Cricket’s new radio stars

‘And I need a wee,’ said the former England fast–bowling legend Darren Gough, as tension built up during the Sri Lankans’ thrilling last–wicket stand against England in the third Test in Colombo.

Not something you would normally expect to hear in cricket commentary, but this was the new kid on the block, the invigorating Talksport, and Gough is one of its stars. He has long been a consummate broadcaster, as well of course as the taker of a Test hat trick (against the Aussies), and the winner of the Strictly glitterball. Not much wrong with that CV.

The BBC had things its own way for so long it just didn’t see it coming when Talksport barged Test Match Special out of the way to secure rights to this winter’s cricket in Sri Lanka and the West Indies. It also has South Africa next winter and, I hope, England’s tour of India in 2019-20.

You underestimate Talksport at your peril. It is fresh and original, but also highly knowledgeable with Gough, the former Surrey captain Gareth Batty (full of insights about England’s quartet of Surrey stars), as well as Matt Prior, all marshalled by the lordly Mark Nicholas, as languidly elegant behind the mic as David Gower was with a bat. Every so often Mike Atherton, David Lloyd and Nasser Hussain pop in to lend some extra credibility. They know when to back off, too: I was listening in the car when Jonny Bairstow reached his colossal century on the Friday. The commentary team let the stump mics do the talking and Bairstow’s epic triple roar sounded as if he were sitting right there with me.

The Talksport anecdotage has been terrific, the expertise worn lightly, and the alliance with the Barmy Army well thought out.