Mitchell raises the bar as BT takes on a whole new ball game
Amid all the chat, it was refreshing to see the broadcaster break new ground, says Alan Tyers
Like England, new Ashes broadcaster BT Sport had a slightly jostling start, but settled down nicely for a more-thanrespectable first day. Countless Telegraph readers over the years have relayed to us their dismay that cricket chose to reduce its audience by going to pay TV, but we very rarely hear complaints about Sky’s actual coverage. It is not just that BT had a high bar to match, it is that it was obliged to do something a little different: less of the ‘Word of God’ from former England captains, more chatty, more accessible, perhaps a bit fresher and younger.
Host Matt Smith is a likeable everyman better known to many for his football work. The booking of Geoffrey Boycott and Michael Vaughan took care of the gravitas; Graeme Swann brought energy, impressions and some good insights on Nathan Lyon.
All three of those former England players are a more familiar punditry presence on the radio than the television; and there were plenty of night owls on social media who found the first session of day one a bit busy, a bit talky.
Richie Benaud would have approved more, perhaps, of the broadcast from about lunch onwards: people settled, they let the pictures do the talking.
The signing of three Australians – Sky often just has one guest from the opposition – was an interesting move. Ricky Ponting can become cricket’s next great expert pundit. Adam Gilchrist is extremely affable and Damien Fleming should be encouraged to get nerdy. Given the style of cricket broadcasting on Australian TV these guys grew up with, the Channel 9 all-mates- together shtick is the worry when you go Aussie-on-aussie in the booth. It was largely averted.
On a related theme to sidestepping the old pals’ act, Alison Mitchell was on point as ever when marshalling the Aussie cricketer Alyssa Healy in the commentary box, while Healy’s husband, Mitchell Starc, was bowling.
Just a few years ago, having a woman commentating on the men’s Ashes would have been a big thing in itself, and the simultaneous presence of a woman married to one of the players a certain cue for all manner of diminishing human-interest drivel. Not here. Mitchell mentioned the marital connection, allowing Healy the opportunity to deliberately dismiss a moment of Starc excellence with dry wit, and on they went to matters cricket.
It is a reflection of how far women’s cricket has come that Healy was presented as no more or no less than just another person who plays sport.
Mitchell – Alison, that is – on the other hand, is a bit special: one of those rare broadcasters who seems as comfortable on television as on radio. Any new team needs proper class acts, and BT has certainly got one there.
Overall, then, it is still very early days, but the cricket fan should have grounds for optimism that BT can take the coverage of the game forward.