Channel 4 or Sky?

[Paoli]

Now that 4's done with the cricket, I may as well ask you what you preferred/prefer. I watch a little bit of Sky, lately during the South Africa tour, a bit of the Ashes and the Pakistan games and it always seems to me as if they're just commentating with "what if's". Two examples: Durban Test, Botham to Nas: "Nas, just say you're the England captain. 25 overs to go, 7 down. Who do you put on and where do you get them to bowl?", and in the last test, Botham again: "Bumble, you're the England manager/coach whatever. 10 days till the ODI's. What do you do with the team".

Whereas 4 possessed six or seven fine commentators this summer. I vote C4.

[Zainub]

Gower, Bumble and Holding are the only listen-able people on Sky, the rest make me want to cry. That said, I don't like Boycott and Tony Greig isn't a favorite of mine either. But I do like Athers and loved Simon Hughes's jargon busters, Benaud was class there but Nicholas never appeals to be me (to put it lightly that is). All in all I don't like either of Sky of Channel 4 out right, both have some very good and some very poor commentators.

[MarkC]

Will have to go for channel 4. I like Benaud and Atherton and I can listen to the rest of the channel 4 team (although Boycott can go on a bit sometimes) with Simon Hughes analysis thrown in every so often.
Gower and Bumble are the pick of the Sky team. Botham seems to find a fault with a player or decision and never shuts up about it(Vaughn not taking the new ball or Vaughn playing the sweep shot). Willis is perhaps the most depressing comentator in the history of the game.

[Irish Left Armer]

From a coverage point of view Sky clearly wins. They have the channels and the time in their schedule to cover the cricket comprehensively. Whereas C4 liked to go off regularly to show horses running around and a strange man with long sideburns who kept shouting.

As far as commentators go I think Channel 4 win hands down.

[Vrock]

I'm for Channel 4, they had some really good pieces during lunch intervals, Simon Hughes with his stats as the game went on, showing how teams dominated etc. always brought a new dimension to viewing. I like Boycott on C4 because he tells it as it is. Bob Willis is truly boring and could mute a hyena. Although I do like some of his comments in analysis so I'd just have him for that. You could always compare the two presenters. Colville or Nicholas?

[greg]

Sky.No interruptions for racing and they cover away tours.

[Rachael]

Originally Posted by greg

Sky.No interruptions for racing

They still have interuptions for adverts: neither are worth the grief of constantly turning off and back on again between overs.

[Mongoose]

Channel 4, easy. They had quality commentators like Benaud, Boycott, Atherton and (in 2005) Greig. That's by far the most important factor in the coverage. Benaud makes wry comments and combines them with wry humour as well. Boycott rubs some people up the wrong way (his girlfriend, allegedly) - "No, Geoff, rub with your palms, not your fists" - (sorry I'm in a giddy mood tonight). But he has great enthusiasm for the game and is always interesting.

At Sky, Bob Willis is a human sedative and hasn't said anything positive since he was 10, when his Mum asked if he wanted Coco Pops for breakfast and he said 'Yes' (without a flicker of a smile). Allott has some interesting comments, but has come from the Bob Willis school of verbal delivery. And whoever thought of giving Nasser Hussain a job in television? In the words of TM Alderman they should "go and hang themselves". I thought Sky were superb in the mid-90s. Now they're cr*p.

[Kirsty Harris]

I'll reserve judgement for now, till I see what Sky's presentation is like in the summer, when their new personnel, features and technology come into action.

Comparing the winter coverage with the Ashes, Channel 4 is a long way ahead (although they lose marks for highlights being rubbish/on at midnight and saturday racing), but we won't get a clear picture of where Sky are until next summer.

[flanflinger]

Sky for me... no breaks for Racing, no early starts to ensure Hollyoaks is on time, decent highlights, shown at a time when some people might actually be able to watch it plus overseas tours.

SKY is not perfect, the commentary team (Bob Willis!!) is not great and obcviously you have to pay to watch

Both channels have adverts, so you have to live with that...

But on the whole I belive they serve Cricket better