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One-day internationals are no longer “all happening” for Bill Lawry despite his boundless enthusiasm as a cricket commentator.
Lawry played in the inaugural one-day international 39 years ago and has called countless matches as part of the Nine Network’s commentary team for more than three decades, but believes the format lacks spark compared to Twenty20.
Noting the declining interest in the one-day game, Lawry says it is up to batsman to reinvigorate the format by showing the adventure and skills they do so often in the shortest format.
“They’ve got to realise now that Twenty20 has come along, that when people go to a one-day game they expect to see plenty of fours and sixes and spectacular catches,” he said on Sunday.
“I hope it never disappears because I want to see Shane Warne bowl 10 overs, not four.
“If we do away with the 10 overs the bowlers are going to be phased out of the game, they’re phased out enough now with covered wickets and things made for batting.
“At the end of the day it’s up to Cricket Australia to program it properly and it’s up to the players to perform.
“I don’t think we want to go to a one-day game and see a guy make 90 with 46 singles, I think we’ve gone past that.”
Lawry, 73, will on Monday night be inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame for his achievements during a 10-year Test career which included more than 5000 runs as a obstinate, yet courageous opening batsman.
His former teammate Graham McKenzie will also be inducted.
Lawry captained Australia in 25 of his 67 Tests, but is better known now for his commentary duties, which began in 1977.
He signed immediately when offered $600 a day to be part of Nine’s coverage of World Series Cricket.
Billy Birmingham’s mimicry on The Twelfth Man albums brought him a new legion of fans from the 1980s.
Lawry never took offence, instead enjoying the exposure even if acknowledgement did not come exactly from the target audience.
“I went to a state school with Merv Hughes and a six-year-old kid came up and said ‘Did you really boof Merv Hughes?’,” he said.
“I’ve been very lucky with the exposure on that type of media.
“A lot of my teammates of that era are on the old-age pension now and struggling, but Channel Nine’s been very good to me and I’ve been very, very lucky.”
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