Which you can purchase for just $3k limited to how many we can sell'

I wonder which station Sir Richie prefers working for?

Amusing moment the other day, when forced to do a similar promotion for channel 4. "Make sure you visit the channel 9 website, and play the WG Grace game, and see the many other fun activities..."

I don't think he ever corrected himself.

 

[Linda]

C4 for commentary. Fox Sports Active is a nice feature but I don't actually find it very useful at all. Usually only use it if i've missed a few wickets.

Agreed. The AFL one is much more useful.

 

[howardj]

Channel 4 is the best commentary team in the world, imo. Excellent throughout.

Slater I'm particularly impressed with, and Richie and Boycott are the best around as always.

Channel Four, I agree, are easily better than SKY. Atherton, Boycott, Slater and Nicholas, all add something to the pictures - they get you thinking about things. Simon Hughes (aka The Analyst) is also excellent. However Benaud, in recent years anyway, has really got to me. I used to like him when he was naturally witty, but now I think he constantly tries to be witty - in a forced, deliberate way.

As for SKY....they come across as 'blokey', know-it-alls, who say obvious things. Not much insight/analysis offered. In summary, I think Channel 4 commentary is best for the educated, thinking cricket watcher, while SKY commentary is best for the rowdy mob who have a superficial/shallow interest in cricket (in other words, people who would not normally attend Test cricket games).

 

[Zinzan]

In NZ we only get the Sky coverage. I'd much prefer Channel 4 with Benaud and particularly my old favourite Boycott.

Overall the Sky coverage is tedious.I do like Hussian and can tolerate Botham and Lloyd but Holding and Lehman are boring and Bob Willis must be the most unappealing commentator i've heard in ANY sport.

Fortunately the radio coverage was coming through in perfect timing to the t.v coverage (which doesn't always happen), so I always flicked over to that whenever Bob willis got within a 100 yards of the commentary box.

Sky NZ must have negiotated with British Sky last year because in the NZ v Eng series 2004 we got the Channel 4 coverage for the 1st test at lords but from the 2nd test on we've only had the boring sky commentary.

I'd pay if i had the choice to hear Channel 4 over sky

 

[Josh]

For the aussies here..

Does anyone know who the bloke with Dean Jones and Greg Matthews is on SBS? The pommy guy..

Simon Hill. He is the usual Soccer reporter and apparently SBS' lead sports news guy.

 

[archie mac]

Simon Hill. He is the usual Soccer reporter and apparently SBS' lead sports news guy.

I think he has done a fine job, hardly any arrhs or stuttering, I was worried they would give it to Murray.

 

[marc71178]

I wonder which station Sir Richie prefers working for?

Well he was advising us all to visit the Channel 9 website during the current game!

 

[SJS]

You guys have no idea how lucky you are. We, in India , have to put up with, Srinath as an expert on Ten Sports !!

In the sub continent, the moment you retire as an Indian international cricketer, a reasonable level of English speaking seems to be enough to become a TV commentator.

 

[James90]

On the commentary stakes Channel 4 just edges it to Sky who did the one-dayers. That's all I have to go by without Fox. Boycott and Greig annoy the hell out of me and as someone mentioned earlier the english bias is crazy but I can tolerate it. Richie, Atherton and Mark Nicholas are great not to mention the greatest person ever born Michael Slater. Simon Hughes' analysis are great and I also picked up the hit wicket immediately. I think they could both do a lot better but Channel 4 takes it for me

 

[simmy]

Channel 4 all the way. Simon Hughes is the coolest geek ever and Mark Nicholas is well funny when he gets excited. David Gower puts me to sleep on SkySports too.