James Brayshaw gone from Channel 9 cricket commentary team
THE shake-up of the Channel 9 cricket commentary team continues with James Brayshaw no longer part of the broadcast unit.
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CHANNEL 9 has announced divisive commentator James Brayshaw will not continue with the iconic commentary team this summer of cricket.
The Nine Network has announced its cricket broadcast schedule for this summer and confirmed former Aussie Test captain Michael Clarke and former English rival Kevin Pietersen have been added to the commentary team.
Brayshaw was nowhere to be mentioned anywhere in the announcement.
It is understood the former South Australian Sheffield Shield batsman chose not to be involved in the cricket coverage this summer and may return to the broadcast box in the future.
Brayshaw’s decision to walk away comes after former Test players Brett Lee and Mike Hussey also parted ways with Channel 9.
Mark Nicholas will again be the centre piece of the Channel 9 commentary team with Mark Taylor, Shane Warne, Ian Chappell, Michael Slater, Ian Healy, Clarke and Pietersen to step up to the microphone.
The announcement also follows speculation Nine was considering adding a strong female voice to the team — as the broadcaster has done with Yvonne Sampson and Erin Molan in its rugby league coverage.
According to reports Brayshaw has been in ongoing negotiations with Channel 9 over his football commitments with the network’s The Footy Show (AFL).
The negotiations have been described as “difficult” with some reports indicating the former North Melbourne chairman has even reached out to Channel 7 regarding a move to the rival broadcaster’s AFL commentary team.
Brayshaw’s decision not to be involved with Nine this summer could spell the end of his hosting job on The Footy Show.
The AFL panel show has stumbled from one scandal to the next in recent years.
Brayshaw has been credited by some for stabilising the show following the turbulent scandals involving Gary Lyon and Billy Brownless.
Fellow panel members Dave Hughes, Brownless and Shane Crawford are all in contract negotiations with Channel 9. Co-host Rebecca Maddern is in the first year of a three-year contract.
Nine will be screening the three Test series between Australia and South Africa, beginning Thursday, November 3, as well as the three-Test series against Pakistan, beginning December 15.
Nine also has the rights to Australia’s One Day International Series against New Zealand and the Twenty20 International series with Sri Lanka.
Brayshaw’s decision was met with a mixed reaction from fans.
Originally published as James Brayshaw gone from Channel 9 cricket commentary team
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