Player mikes f-bombed
Anton Devcich’s on-air profanity has seen Sky TV ditch cricket player microphones at the request of New Zealand Cricket and the Players Association, with the authorities now scurrying to draw up protocols around their use.
Northern Knights all-rounder Devcich was caught swearing on live TV during Sky’s first televised match of the season’s Super Smash Twenty20 competition, against the Wellington Firebirds at Hamilton on Friday night.
The former Black Cap was the nominated Knights player wearing a microphone – something Sky has done for several years now, in line with other broadcasters worldwide, to get interaction between the commentators and the players during the game.
But their desire to give viewers deeper insight bit them on the backside when Devcich dropped an f-bomb while protesting against an umpiring decision during his side’s 32-run loss at Seddon Park.
Fielding on the boundary, Devcich attempted to prevent a six from Samit Patel, catching the ball, then throwing it back into the field of play as he crossed the rope.
But TV umpire Wayne Knights deemed Devcich’s foot had contacted the rope, and ruled a six, which drew the ire of the 32-year-old, who had just noted to the commentators that he and Knights had a history of run-ins.
Possibly unaware that his mike was still live, Devcich turned round, looked up to where Knights was sitting, arms outstretched, head shaking, saying ‘‘every time, Wayne. F... sake.’’
And that one swear word he uttered has caused a major rethink on the use of the player microphones, with the New Zealand Cricket Players Association jumping into action.
Remarkably, it turns out there were no proper protocols in place around their use, like there are for the stump microphones, where players know exactly when those will be live, and what they can and cannot say in their vicinity.
No players were miked-up for Sky’s second game – between the Knights and Auckland Aces in Mt Maunganui on Saturday night.
NZC manager public affairs Richard Boock confirmed that was purely because of the Devcich incident the night before, and that it will continue to be that way until some formal regulations have been put in place.
‘‘The Players Association and New Zealand Cricket and Sky, as a result of that, are working on an agreed set of protocols for players miked up in games,’’ he said. ‘‘And once that’s been completed, they’ll again be miked up.
‘‘We all understand cricket’s a game for families, and children love to watch, and we want to make sure the product’s suitable for everyone.
‘‘And Sky’s of exactly the same mind, and so is the Players Association. There was something that needed to be tightened.
‘‘We’ve all agreed to work on that before we put players in that position again.’’
It’s not known how long the process will take, but Boock felt the mikes would return during the competition, which finishes in mid-January. Sky TV spokesperson Melodie Robinson confirmed the broadcaster was happy to play ball with the request, for the betterment of the coverage.
‘‘We’re really supportive of the Players Association asking for them [the microphones] to be taken off,’’ she said.
Devcich has been cited for the incident, but there has been no outcome as yet, and it’s also unclear whether he was cited for the profanity, questioning the umpire’s decision, or both.
He has already been in hot water this month for ‘‘unacceptable behaviour’’ in his side’s Plunket Shield match against Central Districts, when slapping the bails off the stumps after a ball was hit into the outfield.
He immediately apologised to the umpire but was censured.