Mark Howard should never be let near a commentary box again. That discussion with Hodge was inexplicable
Hodge is a dopey prick, why ten thinks we want to listen to his craptacular drivel in the first place is beyond me. Just one of Flemings boring vico mates.
Irrespective of whether Hodge is a dropkick or not, I've always been against the practice of commentators talking to players on the field in a professional tournament (especially during live play), where player's batting/bowling/fielding performances count towards their overall career stats. It was just a matter of time where an incident such as the one involving Mark Howard would occur. I find it somewhat humorous that the AFL-dropkick affectionately known as "Howie" has been implicated in this, considering the huge moral highground he took over the Chris Gayle incident in commentary last year.
Although players haven't been miked-up during the tests/ODIs on Ch9, I've noticed Ch9 recently have also been treading a fine line over the past couple of summers with repeatedly showing Aussie players and staff in the dressing room on camera, and then trying to communicate with them (e.g. last summer during the Aus vs NZ test series, where Mark Taylor et al were trying to encourage Steve Smith to declare whilst pressuring him by continually showing him on camera at the same time the suggestions were made, knowing full well that the dressing room would have access to the tv coverage). That's not on, and if Cricket Australia were doing their job, they should be clamping down on this. People like Mark Howard are there as broadcasters/commentators, and not to be using the commentary box as an outlet to privately coach certain players/teams into certain outcomes.
If it was just an exhibition, testimonial, farewell or fundraising match, yeah, do whatever shenanigans you want on the field with whatever rules you want, but with an event such as the BBL (which is a tournament, whether you like it or not), it completely detracts from the professionalism of the event. They don't do it in Tests and ODIs, why should recorded T20s be any different?
