Test Match Sofa - the alternative cricket commentary

[Jono]

Anyone listened to this? If not, give it a crack now. You can listen to the Australia vs. India match live.

Test Match Sofa, the alternative cricket commentary | Welcome to Test Match Sofa

Good idea. Not sure whether it'll be a success or not, but having an article on Cricinfo about it is a great plug.

Andrew Miller: Test Match Sofa offers a different kind of cricket commentary | Opinion | Cricinfo Magazine | Cricinfo.com

There's one particular quote in the Cricinfo article I like:

"We were just sick and tired of the cliché-driven commentary already out there," said Clark. "I appreciate if you've played 80 times for England you're very qualified to talk about cricket, but why does that make you the best cricket commentator? When you're young and outrageously talented, you're likely to spend all your time honing your own skills and trying to hit the ball perfectly. You're unlikely to waste your youth in the way I did - by either watching or reading or talking in abstract about cricket."

 

[andyc]

Heh, was about to make this thread an hour ago when I read that article on Cricinfo (before I realised I CBF). Great idea though.

 

[Jono]

Yeah, if you're sick of listening to your Brad Hogg, Siva, Arun Lal in this match, or when Healy is on with Lawry in Australia etc. reckon these guys are a good replacement.

I bet I'll start to slowly listen to them full time.

Only one issue is you don't have the atmosphere. If you could mute the commentary on your TV but keep the cheering when something awesome happens, e.g. Sachin getting to his 200 just then, it'd be perfect.

That being said, something the lack of horns and vuvuzelas can be a good thing

 

[silentstriker]

Listening to it now. Wow, people who are actually good at commenting instead of people being good at cricket also commenting.

 

[andyc]

Actually listening to it now for the first time and agree with all of that. Enjoying it so far though, have already bookmarked it. Can see myself listening to it a lot for Tests in England.

Edit: Haha, "reversed like a mother****er"

 

[Spark]

Aaah, cheers so much for this.

 

[Jono]

They just described a ball by Hilfenhaus as "it reversed like a mother ****er"

Hilarious.

Also was great to hear cricket anecdotes from them when my TV was playing ads.

 

[silentstriker]

Haha, I've never seen a mother****er reverse, but if he did, I'm sure that's how he'd do it.

 

[biased indian]

They just described a ball by Hilfenhaus as "it reversed like a mother ****er"

Hilarious.

Also was great to hear cricket anecdotes from them when my TV was playing ads.

From the site

" We try not to swear, but sometimes we do (see our terms and conditions) so if you are offended by strong language there's always the BBC "

 

[Jono]

Haha yeah I read that in the article. Still gold

I love how they're betting on what Sachin will be dismissed on, and arguing about it.. Someones bet on 243 or less or something similar.

"he's bound to make a mistake some time"
"yeah, but that'll be Wednesday next week"

So good.

 

[silentstriker]

It was set on 243.5 as the over/under, and one of the guys bet on the under.

 

[Athlai]

Pretty amusing.

 

[Spark]

The jingles

 

[Jono]

The players' jingles are hilarious

Peter George's "Come to Jesus"

 

[Daemon]

Kasprowics to Sachin lmao

 

[pasag]

Like it. Been listening all day.

 

[silentstriker]

"The inanities and drivel that spewed forth from Shastri were a delight to behold...."

 

[blahblahblah]

Listening to it now. Wow, people who are actually good at commenting instead of people being good at cricket also commenting.

so u actually liking it?

as in really way out from the normal tv commentators ?

 

[Athlai]

"Hey brew nice ball bro"

 

[Jono]

Haha so good.

How interesting was that discussion of sub-continent Asians not playing for Australia as much as England, and the reasons for it.

Also love the listener participation and contributions.