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For my own sanity, I’ve had to mute the TV while watching Test matches this summer.
In previous years I’d only sometimes done this, because the three or four-second delay between radio broadcast and TV was a little annoying.
But this summer, it feels like someone from Channel Nine has reached out from the idiot box and pushed all my angry buttons.
There’s very little cricket commentary going on in that box at Nine, instead replaced with inane banter and sledging.
We’ve had polls to pick favourite pizzas, daily updates on who’s a Julio and who’s a nerd, and of course more comments about Mark Taylor’s weight, Shane Warne’s dating status, and James Brayshaw’s hair than I care to recall.
The Test match commentary is really just a way of keeping the NRL and AFL Footy Show viewers entertained over summer. Channel Nine has been very successful in dumbing it down to a level it has never been before.
I long for the old days of the decent commentary provided by Bill Lawry, Tony Greig, Richie Benaud, Ian Chappell and the rest. Chappelli must feel a little stupid these days surrounded by the current team, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he finishes up soon. The knives may be sharpening as we speak.
And if Channel Nine don’t start to reign in the randomness of their camera angles, multiple slow motion replays and cross-promotional advertising, it may get to the stage where I have to turn the TV off completely and go old school, with all my cricket via the radio.
Yesterday, while listening to Jim Maxwell and his mates on the ABC, they had a visually impaired man in the studio, commentating for a couple of overs. It was inspirational and refreshing. And you learn so much more. At stumps after listening to Grandstand, you actually feel improved. If you made it to stumps listening to Warnie, Slats, Tubby, Heals and JB, you’re likely to need a panadol and a lie down.
It only feels like yesterday that my summers were spent watching cricket where the commentary on the TV was thoughtful, interesting and fulfilling. It’s a shame that it’s slipped so far so quickly.
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