*Official* New Zealand in Australia 2019/20

[quincywagstaff]

Would that series count given that the second and third Tests England batted first?

Don't think batting on was a great decision given there isn't much time left in the game and tomorrow might see rain interruptions.

I wasn't counting as per follow-on, just on basis that Oz had a 200 run lead after both sides batted twice. And Australia did achieve this in the 2nd-4th Tests of the 11/12 India series.

Re: not following on, I guess Is deemed they didn't want to be chasing 125 on a wearing 5th day pitch.

 

[Flem274*]

It's fun to compare Aussie's opinions of Kerry with non-Aussie ones. I actually think he's one of our best commentators, but yeah he can get really indulgent if he's with the wrong team.

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.

 

[Spark]

O'Keeffe watches an insane amount of cricket. One of the few commentators who could hold his own against some of the multi-country domestic watchers on here in terms of knowledge of obscure FC cricketers IMO.

 

[quincywagstaff]

A shame Allan Border only makes occasional appearances in the Test commentary. Never been the natural at it but always seemed thoughtful in his analysis. Almost seems like he's sidelined because the trend amongst Ch 7 and Fox especially are egotistical self-indulgent 'characters' like Fleming, Warne, KOK, Vaughan, Slater etc..

 

[Gnske]

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.

OK boomer. You old man.

Danny Morrison is too much, Kerry knows funny like the back of his hand.

 

[quincywagstaff]

O'Keeffe watches an insane amount of cricket. One of the few commentators who could hold his own against some of the multi-country domestic watchers on here in terms of knowledge of obscure FC cricketers IMO.

Yep. While I find him more self-indulgent than funny as a comic type, he is one of the very few who provides genuine insight about non-Oz players amongst local cricket media and provides good technical insight as well.

 

[Spark]

A shame Allan Border only makes occasional appearances in the Test commentary. Never been the natural at it but always seemed thoughtful in his analysis. Almost seems like he's sidelined because the trend amongst Ch 7 and Fox especially are egotistical self-indulgent 'characters' like Fleming, Warne, KOK, Vaughan, Slater etc..

Fleming goes under the radar a lot as a "bad" commentator but I've found him especially grating for ages now. Doesn't generally have interesting to say, always resorts to the same incredibly stale cliches and quips instead.

 

[Gnske]

I will say I agree with Flem that Howard has been a good middle man. I think I accused him of being sycophantic during the 10 era of BBL, but can't blame him. Endearing enough chap.

 

[quincywagstaff]

Fleming goes under the radar a lot as a "bad" commentator but I've found him especially grating for ages now. Doesn't generally have interesting to say, always resorts to the same incredibly stale cliches and quips instead.

I think hes toned it down a bit this year but he's the king of talking about himself and his own career. With the way he mentions it so often you'd think he played 100 Tests and took 450 wickets.

 

[Gnske]

I think hes toned it down a bit this year but he's the king of talking about himself and his own career. With the way he mentions it so often you'd think he played 100 Tests and took 450 wickets.

I haven't listened to 7 at all this year, but I can only imagine how many times he's brought up the Warne drop.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Guha is dull as ****. I dont think I've ever heard her say anything remotely insightful. Not annoying though, which automatically makes hr an improvement over most of the others.

 

[quincywagstaff]

I will say I agree with Flem that Howard has been a good middle man. I think I accused him of being sycophantic during the 10 era of BBL, but can't blame him. Endearing enough chap.

Ugh. Can't stand him in the slightest. Just a total gushing sycophant who ensures the Fox comm atmosphere is one of mutual back-slapping.

Brendon Julian is a bit of a dullard as a cricket commentator but he's vastly more preferable as the main comm over that twit.

 

[Flem274*]

howard is a really good rock for a commentary box. just a true professional and knows the right questions to ask people to get some interesting answers.

he's there to get the likes of warne talking about interesting things but the problem is his employers are telling warne to be...well, warne and that makes howards job impossible. warne's really good when he's enthused and studying the game even if i disagree with him sometimes (this is why he's great in close games with ian smith - they're both very emotional guys) but when he gets unhappy the fat man baby comes out and he grinds the same axe for the entire test every commentary stint and it hurts.

i haven't given mark howards podcast a listen yet but i hear it's really good.

 

[GotSpin]

Was at the ground today and the play was just awful.

Terrible field placements and bowling while the kiwis just handed wickets over

 

[morgieb]

I wasn't counting as per follow-on, just on basis that Oz had a 200 run lead after both sides batted twice. And Australia did achieve this in the 2nd-4th Tests of the 11/12 India series.

Re: not following on, I guess Is deemed they didn't want to be chasing 125 on a wearing 5th day pitch.

Yeah fair enough on both accounts. Pitch really isn't that wearing though so I think Australia would be fine with chasing a low target.

 

[quincywagstaff]

Guha is dull as ****. I dont think I've ever heard her say anything remotely insightful. Not annoying though, which automatically makes hr an improvement over most of the others.

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.

 

[Flem274*]

Guha is dull as ****. I dont think I've ever heard her say anything remotely insightful. Not annoying though, which automatically makes hr an improvement over most of the others.

she's there as a guide and a control like mark howard. pretty much every female commentator is because can you imagine talkback radio and cricinfo comments if we had a female vaughan or warne? the nz box shoehorns in female commentators with no role for them and it shows because they barely say a word and half the blokes try to pretend they're not there.

they give us the opinionated middle aged blokes because they're bait for viewers and will keep people watching even if or because they hate him but if a woman did it....i'd love to see it.

 

[Hicheal Michael]

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.

 

[Gob]

All the commentary talk got me thinking about this. Sometimes you don't know what you miss until its truly gone.

 

[quincywagstaff]

Was at the ground today and the play was just awful.

Terrible field placements and bowling while the kiwis just handed wickets over

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.