Audience in New Zealand or England are more conservative: Danny Morrison

Danny Morrison is one of the oldest names associated with the Indian Premier League. He is a powerhouse of energy when in front of the mic. His enthusiasm is contagious and is always in an animated mood. When he is around, one cannot have a single moment without fun and laughter. One cannot imagine an IPL without someone who has essentially amalgamated theatre with cricket. The former Kiwi fast bowler grew up with a Thespian background where he indulged in pantomime and theatre sports. Performing on the stage in front of large crowds and engage audiences is the reason behind his ability to strike a chord with spectators.

“I love doing what I do,” Morrison told Cricbuzz speaking about his passion for presenting. “The opportunity of T20 coming along, especially in the subcontinent where people are so passionate about it, is great. They love their cricket so much. The passion around the game lifts me. You got to laugh in life. You have to laugh at yourself a lot. At times, you can take yourself too seriously. I don’t tend to. Maybe it’s me at the other end of the scale,” he laughed. “Laughing is a great medicine. You have to have fun, laugh a lot and make others laugh.”

Morrison has been through the various phases of the broadcast. He hosted a magazine show for Sky Sports New Zealand from 1999 to about 2006 after which he did some radio. But once he had a shot at the “fast and furious, candy-floss game”, he realised that this was a platform where he could express himself the best, as it suited his style and personality accurately.

“When I was starting with Tests and one-dayers I was just too quiet. I was just having a chat and then I realised you’ve just got to project more and get out there. So when T20 came along, it was good for me to get out there because you also realise with the noise around the stadiums in India with the IPL, you will get drowned out if you’re not just going for it. People won’t hear you.

“Audiences in New Zealand or England are more conservative. It’s a different genre. You get an actor who does a crime thriller, a comedy and a romantic serious role… All you’re doing is going from Test cricket to a different hat in ODI to another in T20. They can tend to pigeon-hole me with my histrionics of a full-on T20 specialist, fine, not complaining. Grateful!” he exclaimed.

Morrison feels that he has been stereotyped because of his antics and theatrical antics. He admits that some spectators don’t like it but that doesn’t bother him.

“Some won’t like it, sure. That’s why I didn’t join Twitter and have only just been dragged into it the last couple of months,” he said rolling his eyes. “People like to put their voice out there on Twitter. They try and bait people. If I wanted a comedy show, I’d tune into a comedy channel. They’re obviously having a crack at me about being a bit of a clown or being a bit ridiculous at times.

“This is theatre. This is the genre of the cricket; it’s T20, it’s for the masses and for women who wouldn’t want to go watch Test cricket. Most males don’t go to Test cricket now…they’re bored. People have less leisure time. It’s an entertainment business, played at night with the white ball in coloured clothing. Families can go and it caters to that. As much as you doubt yourself at different times, you do have your idiosyncrasies. As for negative feedback, who cares? Want to have a crack, have a crack. Change the channel; turn the sound down if you want!” he offered.

The veteran commentator, Alan Wilkins, who has lent his voice across sports for more than a few decades, believes that Morrison has created a niche for himself in terms of his commentary style.

“He clearly sees himself as an entertainer as much, if not more, than a cricket commentator,” Wilkins told Cricbuzz. “He has made the decision himself to take on a more entertaining role with the cricket element. Nobody has really commentated like this before; it’s different, it’s unique and it’s not one to be copied because there’s only one Danny Morrison.

“It’s not just the IPL that he does. He does the Caribbean Premier League as well. They have a lot of fun there and I think what Danny decided is that it’s going to be a completely different approach and in a way it is a brave decision. It’s a departure so stark and different from anyone else that anyone will be hard-pressed to even copy it. You can’t copy what he does. We’re now used to it and it is part of IPL furniture now. It adds variety, it adds colour,” Wilkins adds.

Morrison’s idea seem pretty stark when it comes to his style of broadcast, as are his thoughts on coaching. “It (broadcast) suited me, rather than coaching,” he said, before pausing briefly to answer his nephew’s call from Auckland explaining to him that he was in the middle of an interview and that he would return his call shortly.

“Ah, where were we?” he asked before continuing, “Yes, so, I got a Level 3 coaching certificate from New Zealand Cricket in 2000. I went to Dennis Lillee’s MRF pace academy in 1999 in Chennai and then all the way next in 2011. I like specialist coaching, maybe with the fast bowlers, which is obviously my strength. I still like coaching kids. I do a bit of academy stuff where I live.

“But media, I enjoy, and I am also grateful for T20. It suits the madness and my personality a little bit. The Bollywood-cricket mix resonates with me. I think the talent in the cricket itself, without getting swallowed up in the razzmatazz, goes hand in hand. That’s why I think it works because you have the Bollywood mix. It is the high octane action along with the rest around it. The package works.”

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