Nine to lose rights

The Aussie commentators many Kiwis love to hate could be silenced.

Channel Nine’s four-decade involvement in Australian cricket broadcasting is reportedly over, according to The Financial Review.

It means the network’s employees such as former Australian players Mark Taylor, Michael Slater, Shane Warne, Ian Chappell and, in a limited capacity due to health reasons in recent years, Bill Lawry, could be out of work.

The Financial Review claims Channel Nine has missed out to pay television network Foxtel for the next five Australian summers.

This has been the club’s worst season. ‘‘One to forget,’’ as interim coach Chris Greenacre put it on Friday, preparing for the end of his third stint as a caretaker, in one form or another.

It was only a year ago that he was in the same place, assisting Des Buckingham, as they wrapped up a 19-game stint where they had the team producing results that would have earned them a playoff spot, had that been the length of the season.

Buckingham then made his case to stay on – Greenacre didn’t, and still doesn’t, have the qualifications to be an A-League head coach – but the club went

with Darije Kalezic instead, a risky appointment if there ever was one.

After Kalezic left, there have been improved performances since Greenacre took charge five games ago, but they haven’t translated into wins, just a draw and four losses.

Still, when the final whistle goes around 9.30pm, captain Andrew Durante, Greenacre and the rest of the team will be able to forget about the past seven months.