Michael Holding was in Hong Kong to cover the Hong Kong International Cricket Sixes Tournament. We got him to talk to the cricket fans on IRC undernet channel #cricket.

Rohan: Michael Holding is with me now.

mavrik: Hey Michael! Michael: what is your association with cricket these days?

Holding: just commentary.

mavrik: Michael: who do you rate the biggest slogger of all times ?

Holding: mavrik: that's a difficult one!!!!

Penfold: Michael: I get the impression from listening to you commentate for Sky that you really enjoy the technology available to you. How much help do you think Umpires should get? - more than they do at present?

Holding: Penfold: I dont think they should get any more help. I think it should stay as it is. With a third Umpire getting certain calls to make and the men in the middle doing most of it with their own judgement and eyesight...

ind2win: Micheal: the upcoming series in Australia, what are your thoughts on Windies form? Are Ambrose and Lara in good form?

Holding: Ambrose and Lara are in good form, Lara has had the summer off and he should be fully rested. Should be an interesting series. Lot will depend on how the West Indies stick together in Australia.

Ros: Michael: I've heard someone comment that positions in West Indies cricket (such as coach) are given to ex-players as a reward for their playing services to the game, rather than because they are qualified to do the job. Your comments?

Holding: Ros: Not true! Before, Managers were given the post as payment of sorts, that happened in the past.

WGG: Michael: I was lucky enough to see your 14 wickets at the Oval against England in 1976. Do you rank that as your best bowling performance?

Holding: WGG: As far as wickets taken yes, but I've had what I would consider equally as good bowling performances, say in Australia but with less wickets and at more impotant times.

Penfold: Michael: what are opinions on the two bouncers an over rule, as an artificial way of stopping intimidatory bowling?

Holding: Penfold: I don't agree with the rule at all, I think it has to be left to the Umpires and they can certainly make a judgement based on the ability of the batsman.

Rohan: Talking about whether Michael Holding and Wes Hall - i.e. the two generations mingle socially...

Holding: Yes they do! we do have a fast bowlers union of sorts. There was a huge bash in the WI on Wednesday, 126 WI Test cricketers had dinner together. The first time this has happened.

Rohan: Who are your favourite commentators to work with?

Holding: Ian Chappell for one, David Gower and David Hookes as well. Hardly work with Geoffrey [Boycott] - we both do similar jobs.

WGG: What do you think of cricket, irc, CricInfo, and the Net from what you've seen of it?

Holding: WGG: I like it. I was fascinated with it the first time I saw it. Great idea, good way of keeping lots of people informed.

WGG: Michael: do you have any female Umpires in the West Indies? Do you believe a woman will ever become a Test Umpire?

Holding: WGG: yes, we have female Umpires, but none of them umpire at the highest level.

mavrik: Richards vs Gavaskar vs Miandad vs Border -- rank them 1 2 3 4 ?

Holding: mavrik: Richards, Gavaskar, Border, Miandad.

Sailesh: Michael: Do you think that the NBA is making inroads into cricket in the West Indies?

Holding: All other sports are. Have less people playing cricket now. Not a serious threat. Not a danger for the game. It's just natural that as other sports develop, less people will be playing cricket.

PakHeart: Michael, since you are a West Indian yourself, tell me, who is the best batsman in the world? I will rephrase my question as, "Who is the better batsmen? Tendulkar, or Lara?"

I will appreciate your opinion.

Holding: PakHeart: I would have to say Lara, he has a bigger appetite for runs than Tendulkar, he scores bigger innings. Tendulkar gets hundreds and gets out, Lara goes on to double and triples.

ddyte: In 1992 you were quoted as saying Curtly Ambrose had not yet become a truly great fast bowler to be ranked with yourself, Garner, Marshall etc. Surely he is there now? And when did he get there?

Holding: ddyte: Yes, he is definitely a great fast bowler now and I wouldn't put myself in the original great fast bowlers list.

I have Roberts, Garner, Croft and Marshall, not myself.

ddyte: Thanks Mr Holding, you are far too modest :-)

JeyDev: How much improvement in the WI team can be expected from Lloyd's coaching? Why do the current players perform inconsistently? When do you see yourself helping the team in an official position?

Holding: JeyDev: well, first of all he [Lloyd] is not really the coach, although he will be helping Malcolm Marshall.

I expect that they will improve with Lloyd and Marshall doing the coaching against Aus. They should have a good series. I think the reason they are not as consistent is that they are not as good as they were before.

They have some good players but they are not as good. Nobody can remain on top of the world forever.

As far as me getting officially involved that won't happen for now as I am into the media - TV, Radio, some writing. I have been unoficially involved for quite sometime since my retirement. I always go to the nets with them and help whoever needs help.

PakHeart: Wasim - Waqar - Ambrose - Donald - can you rank them for us?

Holding: PakHeart: that's not an easy one... I'd have to put Wasim and Ambrose tied, and then Waqar and Donald.

WGG: can you do the same for leggies- Mushtaq - Warne - Kumble?

Holding: Warne, Kumble, Mushtaq.

sailesh: do you think the West Indies can host the world cup in 2007 ?

Holding: sailesh: We can host it in 2003!!!

Penfold: Have you had enough chance to see Phillip Tufnell this season to assess what seems to the general opinion, that he's matured?

Holding: Penfold: haven't seen him at all this year.

mavrik: Do you think cricket would really turn "global"?

Holding: mavrik: It can't do well in America. They are not accustomed to games as long as that.

WGG: Mike, would you like to have a go at 6's from what you've seen of it?

Holding: WGG: NO! definitely not! 6's is for batsmen!

Date-stamped : 07 Oct1998 - 04:33