Michael Clarke and Ricky Ponting hundreds just a sideshow for Channel 9

We're pleased we set our Sky+ box to record day two of the Sydney Test between Australia and India.

Well, kind of. Whilst like most people watching we enjoyed seeing Ricky Ponting finally make his 40th Test hundred - a saga even longer than Sachin Tendulkar's quest for that 100th hundred. We also enjoyed a real gem of an innings from Michael Clarke.

Sadly for some of the Channel 9 cheerleaders, Ponting and Clarke's momentous knocks were merely a sideshow as they salivated over Rianna Ponting and Clarke's new girlfriend Kyly Boldy.

As Ponting entered the nervous nineties, the cameras spent as much time on a nervous Rianna as it did on the action in the field. We were worried they were going to miss Ponting reaching his hundred. Luckily they didn't as the desperate dive for that priceless final run as Zaheer just missed the stumps was pure theatre.

Then Channel 9 did an interview with Rianna. I am sure she's a lovely lady but please save interviews with cricketers WAGS for the Australian equivalent of This Morning.

Once Ponting departed the focus turned to the admittedly stunning Kyly. Tony Grieg could barely contain himself, informing us that "she looks like she's enjoying herself" leaving us wondering whether Grieg was merely making an observation or falling victim to over-excited wishful thinking. 

As Clarke passed 200, one would have thought that the discussion would be about his highly impressive first six months or so as captain and how the added responsibility has improved his batting. Not a bit of it. It was all Kyly by now. We didn't get an interview with her, but we're sure we see Slats sneak over to see if there was any chance of a threesome after play.

Australia are starting to look like a good side in the making and India are in danger of a second successive whitewash in a four Test series overseas. But Grieg, Slats and Healy don't care about that when they can drool over Kyly instead. Sad old men.

Where next?

India's batting line-up and Goebbels's big lie

Read our Cricket Review of 2011

Cricket zeroes: Channel 9's Commentary Team and Bill Lawry

Cricket heroes: Tony Greig

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Comments

[Matt]

I thought the constant shots of Ponting's daughters was far more gross than the focus on Kyly Boldy.

And you are 100% right: it was a wonderful moment ruined by idiot commentators. But we should be used to that by now, shouldn't we?

[JayDub]

Quite good post actually. I did find the Rianna interview dragged on a bit, but it helped the viewer to get a better view of Ponting post-captaincy.

That being said though, great to have their support there on the big day.

The slats 3-way line was gold

[Cricket Burble]

Perhaps a little harsh! I didn't see the coverage of Clarke's girlfriend other than to see her on camera a couple of times...and seeing her on camera occassionally didn't offend me.

I was up feeding my very young daughter when Mrs Ponting was interviewed and I thought it was good to hear from her. What came across for me was the fact that she had total confidence in the fact that her husband would score more centuries at international level even in the bad times and retirement hadn't even been discussed.

I also thought it was interesting to hear that since he's not been captain he's been happier and a hugely better husband and father apparently. Personally I found it an interesting 5 minutes and it didn't ruin my enjoyment of the cricket, but I can understand it's not everyone's cup of tea.

I did however think that Michael Slater looked like a bit of a fool - he didn't seem to know what questions to ask and he forgot a crucial one meaning they had to cut back to her for a second time. She'd clearly agreed to the interview on the basis of promoting a charity cause and Slater forgot to cover that initially!