Almanac Cricket Insight: The ABC’s new ‘Everlasting Summer’ podcast

 

 

Amanda Smith is a highly skilled and experienced radio broadcaster for the ABC. Harboring a keen interest in sports, from football to cricket, Amanda is known for her production and presentation of the analytical discussion series Sporty on ABC Radio National, and other sports programs including The Sports Factor. She has done an enormous amount to encourage people to understand Australian sport in its social context. As a longtime friend of the Almanac, we are keen to support Amanda in her new cricket-centric venture, Everlasting Summer, a six-part podcast on the compelling history of cricket through the 20th to the 21st century.

 

 

 

 

NEW ABC PODCAST available now on the ABC listen app

 

Yes, it’s nearly summer – and the sound of summer for 90 years has been the sound of cricket on the ABC. Everlasting Summer delves into this long and rich history, starting with the infamous Bodyline series of 1932 and 1933. Meet the characters behind the microphone, get insights into the social and political changes that have influenced the cricket coverage, and hear tall tales and true from the commentary box.

 

Everlasting Summer is a co-production of ABC Sport and ABC RN. All 6 episodes, each of 25’ duration, are available now on the ABC listen app.

 

Amanda Smith is the series presenter. She’s presented a range of programs for the ABC, including Sporty, Life Matters, The Body Sphere and The Sports Factor.

 

Contact: [email protected] 0419 531 549

 

 

Episode 1: Bodyline broadcast

It was a great start. Over the summer of 1932 and 1933, the brand-new Australian Broadcasting Commission presented its first live, national sports broadcast.

It was Test cricket, played by Australia and England—the Ashes. It also just happened to be the infamous ‘Bodyline’ series, designed to limit runs by the brilliant young Don Bradman.

Bodyline caused a great deal of ill-feeling between Australia and England, in a climate of broader tension in Anglo-Australian relations.

But to what extent was the drama and controversy of these matches heightened because they were broadcast by the ABC, and for the first time could be followed live by large numbers of people all over the country?

 

Episode 2: Synthetic cricket

After the tumultuous Bodyline series, Australia toured England in 1934 and 1938. The technology of the day wasn’t up to direct broadcasts from the other side of the world, so a different method of bringing cricket to Australian audiences was developed. Make believe was involved!

Cables were sent from the match venue on the other side of the world to the ABC. From this brief information, commentators in the Sydney studio elaborated a description of the play. They added their own sound effects of the ball being hit, and crowd noise was played off a gramophone recording.

It was ingenious but what did listeners at the time think they were hearing? Did they know it was largely made up?

 

Episode 3: Pictures as well as sound

It’s hard to remember now, but televised cricket in Australia was led by the ABC for over 20 years. From the beginning of television in 1956, ABC TV was the country’s predominant broadcaster of cricket.

Then in 1977, Kerry Packer created World Series Cricket; a move ultimately designed to get the exclusive rights to broadcast cricket on the Nine Network, and off the ABC.

It was called a cricket revolution, but to what extent had the relay technology, the camera angles, the action and slow-motion replays – as well as the commentators – been pioneered and nurtured by the ABC?

 

Episode 4: Cricket starts to diversify

By the 1980s, a diversity of international teams was touring Australia with much greater frequency than ever before.

Sri Lanka visited for the first time in 1982 and 1983, whilst the West Indies, Pakistan and India were touring far more regularly. Australian teams were also playing in these countries more often, and the commentary team introduced new voices.

What impact did hearing coverage of visiting teams have on local communities, especially South Asian and West Indian Australians?

What was the experience of broadcasting from South Asia and the West Indies like?

 

Episode 5: How to be a cricket commentator

In the 21st century, ever shorter formats of cricket are being played at domestic and international level. And the women’s game and women’s voices have made their way into cricket coverage.

What difference does having female commentators make to the broadcast sound, and to listeners?

And more broadly, what is the art of cricket commentary? A range of commentators share their experiences and tips.

 

Episode 6: Tales from the commentary box

For 90 years the ABC has brought cricket to people all over Australia: listening on tractors, at the beach, in caravan parks and at work. Everyone has memories to share of listening to the cricket on the ABC.

Also, your favourite commentators offer their stories from behind the microphone. Whether it’s sharing the commentary box with Prime Ministers, or being caught out by a broken hat trick, or getting locked in the lady’s toilet at a ground, what’s going on behind the scenes isn’t always as smooth as it sounds on air!

 

Series guests include: Jim Maxwell, Harsha Bhogle, Ian Chappell, Alison Mitchell, Stuart Clark, Kristen Beams, Michelle Goszko, Kerry O’Keeffe, Tim Lane, Gideon Haigh – plus lots of archival material!

 

 

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