England in India Feb 2021

[Michelle Fivefer]

As a Sky subscriber I’m not happy, but appreciate that this will be welcome news to many. I shall miss the Sky commentating team and my heart sinks at the news that Alastair Cook will be a commentator.

Will Ch. 4 give us all the cricket or will it hop off to other programmes as it did in the past?

Will Sky be running any studio programmes - discussions, etc?

[Michelle Fivefer]

Is Michael Vaughan on the commentary team?

[Sir Coolerking]

Originally Posted by Michelle Fivefer

As a Sky subscriber I’m not happy, but appreciate that this will be welcome news to many. I shall miss the Sky commentating team and my heart sinks at the news that Alastair Cook will be a commentator.

Will Ch. 4 give us all the cricket or will it hop off to other programmes as it did in the past?

Will Sky be running any studio programmes - discussions, etc?

From what I can gather, the commentary team is the one provided by the Indian Production. So the only English commentators are Knight and Butcher.

The BBC TMS Team are running their social again (what's the point given it's on FTA anyway) and I believe Cook had been signed up to that.

[Michelle Fivefer]

Originally Posted by Sir Coolerking

From what I can gather, the commentary team is the one provided by the Indian Production. So the only English commentators are Knight and Butcher.

The BBC TMS Team are running their social again (what's the point given it's on FTA anyway) and I believe Cook had been signed up to that.

Thanks Sir C. Tick for Butcher at least.

[1000yardstare]

@C4Press

Our presenter for the India England Test series will be @RishiPersad1 who'll be joined by @AlistairCook26 (first & third Tests) & @CaptainStrauss (third & fourth Tests)

Studio coverage will be produced by @sunsetandvine


Cook on Twitter, joined Sep 2015, last posted Sep 2015.

[Michelle Fivefer]

Originally Posted by 1000yardstare

@C4Press

Our presenter for the India England Test series will be @RishiPersad1 who'll be joined by @AlistairCook26 (first & third Tests) & @CaptainStrauss (third & fourth Tests)

Studio coverage will be produced by @sunsetandvine


Cook on Twitter, joined Sep 2015, last posted Sep 2015.

Imagining the hordes of India fans who’ll be avidly searching for Cook’s tweets. Then again, the twitter address gives them the chance to tell him how great he was.

[Ali TT]

Originally Posted by 1000yardstare

@C4Press

Our presenter for the India England Test series will be @RishiPersad1 who'll be joined by @AlistairCook26 (first & third Tests) & @CaptainStrauss (third & fourth Tests)

Studio coverage will be produced by @sunsetandvine


Cook on Twitter, joined Sep 2015, last posted Sep 2015.

Originally Posted by Michelle Fivefer

Imagining the hordes of India fans who’ll be avidly searching for Cook’s tweets. Then again, the twitter address gives them the chance to tell him how great he was.

I don't know who this account belongs to, but I doubt Alastair Cook would create an account with his name spelt wrong, would he? Disappointed you didn't spot this, Michelle.

Captain Strauss also a fake account

[sharky]

Originally Posted by Michelle Fivefer

As a Sky subscriber I’m not happy, but appreciate that this will be welcome news to many. I shall miss the Sky commentating team and my heart sinks at the news that Alastair Cook will be a commentator.

Will Ch. 4 give us all the cricket or will it hop off to other programmes as it did in the past?

Will Sky be running any studio programmes - discussions, etc?

I have to say when I subscribed to Sky Sports I expected them to show every England Test match, bar the ones already shown by BT Sport. It sounds like they barely made an effort here. Their cricket channel is largely a waste of time.

Still it's nice that Channel 4 have got it, I'm not sure how entertaining a Persad and Cook combo will be. They both seem quite dull to me but it's short notice to be fair.

[mawallace]

Originally Posted by Ali TT

I don't know who this account belongs to, but I doubt Alastair Cook would create an account with his name spelt wrong, would he? Disappointed you didn't spot this, Michelle.

Captain Strauss also a fake account

Anyone who knows anything about the real Alistair cook knows that he does not do social media.

[square leg umpire]

Looking at the schedules we can find the live coverage but not the highlights. Hope there are some.

[Ricky_Rabbit]

Originally Posted by Michelle Fivefer

As a Sky subscriber I’m not happy, but appreciate that this will be welcome news to many. I shall miss the Sky commentating team and my heart sinks at the news that Alastair Cook will be a commentator.

Will Ch. 4 give us all the cricket or will it hop off to other programmes as it did in the past?

Will Sky be running any studio programmes - discussions, etc?

I have sky sports but am not that arsed, its one series and also one I will only be able to watch 2-3 hours a day max with the exception of the day-nighter.

I think its good for some high profile cricket to be on terrestrial TV again.

[Ali TT]

Originally Posted by mawallace

Anyone who knows anything about the real Alistair cook knows that he does not do social media.

They'd also know how to spell his name correctly.

[mawallace]

Originally Posted by square leg umpire

Looking at the schedules we can find the live coverage but not the highlights. Hope there are some.

from the Channel 4 press release:-

And for viewers who can’t manage the early 4am start, highlights will be available on All 4.

[Michelle Fivefer]

Originally Posted by sharky

I have to say when I subscribed to Sky Sports I expected them to show every England Test match, bar the ones already shown by BT Sport. It sounds like they barely made an effort here. Their cricket channel is largely a waste of time.

Still it's nice that Channel 4 have got it, I'm not sure how entertaining a Persad and Cook combo will be. They both seem quite dull to me but it's short notice to be fair.

They’ve shown every England test match for as long as I’ve been subscribing, I’m fairly sure. India is the most powerful cricket nation and they’re flexing their muscles.

As for the cricket channel being largely a waste of time - well we’re in the middle of a pandemic and there was very little cricket for much of last year.

Currently showing Abu Dhabi t10s.

[Michelle Fivefer]

Originally Posted by Ali TT

I don't know who this account belongs to, but I doubt Alastair Cook would create an account with his name spelt wrong, would he? Disappointed you didn't spot this, Michelle.

Captain Strauss also a fake account

[Sir Coolerking]

Originally Posted by sharky

I have to say when I subscribed to Sky Sports I expected them to show every England Test match, bar the ones already shown by BT Sport. It sounds like they barely made an effort here. Their cricket channel is largely a waste of time.

Still it's nice that Channel 4 have got it, I'm not sure how entertaining a Persad and Cook combo will be. They both seem quite dull to me but it's short notice to be fair.

I've had Sky for 20 years. During that time they've lost European Football, European Rugby, Domestic Rugby, Tennis, The Ashes in Australia. They seem to have filled the gaps with US Sport, which I have very little interest in. Having said that, they show a heck of a lot of golf which suits me.

My Dad is a cricket fan who has never bothered with Sky, I'm pleased that he will get to watch some of this.

[Chin Music]

Originally Posted by Sir Coolerking

I've had Sky for 20 years. During that time they've lost European Football, European Rugby, Domestic Rugby, Tennis, The Ashes in Australia. They seem to have filled the gaps with US Sport, which I have very little interest in. Having said that, they show a heck of a lot of golf which suits me.

My Dad is a cricket fan who has never bothered with Sky, I'm pleased that he will get to watch some of this.

I am wondering if their core need to show Premier League football has essentially has set them back financially? They spent very big to ensure they got the bulk of the games (pre Covid) and this has meant that they have had less room for manoeuvre for other sports.

To be fair to sky their football coverage is loads better than BT, and their cricket coverage IS good as MF does say.

[Sir Coolerking]

Originally Posted by Chin Music

I am wondering if their core need to show Premier League football has essentially has set them back financially? They spent very big to ensure they got the bulk of the games (pre Covid) and this has meant that they have had less room for manoeuvre for other sports.

To be fair to sky their football coverage is loads better than BT, and their cricket coverage IS good as MF does say.

I think it was more a case that for 15 years they had no real competitor. They could easily outbid the FTA broadcasters on sports they wanted. Then BT decided to get involved and it's just not helped the consumer at all. We're all spending more to watch the same amount of sport. Amazon also now grabbing a share, although I'm guessing a lot of people already had Prime for different purposes.

Sky's coverage on all sports is better than the competition, it's just a shame they keep losing bits of it.

[Chin Music]

Originally Posted by Sir Coolerking

I think it was more a case that for 15 years they had no real competitor. They could easily outbid the FTA broadcasters on sports they wanted. Then BT decided to get involved and it's just not helped the consumer at all. We're all spending more to watch the same amount of sport. Amazon also now grabbing a share, although I'm guessing a lot of people already had Prime for different purposes.

Sky's coverage on all sports is better than the competition, it's just a shame they keep losing bits of it.

Yeah, i had prime for other purposes and that hasn't hurt me too much. In fact, they do their coverage reasonably well even though I only stream it. BT, I wouldn't have gone near if it wasn't for the fact that like everyone else, I'm indoors for the overwhelming majority of the time right now.

[sanskritsimon]

Originally Posted by Sir Coolerking

... We're all spending more to watch the same amount of sport ...

Hopefully -- if I can work out how to watch Channel 4 online -- tomorrow your dad and I, and many many others, will be watching more sport for the same price (the price of the BBC licence fee).