PROBABLE TEAMS
BEEB WILL HIGHLIGHT A NEW MODERN LOOK
THE BBC have waited a long time to showcase cricket on their channels and the man responsible for putting it on air is raring to go.
BBC Sport Executive Steven Lyle knows that a lot of people will be interested in its success and says he plans for it to be just that.
Lyle said: “We have an hour-long highlights show each day after the Test at 7pm and our aim is to have 90 per cent cricket action and
10 per cent explaining and
ENGLAND
Burns, Sibley, Crawley, Denly, Stokes (c), Pope, Buttler (wk), Bess, Archer, Wood, Anderson
LEADER: Cook with Ben Stokes
THE ECB will draw up an anti-discrimination charter as part of their response to the Black Lives Matter movement. Chief executive Tom Harrison has led the way in admitting that both he and the game have had plenty of reflecting to do on diversity and are now ready to move forward.
In addition to the charter, there will be money and resources put analysing. Our live coverage will begin with the T20s against Pakistan.”
The BBC programmes will be presented by Isa Guha, left.
Lyle said: “We are adding our own isolated camera to the Sky pictures so that we can pick up extra footage but interviews will be socially distanced using boom mics.
“We have put a lot of effort into modernising our scorecard graphics so they are easy to read and understand.”
WEST INDIES
Brathwaite, Campbell, Brooks, Hope, Chase, Dowrich (wk), Holder (c), Cornwall, Roach, Joseph, Gabriel
UMPIRES: Richard Illingworth and Richard Kettleborough TV UMPIRE: Michael Gough MATCH REFEREE: Chris Broad into increasing the number of coaches from BAME backgrounds with bursaries for all coaching programmes.
And there will be a push for greater BAME representation in leadership roles within the game and on the ECB Board, which is losing its only non-white member this summer in Lord Patel.
Harrison said: “It has been a time of huge reflection for the organisation and for me personally.We have had to confront some uncomfortable truths in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement.
“We have made strong strides in many areas to become a more inclusive and diverse sport, but we realise there is a great deal more to do.
“We are not where we should be as a sport or society and cricket can play a big part in affecting change. I don’t think there is anything more important for us to do.” Harrison’s comments will be welcome within BAME communities but similar words have been heard before, most notably in 1999 when the ECB declared it would ‘Clean Bowl Racism’.
Systematic change takes time and the ECB have their work cut out.
The 18 counties have passed a majority vote to play both red and white ball cricket when the delayed season starts.
A fixture list is expected to be approved in the next few days, with an official start date of August 1.