Last season Mel Jones commentated women’s cricket on both Ten and Nine. This season she will only be heard on Fox Sports which is a shame. Seven should sign up Lisa Sthalekar ASAP.
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Yes they should. She is the last of the good female commentators.
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I preferred Mel, Barham and Seven execs should’ve acted sooner, as she can also call games excellently.
I feel Mel is good TV talent beyond cricket and confident in hosting and commentating. Lisa is great as a cricket expert across TV and radio.
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Do we know if any of the nine network commentators will be hosting any of the new coverage?
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Fox Sports Hits a Six with New Commentary Line Up
Local and international cricket experts join Foxtel, the home of Cricket.
Commentary team to lead cricket broadcasting revolution
FOX SPORTS, on Foxtel, today welcomed five new commentators to the home of cricket in Australia, as the network gears up to deliver the biggest and best cricket coverage ever.
Australian batting greats, Mark Waugh, ‘Mr. Cricket’ Mike Hussey, and former Australian women’s star, Melanie Jones, will join Australia’s only dedicated cricket channel, FOX Cricket.
Former England captain, Michael Vaughan, and World Cup winner for England, Isa Guha, will also join the team as part of the network’s fresh new line-up.
The announcement comes only weeks after one of Australia’s most loved cricketers, Adam Gilchrist, was confirmed as the face of FOX Cricket joining Allan Border and Brendon Julian to create the country’s most formidable cricket team.
Starting this summer, every ball of every over LIVE and no ads in play, of elite men’s and women’s cricket, will be shown on FOX SPORTS following its landmark six-year partnership to become the home of cricket.
Foxtel and FOX SPORTS CEO, Patrick Delany, said, “We won’t just broadcast cricket – we will revolutionise it. We will give fans more of the game they love, on more platforms so they can watch when and how they want.
“This is more than pointing a camera, its about looking at every aspect of the game and finding new ways to deliver something better, something different, something special.
“That’s why we are assembling a commentary team like no other. With over 550 Tests, 1200 ODIs and 75 T20s between them, this team will lead the biggest cricket broadcasting shake-up ever. And it will continue to grow.
“We have a big summer ahead. And we are charging toward it.”
FOX SPORTS’ Head of Television, Steve Crawley, said: “The first step in producing a truly revolutionary cricket broadcast is putting together the right team of on-camera talent.
“FOX Cricket will be about entertainment, fun, chemistry and testing the boundaries. It will honour the past and own the future.
“That’s where Adam Gilchrist, Isa Guha, Mike Hussey, Brendon Julian, Mark Waugh, Mel Jones, Allan Border and Michael Vaughan walk in. This is a world class team.
“Isa Guha? It’s true, some Australians don’t know her but Isa will become a household name – she’s an international cricketer having represented England and a brilliant ball-by-ball caller.
“The others you know. It’s one hell of a line up. And there is more to come.”
All men’s Test Matches, One-Day and T20 Internationals plus every game of the Big Bash League will be shown LIVE and available to stream on FOX Cricket. Women’ cricket will receive unprecedented coverage with Women’s Internationals and 23 WBBL games LIVE.
FOX SPORTS will broadcast the Prime Minister’s XI plus for the first time, fans can watch the Governor-General’s XI LIVE.
The JLT Sheffield Shield Final returns to TV and FOX SPORTS will show 13 JLT One-Day Cup matches along with the annual Allan Border Medal and Belinda Clark Award.
FOX SPORTS’ cricket coverage will include Australia’s Test and ODI Series against Pakistan beginning October in the UAE.
FOX SPORTS is exclusively available on Foxtel.
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That Delany bloke comes across as a smug, flog tbh.
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what
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Like, whenever I see him in a press conference or read a statement from him. Drooling over himself.
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In both instances he’s appearing in a promotional context. What do you expect? Him to play down his acquisitions?
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News Corp reports tonight that Mark Waugh is stepping down as Australian Twenty20 selector to concentrate on his commentary career with Fox Sports. He will see out his current contract which expires at the end of August.
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It looks like Shane Warne’s future has been decided as News Corp this morning reporting that he has signed to Fox Sports. Fox are really building up a star team for their new cricket coverage. Big blow for Seven. They are dragging their tail on signing talent for their coverage, running out of star options to sign.
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Seven may be dragging their tail because it is trying to save money and rely more on its in-house talent for the cricket coverage.
Fox Sports has spent so much money on the cricket rights and signing talent it has to recoup the cost from somewhere. It will probably mean increase in subscription price for everyone including those who are not cricket fans.
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Seven got the best expert/analyst there is by a country mile though, in Ricky Ponting. Praised by many for his insightful commentary.
Gilchrist may be more natural in front of the camera, a sort of host, but not as good when it comes to commentary IMO.
Seven should try and sign Fleming ASAP, it was rumoured he might be going to Seven.
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I’m not a huge fan.
Crash Craddock mentioned on SEN yesterday that Fox have cornered Kerry O’Keeffe, potentially for his own show which would be a very popular signing.
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I don’t think he’d be keen to be travelling around the country doing commentary for Fox (and he’s yet to be won over by the BBL), so I think having him host Fox Cricket’s equivalent of Bounce/Sunday Night with Matty Johns would be great.
At the same time he’s said he’s not a big fan of TV, he has more freedom with radio, but Fox will probably give him a bit of leeway.
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He’d be a great pick up.
I wonder if Gerard Whateley will be involved or if he will call for SEN (pending rights)
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7 have the pick of the commentators in Ricky Ponting but they really need to start to get some others! Isa Guha was a breathe of fresh air who I would’ve loved to see on FTA so a missed opportunity there. I just hope there are no Ch9 blokes in there! Could they get Simon O’donnell? He hosted the cricket show for years and is currently with Ch7 Horse Racing.
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In that same interview, he mentioned Seven are targeting Allison Mitchell (UK commentator who is part of the BBC’s Test Match Special)
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