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Top 3 stand out commentators from the on-going ICC Cricket World Cup

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Sarwar89

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Out of selected 24 high profile commentators, it is not easy to chose who are stand out top 3.

Ramiz Raja unfortunately did not do a good job on pitch reports, so he shall be ruled out. Michael Holding was over critical on umpires and did not keep discipline therefore he shall not be considered.

For me stand out commentators are Naseer Hussain, Mike Atherton, Ian Ward. Isa Guha has done a remarkable job, she has excellent voice and accent. Dada is also good. Same goes for Simon Doull and Shaun Pollock.

Michael Clarke is improving, Slater is Slater, always excited and just brilliant to listen.

Wasim and Waqar sahab are average, Even Harsha Bhogle has not been at his best in this world cup. Pommie Mbangwa is always consistent in his deep analysis, he is actually a damn good commentator but rarely praised.



Nasser Hussain
Michael Clarke
Ian Bishop
Sourav Ganguly
Melanie Jones
Kumar Sangakkara
Michael Atherton
Alison Mitchell
Brendon McCullum
Graeme Smith
Wasim Akram
Shaun Pollock
Michael Slater
Mark Nicholas
Michael Holding
Isa Guha
Pommie Mbangwa
Sanjay Manjrekar
Harsha Bhogle
Simon Doull
Ian Smith
Ramiz Raja
Athar Ali Khan
Ian Ward
 
Nasser, Atherton, Sanga and Pollock are excellent.

Clarke talks too much.
 
Markhor said:
Nasser, Atherton, Sanga and Pollock are excellent.

Clarke talks too much.
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Well, as a commentator that is what his job is, he is a world cup winner, at times some of his views are very practical, since he has done it on field (2015). Commentators have to talk a lot in any case. I do not know why you are pointing this element out.
 
Sarwar89 said:
Well, as a commentator that is what his job is, he is a world cup winner, at times some of his views are very practical, since he has done it on field (2015). Commentators have to talk a lot in any case. I do not know why you are pointing this element out.
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Remember Richie Benaud's maxim - only speak when you can add something to the picture.

He was the best of letting the action speak for itself.
 
Markhor said:
Nasser, Atherton, Sanga and Pollock are excellent.

Clarke talks too much.
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Clarke doesn't talk too much lol. Don't get what your on about here. When he talks it's usually something insightful and he isn't biased.
 
Hasan123 said:
Clarke doesn't talk too much lol. Don't get what your on about here. When he talks it's usually something insightful and he isn't biased.
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TBH, he tries too hard to be unbiased which then turns into a farcical praising of opposition regardless of their capability.
 
Well out of the new ones I quite like Clarke. He seems fair, talks in depth, doesn’t sound biased like some of them.

Overall Bishop, Nasser, Doull are my fav amongst the commentators here at the WC
 
Hasan123 said:
Clarke doesn't talk too much lol. Don't get what your on about here. When he talks it's usually something insightful and he isn't biased.
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If you're used to it then you don't notice but I grew up on BBC commentators in 90s who only spoke if there's something to add to the picture. Sky today are similar, notice how they let the action breathe.

Asian commentators, especially Rameez Raja is the worst culprit, with nonstop rabbiting on for the sake of filling airtime.
 
Markhor said:
If you're used to it then you don't notice but I grew up on BBC commentators in 90s who only spoke if there's something to add to the picture. Sky today are similar, notice how they let the action breathe.

Asian commentators, especially Rameez Raja is the worst culprit, with nonstop rabbiting on for the sake of filling airtime.
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Out of the English commies the only decent ones are Nas and Atherton. The rest are decent but get over hyped by fans
 
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Hasan123 said:
Out of the English commies the only decent ones are Nas and Atherton. The rest are decent but get over hyped by fans.
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Ian Ward is excellent. Gower is easy on the ears. Botham's unbearable when he gets sulky.
 
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Markhor said:
Ian Ward is excellent. Gower is easy on the ears. Botham's unbearable when he gets sulky.
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Gowar,Botham,and Bumble are nothing special. English commies get hype by fans because we are use to rubbish analysis from Pakistani commies

Nas and Athers are only English commentators I listen too. Ian Ward is more of a presenter. But he is better than what we are use to listening too tbf.
 
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If one is to ignore his blatant hate for Indians and the bias towards Eng and WI, Holding is very interesting to listen to.
 
Slater
Nasser and Athers combo is always good
Nicholas
Clarke

The worst without any hint of doubt is Isa Guha. After that Ramiz, Athar Ali khan and Manjrekar in no particular order.
 
Anyone hearing Ian Bishop and Simon Doull would realize a thing instantly, they do extensive homework unlike any other commies in the world. Simon Doull is an extremely underrated commentator who is probably along with Ian bishop & Mike atherton, is the best to narrate and explain the game is actually being played.
so these three are top 3 for me
 
My three favorites are: Ian Bishop, Nasser Hussain, and Michael Atherton. They seem like proper commentators.
 
WengerOut said:
If one is to ignore his blatant hate for Indians and the bias towards Eng and WI, Holding is very interesting to listen to.
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Its a perception - some of us find him a person with great insight.
 
Personally I like Nasser, Atherton and Ramiz.
 
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Nasser Hussain, Atherton and Michael Holding.

Fav Pakistani: Ramiz Raja :raja
 
Hussain, Slater, Artherton, Bishop.

Ganguly and Wasim were absolutely horrible during Ind-Pak match.
 
Nas and Ian Bishop. And for some odd reason, love listening to micheal holding.
 
Holding seems really putoff by how bat is dominating over ball. Otherwise he would have been great.
Nas Sanga have been great
 
Ramiz raja has a few favourite words and phrases which he uses irrespective of their appropriateness.

Next time listen to how he uses the word “exposed”.

In summary he is a very poor commentator with little insight and original thought. The best English commentator from Pakistan is Bazid Khan, by a country mile.

Also like Pommie M.
 
Ramiz has a good crisp voice.

Sanga has been surprisingly good.

Nasser is a classic as always.

Isa Guha articulates herself p well too.

Wasim and Athar should get booted.
 
Best ones are Ian Bishop (always sounds neutral and best of the lot for me), Nasser Hussain (mostly pro English but still pretty generous when it comes to praising opposition - calls spade a spade), Mark Nicholas (just for his sheer enthusiasm)

Worst has to be Ganguly (seems to come with zero preparation and blabbers cliche after cliche) and Wasim (absolutely horrendous, just parrots what's there on the screen)
 
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I like listening to Atherton. He speaks in a calm and measured way. Very pleasant to listen to.

Ian Bishop is another all time favourite.
 
I think world is missing commentators like
Tony Greig
Bill Lawry.

Greig's commentary during Ajay Jadeja's on-slaught at Bangalore 96 quarter final was poetry in motion.
 
ISA guha is the worst commentator I’ve heard in ages. Cliche ridden and shallow analysis. Most of the Asian commentators should be bracketed together to see who is the best out of a bad bunch.

The English commies like Nasser and atherton are at the other end of the scale but very different from each other. Nasser is very analytical and almost confrontational. Atherton is soothing on the ear and just as analytical going into depth and history to provide a lot of context to individual players. What I really like about these two is that they can unpick a technique very quickly

The Asians all are very similar constantly singing the praises of the winning team usually India or England in a very generalised manner without much thought about how the audience is smarting from their inane banalities
 
Abid Z said:
ISA guha is the worst commentator I’ve heard in ages. Cliche ridden and shallow analysis. Most of the Asian commentators should be bracketed together to see who is the best out of a bad bunch.

The English commies like Nasser and atherton are at the other end of the scale but very different from each other. Nasser is very analytical and almost confrontational. Atherton is soothing on the ear and just as analytical going into depth and history to provide a lot of context to individual players. What I really like about these two is that they can unpick a technique very quickly

The Asians all are very similar constantly singing the praises of the winning team usually India or England in a very generalised manner without much thought about how the audience is smarting from their inane banalities
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spare a thought for Isa Guha, 20 years ago there was not even 1 single Asian feamle origin commentator. And you can not compare her with male commentators. come on, there has to be degree of fair and balanced analysis. It is like someone is saying Serene Williams is not as good as Rafa Nadal or Roger Federer.
 
The usual 3:

Holding
Atherton
Hussain

Most of them are terrible, state the obvious and add no value.
 
Hasan said:
Ramiz raja has a few favourite words and phrases which he uses irrespective of their appropriateness.

Next time listen to how he uses the word “exposed”.

In summary he is a very poor commentator with little insight and original thought. The best English commentator from Pakistan is Bazid Khan, by a country mile.

Also like Pommie M.
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Yes. Ramiz overdoes it unnecessarily for the sake of showcasing his vocabularly whether appropriate or not.

Very flowery language - little to no substance beyond the obvious.
 
None are particularly bad but Atherton is the top man, Bishop is very good and the rest a much of muchness.
 
Saj said:
The usual 3:

Holding
Atherton
Hussain

Most of them are terrible, state the obvious and add no value.
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"The required run rate is such and such, with so and so batting at xx off xx deliveries..."..-Wasim Akram :rabada2
 
Sarwar89 said:
spare a thought for Isa Guha, 20 years ago there was not even 1 single Asian feamle origin commentator. And you can not compare her with male commentators. come on, there has to be degree of fair and balanced analysis. It is like someone is saying Serene Williams is not as good as Rafa Nadal or Roger Federer.
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You mean a bit of positive discrimination? You do realise Nasser Hussain is of Indian origins too... and M holding is hardly part of British elite. The thing about Isa is she’s just too boring and I don’t know if it because she’s relatively new to commentating.

On radio there’s an Aussie lady whose fantastic. Don’t know babe.

Oh so happy to hear JIM MAXWELL back on sure. Think he’s just joined the TMS team.
 
Someone needs to tell Wasim Akram that he should perhaps reconsider being a commentator. Honestly he is a classic case that if you have been a great player it doesn't necessarily mean that you belong in the commentary box.

Honestly Wasim Akram needs to be removed from the commentary box as soon as possible.

Waqar, however has become a decent commentator.

Ramiz got too big for his boots and it's now embarrassing. Very hard to listen to his forced cliche filled commentary.
 
I find most of the cricket commentary unbearable. Ramiz is far and away the most irritating/annoying/pathetic of the lot.

If I could slap Ramiz with a dictionary - not to hurt him - but to knock some sense into him.
 
Pommie, Nas, Atherton and maybe Sanga. Kick Guha, Wasim, Ramiz, Ganguly and Waqar out please
 
There have been matches where I have just turned off the tv commentary, it was that bad.
 
Saj said:
There have been matches where I have just turned off the tv commentary, it was that bad.
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Today they weren’t even giving Srilanka a chance, such biased commentary. There was a woman commentator who was cringeworthy.
 
Hussain, Sanga, and Clark.

Where is Botham and Bumble?

Cannot stand the female commentators.

(Watching on SKY)
 
Sangakkara, Atherton and Nasser, but the latter becomes a lazy cliche machine when commenting on Pakistan.

Clarke is very good but I can’t stand Australian accent.
 
Sarwar89 said:
I think world is missing commentators like
Tony Greig
Bill Lawry.

Greig's commentary during Ajay Jadeja's on-slaught at Bangalore 96 quarter final was poetry in motion.
Click to expand...

Add Richie benaud to that. Tony greig has to be the greatest commentator ever hands down! Nobody could bring out the emotions of an intense match like he did. That's what youngsters watching cricket need to hear. The likes of Nasser are fine but I think they are very boring to listen to.
 
Nasser, Sanga and Clarke.

The worst has to be Akram hands down.. i mean, dear lord, that guy doesnt learn. Hes still reciting stat graphics like a holy book all the time. thats all he does.
 
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Sunzi said:
Yes. Ramiz overdoes it unnecessarily for the sake of showcasing his vocabularly whether appropriate or not.

Very flowery language - little to no substance beyond the obvious.
Click to expand...

His whole vocabulary consists of 5 adjectives that he has used with inappropriate context for ages now. I honestly cant even stand him now.
 
Nasser Hussain
Simon Doull
Mark Nicholas

I think Clarke is really insightful, but his voice isn't yet suitable for the booth (very subjective lol). He'll get better, I enjoy hearing him so far.

Isa Guha has a nice voice, but I think her style is good for reporting, not commentating.
Don't have any love really for any of the Asian commentators, except for maybe Sanga.
Have grew out of liking Michael Holding, have really become a Bishy fan after his call on Brathwaite's 4 sixes.

This WC is missing the enthusiasm of Danny Morrison though :(
 
1. Nasser Hussain
2. Pommie Mbangwa (his commentary, when Razzaq butchered SA on Halloween and singlehadly won us the match, just made it even better to watch)
3. Shaun Pollock/Brendon McCullum

Isa is the only female commentator, the other ones are just boring to hear she’s actually nice on the ears

Can’t stand Sanjay or Ian Ward or Ian Smith equally.

Athers isn’t too bad either he’s pretty good so is Graeam Smith
 
Top 3 for me would be Hussain, Sangakkara, and McCullum.

Whereas, Atherton, Ward, Pollock, Holding, Bishop, and Ian Smith have been their usual excellent selves. Clarke's not been bad either, surprisingly.

From the women: Guha is good, however, Mitchell not so much given that she still commentates as if she's working for radio.

Ones I can't stand: Ramiz, Manjrekar, Slater, Doull, and Mbangwa

Meh: Nicholas, Bhogle, Wasim, Jones, Ganguly, and Graeme Smith
 
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avidlearner said:
Best ones are Ian Bishop (always sounds neutral and best of the lot for me), Nasser Hussain (mostly pro English but still pretty generous when it comes to praising opposition - calls spade a spade), Mark Nicholas (just for his sheer enthusiasm)

Worst has to be Ganguly (seems to come with zero preparation and blabbers cliche after cliche) and Wasim (absolutely horrendous, just parrots what's there on the screen)
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Wasim's go to line on commentary is "He is the best field-DUH in the team".
 
PakWarrior said:
Anybody else find Harsha Bhogle annoying?
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Yes. A complete hack. He is the epitome of tautology. Not a single technical comment from him. Which is no surprised since he has never played a single game of first class cricket. He should be banned from commentary on he basis he has never played professional cricket in his life.
 
Ian Bishop is head and shoulders above any commentator right now. I wouldn't want any commentator on air when the match is a nail biter. He brings so much passion that you feel you're inside the ground yourself. Brilliant job today again Bish.
 
Yesterday it was worst commentary on indvs Afghanistan match. It was so pathetic...
ICC is killing cricket.
 
Pulling the hair out moment will be Manju saying "This is the new India" everytime.
 
Tony Greig was the best ever cricket commentator. followed by Richie Benaud and Tony Cozier
 
Ian Bishop and Michael Holding

Rest are just jockeys for IPL commentating contract and have ruined the world cup viewing.
 
PakWarrior said:
Anybody else find Harsha Bhogle annoying?
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Yes....he was a novelty in the 90's...he's past his shelf life about 10 years back and should retire with dignity...and he's worse in the IPL where he has Siva, vvs, for company...fed up with harsha's weird comparisons for shots hit/fielding prowess or balls bowled, he rarely comes up with a fielding change strategy and generally still is the awestruck commoner amongst cricket stars....is grating nowadays....and i am indian....
 
I like Nasser Hussain.

He is very passionate and well spoken.

Seems to like Pakistani cricket.

Also, I wish I could listen to Tony Greig again
 
For me personally, i like it when commentary has humour, insight, shows the effect of changes...eg fielding changes/angles, the captains strategy....and if mixed with a quirkiness ....more the fun.....i always enjoyed damien fleming on air.....the bowlologist is fun, terrific insight,,,,and brings a larrikin aussie free spirit on air, geoff lawson, tom moody, terry alderman are fun, Bill lawry is legend....ian healy if he takes off the aussie cheerleader togs and the bias...is pretty ok with the technicalities, mark taylor-is probably the next benaud....the less said the better about slater-just an overgrown kid on air, for desi ones....Rambo is honest, does his best....sunny g is terrific-clipped, stylish - terrific insights, harbhajan should never commentate-same with veeru, laxman, aamir sohail, but Sanga is ok...thank heavens ranjit fernando and navjot sidhu do not commentate.
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The finish to the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WIvNZ?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WIvNZ</a> game was edge-of-the-seat stuff, evoking a wide range of emotions in the audience.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MenInMaroon?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MenInMaroon</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BackTheBlackcaps?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BackTheBlackcaps</a> <a href="https://t.co/SF9yHbzIxD">pic.twitter.com/SF9yHbzIxD</a></p>— Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) <a href="https://twitter.com/cricketworldcup/status/1142628783792504833?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 23, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

IAN Bishop is best of all.
 
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