Cricket Commentators


Cricket radio commentators tend to be educated and worldly. Sometimes during play they engage in conversations that would be amazing for commentators of any other sport. I've recorded some of my favourite examples here for posterity, as heard by me listening to ABC Radio.

2005

I recall one time when Fazeer Mohammed, a Muslim commentator from the West Indies, was on ABC as a guest commentator, and Peter Roebuck had an extended conversation with him between deliveries during play about the central tenets of Islam, and Fazeer's opinions on Islamic fundamentalism and terrorism around the world.

3 December, 2006

Listening to the ABC radio commentators from the Adelaide Oval today, I was pleasantly amazed to hear, in between describing the action on the field, Jonathan Agnew and Damien Fleming having a discussion of the merits that various figures from Greek mythology might have as cricket players.

They said that a Cyclops would be a lousy batsman, because of his poor depth perception.

However, Agnew pointed out that Argus had a hundred eyes, so would presumably have done very well at keeping his eye on the ball. Fleming countered that he would have bowled bouncers at Argus, and try to get the ball out of his eyeline in an attempt to get him out.

17 November, 2007

Kerry O'Keeffe: If Hussey gets a not out here, you'll start fnding Bradman memorabilia going cheap.

During a rain delay:

Drew Morphett: There are some planets in the solar system where it doesn't rain. We could use those as neutral venues. We could play cricket on Mars.
Peter Roebuck: It hasn't rained on Mars for 250 million years, you know.
Drew Morphett: Imagine the turn you could get on the ball there.

26 December, 2007

During the lunch break of the Boxing Day Test versus India:
Jim Maxwell: I see Shane Warne is down there, having a bowl to the kids on the outfield.
Damien Fleming: Yes, and he's having a tougher time of it than against England last year.

4 January, 2008

Harsha Bhogle and Peter Roebuck were commentating together and the topic turned to some recent bad news in the media. Peter made some comment about how wearisome bad news is.

Harsha:
    In sooth, I know not why I am so sad:
    It wearies me; you say it wearies you;
Roebuck: What's that from?
Harsha: Antonio, The Merchant of Venice.
Roebuck: Ah, you've studied Shakespeare?
Harsha: Just that one and Romeo and Juliet. It's compulsory in India.
Roebuck: And did you also have to study Tagore?
Harsha: No. I've read some of his work, but never studied it. He wrote our national anthem, you know.
Roebuck: Did he write it as an anthem, or was it a song that later became the anthem?
Harsha: No, he wrote an ode and India adopted verses from it later as the anthem.


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