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

[Rana]

For me it’s never about intellect and knowledge of the technicalities. It’s all about entertainment and making the sport interesting to watch. For this reason I have picked the following 3...

1. Ian Bishop- This guy knows how to really add passion and emotion. I was so annoyed with Nasser Hussain hogging the spotlight in the final overs of the match yesterday when the King Bishop was there also to add the spice that was needed.

2. Ramiz Raja- I used to hate him due to his negative comments about Pakistan. He reminded me of someone on PP but now I realise that his posh accent and comic timing is actually quite pleasing to the ears. Another guy who knows how to add drama to a match especially in matches where Pakistan have huge numbers in the crowed.

3. Michael Atherton- Amazing voice and command of the English language. Charming man who has a skill to express and translate approaches to the game from multiple angles, backgrounds.

 

[Suleiman]

Mark Nicholas is fantastic and slips under the radar when people think of top 3 commentators.

Smooth voice, good insights, and is not robotic. He’s put a lot of work in improving his commentary, wanting to do it since he was a kid.

Isa Guha is good too.

 

[Pakprideuk]

Ian Smith
Ian Bishop
Nasser Hussain
Michael Atherton
Kumar Sangakarra

Not necessarily in that order but these guys are easily the standout.

 

[rhony]

Bishop and Sanga were class, knowledgeable. Hussain is a bonafide India hater along with Holding. They were impartial with other teams though

 

[reversehook]

i liked michael clarke, he was a touch different than others, a good touch that is...

 

[Rayyman]

Ian FREAKING Smith

 

[moghul]

Nasser and Bishop are the best.
Sangakara and Smith are good too.

 

[Last Monetarist]

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

Revised to the end of the tournament:

Top 3 - Ian Smith, Hussain, and Bishop (incidentally the three that were together calling that finish to the tournament)

Good - Atherton, McCullum, Sangakkara, Clarke, Holding, Ward, Doull, and Pollock

Meh - Bhogle, Jones, Guha, Mitchell, Ramiz, Wasim, and Graeme Smith

Awful - Nicholas, Ganguly, Slater, Manjrekar, Athar, and Mbangwa

Three main things I have realized lately are that 1. Mark Nicholas is unbearable; 2. Simon Doull isn't nearly as bad as I used to think; and 3. Ian Smith is possibly the best sports commentator in the world.

 

[IMMY69]

Can't stand Ian Smith..

Hussain, Atherton and Clark by a country mile.

 

[silentkiller187]

Mark Nicholas never egts the credit he deserves, i think as he is contracted to BT Sport rather than sky sports, they treated him as an international comm and gave him the more obscure matches, i could listen to him and Atherton all day long. For entertainment value Ian ward is also up there great banter.

 

[silentkiller187]

Bishop and Sanga were class, knowledgeable. Hussain is a bonafide India hater along with Holding. They were impartial with other teams though

From what i picked up i would have thought Nasser was definitely half indian couldn't get enough of praising Kohli and the BCCI at every opportunity.

 

[Pete Rose]

Smithy
Doul
maybe Athers

Nasser Hussain was strangely off his game: barring the England vs South Africa Game

 

[ishtiaq_ctg]

Ian Smith for hype and emotion. Ian Bishop is the best in all aspects. Simon doul is great but was very subdued in both Semi & final. Tried extra hard not to be branded as biased and as a result was preety flat. Ian Smith actually saved the Semis(Bishop wasnt there). Legendary stuff.

 

[RajBan]

Revised to the end of the tournament:

Top 3 - Ian Smith, Hussain, and Bishop (incidentally the three that were together calling that finish to the tournament)

Good - Atherton, McCullum, Sangakkara, Clarke, Holding, Ward, Doull, and Pollock

Meh - Bhogle, Jones, Guha, Mitchell, Ramiz, Wasim, and Graeme Smith

Awful - Nicholas, Ganguly, Slater, Manjrekar, Athar, and Mbangwa

Three main things I have realized lately are that 1. Mark Nicholas is unbearable; 2. Simon Doull isn't nearly as bad as I used to think; and 3. Ian Smith is possibly the best sports commentator in the world.

Ganguly actually did not do bad in the Finals when India was not playing. Overall he was aweful and he should introspect what went wrong for him.

 

[Ali_Pakistan]

Top three were
1 - Ian Smith
2 - Ian Bishop
3 - Mark Nicholas

 

[cricket4all]

Guha keeps banging on and linking every and any connection to the ipl and a few Indian cricketers. It’s getting ia bit annoying as cricket isn’t just about the ipl now is iit?

 

[James]

Ian Smith takes the plaudits this year for me. Fantastic commentary throughout the knockout stages.

Nasser Hussain is always effortlessly up there.

I mostly enjoyed Michael Clarke’s contributions.

Mike Atherton is a great commentator but seemed quieter this year.

Jonathan Agnew is right on form at the moment on Test Match Special. Since Henry Blofeld retired and Christopher Martin-Jenkins died, Aggers has really stepped up his game as the senior man.

 

[naseem]

Ian Bishop
Atherton
Naseer
Mark Nicolas

 

[IAJ]

Top three were
1 - Ian Smith
2 - Ian Bishop
3 - Mark Nicholas

Second this.

 

[akkers]

World Cup commentators chosen by ICC?

I noticed that just before the start of the WC2019 the ICC issued a list of approved media commentators. Whats that all about?

If the host or secondary broadcasters are broadcasting the WC feed then surely it is upto them to appoint commentators for their channels how they see fit.

Has ICC tried to mute certain commentators and made everybody comply with their vision? I don't agree with this step and I hope in future tournaments broadcasters should have commentators of their choice.

 

[silentkiller187]

ICC are in charge of the broadcast and they then sell this to the countries, therefore a few commies from each nation are picked to try and keep the coverage fair. If it was up to the host country, fro example india they would fill the roles with all their bollywood-esque story tellers.

 

[akkers]

Yes but thats up to the channel. If their audience want Bollywood stars to do commentary then why not.

I notice some big names were absent from the ICC approved list? Why? Because they are a bit harsh with the truth or that they do not mince their words and speak the whole truth.

Those commentators who did make it to the list usaed very diplomatic language. Is this good for the game? I dont think so.

 

[silentkiller187]

Yes but thats up to the channel. If their audience want Bollywood stars to do commentary then why not.

I notice some big names were absent from the ICC approved list? Why? Because they are a bit harsh with the truth or that they do not mince their words and speak the whole truth.

Those commentators who did make it to the list usaed very diplomatic language. Is this good for the game? I dont think so.

Because ICC is paying for the broadcast therefore they can chose who they want to employ as commentators, the host nation can choose to employ their own commentators at their own cost, but why would you do that i the broadcast package is already available. Which big names were missing, most of the usual suspects were there.