Shane Warne has become an intriguing figure within the Channel Nine commentary box over the past few summers.
Occasionally giving amazing insight into how he would set fields and what bowling plans he would use is a wonderful highlight into the mind of a top class cricketer.
It is certainly welcome relief between the Mark Nicholas over-hype every deliver commentary and the lowbrow James Brayshaw style which everyone around the country seems to mute whenever he appears on the screen.
FOLLOW LIVE CRICKET SCORES OF DAY THREE BETWEEN AUSTRALIA AND INDIA
I found it interesting then that the great leggie received such a backlash when he described Mitchell Starc as soft following his underwhelming return to Test cricket on Day 1 of the second Test.
While Warne often dumbs down his commentary (likely at the request of Channel Nine) I appear to be in the minority that actually agree with what he was saying.
While all the bowlers struggled with the conditions they at least attempted to push through the pain barrier and dug in for the fight against a tough Indian top order on a typical Brisbane deck.
Warne raised some very interesting points about how fast bowling can be about bravado and the mental edge you can get on a batsman by appearing to steam in, sticking your chest out and showing a bit of fight. While Starc’s girlfriend took to Twitter and coach Darren Lehmann used his media conference to defend the lanky left arm quick, the truth of the matter is that after his first spell he completely wilted in the sun.
The question was then raised as it has been for much of Starc’s stop start Test career as to whether he actually has a plan B if the ball stops swinging.
His Test record is more flattering than it should be and his regular innings pattern follows a consistent path. Starc will swing the ball early but if he doesn’t pick up a wicket he rarely ties the batsman down, and then goes long periods in the middle of the innings posing little threat before coming back (often with the second new ball) to skittle the tail.
Often Starc will return figures which on paper look alright but rarely has he claimed any significant top order scalps.
While still a developing bowler it must be a concern that Starc poses such little threat to batsmen between the overs of 20 to 70. On a day where another Marsh almost expectedly went down with an injury Starc needed to do just as Warne said, to stand tall and bend his back to at the very least keep the runs down.
The scorching heat didn’t seem to bother Murali Vijay a great deal as he sweated it out in the middle for hours in a terrific show of concentration and will to succeed.
I found it interesting and a stark contrast that on a day where Starc struggled, people were in the media discussing whether Peter Siddle, someone known for his ability to dig deep, was finished as a Test cricketer.
People seem to forget that just two years ago against South Africa at the Adelaide Oval he bowled a remarkable 33 overs in the final innings when conditions were stiflingly hot. It was an incredibly lion hearted performance where Siddle carried the bowling attack, often willing himself up to the 140-kilometre mark despite suffering from exhaustion.
Day 1 in Brisbane highlighted the fact that while being able to bowl at over 140 kilometres an hour was important there is more to fast bowling than just speed. Just ask the likes of Brett Lee and Shaun Tait who regularly clocked the 150-kilometre mark and yet couldn’t land the ball in the same spot twice.
With a long winter in England to follow, getting a fast bowling pair who complement one another and bowl in partnerships is critical if the Ashes are to be retained. Starc needs to learn that when the ball isn’t swinging containment can be just as important as outright pace and that bowling through any pain when things aren’t going his way is critical to the team’s success.
Likewise, those that have already written off Peter Siddle appear to have very short memories and I have little doubt he will be back, pass his 200 Test wickets milestone and be a key factor in Australia’s tilt to reclaim the Ashes.
Sandy
Guest
Gulp
Spooky
Guest
They need Danny Morrison
Garry Edwards
Guest
Commentary team on #9! Is that what it is, well that's why I no longer watch 9's cricket, it's all been said, boring and clearly over the top oh so false. They all need to get a job- a real one and find there true market value. Squeezers!
Mike from Tari
Guest
Once upon a time there were 2 commentators in the Box, now we have 3 or 4 but all of them including the ones who change seats after 30 minutes say the same thing, none of them come up with anything constructive except Warnie, he's entitled to his opinion on Starc, I have had sunstroke twice, so anyone who goes down with heat stress has my respect, they are not weaklings.
Warnie's Love Child
Guest
Interesting, all the comments knocking the cricket commentators. Maybe we could send a large selection of Roar cricket comments to Ch 9, and let Taylor, Slater et al critique them. Perhaps words like bland, boring, predictable might be generously used.
timbo
Guest
Couldn't agree more with your assessment of each one of the "commentators". Have to turn off the TV volume and listen to Aunty.
Professor Rosseforp
Guest
If you go back to the 70s you might remember that Graham Yallop had this problem with Rodney Hogg, who had (from memory) about 2 wickets for 0 runs, and was troubled by his asthma, so wanted to stop bowling.
Tassie Pie
Guest
Casting my mind back to the 70's i wonder what Chappelli, Marsh and Lillee would have said to a young fast bowler 'needing a bit of a lie down' from heat exhaustion on the first day of a Test.
Professor Rosseforp
Guest
I enjoy watching Shane Watson play, but I'm not expecting any major revelations or changes in his style or his results. After a lot of tests, I think Shane Watson's game is pretty clear. A quick 30, sometimes a 50, and sometimes a 10. A good catch each match. A wicket every now and again. This is pobably just enough to keep him there. His stats show that he is a more-than-useful allrounder (one of Australia's best), and unless he scores a few triple centuries (not out) in the next few matches, or takes a few 10 wicket match hauls, his final career statistics will be what they are now. Some of us would have liked to have seen him do better, but he is not going to at international test level, and what he is doing is good enough. Perhaps we should be happy enough with that.
Professor Rosseforp
Guest
Haha!
Geoff Parkes
Expert
If the Fujitsu aircon was any good there'd be no condensation for him to lick...
Rellum
Roar Guru
Listen to the ABC. That is too much to ask from Ch9.
Christo the Daddyo
Guest
With a very few exceptions, it seems that Brayshaw in particular is loathed by the public. So how does he stay in the commentary team? Does Ch9 not do any market research?
Christo the Daddyo
Guest
Agree.
Christo the Daddyo
Guest
"I’m pretty sure that Taylor is licking the windows whenever he’s in the commentary box" The single greatest sentence I've read on The Roar all year. Congratulations sir!
Ozymanidias
Guest
I think it would be a pleasant alternative to hear from an Indian commentator. All we hear is the Aussies; L ets have some diversity.
Dan
Guest
Warnie is a cricket yoda I could listen to his incites all day I understand the need for injuries and illness to be treated but it's abit annoying when on day 1 of a test match you have guys going up the tunnel for heat exhaustion. Yes it was hot but aren't they elite athletes with program's designed specifically for this scenario??? I'm only a club cricketer but we don't walk off when it's 40 plus, it's a summer sport it's going to be hot, get on with your job! -- Comment from The Roar's iPhone app.
Daws
Guest
ABC still has the best I reckon. Taylor, Warne and guest speaker are the best ch9 for me ;)
Dalgety Carrington
Roar Guru
ALL cricket commentators give me the craps at one point or another, including (and probably most especially) said Warne, Mitchell (with all due respect) and O'Keefe. But I then realise the level of irritation I feel is more to do with me than them and that I'd probably struggle to keep a good balance between being boring and adding interesting insights while describing the stop-start play across the huge number of hours within any particular day's cricket. I reckon it'd be much easier being a T20 commentator.
Professor Rosseforp
Guest
Channel 9 could do away with all commentators and just give the sound-man a selection of general sound bites about batting, bowling, fielding, keeping. These could be randomly played between deliveries, and it would make no difference if they matched the action or not, as the current commentary team is rarely synchronised with the game anyway. For the few people who listen to Channel 9's commentary -- and the even smaller number who expect anything sensible -- a lesson would soon be learned, and they would hit the mute button like the rest of the viewers.