Daddles

Daddles, also known as Daddles the duck, is the name of an animated duck who was first introduced in 1977, used in the television coverage of cricket by Channel 9 in Australia.[1]

When a batsman is dismissed without scoring, usually referred to as a "duck", an animation of Daddles,[2] dressed as a batsman, is shown using on-screen graphics, crying, tucking his bat under his wing and walking across the screen accompanying the coverage of the departing batsman on his way back to the pavilion. According to Cricinfo, this adds "to the departing batsman's shame" at being dismissed without troubling the scorers.[3]

Origins

In 1977, Australian media tycoon Kerry Packer organised a break-away professional cricket tournament called World Series Cricket, despite never having played cricket himself.[4] He ensured that Daddles was one of a number of innovations introduced at the new tournament, along with additional cameras placed around the ground, greater usage of slow-motion replays, day-night matches, coloured costumes, white balls and stump-cam.[5] There existed a perception that Test cricket needed to "make major changes" to keep the public interested, and that "observing cricket rated about as high as watching paint dry".[6] The graphical innovation, conceived by Australian cartoonist Tom Kerr was brought to "television sports coverage guru", David Hill.[6] It initially horrified the cricket establishment.[2] It was thought of as "brash" coverage of the game; subsequently, broadcasters such as the United Kingdom's Channel 4, upon announcing that they would be covering the English cricket team in 1999, stated "there will be no cartoon ducks".[7] Daddles was considered to be a way in which to keep young people interested in the long format of the game.[8]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Buckland, William. Pommies: England Cricket Through an Australian Lens. Matador. p. 85. ISBN 978-1-906510-32-9. Retrieved 25 May 2011.
  2. 1 2 Cahill, Damian. "Australian Rules Cricket". Transdiffusion Broadcasting System. Retrieved 25 May 2011.
  3. ↑ Williamson, Martin (7 June 2007). "Hawk-Eye, hotspots and Daddles the Duck". Cricinfo. Retrieved 25 May 2011.
  4. ↑ Soni, Paresh (27 December 2005). "Cricket revolution". BBC Sport. Retrieved 25 May 2011.
  5. ↑ Williamson, Martin (13 December 2007). "Cameras, lights and coral pink | Regulars | Cricinfo Magazine". Cricinfo. Retrieved 25 May 2011.
  6. 1 2 Browning, Mark (1 October 2003). Rod Marsh: A Life in Cricket. p. 209. ISBN 1-877058-23-8. Retrieved 25 May 2011.
  7. ↑ Rampton, James (26 June 1999). "Just not cricket?". The Independent. Retrieved 25 May 2011.
  8. ↑ Walsh, Scott (6 December 2009). "Can we save Test cricket?". Adelaide Now. Retrieved 25 May 2011.
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