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During last year’s Big Bash former Sri Lankan batsman Russell Arnold, commentating on ABC radio, paused and delayed expressing his opinion at the conclusion of the over.
HOW TO LISTEN TO THE CRICKET ONLINE AND ON RADIO
Arnold’s co-caller asked him to continue, to which Arnold replied, “We’re still on air? Normally in the part of world I come from, end of the over means an ad break.”
The concept of non-commercial commentary was alien to the Sri Lankan and, given the way Cricket Australia is striking deals with commercial radio partners, the concept of broadcasting cricket free of advertising could well be unfamiliar to most of Australians in the near future.
ABC cricket commentary has been about since 1924 and, apart from the BBC, it is the only network that provides commentary without any commercials.
SABC (South Africa), All India radio (India) and RadioSport (New Zealand) provide cricket coverage but interrupted with advertising.
Listening to All India radio coverage of the IPL and also SABC broadcast of South African Test matches, it can be extremely frustrating to constantly hear commentators referring to sponsors.
The flow of thoughts from experts is interrupted and since radio is all about painting an image in the listeners’ mind, it eventually drives the listener away.
Constant branding of products on television doesn’t take its toll on TV because the pictures are there to relay the information.
But on radio, the listeners prefer to listen to content and thoughts presented by the commentators. It is what makes ABC and BBC broadcasting so intriguing.
One of the reason ABC commentary is appealing is because they have dedicated cricket commentators to call the matches.
Jim Maxwell remains the iconic voice of cricket; Drew Morphett is expert caller in all sports, having experience in the industry over the past 40 years.
Glenn Mitchell and Tim Lane had commentated on cricket across different countries for nearly 20 years. Not only are they expert at calling it but they know the game inside out, having travelled around the globe.
Nowhere in the world are there such passionate men who continue to enlighten the audience and gain respect, despite never playing cricket for Australia.
Importantly, some experts are rotated each season and also at times during alternative Tests.
Overseas experts and callers have been introduced to provide the listeners with a new dimension and provide knowledge of cricket in the respective touring nation.
Ray Hadley’s radio calling of football is his expertise, however once he barks out the plays on television it is excruciating.
Similarly, Cricket Australia’s idea to sell broadcast rights to Fairfax radio only means the listeners are likely to hear football or rugby experts presenting cricket with the lack of knowledge in cricket.
Combine that with a dozens of references to sponsors, it will only cause a demise in radio listeners.
Speak to the thousands of international journalists that travel to Australia for cricket, and most tune in to ABC radio rather than Channel Nine.
The majority provide the feedback on the lines of, ‘I have never listened tp such brilliant commentary, it is refreshing’.
Over the past few years even Channel Nine commentary has been in decline.
Ian Chappell, Richie Benaud and Bill Lawry are not present at each Test. Michael Slater, Ian Healy and Mark Taylor are partially biased and have never been exposed to the cricketing media world outside of Australia.
Tony Grieg and Richie Benuad had worked with many broadcasters around the world and provided views that were unknown to many viewers. Healy, Slater and Taylor can seldom provides us with such details.
During the Ashes, many tuned in from various destinations around the world to listen to the ABC/BBC coverage via the ABC website.
We have to wonder how many would have turned it off had it been full of advertising.
Next time James Sutherland and his crew want to listen to cricket they should be forced to listen to broadcasting with commercials over the duration of the Test match.
Over the past two years Cricket Australia’s on-field strategies have been exposed.
Argus Review, T20 focus, scheduling to name a few, now it seems like the off-field strategies are taking the same path.
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