Worst Commentators

[zaremba]

Let me get the ball rolling with these:

1. Mark Nicholas - laminated in a veneer of self-regard
2. Ian Botham - self-important, blokeish, ignorant, pompous
3. David Gower - unspeakably dull'; oddly, says "garn" instead of "gone"
4. Bob Willis - wrist-slashingly miserable.
5. David 'Bumble' Lloyd - professional Northerner. Imbecile.

Dreadful though numbers 2-5 are, there is clear blue water between Nicholas and the rest. Words can hardly describe how bad Nicholas is. His love for muscly Australians is legendary. He and they are welcome to each other.

[Shaggy Alfresco]

Originally Posted by zaremba

5. David 'Bumble' Lloyd - professional Northerner. Imbecile.

Redundant.

[Richard]

Uh, gawd not again.

By-and-large, I like most cricket commentators - I don't feel cricket commentary is as exact a science as some do. Yeah, most stuff commentators say isn't particularly revelatory, but I honestly don't really like silence, which would be the case if commentators only spoke when they could add something.

Certain commentary teams just wouldn't feel right without certain people (C9 Lawry, Greig, Benaud and even Chappell who I can't stand; the old C4 UK Nicholas, Reeve, Benaud again; Sky Gower, Botham, Willis and Allott) IMO, simple as that.

[zaremba]

Originally Posted by Richard

Uh, gawd not again.

Apologies for treading over old ground for regular users - I'm new here

[Richard]

Aye, this is a fairly regular topic I'm afraid. Usually about once every 3 or 4 months.

I would find the most recent example, but I CBA TBH.

[zaremba]

OK.

BTW I think the reason for the popularity of this kind of subject is that commentators have a massive impact on viewers / listeners. They intrude into or enhance our cricket viewing so much. We resent those who are poor (although you seem to be pretty sanguine about them Richard!) and we love those who are good. And when the likes of Mark Bloody Nicholas are under your skin, you need to vent.

[Richard]

Mark Nicholas is possibly the most truly extraordinary case I've ever come accross in cricket commentary in how he divides opinion. Plenty think he's really good, plenty think he's woeful. With the likes of Ian Healy, Waqar Younis, Javagal Srinath etc. everyone just universally thinks they're awful, and some (Benaud, Laker) are almost universally loved. But MCJN divides it completely.

By-and-large, radio commentary > TV commentary for mine though. Part of that's because it has the chance to be. Nonetheless, HB, CMJ and Aggers > any TV team.

[zaremba]

Originally Posted by Richard

Mark Nicholas is possibly the most truly extraordinary case I've ever come accross in cricket commentary in how he divides opinion. Plenty think he's really good, plenty think he's woeful.

By-and-large, radio commentary > TV commentary, but part of that's because it has the chance to be. Nonetheless, HB, CMJ and Aggers > any TV team.

I salute you. Despite clearly having had this debate a thousand times, you're prepared to take the bait once again. A true cricket lover!

I agree about radio v TV. It's not just a question of opportunity though - the quality of the current crops of TV / radio commentators is very different too.

Aggers and CMJ are excellent. Vic Marks an under-rated gem.

When he did a guest stint on TMS a couple of years ago Stephen Fry was superb. However he's not been back since, and I guess he has other fish to, er, fry.

[duffer]

I love these threads, but Ian Healy has to take this one out. Most blinkered wanker of all commentators I've ever heard. Sanjay Manjrekar is the smuggest, annoyingly self congratulatory Asian commentator out there, rivalling anything England can throw at us.

As Richard mentioned Waqar Younis too, the bloke knows his cricket but just can't articulate what he wants to say in English properly and it is painful trying to listen to it.

[duffer]

Oh and special mention goes to the entire team in South Africa. Watching any series there you wouldn't know who the other team playing is if you went by the commentary alone, ridiculously homer.

[Lillian Thomson]

The worst all time commentator no matter what the platform is Graham Gooch. Every single sentence starts with or contains at least one "An uh". Even when Agnew says "Good morning Graham" Gooch says "Morning Jonathan and uh"

[ret]

Eng vs SA series .... would be the battle ground for some of the worst commentators

[BoyBrumby]

Yeah, Healy, clearly. It's not so much that he's biased towards Australia, Lawry's as one-eyed as a trouser snake too, it's that he's also such a chippy, supercilious prick with it. Whatever Lawry's faults he very palpably loves the sport, but Healy gives off the vibe of a bloke who thinks he's doing the world a massive favour just by giving voice to his ill-considered opinions.

[steds]

Originally Posted by zaremba

5. David 'Bumble' Lloyd - professional Northerner. Imbecile.

GAGF. Northernness is the greatest gift a man can possess.

[simmy]

How can you not like David Lloyd?!

Harmless, funny and surely its a good thing to hear from an ex-England coach???

I find the OP views very harsh and unjust.



DAVID GOWER does say "mighty" too much and even Nasser Hussain has started saying it now.