‘Absolute rubbish’: Mark Taylor hits back at commentary criticism

Former Australian cricket captain Mark Taylor has hit back in scathing fashion after being the target of widespread Olympic backlash.

Mark Taylor hit back at his Olympic critics. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)

Former Australian cricket captain Mark Taylor has hit back at criticism levelled his way over his diving commentary at the Paris Olympics.

Taylor was thrown the microphone to cover the diving in Paris, a decision that surprised viewers when they tuned into the action on Saturday night (AEST).

The call from Channel 9 drew widespread backlash on social media with TV veteran Tim Bailey branding the move as “disrespectful to the athletes” and calling for the decision-maker to be sacked.

Taylor on Tuesday didn’t mince his words as he hit back at the flood of criticism that had come in from viewers.

“I don’t tend to follow the media all that closely, but I knew when I said I’d do this that there would be people, the naysayers, who would say I shouldn’t be doing this,” Taylor said on 2DAY FM’s Hughesy, Ed & Erin.

Channel 9's decision to have Mark Taylor commentate the diving was slammed. Pictures: Getty

“You know you’re going to get that. The thing I don’t accept, I had my daughter come home from teaching her class and someone said it’s disrespectful to the athletes.

“I don’t accept that because I’ve been out and I’ve met all the athletes about a month ago. I went out to the pool and watched them dive.

“They were all delighted that I put my hand up to do it.

“And Sam Fricker is the expert, I’m not a diver. I’m there to do my job which is to give you the scores which is a bit like cricket. It’s not disrespectful, that’s absolute rubbish.”

Erin Molan came to Taylor’s defence and spoke about her experience in calling games of NRL which saw her attract backlash from viewers.

“Mark it’s the same thing with me hosting football mate, like sorry sod off. I was never the expert either,” Molan said.

Taylor hit back at his critics. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

Bailey was the most vocal critic of Taylor with the veteran broadcaster tweeting: “Mark Taylor calling the diving. A wonderful cricketer. But a little disrespectful to the athletes. Tubby probably knows nothing about this sport. He’s admitted as much. The (executive producer) who made this decision? Your last.”

Bailey wasn’t the only one voicing his surprise.

“Seriously Channel9 … Tubby Taylor commentating diving? Has he been on a springboard? Like, ever?” one bemused viewer tweeted.

“Mark Taylor commentating on the diving sounds like a 12th Man bit,” AAP sports reporter Oliver Caffrey wrote.

“Tubby Taylor calling the diving at the Olympics wasn’t on my bingo card this year,” tweeted another.

Keeney and Smith endured a nightmare on the boards. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

There was no shortage of drama for Taylor to work with either.

In one agonising split-second, Smith and Keeney went from medal delight to disaster as Australia’s dynamic duo were left to lament a shocking final dive to watch their medal hopes sink.

Smith and Keeney won bronze at the 2016 Rio Olympics and the pair needed just a solid final dive to clinch another bronze, and possibly silver, to deliver Australia’s first medal of the Paris Games.

But with a podium finish in sight, the pair’s final dive - a forward two-and-a-half somersault with a twist - was one of the worst of the entire program as Smith and Keeney hit the water well out of sync.

The heartbreaking finale saw the duo plunge from third to fifth on the standings. The women’s synchronised 10m playform final will take place on Wednesday (AEST).