Sky Sports dedicates channel to the Ashes

SKY SPORTS will dedicate an entire channel to cricket this summer, providing coverage of men’s, women’s and youth matches including this summer’s Ashes series.

Sky will commit one channel – Sky Sports Ashes HD – to cricket offering 63 days of action between 30 June and 31 August, including exclusively live ball-by-ball coverage of the Investec Ashes.

The channel will also screen live county fixtures, highlights and various support shows as Sky Sports 2 HD is transformed and dedicated to cricket with no extra cost to customers.

Viewers will be able to enjoy the following on Sky Sports Ashes HD:

• The Investec Ashes: Every session from cricket’s most eagerly awaited Test series, beginning with the first Test from Trent Bridge on 10 July.
• The Women’s Ashes: Live coverage of all three Twenty20 internationals between England and Australia from this summer’s Women’s Ashes series.
• Other cricket: Live YB40, Friend’s Life t20 and England v Pakistan under-19 international, plus archive shows, Cricket Am, Cricket Writers on TV and highlights.

England cricket legend and Sky Sports commentator Sir Ian Botham said: “This is wall to wall cricket, on one channel, for the key months of the summer. The Ashes is the pinnacle of Test cricket and when it comes to television, cricket fans have never had it so good. Bring it on.”

Barney Francis, managing director of Sky Sports, added: “There has never been a better time to be a Sky Sports subscriber, our six channels are offering more than ever before. The Ashes series is a key part of the biggest summer of sport we’ve ever had and with The British & Irish Lions Tour, back to back Ashes, every F1 race and our biggest ever football season, there really is something for everyone.”

“With Sky Sports Ashes HD, it couldn’t be easier for viewers to enjoy their live cricket. The channel will be the home of televised cricket for the summer with an unrivalled schedule. We’re also pleased to continue our commitment to women’s cricket with live coverage of all three T20 internationals between England and Australia. I’m sure these will provide an exciting conclusion to the Women’s Ashes in August.”

This summer’s Ashes contest is the eighth to be shown exclusively live by Sky Sports. Former England captain Andrew Strauss will join many of cricket’s biggest names in the Sky Sports commentary box including Sir Ian Botham, Shane Warne, David Gower, Michael Atherton, Nasser Hussain, David Lloyd and Michael Holding.

Sky Sports 2 HD and Sky Sports 2 will automatically be transformed into Sky Sports Ashes HD and Sky Sports Ashes at 06.00 on 30 June and viewers will not have to do anything.

This is a record year of sport across six Sky Sports channels. The unrivalled breadth of sport available this year includes; The British & Irish Lions Tour, back-to-back Ashes Series, the ICC Champions Trophy, every race live in the F1 season, Super League, US Open & US PGA Golf, Andy Murray defending his US Open title and of course our biggest ever season of football.

Cricket coverage on Sky Sports is available on TV, PC and on the move via mobile and tablet devices, thanks to Sky Go. Sky Sports will also launch an enhanced Ashes experience within the Sky Sports for iPad and via the Ashes Event Centre on skysports.com, providing users with even more viewing options, data and insight throughout the series. Sky Sports News HD will provide daily reports, views and analysis throughout the Ashes while skysports.com, the UK’s leading commercial sports website, will offer visitors all the latest news, video and match coverage.