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*Official* New Zealand in Australia 2019/20

Gnske

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
I'd rather listen to Guha say nothing than listen to Warne say anything.

I mean we've got something to work with now. Post-Greig Channel 9 should have our standards very low I would think.
 

morgieb

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with him i think it's more he's only funny if you're ancient. like all modern commentators he's paid to be very positive about the home side but in general he tries to be fair. he actually researched an opposition player (and got mocked for it by all the supreme dickheads in the box) so tbh im all for the bloke as a ball by ball commentator since he's trying to actually do his damn job. i just don't find him funny personally.

the real trash in the box is vaughan selling his soul and being as much of a **** as possible doing so and warne when he gets annoyed about something doesn't shut up about it. hadn't noticed how salty mark waugh was before today but that's probably because nz have been pure trash until our openers actually cobbled together a partnership for 5 minutes. he's a jofra archer of commentary.

isa guha, michael hussey and mark howard are very good and should be given more opportunity to talk. it was nice to have a border cameo in this test too.

before someone starts on the nz box my opinions on simon doull's commentary should be well known by now for a start and mark richardson seems to want to be a shock jock more than an analyst these days. scott styris and craig cumming are easily the best kiwis in the box ana;ytically, nisbett is great for play by play in any sport and ian smith when a game is great gets so into it but when it's not great his emotional nature can be a bit punishing.

danny morrison is a national treasure though because he never derides the opposition and he's so obviously putting on an act for the indian market. he's like what simon doull desperately wishes he could be but can't because danny as a person is just so wholesome and enthusiastic.
Yeah Waugh can be kind of entertaining, but most of the time he comes across as a ****wit. And unlike in the past I completely understand why everyone hates Michael Vaughan.

I never found Kerry that funny either, why I rate him is that he's probably the best analyst in the country alongside Ponting.

If you combine the better Fox commentators with the better 7 commentators you actually have a damn good team, which is why I find myself complaining less about the commentary in the last two years. And it often feels like whenever Fox have Warne on 7 have Ponting on, so generally the **** Fox comms line up with the good 7 comms.
 

GotSpin

Hall of Fame Member
I was at Boxing Day and aside from a couple of Wagner's spells it was a pretty dull day of cricket.

Not that surprising this thread has only sparked up when talking about commentary standards as the on-field stuff has become so dreary and one-sided.
Honestly, the pitches have been really boring and the standard of cricket just so average. Starc and Pattinson bowled to three fielders on the square boundary while the kiwis either left the ball or ran themselves out.

When there's only one slip in for a new batsmen you know there's a serious issue
 

morgieb

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NZ's inability to play Lyon has flown under the radar for a while now. 45 wickets @ 21 bowling on either flat pitches or green tops. This from a NZ team that is competitive in asia.

Even England can negate him from time to time.
Yeah crazy figures when you consider both countries are pretty horrible places to bowl spin as a rule.
 

NotMcKenzie

International Debutant
howard ...
I remember when the BBL was on 10, Howard was probably the worst of the commentators: he seemed to be looking to try make things 'as exciting as possible' and to contribute, as quincy said, to having a matey atmosphere. Perhaps he's payed by the word, because it's not for his cricket insight.

Mark Waugh sounds worse from what others are saying, not that I remember him being that good. He always seemed lacking in knowledge and a bit of a ****, but I don't recall him being so judgemental. Perhaps doing domestic T20s did not give him as much of a space to act as he has been as doing tests/internationals.
 
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morgieb

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It is interesting that even with Mark Nicholas gone, there are still multiple British commentators & special comments types on both 7 & Fox even when England aren't touring.

It was said that in the 60s there was a cultural cringe about Australians hearing their own accents on TV/film and would rather hear 'proper' British accents. That mindset still seems to exist amongst cricket coverage here.
I definitely feel like that with the women, unfortunately the average female Australian accent doesn't lend its ear well to commentary. Though Mel Jones is fairly easy to listen to.
 

Gnske

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
I remember when the BBL was on 10, Howard was probably the worst of the commentators: he seemed to be looking to try make things 'as exciting as possible' and to contribute, as quincy said, to having a matey atmosphere. Perhaps he's payed by the word, because it's not for his cricket insight.

Mark Waught sounds worse from what others are saying, not that I remember him being that good. He always seemed lacking in knowledge and a bit of a ****, but I don't recall him being so judgemental. Perhaps doing domestic T20s did not give him as much of a space to act as he has been as doing tests/internationals.
He's aging like a hollywood actress Mark Waugh. Every stint he does it'll usually be Vaughan who says something at him or that Waugh disagrees with and the passive aggression with rear its head before he says something like "Alright enough, stop it."

Get the other brother, I'd double my subscription to see Steve and Warne do a stint together while Howard sits there like something out of a Brazzers ad.
 

Spark

Global Moderator
Honestly, the pitches have been really boring and the standard of cricket just so average. Starc and Pattinson bowled to three fielders on the square boundary while the kiwis either left the ball or ran themselves out.

When there's only one slip in for a new batsmen you know there's a serious issue
Tbh one thing that I think has gone unmentioned in general but will need to be acknowledged is that this is not the most watchable Aus cricket team ever in terms of playing really exciting attacking, high-tempo cricket. They're a very traditional, attritional Test side in terms of their approach to the game despite the reputations of some of the players in the side. So unless the other side is complete crap bowling-wise or conditions are very bowler-friendly, they're rarely going to look like the most incredibly exciting team ever. Labuschagne and Smith are grinders, Warner's toned it back a bit, and the attack functions on pressure first and foremost rather than human cannons like Johnson or Steyn.
 

quincywagstaff

International Debutant
Honestly, the pitches have been really boring and the standard of cricket just so average. Starc and Pattinson bowled to three fielders on the square boundary while the kiwis either left the ball or ran themselves out.

When there's only one slip in for a new batsmen you know there's a serious issue
When I hear Ponting say that Oz are definitely the No 2 Test side in the world I just think it's one of these soft summers Oz have every 5 years or so where they go through winning everything against soft opponents and everybody thinks all probs in Oz cricket are resolved.

Some good signs for Oz this summer but the opposition has been pitifully weak and no real guide to how they'll do outside Oz.
 

Flem274*

123/5
I definitely feel like that with the women, unfortunately the average female Australian accent doesn't lend its ear well to commentary. Though Mel Jones is fairly easy to listen to.
it should be fine tbh. there are some heavy accents around the world. craig cumming, one of the pakistanis and my favourite commentator of all time the bloke from zimbabwe who literally yells into his microphone every word. his name is on the tip of my tongue.
 

morgieb

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Tbh one thing that I think has gone unmentioned in general but will need to be acknowledged is that this is not the most watchable Aus cricket team ever in terms of playing really exciting attacking, high-tempo cricket. They're a very traditional, attritional Test side in terms of their approach to the game despite the reputations of some of the players in the side. So unless the other side is complete crap bowling-wise or conditions are very bowler-friendly, they're rarely going to look like the most incredibly exciting team ever. Labuschagne and Smith are grinders, Warner's toned it back a bit, and the attack functions on pressure first and foremost rather than human cannons like Johnson or Steyn.
This is a very good point, Australia under Langer seems a lot happier to grind rather than blast their way to victory. It's a style that is a lot more sustainable IMO (and more likely to succeed in unfavourable conditions) so despite all the crap I give Langer about being a biased dullard he's actually done a very good job of changing the way we've played.
 

Spark

Global Moderator
When I hear Ponting say that Oz are definitely the No 2 Test side in the world I just think it's one of these soft summers Oz have every 5 years or so where they go through winning everything against soft opponents and everybody thinks all probs in Oz cricket are resolved.

Some good signs for Oz this summer but the opposition has been pitifully weak and no real guide to how they'll do outside Oz.
I realise you don't rate NZ but this is extremely unfair on what NZ have been able to do in the last three-four years. It's not like Australia has half-assed their way to a series win here playing sloppy minnow-bashing cricket that's gone unpunished.
 

Spark

Global Moderator
This is a very good point, Australia under Langer seems a lot happier to grind rather than blast their way to victory. It's a style that is a lot more sustainable IMO (and more likely to succeed in unfavourable conditions) so despite all the crap I give Langer about being a biased dullard he's actually done a very good job of changing the way we've played.
Oh yeah I'm a fan, I think this is a much more likely approach to work well in the subcontinent in particular if we get "traditional" subcontinental conditions (i.e. not the minefields of 2017, more the wickets of the UAE and India 2013). But it's not what the general public will be accustomed to in Aus having grown up on Hayden, Ponting, Lee then watching peak Warner, peak Clarke and peak Johnson a decade later.
 

Flem274*

123/5
this australian side can't be beaten at home and will be a very good team away from home, but someone really needs to explain to their media the reason we are/were #2 and they're not is they got smashed in sri lanka, the uae, india and ****in drew 1-1 in bangladesh and we did a lot better plus haven't dropped a home series to india (yet, give it a couple of months)

like this is very easy maths they could all have looked up instead of going 'hurrrr rankings are meaningless we were bestest all along'

yes dears, at home you are the best. at home.

none of this condones nz's performance or diminishes australias (im very aware we have ian smith for the salty kiwi thing) but im saving my spray for after the series.
 
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GotSpin

Hall of Fame Member
This is a very good point, Australia under Langer seems a lot happier to grind rather than blast their way to victory. It's a style that is a lot more sustainable IMO (and more likely to succeed in unfavourable conditions) so despite all the crap I give Langer about being a biased dullard he's actually done a very good job of changing the way we've played.
I completely agree with both this and Spark above. We've bashed Langer a lot but i like the direction we're going (post siddle)

Again, my main complaint is the state of the pitches. Both the MCG and SCG have been basically been puddings. The kiwis just gave their whole innings today. It was disgraceful batting with no pressure

I want to see some damn pace, bounce and carry with slips waiting though. Not three men out on the hook
 

Spark

Global Moderator
I completely agree with both this and Spark above. We've bashed Langer a lot but i like the direction we're going (post siddle)

Again, my main complaint is the state of the pitches. Both the MCG and SCG have been basically been puddings. The kiwis just gave their whole innings today. It was disgraceful batting with no pressure

I want to see some damn pace, bounce and carry with slips waiting though. Not three men out on the hook
I think the MCG was as good this year as it's going to get - it's never, ever been a bouncy surface even before the drop-ins I believe - but the SCG has been awful for ages now too. The pitch with the highest "average" in the last few years I believe.

Re: NZ though I think they're mostly mentally cooked tbh. I realise most of those changes were forced but the "change half the team for the SCG Test" happens a fair bit and it always leads to the guilty side getting hosed and not really looking up for the fight.
 
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morgieb

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I completely agree with both this and Spark above. We've bashed Langer a lot but i like the direction we're going (post siddle)

Again, my main complaint is the state of the pitches. Both the MCG and SCG have been basically been puddings. The kiwis just gave their whole innings today. It was disgraceful batting with no pressure

I want to see some damn pace, bounce and carry with slips waiting though. Not three men out on the hook
Ehhh, I guess I'm just used to both the M and the SCG being terrible wickets as a rule by now. Especially the former.

It's a shame too as the SCG is an otherwise terrific ground to watch the cricket and the MCG is special.
 

GotSpin

Hall of Fame Member
I think the MCG is as good as it's going to get - it's never, ever been a bouncy surface even before the drop-ins I believe - but the SCG has been awful for ages now too. The pitch with the highest "average" in the last few years I believe.
Maybe I'm just too caught up with the kiwis giving wickets away while Paine had three men on the boundary from ball one while Patto and Starc just bowled on their hips
 

Flem274*

123/5
i've thoroughly enjoyed watching cummins bowl in this series tbh. just quietly goes about being the best in the world. like steyn it's beautiful in it's simplicity. not as traditionally box office as steyn but more of a mccgrath with some pizaz.
 

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