Leigh Hart (left) with the team from the Alternative Commentary Collective. Photo / Supplied
Leigh Hart (left) with the team from the Alternative Commentary Collective. Photo / Supplied
Members of the Alternative Commentary Collective (ACC) have broken their silence over the infamous drinks trolley incident during the 2015 Cricket World Cup which saw the group barred from attending the remainder of the tournament.
The team, which gained popularity with its unique approach to cricket commentary from a caravanparked near the boundary, had their broadcasting accreditations revoked by the International Cricket Council (ICC) after an on-field stunt during the match between Afghanistan and New Zealand in Napier.
During a drinks break, comedian and member of the ACC Leigh Hart, accompanied the drinks trolley onto the park as part of a promotion for official sponsor Gatorade. However, the ICC took a dim view of the stunt.
Now, seven years later, the commentary group has recalled the controversy for the first time in a behind-the-scenes interview.
Team member Mike Lane said he first noticed something was wrong when he saw 10 missed phone calls from his boss.
“Please tell me you didn’t do it?” Lane’s boss asked. “Apparently, you stole a drinks trolley, you drove it out on the field, you interviewed players, and there’s allegations of match-fixing ... and you’ve been thrown out of the World Cup.”
Fellow commentator Matt Heath said the origins of the incident came about due to pressure from Pepsi, the owner of Gatorade, on the ACC to serve drinks to the players.
Hart said when people saw him on the field they were “naturally thinking” he was relaying messages to the players from bookies, allegations which he denies in this particular instance.
Leigh Hart entered the ground during the drinks break to the displeasure of the ICC. Photo / Supplied
ACC member Jeremy Wells said it was decided Hart would be the one to approach the pitch in the buggy because he was the most recognisable member of the commentary team.
“Someone spoke to someone who spoke to someone, who got freaked out about something,” Wells said of the ensuing fiasco.
“We were being accused of all sorts of things. Leigh Hart was being accused of hijacking the drinks trolley.”
Jason Hoyt said the incident soured an already fraught dynamic between the ACC and ICC.
“You’ve got to understand that by this stage the relationship between the ACC and authority was getting a little bit tense. And so this was just disgusting to them, but it was a total setup,” he said. “The authorities had got sick of us.”
Lane, meanwhile, said the ACC’s debatable achievements of 2015 were something to be cherished.
“I think to this day, we are the only commentary team to ever be thrown out of a World Cup ... and I’m proud of that.”
