7 Great commentators who were not so great Cricketers

7 Great commentators who were not so great Cricketers: The role of commentators is integral in any sport. It’s even bigger in cricket with the frequent changes in strategy and breaks in play. Commentators not only lend their voice to cricket matches but also ensure that the listeners are enjoying the description they provide. To be a great commentator you almost had to be good cricketer, but that was in the past. One look at the world of commentary these days would be enough to tell you that it is not imperative to be a big name to excel here. All you require is presence of mind and an engaging voice. And those are not attributes limited to those who have good numbers at international level. Here we list 7 Great commentators who were not so great Cricketers: 1. Simon Hughes (source) Simon Hughes is a former English Cricketer and sports journalist. He was nicknamed ‘The Analyst’. He was a fast medium bowler who played for Middlesex from 1980-1991. In his first-class career Hughes took 466 wickets in 205 matches with an amazing bowling average of 32.48 but never got to represent England. Initially, he worked as a full-time sports commentator and column writer for The Independent and the Daily Telegraph in England. He then made his career as the commentator for Channel 4 which aired its services in England from 1999-2005 and then in 2006, he moved to Channel 5. Simon Hughes has been working for BBC’s Test match special from 2007 till date. Also Read – 20 Hilarious one liners used by the Cricket commentators 2. EW Swanton: (source) He is a former English cricketer, a sports journalist and an author. Swanton played three matches for Middlesex in 1937-38 season and was able to make only 7 runs. He was more successful as a sports journalist than a cricketer in his career. He was easily recognized by his distinctive “fruity” voice. In his career as a cricket commentator, he worked for BBC as a Test Match special commentator from 1938-1975. He also covered various international cricket matches for BBC during 1948-1967. 3. Jonathan Agnew: (source) Jonathan Agnew’s career as the BBC’s cricket correspondent has been so successful, that it’s easy to forget that he ever played the game. But, as a thrusting seam bowler in the 1980s, he played 3 Tests for England before taking up his position in the commentary box. He also played county cricket for Leicestershire from 1979-1992. Agnew embodies the authoritative, but endearingly juvenile approach of the Test Match Special team. He has appeared as a guest commentator in BBC from 1991 till date. 4. Harsha Bhogle: Harsha Bhogle. (© Getty Images) Harsha never played international cricket but his insights of the game leave many experts astonished. In 1991–92, he became the first Indian commentator to be invited by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation during India’s cricket series before the 1992 Cricket World Cup. Harsha Bhogle is widely acknowledged to be not just the voice, but the face of Indian cricket. He started at a time when few Indian broadcasters were considered good enough to be on overseas networks. But he changed those perceptions, in 1992 when he was rated as the possessor of the “sexiest voice on radio” by the Australian media. At the moment he is contracted with the Star and offers his services all round the world. 5. Mark Nicholas: (source) Mark played for Hampshire from 1978 to 1995 also leading them from 1985 onwards till his retirement. Nicholas has worked in broadcasting, first as a commentator for Sky Sports, and from 1999 to 2005 as the anchorman for Channel 4’s cricket coverage. He is popular among the viewers for his manner of presentation. He was named the Sports Presenter of the Year in 2001 by the Royal Television Society. The thing that strikes most about Mark is the charisma that he brings in with his commentary. 6. David Lloyd: David Lloyd. (© Getty Images) Many believe that he was an unlucky cricketer. Touted as a talented all-rounder he could only play 9 Tests and 8 ODIs for England. One of the most versatile commentators on Sky Sports, David Lloyd is also one of the most recognized names in world of cricket commentary allover. Nicknamed Bumble, Lloyd is available for almost each England international, and covers ICC tournaments for Fox. He adds unrelenting excitement to the game, with the use of witty words and hilarious comments. Some of his patent words and phrases are part of modern day cricket that other commentators love to use. 7. Simon Doull: (source) Back and knee injuries brought a premature end to Simon Doull’s career. But he excelled greatly in cricket commentary. He is an entertaining personality behind the mic. Doull is famous for speaking his mind and he keeps the viewers entertained with his knowledge about the game. He avoids linking many things to the game, and believes in keeping it simple for the listeners. Simon Doull is greatly regarded as the voice of Kiwi cricket these days. Also Read – The 11 biased Cricket Commentators