Chris Rattue: Cricket's new commentators blur the lines

Mark Richardson and Chris Cairns have found a very strange way of taking a break from cricket.

Writing about it, talking about it, thinking about it constantly, we must presume...

These two prematurely retired test players have burst into the commentary box with indecent haste, and not to good effect.

There was a time when the arrival of top players in TV commentary boxes provided a leap forward. For example, the sharp-witted analysis of Glenn Turner, the pointed humour of John "Mystery" Morrison (a particular favourite) - they were rare talents whose large personalities did not get in the way. They also brought cricket coverage out of the Dark Ages.

In earlier days of live TV coverage, the handful of available cameras sometimes seemed to be wielded by people who may have over-indulged at lunch.

Around this time, characters such as the crinkly-eyed Glyn Tucker could be found behind the microphone. Tucker was a bit of an all-rounder, although not in the cricket sense.

You could catch him on radio talking about the thoroughbred racing industry. He also had an infamous television entertainment show, co-hosted by one Ernie Leonard, in which viewers - via the telephone - helped aim arrows towards a target board in an effort to win prizes. This was not an exact science - the audience may have been in greater danger from the arrow than the target.

So we have moved on from the days of song and dance men providing television cricket commentaries, but just how far?

To start with, some of Cairns' analysis has been revealing. But he is still in the New Zealand one-day side, so it is obvious that he cannot be completely frank with his opinions because of the disharmony it would cause within the Black Caps' dressing room. His first loyalty must still be to his team-mates.

In other words, you at least feel that Cairns is holding back, maybe even tailoring his comments to his own needs, which encourages scepticism about his views. When issues get a bit tricky, he backs off. Cairns, who was even moved to become a radio talk-back caller recently, is a defender of the Black Caps. Having someone who is still really a participant providing the analysis should be a no-no.

While Richardson is fully retired, he's not much better placed yet. The highly organised opener has hardly removed the box, and he's on the box. Richardson must hold some old allegiances - maybe that's why he avoided mentioning the test series completely in his latest column. And on TV he certainly still sounds like a player, exhausting us by mulling every small detail. Put your feet up for a while, Mark.

Both Cairns and Richardson are compromised. To steal the line about justice, unhindered sports commentaries must not only be done, but be seen to be done.

Cricket has led the way in sports commentaries in this country. There is still a heck of a lot that is right with what Ian Smith, in particular, does. He is the elder statesman, comfortable with his place and secure in knowing he has a gift for the job.

There's an uncomfortable feeling, though, that the commentators' egos are becoming bigger than the game. Having Cairns and Richardson rushing to the microphone, with no outstanding qualifications for the job, only promotes that feeling.

Most importantly, Cairns, in particular, and Richardson have blurred the line between the commentary team and the actual team. Cairns needs to decide which side of the boundary rope he wants to be on.

Great Aussie team or not, this has been a Black Caps debacle and one which Cairns and Richardson must have trouble acknowledging in public. And neither player has had time to soak up a bit of life away from the game, to help provide us with a bigger picture on the small screen.

Another trouble in taking in Cairns and Richardson right now is this. The Black Caps needed all hands on deck against Australia. Yet two of our finest are cruising around in the commentary box, constantly reminding us that they're not out in the middle.

Contrast that with, say, the endless brilliance of Glenn McGrath, or the great Steve Waugh, who they had to drag kicking and screaming out of the Aussie team. Then you might have the real answer as to why their cricket is so great, and we're so up and down, down, down.

It's been hard yakka, watching a series of abysmal Black Caps performances, and this commentary situation hasn't helped.

Some of the most incisive running commentary of recent times has come from Englishman Mark Nicholas, who is adept at painting a picture. He can sound smug, but the dapper Nicholas cuts to the chase. He reeks of professionalism.

Nicholas captained England A but never played a full game for his country. He is, presumably, valued not just for his knowledge, but his ability to commentate. What a concept.

Down our way, the latest commentary qualification seems to involve having played for your country within the last few weeks. It's a policy which does not bowl this particular viewer over.