C9 & The Cricket

[Punk Rooster]

Is it just me, or is the camera work/shot selection of poor standard? The last over of the Aussie innings, with 3 quick singles, we got close up footage of the Keeper whirling the ball back to the bowler, when a wide shot of the pitch woould've allowed viewers to see where the batsmen where running, whether they were in danger of being run out, & generally get a better feel for the situation. I could handle this perhaps happening once, but this was the same for each occassion. There are other instances where I thought they didn't return the focus to the game, until the bowler had nearly delivered it. Also, I don't like the sideshow of when a bowling change comes in, the 10 sec pre-recorded clip of the player concerned. What do others think?

[Rik E Boy]

I agree with you Punkybrooster. Not to mention the aggravating smugness of Nicholas and the sheer idiocy of Ian Healy. Surely Healy had some money on the Protea Girls judging by his comments yesterday.

regards,

REB

[blink]

I agree as well. I am also just about sick of the 1000 frame per second camera that they use. The camera was a good piece of technology that cropped up during the ashes series, where Channel 4 used it sparingly and well. Channel 9 here has jumped on board and over uses the thing completely, and also slots shots from it in at the wrong time during a match.

[Wedgie]

I disagree, only last night I was amazed how easily and quickly the camera followed those balls that are skied.

I love the super slow mo camera, that shot of the sweat coming off Hussey was last night was unbelievable.
Having said that I would be lucky to watch 1/10th of each games so people who watch all the games all the time might not appreciate it like I do.

[blink]

I also think the camera is excellent as well, but it is becoming over-exposed.

Healy's shoes that he was wearing during the pitch report were also a disgrace, as rightly pointed out by both Slater & Tony Greig.

[duncs7]

I hate that crappy music they keep playing when they use the slowmo replays!
Nicholas intros to each match are laughable.
Heals has to be on some type of drugs?!
Mark Taylor is the best of the new generation commentators.

[JK]

All personal opinion I know, but how anyone can find Tubby Taylor even remotely worth listening to is beyond me ... I always liked Heals as both a player and a commentator but this season it's almost as if he's been force-fed a directive to sensationalise and get over excited to the detriment of his work imho.

BUT, I'd still have him over Tubby ... Slats is fast becoming one of the best commentators in the business ...

[noone]

I cant stand the channel nine telecast, The commentary is awful, it makes 891 look good (if only they wouldn't get sidetracked about the 1931 test innings of Lonnings..). However 9's commentary is just awful, someone really needs to do some spring cleaning in that box.

As for the Camera, I agree its a great piece of technology, however it is being used more and more now. Its starting to lose its appeal to me. I think its usually because they show the same type of shots all the time, most common prolly the pull shot. Two shots id like to see would be a batter playing with loose hands dropping the ball out to gully (just want to see how much the batt moves around). The second 'shot' id like to see would be a batter getting hit in the head. Actually also a player getting hit in the nuts (and have the camera focus on the players face.)


oh and the new clip they put on before a player comes out to bat is awful.


however ill second slater doing a good job in the box.

[duncs7]

Preference in commentators aside, do we all agree that Nicholas has to go?

[JK]

I don't necessarily think he's the worst, but I certainly think we can do a lot better than him ...

[Peterxtc]

Nicholas is the only one on c9 with any credability (ok Slatter as well hes has been a revelation). IMO he's the only one who should stay. ABC radio crew = far better. IMO c9 are aware of this hence the increased 'delay' on thier broadcast, if you haven't noticed for the past couple of seasons this delay has made it unbearable to watch the c9 pictures with the sound down and the radio set to 891am!
AS for: Greig/Lawry/Heals/Tubby and even (heavan forbid) Richie all I can say is please stop.

[Brad]

I like Slater he is excellent and I didn't mind Mark Waugh when he did it a season or two ago. Bill lawry is OK, and taylor and helay have their moments.
Richie is past it, Chappelli boring and get rid of Nicholls and Tony Greig.

[am Bays]

IMHO:

Get Bill, Tony and Nicholas, line them up against a wall and ******* shoot them

Remember this after the ASHES test at Sydney in 2002,

Tony to S Waugh, "So Steve, looking forward to the ondayers?"

S Waugh, "Um, I'm not playing the onedayers this year Tony" Looks at Greig as if to say "WTF, where were you when I got dropped prior to Seth Efrica 11 months ago"

I don't mind Healy when he is serious as he does have a sharp cricket but WTF was he on about at the 20/20 and in the onedayers sounded like he developed Turets syndrome between the test and this week!!!

Richie, Tubby and Chappelli all good as they are good at explaining what and why is happening from a cricket sense, mind you Chappell should give up on bagging the administrators ad nauseum, we've heard it all since 1980-81.

It must be just me but I find it annoying listening to half baked POMS (Greig, Nicholas and Roebuck) where the hell are our ex-players (shield and Test) who can commentate.

I liked Jenner and MArsh when they were on the radio a couple of years a go. Alderman and Lawson are good. Greg Matthews was sensational this year on the ASHES and even better when he commentated from India during the 2001 series. Jones all good too

[duncs7]

Intresting to see who keeps their seat in the box, now Packer's Carked it?
Some say Lawry, Chappelli, Benaud, Greig only had the job for so long, because it was at Mr Packer's personal request, that they headlined C9 Cricket?!

[GWW]

Bill Lawry is a legend, watching cricket wont be the same when hes not in the commentary box. Richie too. Tony Greig, cant think of too many positves when discussing him though.

[am Bays]

The thing I hate about Bill and Tony is that they both shoot their mouths off without thinking. Ho many times have you heard them say something along the lines of, "oh greaat catch, oops oh no he's dropped it" They both:

a) don't understand how to keep their mouths shut and let the pictures tell the story,
b) only say what has happened, not what and why like Chappell and Benaud do (Chappelli 9/10 will then bring up a story from about the 1972 England tour or from another time when he played and/o bag the administrators - which does get annoying after the time).

Bill and Tony need to go back and read the books by the doyen of commentators, Alan McGuilvray, and rediscover the value of the pause.

The 12th man records/tapes/CDs are piss funny and I still listen to them often, but hell they created a monster in the Bill and Tony niggling act that prolonged their careers long a their used by dates.

[Magpiespower]

Surprised we haven't seen James Brayshaw commentate.

He's probably not welcome since he never wore the baggy green.

But at least he can string a sentence together.

[Booney]

Preference in commentators aside, do we all agree that Nicholas has to go?

Sadly I feel the C9 empire has been grooming Nicholas to take over from Richie long term.3 years ago we had Simon O'donnell audition,didnt work out and he got the "Cricket Show" gig after a miserable attempt to open the games up with old Rich.Then Mark Taylor appeared to get a shot at the job,2 summers back,and his attempt also failed to reach the heights that would have kept the powers to be happy,(apparently the late great K.Packer,seems like one of the board room boys who was happy to get his hands dirty and make decisions).Now we have this clown who has dropped out of a Qantas from Heathrow,cant do his tie up properly and rattles on ad nauseum.Let us all hope Richie battles on for another decade,funny how of all the commentators,he NEVER gets slegged,we all love him.

[Rik E Boy]

This is because Richie knows the game inside out. He has forgotten more about cricket than all of us put together know about the game in the first place. I just can't stand Nicholas' SMUGNESS. Makes me want to shoot him, shooting is very big in Qld....

regards,

REB

[Wedgie]

Is it just me or do Tubby's eyes seem to be looking in even further directions every time I see hiim on TV?

I'm expecting them both to meet up again in about 2 cricket seasons.