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Bob Willis -Cricket brain or attention seeking fool?

Lillian Thomson

Hall of Fame Member
In an interview today on Sky Sports News Bob Willis blamed England's spinners for their failure in Pakistan. He describes Ashley Giles as "an apology for a spin bowler" and claims that Udal was "seen to be not up to the task."
Although it's true that neither are all time great bowlers, if they're the best of their generation then they can hardly be blamed for their lack of ability as long as their making the best of what they have. England haven't really had a great spinner since Underwood and apart from John Emburey it's been a case of short term Test careers for most spinners like Cook, Hemmings, Salisbury etc.
Bob Willis sees himself as this great controversial figure and tries too hard to live up to it.
 

PY

International Coach
I think the guy is an idiot and I find him second in terms of annoyingness. His general acting up to get headlines through making idiotic comments especially does it for me.

No prizes for guessing #1 as I'm English and have to listen to Channel 4 coverage. :p
 

Neil Pickup

Cricket Web Moderator
He's going senile. He must be going senile. He's incapable of making anything other than a disparaging remark to anybody and he angers me, especially at five a.m.
 

Jungle Jumbo

International Vice-Captain
Did you hear his comments about selections for the tour of India?

1) Anderson shouldn't be in ODI squad - Willis reckons you have to be able to bat/field to play international cricket. His replacement - Hoggard!

2) Willis recognises Keedy as England's best second spinner. Fair enough, he's better than Udal. But then says that as Keedy cannot bat or field he shouldn't play. Appareetly Sky had hundreds of emails in telling Willis that if want to win a test you must take 20 wkts, so whether he can bat or not is irrelevant. (maybe this point is more justified than the above?)

3) Willis wants Alaistair Cook in ODI squad as he feels it is important to have similar squads for both forms - again, fair enough. But Cook is hardly a regular in the Essex OD side, and even they see the need to preserve him.

4) (and probably most importantly) His voice.... need I say anymore. Be a great form of new punishment for the ICC though.

Match Ref: Ok, Shahid, you've roughed up the pitch once too much, time for our worst punishment.

<hands Afridi headphones>

Afridi: Noooooooooo!
 

BoyBrumby

Englishman
I prefer Willis to Both. Willis just sends me to sleep usually, Beefy often comes off as a blithering fool with trenchant opinions. He commentates like every decision he disagrees with is an afront to common sense.

That said, Bob is talking cobblers here. It wasn't Ash's fault that he was bowling with only one hip. No one would ever accuse Ash of being a world-beater but he's (when 100%) still our best slow option by some distance. Udal was short of the requisite class, but he had far better figures than Batty or Swann who I'd guess were the only two others seriously considered. Panesar, Keedy & Brown can't bat & Blackwell had a bit of a mare in FC cricket in 2005.
 

dontcloseyoureyes

BARNES OUT
I have a question for the English people here, how do you all rate Jimmy Anderson? I rate him pretty highly, but that's because when he made his debut against Aus he bowled some really really good spells, some of them were pretty devastating. He was the bowler of the series, and in a losing England side that was a pretty big feat.
 

Isolator

State 12th Man
I love Willis's commentary. It's "grumpy old man" to the hilt. Brilliant. All he has to do now is to carry a cane and thwack a couple of kids every now and then, preferably mumbling "In my day..." while doing so.

Seriously though, I like his style.
 

SirBloody Idiot

Cricketer Of The Year
I hate Bob Willis. I have never heard anybody take of an equestrian commentator so well. Boring as bat****. Face like a used napkin aswell.
 

archie mac

International Coach
Did not think to much of him as a captain here (OZ) in 1982/83, put back the idea of a bowler as captain 30 years I think :D
 

Zinzan

Request Your Custom Title Now!
Imagine if you were watching a game where they only had the following 5 commentators :

1) BOB WILLIS - Most boring depressing commentator of all time

2) GAVIN LARSEN - a complete wetfish, and his luv for Cairns is unbearable

3) DANNY MORRISON - The biggest tryhard of all-time, does he know what he sounds like?

4) WAQAR YOUNIS - Utterly Awful

5) THAT LADY COMMENTATOR FROM SOUTH AFRICA - Enough said



Would be absolute torture!!
 

luckyeddie

Cricket Web Staff Member
greg said:
Terrible as a commentator, brilliant in his new role of studio "analyst".
I agree whole-heartedly.

5 minutes of Bob every couple of hours (mid-session drinks intervals etc) is absolutely perfect - just enough time to make a cup of tea.
 

Run like Inzy

U19 12th Man
It has to be said most of the commentators in world cricket these days absolutely suck. They just state the obvious and don't really make the game anymore interesting. Its better off watching the game on mute in most games. My most hated commentors are: 1. Aamir Sohail 2.Navjot Sidhu (Doesnt commentate anymore i guess) 3. Waqar Younis 4. Ian Botham 5. David Lloyd
Willis to be honest is not that bad in terms of controversial or stupid remarks but is just plain boring.
 

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