Following the seemingly runaway success of a couple of mid-pitch conversations during the recent Perth Test, a couple of Australian cricketers are reportedly considering holding their own shows during next year’s Melbourne International Comedy Festival. A number of our nation’s cricketers shot to prominence during the recent match thanks to the new broadcasters’ willingness to keep the stump microphones running throughout the match, rather than just during actual play – as had been the case in the past.

Despite the seemingly dangerous notion of allowing an otherwise boring professional sportsman a direct portal into millions of Australian lounge rooms, the increased audience access proved to be a hit. And a selection of the captured verbal exchanges also provided useful social media fodder for the many content creators covering the game.

Obviously happy with the traction that the comments received, some players have reportedly spoken to team management about the possibility to securing a spot in the Melbourne International Comedy Festival for next year. A source close to the team said, “The boys were already quite buoyant after finally getting a Test win, but then they started reading all the articles about how hilarious they were on the stump mics during the game. It’s all gone to their heads a bit I reckon.”

Meanwhile, comedy insiders remain unconvinced about the ability of international cricketers to consistently deliver a quality stand-up routine at one of the world’s most respected comedy festivals. One insider said, “I’m not sure how funny some of those comments would be in the cold hard light of a stage spotlight. Asking a person whether they like their teammate as a bloke isn’t actually that funny. Nor is encouraging them to check out Perth’s night life on a Monday.”

Another comedy insider expressed their concern over how cricketers would handle the ever-present threat of hecklers during a comedy show. They said, “Honestly, how would these guys deal with hecklers during a show? Telling a mouthy audience member to ‘get ready for a f%#*ing broken arm’ doesn’t really translate well into a comedy show setting.”

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