How Seven are carrying on tradition of arch-rival Nine

Daphne Benaud, the widow of the late Richie Benaud, may have performed a ceremonial handover to Fox of the lip microphone used by the commentary doyen, but it's Channel Seven that have actually taken the baton.

You probably won't know it at home – we'll tell you why later – but Seven are using the lip microphones for their Test coverage, while Fox's commentary team are using headsets.

Richie Benaud and Tony Greig (right) at work for Channel 9 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.Credit:Sebastian Costanzo

The theory within the Seven box is that the hand-held mics do not promote excessive chat and also guard against talking over one another with commentators signalling to each other they are about to speak through the visual cue of picking up the microphone.

The Tonk understands the callers were asked by production staff what they preferred and they opted for the type of mics which were so distinctive to Benaud's commentary career.

The reason why the viewers will not be aware of the mics is that Seven deliberately do not show pictures of their star team calling in the belief that the action is out on the field and not in the commentary box.

They have a different policy for Twenty20s, the thinking being that there is more interaction between players and commentators in that format. Seven are also using headphones for the two Big Bash League competitions.

Buffet a hit for Team India

You might remember our item the other day about Virat Kohli celebrating his wedding anniversary with Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma at a "pay as you feel" vegetarian buffet.

It turns out the traditional Indian recipes at Annalakshmi has been a big hit with the travelling team with close to half the squad having visited, including master spinner Ravi Ashwin, who has been twice, and Ishant Sharma.

Kohli's also had seconds, ordering delivery later in the week. The superstar batsman and his high-profile wife made quite an impression on restaurant staff as well.

"Both of them are so humble, gentle and nice," restaurant manager Arun Natarajan told The Tonk.

As to the question you all want answered. The Tonk has been told on good authority Kohli, whose wealth is valued at $48 million by Forbes Magazine, shelled out $150 for the anniversary lunch and $100 the following day. The going rate is about $10.

How's that for a catch Dad and Uncle Mark?

There's been some ripping catches taken by the Waugh family over the years, now young Austin's getting into the action.

The son of a gun claimed a spectacular diving effort in the deep for Sutherland in the final of NSW Premier Cricket's Twenty20 competition at the SCG.

An airborne Waugh, who made good ground at deep square, was almost parallel to the ground when he completed the catch.

Austin's father Steve took one of the most memorable grabs of the last 40 years in a one-day international against the West Indies while Uncle Mark was one of the best "slippers" of his time and sits fifth for most catches taken by a fielder in Test cricket.

Time to get some new material, Sachin

For anyone who pays close attention to Sachin Tendulkar on Twitter – and there are 27.7 million who follow him – you'll notice he's an elite birthday wisher.

His standard message is to send good health and happiness for the year to come, or variants thereof. How nice!

The Tonk, however, noticed he played outside the vee with his birthday tweet to Kuldeep Yadav, which he wrote in Chinese because he is a "chinaman" bowler. Get it? Oh, the hilarity.

Perhaps he needs to be reminded that Wisden now classifies such bowling as left-arm wrist spin.

We don't wish to start an argument with the champion, or the whole of India for that matter, so we'll leave it at this:  想一点新的笑话,冠军.

(Go on, Google Translate it)

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