Wide World of Sport hosting talent

Adam Gilchrist made his co-hosting television debut this morning for Channel Nine’s Wide World of Sports. Along side stalwart Ken Sutcliffe, Gilchrist settled in well and looked very natural.

Gilly has been admired and loved by Australians for his cricketing success and gentlemanly approach to people. This should serve Gilly well as he makes the transition from sportsman to mediaman.

Cricket is the sport that Nine will utilise Gilchrist for but this morning he proved to be an excellent interviewer, commentator displaying a wide array of knowledge.

For a first performance Gilchirst give a huge indication that he has a big future in television. Last week former Australian cricket and Channel Nine commentator Michael Slater co-hosted with Sutcliffe and also performed amicably.

Slater has brought an injection of new blood to Nine’s cricket commentary team which has complimented veterans Tony Greig, Bill Lawry and ‘Cricket God’, Richie Beanud.

What Slater has accomplished in his few years on screen has been well documented and from tomorrow morning, he joins Terry Kennedy on 2KY as the co-host of New South Wales’ only dedicated Sports Breakfast Show, “The Big Sports Breakfast” from 6-9AM.

Co-hosting Wide World of Sports last week was another step in the right direction for Slater’s career but he appeared a little edgy, nervous and stumbled a few times. On the other hand, Gilchrist had an almost smooth ride but both personalities are valuable to Nine’s cricket and sport coverage.

From 2010, Channel Nine will broadcast both the winter and summer Olympic Games. Planning would have surely all ready started and for the likes of Gilchrist and Slater, their on air presence and involvement at these events could become very important to the network

The Olympic Swimming Trials that wrapped up last night were a strong and very proud meet for the sport as they prepare for Beijing. Not only are their new household sporting star names such as Stephanie Rice, Eamon Sullivan to go with Libby Trickett (formerly Lenton), Grant Hacket and Jessicah Schipper but another swimming commentator was also unveiled in Giaan Rooney.

Rooney complimented Nicole Livingstone and Duncan Armstrong as the best interviewers and analysers in the sport, matched by the best caller, Ray Warren.

Armstrong will be heard at the Olympics as he has defected to Seven but expect to hear his voice back on the Nine coverage after Beijing.

When Warren was unable to commentate because of Rugby League commitments on Friday, Fox Sports Mark Braybrook called the race and did a very impressive call.

Braybrook is a former 2UE and 2GB sports presenter who was back-up to Ray Hadley before switching to Fox. His commentary style was not as anninmated or loud as Warren but very impressive when he was calling Eamon Sullivan’s breaking of the 50M world record.

Note, Ray Warren made a comment to Armstrong about the 2012 Olympics in London and indicated he would not be there. Four years is a long time but this may indicate Warren’s intentions to retire.

If so, Braybrook would be valuable to Nine as not only a swimming caller but also as the second Rugby League caller, to Andrew Voss, Warren’s heir apparent.

Wide World of Sports still do the best job in sports coverage in Australia showcased with their Rugby League, Cricket, Swimming and the Wide World of Sports show itself. Despite Seven's sensational Olympics coverage which hits our screens in August, Nine will all ready be planning to do one better from 2010.

Oldfield Overnight

2GB have confirmed that former New South Wales MP and One Nation Executive, David Oldfield will carry the station overnight from midnight-5AM each weekday.

Oldfield replaces Jim Ball who defected to 2UE earlier this month and takes over the reigns from Ball’s previous producer, Mark Kennedy who has been warming the chair until a permanent host was found.

Oldfield filled in for Ball over summer and was confirmed to fill-in through out 2008 but now he has his very own show albeit in the wee small hours.

He is the right fit for 2GB as Oldfield can be considered to be from the ‘right perspective’ that matches breakfast host Alan Jones political ideology.

Mark Kennedy who previously worked on Sydney’s WSFM as the breakfast producer and occasional host may be returning to a producing role with the overnight show but his on-air personality will hopefully find him his own slot. Kennedy has a naturally smooth speaking voice and should be utilised by 2GB.

From midnight tonight, March 31 David Oldfield can be heard on 2GB 873.

Wheeler gets the axe as 2UE mixes up weekends and welcomes back Robertson

Radiorumours.com reported on Wednesday that Glenn Wheeler has been axed from his weekend afternoon show and today 2UE has confirmed that Clive Robertson who most recently presented the overnight show is now presenting every Saturday and Sunday from 2-6pm.

Last weekend change was made to the weekend schedule bumping Don Burke to 6AM with George and Paul now coming on at 8AM until 2PM. Possibly Wheeler’s shift being slashed from 6 to 4 hours caused his departure as he believes he offers more than the six hour weekend show he was presenting before it got slashed to 4 hours.

Robertson is a good move for 2UE and was wasted overnights. He is quirky, funny, more interesting and entertaining than Wheeler and has a very strong lead in from George and Paul that UE hope will sustain an audience that Wheeler has struggled to hold.

2UE have fiddled with their weekends hoping to increase ratings and advertising revenue that would be decreasing with an underperforming weekday schedule.

Robertson starts tomorrow from 2PM on 2UE.

Nine taking the fight to Seven

It is great to see Channel Nine getting serious about the ratings, launching an impressive post-Easter line-up in competition to a number of debuting shows on Seven, the current Number 1 television network in Australia.

From Sunday Nine moves CSI to 8:30PM going head to head with Grey’s Anatomy followed on Nine by Without A Trace which is up against Brothers And Sisters. Seven’s Grey’s and Brothers have struggled to capture 2007 ratings figures while CSI has been constantly beating Desperate Housewives on Mondays.

Nine may struggle in the earlier part of the evening with Georgie Parker’s Animal Emergency so far failing to fire, similarly Royal Flying Doctor Service is hurting the network which is up against the returning series, Gladiators.

Gladiators will probably have initial success but will not sustain a large enough audience that will encourage a second new series. Police Files Unlocked and My Name is Earl will come up against 60 Minutes which has proven fragile in its opening weeks of the new season, not commanding the same numbers the show is use to.

Ten also take the fight to Sunday’s with The Biggest Loser, So You Think You Can Dance and the return of Rove, mixing things up and making the viewers’ choice difficult.

Monday’s are also becoming competitive with Nine offering an alternative to Border Security/Serious Crash Unit double act, launching a new Quizmaster in a new Quiz Game, The Power of 10 hosted by Today weatherman Steve Jacobs at 7:30PM followed by the second series of Sea Patrol and CSI: NY.

The Sea Patrol versus Desperate Housewives battle will be interesting to note because Ten’s option of the Melbourne International Comedy Fest Gala will struggle.

Tuesday’s will still be a struggle for Nine but with a glimmer of hope at 8:30PM with Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares which has for the last two weeks been the most popular show of its timeslot even beating Seven’s It Takes Two but that did nothing towards helping Nine win the night as it was beaten by Seven and Ten on Tuesday March 25 with The Moment of Truth bombing with only 725,000 viewers and Terminator fairing even worse with 661,000 viewers.

Wednesday’s are still Nine with Underbelly delivering a victory in all markets where it is shown but The Chopping Block at 7:30 has struggled up against RSPCA: Animal Rescue & The Real Sea Change on Seven but at 8:30PM Seven raise the white flag asking their viewers to turn over to Nine as they show movies instead.

Thursday’s should become more interesting with Seven scheduling Samantha Who and How I Met Your Mother from 7:30 followed by The Ghost Whisperer going head to head with Nine’s Getaway and new found success, Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares.

Friday’s will be won by Seven who still screen Better Homes and Gardens and either movies/AFL depending on the market while Nine backs their Rugby League/movie combination.

Saturday has been proving to be the deciding night for television which is become very competitive and Seven is becoming very aggressive returning The Great Outdoors followed by Michael Palin’s New Europe, Lewis and Forensic Investigators which is up against Nine’s Australia’s Funniest Home Video Show which has failed to fire with Shelly Craft as presenter and movies.

Nine should perform well next week and could possibly win the week. Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday nights appear possible nights that Nine could win while Tuesdays will struggle with Moment of Truth and Terminator and Saturday’s are anyone’s guess.

Nine’s biggest problem has been the 7-8:30PM slot which has not been served well by Two and a Half Men which screens weeknights at 7 and then a host of other shows from Monday-Friday which are continually being beaten by Seven and sometimes Ten.

So far Nine have had, A Year With the Royal Family on Monday’s which has now been replaced by The Power of Ten. Tuesdays Nine have tried Monster House, 20 to 1 and now The Moment of Truth which surely will be axed if not all ready.

The Chopping Block has not fired on Wednesday’s and Getaway has been bouncing around the one million mark like a yoyo despite still being Nine’s most successful 7:30PM program.

Temptation is coming back which should increase numbers from 7-7:30 but it will never defeat Home and Away. Whilst in the 7:30-8:30 slots Nine still has McLeod’s Daughters, The Farmer Wants A Wife to return and possibly yet another installment of 20 to 1.

New series which could feature in these open slots include Domestic Blitz to be hosted by Scott Cam and Shelly Craft but this could end up being Nine’s 6:30PM Sunday night show which has also struggled having tried This is Your Life and now the Animal Emergency/Royal Flying Doctor Service is not flying so high with the ratings.

Search and Rescue, Fire 000, The Waiting Room, Hole in the Wall, The Salon, I Know My Kid’s A Star are possible 7:30-8:30PM shows.

Nine will be crossing their fingers and hoping The Power of Ten delivers because the above list do not look threatening. Perhaps Nine should look at what has worked in the past, dare I say Burke’s Backyard, Hey Hey It’s Saturday or maybe even Backyard Blitz.

The sleaves have been rolled up and the gloves are on, the ratings battlefield is about to get very interesting.

2GB and 2DAYFM own Sydney Radio

Sydney Radio Ratings 2, Sunday January 17 - Saturday March 15, 2008

2GB still reigns the airwaves in Sydney (13.2%) after the second survey results whilst 2DAY FM (11.6%) increase their lead over NOVA and ABC 702 (10%) still stand in double figures.

Despite 2GB’s dominance, they are down 1.7% to the first survery whilst key breakfast and morning shows hosted by Alan Jones (16.5%) and Ray Hadley (15.3%) are down by almost 2.5% each but daylight is their closest challenger.

Having said that, Adam Spencer goes from strength to strength as an AM alternative, increasing his breakfast share to 11.3% while new Morning’s Presenter, Deborah Thomas held her audience but aftrenoon’s and drive are down but new evenings presenter Andrew Daddo has impressed (10.6%), the second most popular evening show behind the 2GB combination of Murray Wilton and Brian Wilshere.

2UE’s Mike and Sandi experiment dropped another percentage point (5.9%) but the station is up 0.2% overall with Tim Webster’s Afternoon Show (5.2%) increasing by 0.5%, John Stanley’s drive show (6.1%) increasing by 1.6% and Stuart Bocking (7.6%) up 0.4% proving to be the stations number one weekday show.

On the FM band, 2DAYFM are continuing to beat NOVA with the Kyle and Jackie O Brekafast show (12.3%) increasing it’s lead by 1.4% while NOVA’s Merrick & Rosso & Kate Rithcie (7.5%) dropped 0.7%.

2DAYFM hold 11.6% of the total audience share with Hamish & Andy (13.2%) being the most popular Sydney drive show followed by ABC 702’s Richard Glover. NOVA’s drive show, The Wrong Way Home (9.9%) which recently added former Get This! Co-host Ed Kavalee to it’s team dropped ratings by 0.2% while Triple M, WSFM and Mix hover around the 6-7% mark.

The second ratings results tell a lot to station programmers because listeners have now had two months to make up their mind on whether newcomers are worthy of listening to or to stick with the proven formulas.

Austereo will be happy with 2DAYFM’s Kyle and Jackie O, who are still the most listened to Breakfast Show for the stations demographic while the Hamish & Andy juggernaut have re-signed for three more years setting the station up for a successful 2008.

NOVA would be slightly worried that the addition of Kate Ritchie to breakfast has altered ratings, the wrong way but there is still time for Kate to settle into her new gig.

2GB look to have weathered any onslaught from a NEW 2UE line-up who are struggling to find an audience but GB will welcome a challenge from the public broadcaster whose presenter’s will surely be on the radar of 2UE executives.

2008 is shaping up as a 2GB, 2DAYFM domination of their respective brands. Note neither station made any changes to their week-day line-up’s from last year, except Jim Ball’s defection from GB to UE this month.

Jim Ball takes 2UE into the new day

From tomorrow morning Jim Ball will host New Day Australia on 2UE.

Midnight until 5:30AM, Ball will bring his successful and Number 1, top rating over-night show to the embattled Sydney station.

Ball replaces Clive Robertson who left 2UE in February but Ball's decision to leave 2GB is bizarre considering he was on Sydney’s Number 1 AM station and his overnight show was the highest rating.

Perhaps Ball’s appointment will improve weekday ratings or maybe he is biding his time and has been promised a better slot, perhaps evenings if Stuart Bocking fails.

2UE have other personalities capable of presenting the mid-dawn shift such as Glenn Wheeler, News Director Clinton Maynard or Saturday Night host, Ian McRae. The latter two have been hosting the show, alternating with John Kerr since Robertson left.

Perhaps Wheeler perceives his presentation is better than the wee smaller hours plus his television commitments with Seven’s, The Morning Show while Ian McRae runs a successful radio training school.

Maynard is still a raw presenter and may have been considered to be too inexperienced to sustain an overnight audience.

Other overnight possibilities include George & Paul’s roving reporter, Peter Higgins who presented a few mid-dawn’s in 2007 with no reward. Despite having interesting topics of conversation and a very likable approach to the show, Higgins has not been heard on the overnight show in some time.

Whatever Ball’s decision is to move to UE, probably monetary, he will hope to assist the weekday line-up which has struggled so far in 2008.

If ratings do not increase expect Fairfax to make some changes and the personalities who are currently not presenting shows or presenting shows in time-slots that they believe are ‘beneath them’ might actually be behind the microphone at a time they want sooner than they think.

Seven take Week 5

Channel Seven have clinched the all important fifth week of television ratings and head into the Easter break leading three weeks to Nine’s two.

It was looking like anyone’s game heading into Saturday after Nine’s blockbuster Thursday night which saw Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares: UK succeeding RPA as the Number 1 show on a Thursday night and another Thursday night win for Nine.

RPA has been a very successful series for Nine, so to move Ramsay into that slot and succeed with 1.5 million viewers was very important for the network. Getaway’s numbers just over the 1 million mark while The Footy Show surprisingly debuted strongly with 1.2 million viewers nationally.

Seven struggled on Thursday with The Amazing Race at 7:30 the only Seven show after 7:30 able to crack seven figures with Family Guy, Out of The Question, Lost and American Dad closer to the 500 000 mark.

Nine won Thursday and again narrowly won Friday with its combination of Live Rugby League/Airline and Miss Congeniality propelling them to within 0.3 of Seven heading into Saturday.

Nine bombed on Saturday with the once very successful Australia’s Funniest Home Video’s returning terrible figures of 859,000 while the repeats of Shrek 2 and The Longest Yard struggled to get half a million viewers.

Saturday’s poor performance left Seven with a win with final figures reading:

Seven 28.2%Nine 27.6%Ten 22.5%ABC 16.6%SBS 5.1%

Now we take a two week break to let the Easter Bunny visit, the networks refresh and the rest of the year takes charge. AFL will be in full swing and a host of new shoes launched which will make things interesting.

Don't get too comfortable over the Easter break.

4 weeks on… Its Nine and Seven with 2 a piece

The cricket finals helped Channel Nine win the fourth week of ratings in 2008 with strong performances on Sunday March 2 and the following Tuesday which were the two most popular shows securing Nine the all important fourth week.

Underbelly, RPA and CSI returned all holding their audiences and winning the important 8:30PM prime time slots throughout the week although their 7-8:30PM slot needs some work.

The cries for Burke’s Backyard to return to a weekly series hit a speed bump with the latest instalment, ‘Autumn Special’ bombing, being defeated by almost double the amount of viewers by Better Homes and Gardens.

Nine did manage to win the fourth week however, which looked like this:

Nine: 29.1%
Seven: 27.3%
Ten: 22.4%
ABC: 16.0%
SBS: 5.3%

Week 5 has started in Nine’s favour with 60 Minutes return capturing 1.2 million viewers to be the third most popular show behind Seven News and So You Think You Can Dance Australia in first place with 1.5 million viewers. Nine also screened Wedding Crashers which sustained an audience of 1.1 million being the sixth most popular show.

The ‘one-off’ This is Your Life of Lleyton Hewitt was a miss, not even reaching 900 000 viewers, placing the series in fourteenth place. Nine still won Sunday, with Ten Second and Seven 0.1% behind in third, making the night look like this:

TEN: 26.2%
NINE: 28.7%
SEVEN: 26.5%
ABC: 14.0%S
BS: 4.6%

With no cricket this week and no RPA will Nine be able to win the week?

They are launching a few new series and have adjusted their schedule slightly. Tuesday has troubled Nine for the last two years and has so far proven difficult against It Takes Two.

This week Nine will show the much-talked about controversial American show, “Moment of Truth” followed by Kitchen Nightmares and now Terminator will screen at the later 9:30PM slot.

Thursdays have also been tweaked with RPA concluding, Kitchen Nightmares moves to Thursdays and The Footy Show returns to 9:30 while Friday night Rugby League will dominate the screen from 7:30.

With the change of seasons and the AFL season still being a week away will Nine be able to go into the Easter Break with three weeks under their belt or will Seven bring home the bacon?

I highly doubt Seven will lose a week for the rest of the year, but stranger things have happened.

Still to screen for Seven is Gladiators, starting Sundays soon plus Australia’s Got Talent must return, Where Are They Now?, City Homicide, Dancing With the Stars and more.

Nine will again mix things up in the coming weeks launching Animal Emergency, Sensing Murder, Royal Flying Doctor Service, Search and Rescue as well as the final series of McLeod’s Daughters and host of new Aussie dramas to launch in 2008.

The ratings race continues

Unearthing the next 'Gilchrist'

Adam Gilchrist has changed the way Australia play one day cricket as an aggressive attacking batsmen with an average of 36 and a strike-rate of 97 he intimidated opening bowlers and punised them to all parts of the park.

Gilchrist is arguably the most attacking opening one day batsmen of all time along with the likes of Sanath Jayasuriya. Australia’s success is due in large part to Gilchrist’s efforts at the top of the order as he always got the innings going.

Minus Gilchrist it will be a new look and new strategy with more conservatives Michael Clarke, James Hopes and Michael Hussey as possible opening contenders within the Australian one day team or will the selectors opt for, ‘the next Gilchrist’?

Wicketkeeping successor Brad Haddin is a successful attacking batsmen in the Gilchrist mould but generally has not opened for his state, New South Wales. Averaging 33 with the bat in state one day cricket with an impressive strike rate of 92.

Haddin’s limited opportunities with the bat in the Australian colours have seen him float from Number 3, to Number 7 in the batting order where his average is 29 striking at 79.

Haddin is capable of possibly emulating Gilly but he will find his feet within the team first and there are other options.

Looking into the crystal ball Luke Ronchi has starred with the bat as an opener in Western Australia striking at 104.63 in 42 one-day matches for his state while 23 year old Aiden Blizzard from Victoria’s statistics may not look fantastic but at a twety20 level he strikes at 191.

While Ronchi and Blizzard may come on and become regular members of the Australian team in a few years, Victorian Captain Cameron White could emulate Gilchrist’s attacking prowess at the top of the order.

Despite not opening the batting for his state or his country, he has had experience at the top level and is a very clean striker of the ball. His statistics back up a possible move to the top of the order.

In his 16 one day matches for Australia, White has been batting at Number 7 or Number 8 and averages 22.42 striking at 116.

Playing for Victoria, White has played 108 matches, with 3 centuries, batting in the top order averaging 32.70 with a strike rate of 80.

Australian Captain Ricky Ponting has praised the Indian team for brining youth into the one day team and believes the Australians should consider doing the same. White is still only 24 and a brilliant captain and fielder, a worthy addition to the Australian outfit.

White may not have the same instant success that Gilchrist has had but scouring the country, he is the best qualified and experienced at a young age.

Other batsmen in line for Australian honours are David Hussey, Adam Voges and Luke Pomersbach but all of them, except Pomersbach are not in the same attacking mould as Gilchrist or White.

This is what the selectors should do, select White and partner him with Matthew Hayden at the top of the order, a masterstroke that won’t be detected by other teams and Australia have a quality batsmen capable of striking the ball to all parts of the ground.

Why change a winning formula?

Image copyright of Getty Images.

Goodbye Gilly & Heroic Hoggy

The State of Australian Cricket

The Australian cricket stocks have been thinned with the retirements of Adam Gilchrist and Brad Hogg whose International careers concluded tonight. For Gilchrist we celebrate the most successful wicket-keeper batsmen of all time.

Gilly revolutionized the role of a wicket keeper and was the most damaging attacking batsmen we have seen in the modern era, loved by all Australians.

While the celebrations for Gilchrist will continue its Brad Hogg whose name maybe left of the list of retirees who tonight bowed out as 12th man. A slap in the face to the best Australian spinner currently playing the game, our second most successful one day spinner of all time.

Australia’s decision to leave Hogg out of the 2nd final is an absolute disgrace especially when part time spinners, Michael Clarke and Andrew Symonds bowled 13 overs between them and to add further injury to insult, Hogg’s replacement Stuart Clark only bowled 6 overs for 32 runs and one wicket.

Rubbing salt into that wound, Australia only lost by 10 runs which dare I say could have been scored by a better tail-end batsmen, namely Brad Hogg.

Hogg’s credentials, his lively enthusiasm, wagging tongue were sorely missed in the 2nd final and the service he has given the game and his country to be left out of the final is a dishonor to a distinguished career.

The Australian batsmen lost the team the series, not looking stable or in form throughout the month long competition with only Gilchrist and Ricky Ponting scoring centuries, while no one averaged over 50.

It was the bowlers lead by Nathan Bracken who took 21 wickets at 16 and Brett Lee, 16 wickets at 22 that kept Australia in the competition.

Ponting’s captaincy will once again come under fire with a bewildering decision in today’s final to take Jame Hopes off at a crucial time when his tight line and length bowling with 0/20 (6). Hopes was replaced by Lee who went for almost 20 off his final two overs. Doing the maths, that decision may have cost Australia the game.

As the sun sets on Hoggy and Gilly’s careers the Australian cricket team will return to the drawing board not knowing who will be the next spinner and what affect the retirements of those plus Justin Langer, Damien Martyn, Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath will have on shaping the new team.

For one, Nathan Bracken must now be a certainty for a test recall with no obvious spinner deserving a chance in the side. As Matthew Hayden’s feet become more and more itchy, its now a matter of time before he joins his mates in the grandstands.

A new era of Australian cricket heroes is being developed as pressure will initially be on Ricky Ponting whilst Brett Lee, Michael Clarke, Andrew Symonds and Michael Hussey together with Hayden and Ponting appear to be the only players guaranteed of positions, although more consistency is needed from them all.

Stuart Clark and Mitchell Johnson have had mixed summers with the ball, Clark not looking as dangerous as he did against the English and struggling in the one day arena. Johnson is developing, having a mixed test and one day series.

James Hopes looks like he has the one day all-rounder role sealed with impressive performances with both bat and ball.

Brad Haddin will replace Gilchrist in both the test and one-day arena and expect either Hopes or Clarke to move up the order to open the batting with Hayden in the shorter form of the game.

Luke Ronchi is now the wicket-keeper in waiting who is also a dangerous batsman or Queensland gloveman Chris Hartley.

On the batting front, David Hussey appears to be at the top of the queue with Adam Voges, Brad Hodge, Simon Katich, Marcus North and Luke Pomersbach all hovering.

Fast bowling stocks are somewhat thinning but Doug Bollinger and Ashley Noffke lead the charge with Ben Hilfenhaus, Brett Geeves, Ryan Harris, Ben Edmenson, Steve Magoffin and young Victorian quick, Peter Siddle starting to make their presence felt.

Shane Warne’s retirement has opened a Pandora’s Box with Brad Hogg joining Warne in retirement and Stuart MacGill's future unknown.

Victorian leg spinner Bryce McGain has been sounded out but at 35 he doesn’t seem like a strategically sensible decision. Bracken must fill that vacated fourth bowling spot in the test side while the Australian spin stocks have time to develop.

For that development to occur each state must field a spin bowler in every Pura Cup and ING Cup game and be given ample opportunity to bowl.

Four spin bowlers I consider need to be watched are Xavier Doherty, Aaron Heal, Nathan Hauritz and Beau Casson. In the one day team however Queensland all-rounder Chris Simpson may be the answer as he can both bat and bowl off leg spin.

All that is assured is an unsure and uncertain future. Perhaps the golden run that the Australian cricket team has had since 1995 is coming to an end and the Indian’s are waking.

Taking nothing away from the Indian’s performance in the Commonwealth Bank Series as they thoroughly deserved the trophy, being the better of the two teams.

Just who will make up the next Australian XI could be anyone’s guess, I would choose the following:

ONE DAY XI

1 Matthew HAYDEN
2 Michael CLARKE
3 Ricky PONTING
4 Michael HUSSEY
5 Andrew SYMONDS
6 Brad HADDIN
7 David HUSSEY
8 James HOPES
9 Brett LEE
10 Ashley NOFFKE
11 Nathan BRACKEN
12th MAN: David HUSSEY

TEST XI
1 Matthew HAYDEN
2 Phil JAQUES
3 Ricky PONTING
4 Michael HUSSEY
5 Michael CLARKE
6 Andrew SYMONDS
7 Brad HADDIN
8 Brett LEE
9 Mitchell JOHNSON
10 Nathan BRACKEN
11 Stuart CLARK
12th MAN: David HUSSEY

O.2% give Seven Week 3

Three weeks into the 2008 Television Ratings race and Seven leads two weeks to Nine’s one. It was 0.2% of the audience share that gave Seven the third week of ratings.

Perhaps all Nine needed was Underbelly to air in Victoria and then they could have had the week which read:

Seven 28.1%Nine 27.9%Ten 21.0%ABC 16.6%SBS 6.4%

RSPCA Animal Rescue that airs on Wednesday nights at 7:30PM was Australia’s most popular show last week, followed by Australia v India Session 2 of the cricket last Sunday night.

Seven had five of the Top 10 shows including RSPCA Animal Rescue, The Force, Border Security, Seven News Sunday and Seven News.

Nine featured only three programs in the Top 10 with the Cricket, National Nine News and RPA while Ten had two spots with So You Think You Can Dance Australia? And the Results show.

Notably all Top 10 programs were Australian produced, either reality, news or sporting genre with the first imported show, be that an imported drama at Number 13, Desperate Housewives which commanded 1.34 million viewers.

Perhaps if Nine didn’t show the Oscars (which rated poorly, the 60th most popular show with only 800 000 viewers) instead screening CSI, Nine might not only have had the most popular imported drama, but also Week 3.

Despite not screening in Victoria, Underbelly has maintained its audience with 1.2 million viewers as the 18th most popular show and Australia’s # 1 drama ahead of All Saints which trails by only 100 000 viewers.

Week 4 has started with the momentum to Channel Nine who had 34.6% of last night’s audience share with thanks to the first final of the cricket, while Seven were almost 10% behind on 25%.

CSI is back tonight on Nine and Tuesday will be boosted by the do or die cricket final on Tuesday, Underbelly on Wednesday and RPA plus Kitchen Nightmares: USA on Thursday. Should the cricket require a third final this Friday then Channel Nine will steamroll this week and make it two all.