Does anyone else think that Michael Holding is a terrible commentator?

[bigred]

He annoys me greatly. So much so that I turn TV commentary onto mute when he hits the mic and tune into the radio commentary.

All he does is slag off everything that the modern cricketer does. Every time a ball goes into a gap, he would have had a fielder there. If somebody is wearing a new type of cricket boot, he questions it's purpose. If one of the younger commentators agrees with any decision that captain has made, he always compares it to something one if his captains did 30 years ago. I'd rather listen to Botham, and that is saying something.

I'm getting to the stage now where I only really want to listen to people who retired post millennium. (With a couple of exceptions) Didn't think I'd like Ganguly's commentary but I think he's been really good. Strauss and Atherton are brilliant. There are others around the world also like Pollock, Slater and Richardson who I think have a slightly more relevant opinion.

In summary, I want younger commentators or older ones ( like Agnew and Lloyd) who can accept that cricket isn't the same as it was in 1980.

 

[ethybubs]

You are quite lucky I'm not a mod. Michael Holding is the coolest man in the history of the world and he talks about what he did thirty years ago because he was better than the current players, he has earned the right to speak freely about his own greatness and you have not.

 

[bigred]

Firstly, I haven't talked about my own greatness.

Secondly, what has his own greatness got to do with the games that are taking place now? Richie Benaud was a great player but he's always said he's tried to be really careful not to talk about his era as it has no relevance on the match he is commenting on. Hence why he was both a legend a as a player and now as a broadcaster.

 

[asprin]

No, I dont.

 

[IceAgeComing]

You are quite lucky I'm not a mod. Michael Holding is the coolest man in the history of the world and he talks about what he did thirty years ago because he was better than the current players, he has earned the right to speak freely about his own greatness and you have not.

I agree with everything in this post, and would like to add that Strauss is the most boring commentator for any sport ever and a big factor in me switching to TMS commentary - I actually only switch back when you have Holding or Atherton on since they are both great commentators...

 

[angryangy]

If I hear Strauss say "surface" one more time I might literally explode. Literally.

 

[PokerAce]

He annoys me greatly. So much so that I turn TV commentary onto mute when he hits the mic and tune into the radio commentary.

All he does is slag off everything that the modern cricketer does. Every time a ball goes into a gap, he would have had a fielder there. If somebody is wearing a new type of cricket boot, he questions it's purpose. If one of the younger commentators agrees with any decision that captain has made, he always compares it to something one if his captains did 30 years ago. I'd rather listen to Botham, and that is saying something.

I'm getting to the stage now where I only really want to listen to people who retired post millennium. (With a couple of exceptions) Didn't think I'd like Ganguly's commentary but I think he's been really good. Strauss and Atherton are brilliant. There are others around the world also like Pollock, Slater and Richardson who I think have a slightly more relevant opinion.

In summary, I want younger commentators or older ones ( like Agnew and Lloyd) who can accept that cricket isn't the same as it was in 1980.

I haven't heard much of Holding but cannot say, but if you thought Ganguly was good, wait till you hear Dravid. Or maybe you have and didn't like it that much. If you haven't though Dravid does talk a lot of sense.

 

[zimrahil]

I like Holding and don't mind Strauss' commentary either!

 

[Aislabie]

Michael Holding is an interesting and insightful commentator. I could understand negative feedback to his slurry-filled ghostathon of an "autobiography", but there's a reason he's an ever-present in the commbox.

I reckon there's a really good generation of commentators coming through, though - the new breed of TMS recruits including Ed Smith, Charlie Dagnall, Dirk Nannes and Isa Guha has been excellent.

 

[ethybubs]

I agree with everything in this post, and would like to add that Strauss is the most boring commentator for any sport ever and a big factor in me switching to TMS commentary - I actually only switch back when you have Holding or Atherton on since they are both great commentators...

I hear Strauss is a c**t.

 

[Epic]

I don't necessarily agree on Holding being a terrible commentator, but I can agree on being completely sick of the older commentators going on "back in my day tangents" and constantly comparing the eras gone by instead of focusing on the game at hand, thus I quite enjoy and maybe even prefer commentators that at least played a bit of cricket in the 21st century.

 

[Samuels]

Holding is one of the better commentators around. I agree that he goes back in his day often but when he talks about how to play cricket, I highly recommend everyone to be all ears. His advices are so perfect for the budding cricketers.

I have seen a few yesteryear greats keep forgetting things they used to do is not possible for many of the cricketers. I remember a match when the batting team was scoring at a lightning quick rate against Pakistan and in came a comment from the great Wasim Akram from the commentary box, "The batsmen are scoring too freely. At this point, I would bowl a maiden to relieve some pressure off". I mean not many can bowl maidens at will particularly when batsmen are going berserk. Similar case is with Holding. When he talks about bowling straight at 90mph+ he forgets the fact that not many cricketers are capable of that but it was his strength back in the day and he is talking what he knows the best.

 

[ethybubs]

I prefer a player to talk about what they know, otherwise we end up with Glenn Mcgrath giving batting advice.

 

[Asham]

Most boring commentator is Sourav ganguly