England highlights prove a flop on BBC

The television audience for the highlights of England’s Champions Trophy opener against Bangladesh on the BBC peaked at only 229,000, The Daily Telegraph can disclose.

The poor ratings for the corporation’s first foray into televised cricket for six years cast doubt both on the wisdom of preventing the broadcaster transmitting before 11.20pm as well as on the England and Wales Cricket Board’s strategy to grow the game by restoring freeto-air coverage of it.

The ECB has been trying to woo the BBC to bid for a package of live rights for its new domestic Twenty20 competition and two England internationals, with the corporation able to provide unrivalled reach in terms of viewers.

And while too much should not be read into Thursday’s ratings given the time slot – something the BBC was contractually obliged to comply with – and the fact the number was for highlights rather than live coverage, the low figure calls into question whether there is a huge untapped audience for the game in this country.

Sky Sports’ live coverage of England’s win had a peak audience of 567,000, far higher than that for the BBC highlights, although the corporation said in-game clips on its website were viewed more than a half a million times.

Test Match Special listeners could learn next week whether they will have to tune in to Talksport instead to hear coverage of this winter’s Ashes series. The BBC was yesterday waiting to hear from Cricket Australia about the radio rights to England’s tour as the bidding process reaches its conclusion.

TMS has broadcast Ashes cricket in Australia since 1971 but Talksport is understood to be confident of snatching coverage, having already outbid the BBC for this summer’s Lions tour to New Zealand.

Cricket Australia is understood to be demanding a five-year commitment from whoever lands the rights, including to broadcasting Australia matches not involving England as well to its own domestic Twenty20 competition.