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Radio 5 secure rights to the Ashes

Radio 5 secure rights to the Ashes

BBC Sport logoThe BBC has secured the rights to provide exclusive live ball-by-ball radio commentary of the 2013- 2014 Ashes in Australia, providing the final element to a huge year of cricket coverage on Test Match Special on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra.

Combined with a raft of special programmes and top names on Radio 5 live for the summer, including ‘Andrew Flintoff’s Ashes Roadshows’, this makes for a packed year of cricket coverage ahead the corporation say.

Barbara Slater, Director, BBC Sport, says: “We’re very pleased to have added the Ashes in Australia to our existing cricket rights portfolio, and there’s no one better to deliver it to audiences than the esteemed Test Match Special team. We’re looking forward to a fantastic summer and winter of cricket which we will be covering through TMS, Radio 5 live and our digital platforms.”

The BBC’s cricket portfolio also includes live commentary of the New Zealand Test Matches and ODI’s, the ICC Champions Trophy and the pinnacle event of the summer – The Ashes. In addition, there is the recently announced ongoing ball-by-ball commentary of the entire county cricket season via BBC online and BBC Local Radio, plus live coverage of county matches on 5 live sports extra.

The TMS team is fronted by Jonathan Agnew, with commentators Henry Blofeld, Simon Mann and Ed Smith, and summarisers Michael Vaughan, Geoff Boycott, Phil Tufnell and Vic Marks. Joining TMS for the first time at the Ashes in England this summer will be legendary Australia fast bowler Glenn McGrath.

There will also be coverage of the Women’s Ashes including commentary of the England Australia Test, ODI’s and Twenty20 International’s with our team including Alison Mitchell, Ebony Rainford-Brent, Isa Guha and for the first time, Claire Taylor, the only women to be named one of Wisden’s 5 Cricketers of the Year.

In the build-up to The Ashes, Radio 5 live has commissioned a raft of special programmes including ‘Sounds Of The Summer’ – a celebration of vintage cricket commentary with Jonathan Agnew and Henry Blofeld, focusing on much-loved names including John Arlott, Brian Johnston, Richie Benaud and Christopher Martin-Jenkins, as well as notable summarisers such as Trevor Bailey and Fred Trueman; and ‘Ashes Legends’ – five programmes presented by Andrew Flintoff and Mark Chapman, each taking an in-depth look at a number of iconic individuals in Ashes history.

Andrew Flintoff will also present a series of Ashes Roadshows, with a live audience ahead of the tests. Greg James will follow on from his successful show ‘Not Just Cricket’, with a Saturday morning show dedicated to the Ashes through July and August. ‘Not Just Cricket – The Ashes’ will feature guests, cricket chat and an irreverent look at the game.

Plus Tuffers and Vaughan return with their weekly cricket show through the summer, which on Tuesday 4 June sees a special with Mike Gatting reliving the moment, 20 years ago to the day that he was bowled out by Shane Warne and the ‘ball of the century’.

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