Yeah maybe. I think today’s match finished earlier than Adelaide (2:29pm AEDT today while that was 2:42pm AEDT) so they might finish the coverage earlier but it is the final test match of the series and the summer so it could go until 3:30 too
2 Likes
Looks like it is 3:30pm. Last break for 7 now.
Fox cricket just wrapped up too at 3:20pm
7 finished up at 3:28pm with a long outro of the entire series. The final credits aired at 3:30pm.
4 Likes
I’ll move this over here since it fits better. I have said this previously, but for all of Nine’s many faults with their coverage, particularly towards the end, they were always able to turn it up for the bigger series (The Ashes and India).
Watching Seven’s coverage this year just felt like they were covering any other test series. Stuart Broad was a very good get and he had some insightful analysis as a well spoken, recently retired player. Otherwise it looked and sounded very run-of-the-mill. It’s very 6/10: OK, but not doing enough to push itself beyond.
4 Likes
7 have definitely missed a huge trick by not using Ponting as Sky have promoted Atherton and Hussain, who are interchangeably the best lead callers and the best analysts on their coverage. I have no idea if Ponting would make a good lead caller, but 7 have reduced him to being just a technical and tactical analyst. This is where having 2 commentators is more optimal than 3 as it lets the coverage breathe more and allows a more varied style of commentary. Having 3 in the box has shoehorned pundits into narrow roles.
1 Like
With respect to 7, their coverage is actually quite good. I remember how jarring it was back when they first got the rights. Felt like Cricket didn’t belong on their platform due to its long association with 9. Those first two summers where 9 had tennis and 7 had cricket really disoriented a lot of viewers - myself included. I think a lot of viewers looked at 7 more critically because of what they came to expect on Nine; however, now it feels normal for cricket to be on that platform. Moreover, I think 7’s coverage is better than Fox’s. They have stronger callers while also not having David Warner. No disrespect, but some people shouldn’t go straight into the media. Their graphics are also significantly better. Fox needs to give up the giant black scoreboard down the bottom. It’s an eyesore, and it’s not working. You also don’t need that much screen realestate for Cricket. 7’s coverage somehow shows just as much (if not more) while taking a lot less of the screen.
6 Likes
Disagree on most of your points.
Seven’s test cricket graphics are serviceable but they’re a bit one dimensional - much like their coverage as a whole.
1 Like
Fox’s scorebug is widely disliked, even from AFL fans (where it’s almost the same barring a few changes). Likewise, I don’t think Fox has anyone who comes close to Ponting (who i believe is the best on air cricket analyst)
3 Likes
Each to their own of course - I think the black bar works better for cricket than AFL.
Ponting is very good, agreed - but I also wonder if it’s partially because he’s surrounded by a lot of deadwood on 7.
1 Like
Agree with most of that. I feel Fox’s coverage is a bit overrated here and for mine it’s hard to find a trio in the box that doesn’t have significant downside somewhere.
That’s not to say Seven is brilliant or anything (although the Mitchell and to a lesser extent Lane criticism is baffling to me). The real problems for Seven are the hosting and the gap between the A - graders and the rest.
The Adelaide test flowed so much better and felt natural with Freedman hosting. She should be the sole host moving forward, although it won’t happen.
Seven should also do everything to entice Broad out here each summer. The drop off from Ponting to Hayden and langer Et al. is significant and noticeably jarring. Honestly thought after the last couple of years they should’ve done the same for Bishop as well. It’s fantasy stuff, but a team based around Ponting, Broad and Bishop would be compelling.
Hard disagree there. He’s been exceptional wherever he’s commentated, including Ten and Sky which have/ had highly regarded commentary teams.
8 Likes
I don’t believe Mitchell really suits cricket on TV. Love her on the BBC.
Lane was doddery at times this summer, I know they joke about his age but it felt like this summer it showed.
Mel McLaughlin is awful - I swear she used to be okay way back when but she is not flash and doesn’t bring enough gravitas to test coverage. Freedman is excellent.
4 Likes
Tbh I’m wondering if I’m going crazy coz I thought she was good back at Ten and Fox for the A - league. Nowadays it’s so difficult to watch her host and I’m really second guessing myself as to whether she’s regressed or my memory is shot.
So did I mate,..I thought she was really solid as a reporter/interviewer/sometime host then (including the Don’t Blush Baby debacle) - I don’t know what has happened.
1 Like
It’s coming up to a decade since this controversy which landed Chris Gayle in some very hot water.
This came towards the end of Mel’s time at Network 10, after which she joined Seven in April.
1 Like
Totally agree. She is versatile and can host any sport coverage.
6 Likes
She went to Seven? 
I feel her management only persuaded because they had the Rio Olympics that year (she still did that year’s 2015-2016 BBL for Ten), plus she ended up with the Seven News Sydney Sport gig. Also got two Australian Opens and 3 Melbourne Cups. And two Comm Games, another Olympics and two Winter Olympics.
But she was pretty bad on the 2016 Olympics, coming in later in the evening after Hamish McLachlan’s prime time ‘review’ show (because of the time zone). And then Seven seemed to bump her to late night slots including at Melbourne Park. And years later put her with Jason Richardson and turned them into more light comedy segments.
We forget 7Cricket was originally put together by Dave Barham (who lead Ten’s).
1 Like
If they went down the one + one route with a slightly shorter stint length they could concievably cut an analyst or two from the roster?
1 Like
That would allow them to cut down on the deadwood and also reduce costs. I remember 9’s coverage improved in 2016-17 and 2017-18 after they’d received strident criticism in previous years, one of the key changes was that they reverted back to having 2 commentators rather than 3. The other main one was sacking James Brayshaw from the team.
Channel Nine’s coverage was bordering on insufferable in its final years regardless of what series it was, even if there was slight improvement in the final two years. Particularly when Michael Slater and Ian Healy were on commentary.
I would rather Seven’s run of the mill coverage over the absolute dross of Nine in the 2010s and the inside jokes and general drivel they used to sprout. At least they talk about the cricket on Seven (although Langer and Hayden test my patience)
3 Likes
The announcement post for Broad was not positive at all but if u look at the Instagram or Twitter post by 7cricket saying thanks to Broad, there is a lot of positive things about Broad like how insightful he is and also people saying he should come back next summer or permanent member etc.
If 7 could afford him then they should get him. And for NZ in the 2026/27 summer they can have Katey Martin to be their NZ voice. She’s already part of their commentary team and wouldn’t have commitments in NZ during the same time as the team is in Aus
Mitchell is good with radio but I think is still solid on 7. But this summer Lane wasn’t good. Got players names wrong, called a shot that went leg side as offside (Will Jacks catch D4) etc. Maybe they should limit him to 2 Tests and have Nicholson or someone better be the caller.
I think their caller & 2 experts does work but as people have said , their depth is lacking. I think Ponting, Broad, Katich were good (in that order) but the others like Langer, Hayden are terrible. Copeland is good with the analysis board but not with the commentary.
So they need to get some better experts/analysts for the 3 commentator combo to be good for all 4 stints. Because currently some combinations are brilliant while others are terrible.
2 Likes