12 Comments

Some of my fondest memories with my father were the long road trips we shared, listening intently to live cricket broadcasts on Radio 2000

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Good on you, Shaun. You weren't alone... :)

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Agreed, radio 2000 were fantastic with the cricket commentary and it would be great to hear your voice again Mr Manthorp. You really were the voice of cricket back in the day for me.

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Rippers! I miss it terribly. It wasn't very finanially rewarding but SO rewarding in many other ways. Thank you!

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This maybe an unpopular thought, but I was not unhappy to see the radio commentary go.

It had become infested with (poorly paid), uninteresting amateurs who seemed to find nothing

insightful or new to say. There were maybe 2 commentators worth listening to (you included). The rest I couldnt bear to listen to, and switched them to mute.

Sorry - if it comes back, it needs a budget - or rather just leave it where it is.

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Your points are well taken, Mike. But presumably you had a choice? There are still many thousands of people who would like to follow cricket and for whom radio was their only option...

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Maybe - but if there are genuinely thousands of people who love cricket and are uncatered for, why are they not watching the SAT20 competition. Its basically free to enter, and a wasteland.

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Ha! Ha! Another fair point. We must accept that accessibility is a big issue. The only one of SA's major grounds which isn't in the centre of largely white, affluent areas is Boland Park. They are difficult and expensive to get to from rural areas. But you're quite right. Judging by the crowds at the domestic T20 tournament (which is poorly and unimaginatively marketed) you could draw the conclusion that cricket is in very poor health in the country...

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Natalie Germanos cut her teeth on radio and now has a great career broadcasting world cups & the like. It is an excellent & affordable medium to tune in to. I enjoyed Radio2000. Yourself Neil, Peter Kirsten, Natalie, Aslam & many others. The late Robin Jackman was tremendous. Free-to-air TV will be very welcome IMO. I know many people who do not have DSTV. It's true that without TV, even our Protea players remain relatively unknown. Let's at least try it.

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Manners and the Wiz on Radio2000 was the best cricket content available for years. I'm sure there's a rational answer, but I can't see why the existing TV coverage audio can't just be patched onto this radio channel. 1WSR filled a gap that shouldn't be there

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If cricket survives in South Africa as a much-loved sport which youngsters adore Mike, you would have played a substantial role in keeping it alive. As an eternal.optimist, I am looking forward one day soon to being glued to the radio listening to you commentating on cricket once more. Best wishes!

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Not me Guv

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