Behind the scenes at Sky Sports Cricket and how they changed the game
Perched beneath an open flap on the side of the lorry, the beckoning wave of the happy cats immediately draws the eye. These golden knick-knacks, known as maneki-neko, are supposed to bring good luck and fortune to those who possess them, but here, amidst a sprawl of cables, cabins and a whirring generator, they serve a different purpose.
It is day two of the one-off Test between England and Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge and The Independent has been granted a rare look behind the scenes with Sky Sports' award-winning cricket team. For close to two decades, the broadcaster has served as the ECB's primary partner, showing every home international and much, much more besides. This is one of 166 match days to be covered across 129 actual slots on the calendar this summer; it is a hectic time.
Advertisement
Back to the cats, then, which are used each morning to sync up the slo-mo cameras – a minor part of what is, as almost goes without saying, an extraordinary operation. For the Zimbabwe Test, the sprawl of trucks and trailers fills an empty space alongside the ground; for a Hundred game, with the BBC also in town, the broadcasters will also commandeer a pub car park.
Sky cameras are dotted all around the ground to capture the action (Getty)
Three cameras and their accompanying operators generally sit on the gantry at either end, each serving a different purpose behind the bowler's arm. The rest are dotted around the outfield, providing different perspectives, all overseen by a team of producers, directors and wider personnel. Where once this was done on-site, most is now done at the broadcaster's base in Osterley. To assist with the ease of coverage, cabling is placed at each ground – at Worcestershire's New Road, prone to flooding in winter, this must be removed regularly and re-laid before the start of each summer. Innovations like the Sky cart – wheeled out for analysis – and T20 commentary pod are added to this on occasion, creating a different feel beyond the slightly staid studio set-up that characterised cricket coverage for years.
Little of the wider operation is sighted, but Sky has made stars of its on-air team. Figures like Nasser Hussain and Michael Atherton can set the cricketing agenda. Former England fast bowler Stuart Broad is a recent addition after concluding his playing career. 'Coming into the Sky team has been incredible for me,' he explains. 'You leave a changing room full of friends and you come into a smaller version of a changing room. In my playing career, it was all about continuously improving every day, and coming into this role, it's exactly the same mindset. I've loved it.'
Advertisement
During a Test, commentators generally operate under a system of half an hour on, an hour and a half off. They can be an idiosyncratic bunch. Hussain, for example, hates air conditioning, while Broad can occasionally be prone to patrolling the commentary box in his socks. Given the sheer volume of cricket that Sky shows, a rotating cast of characters is managed and monitored carefully – Ian Bishop has been a welcome addition in every sense as an expert for the recent West Indies white-ball series, while pundits like Simon Doull and Mel Jones are regular returnees regardless of New Zealand and Australia's involvement in the English summer.
The tone will naturally differ depending on the cricket on offer. A broad portfolio, Hussain outlines, should provide something for everyone. 'We have so much cricket and so many different styles of cricket that it should cater for all. The key is to give a broad spectrum of coverage.
Nasser Hussain is a Sky Sports cricket expert (Sky Sports Cricket)
'When I was young, mum and dad asked if I wanted to go to the theatre and I wasn't keen. Now I've got a bit more time, you enjoy the finer things in life, and you do want to go and watch a show. Your time and your tastes and what you want to do changes. If you can get people into the game through white-ball cricket, the IPL and the Hundred, you can take them on the journey.'
Advertisement
Overseeing all aspects of the coverage is Bryan Henderson, the broadcaster's long-serving director of cricket, and among the more quietly influential figures in the game who has just been recognised with an MBE. Workload management is a key challenge.
'We would love Nasser, for example, to work on every single broadcast we do, but clearly that's not possible,' he explains. 'It's not as exhausting as playing, I'm sure, but they are quite intense days and it can be quite mentally draining working on a Test match. They need work-life balance, like all of us do. But you want your more experienced or bigger names on the higher profile games – it's common sense, really.'
Stuart Broad has eased effortlessly into the Sky team (Getty)
Henderson's planning for the next summer will begin before the current season is even at an end. Once a fixture list is figured out – increasingly complex with some changes to the structure of the County Championship likely for 2026, plus the presence of the Women's T20 World Cup – he will begin a three-to-five-month planning process, figuring out budgets, commentators, staff and some of the technical elements that may enhance coverage.
Advertisement
The hope is always to stay up with, if not ahead of, the game. While the fundamentals of Sky's coverage remain based around a strong journalistic sense, there has naturally been an emphasis on ensuring that it also moves with the modern world, reflecting the diversity of the audience watching.
'I like the phrase innovate or die,' Henderson says. 'I'd like to think that Sky Cricket tends to be slightly ahead of the curve. It would be rare for us to be accused of being a bit slow to change. Sometimes it's forced on us a little bit, through Rob Key getting the big England job, or Michael Holding or David Lloyd moving on, or the tragic events around Shane Warne's passing.
'I think we're proud of the role we've played and developing the women's game. I think we're probably quite proud of how in difficult economic environments or with different formats and the congested schedule, I think we keep our standards pretty high.' He also spotlights the work raising money for the Bob Willis Foundation in memory of an old favourite, and giving platforms to Holding and Ebony Rainford-Brent to talk powerfully about racism as examples of the wider work Sky does alongside simply covering cricket.
Michael Holding, here with Michael Atherton, was able to talk powerfully about his experiences of racism (Getty/ECB)
Technological advancements are on the way. Hawkeye is developing a sort of virtual reality replay system that could place the viewer, say, in the cordon after a slip drops a catch, putting them in the perspective of the fielder. While helmet cams have been helpful, showing the sheer speed of a game is something Henderson feels cricket is still yet to crack. Broad has eased effortlessly into the commentary box and work to develop the next generation of voices – from Tammy Beaumont to Tymal Mills – has been clear in recent years.
Advertisement
There is also a need for existing broadcasters to stay in touch with the sport. The digital age has made this both harder and easier, with the advent of high-quality county streaming, umpire cams and global broadcasting deals meaning the amount of cricket broadcast vastly outweighs that of when Hussain started.
Nasser Hussain works hard to follow cricket all around the world (Getty)
'I always remember the comment Duncan Fletcher, the England coach, said after I got the job at Sky,' the former England captain recalls. 'He shook my hand and said, 'well done for the job. Just remember in five years' time the game will look completely different. Make sure you keep up to speed.' Within a year, Kevin Pietersen was switch-hitting Scott Styris for six.
'If you take a month off watching cricket – and I don't for this reason – you end up so far behind. When I first joined, you could catch up. Nowadays, there is a 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi bursting on the scene at the IPL. When Shoaib Bashir was picked, I hadn't watched him bowl in my life, but you go into Twitter and put in his name and you can see his wickets – and that's how he got selected. It's a completely different landscape now.'
Advertisement
With India's men and women visiting England simultaneously, it is clearly a huge summer, one that also brings renewed scrutiny on The Hundred after the windfall brought by the sale of stakes in the eight franchises. But after a glimpse behind the scenes, Sky's cricket coverage looks in very safe hands indeed.
Watch all five England-India Test matches live on Sky Sports Cricket and NOW from 20 June
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
13 minutes ago
- Yahoo
From £11m to £100m - how has Liverpool's record spending changed?
They say you get what you pay for - and Liverpool will be hoping that rings true in the case of Florian Wirtz. It is understood the initial fee for the 22-year-old will be a £100m, and with that Wirtz becomes the Reds' club record signing. Advertisement It is a badge that has been held by club captain Virgil van Dijk since he joined for £75m from Southampton in January 2018. Often praised for their shrewd business in recent years, it is not a regular occurrence for Liverpool to go out and break the bank to secure a player. With the arrival of Wirtz, since 2000 the Reds have set a new club record on seven occasions, so how has that spending evolved? Emile Heskey - £11m in 2000 The striker was the first club record signing after the turn of the century when he joined from Leicester for £11m - the third most expensive player in English football at the time. Advertisement It was a long-standing pursuit of Heskey for Liverpool but it proved worth it with the England international scoring 60 goals in 223 appearances and securing five medals before leaving for Birmingham City in 2004. Djibril Cisse - £14m in 2004 Four years after the signing of Heskey, the Reds broke their club record by £3m to bring in another forward in Cisse from French side Auxerre. The then 22-year-old suffered serious bad luck with injuries during his time at Anfield. However, he did still feature 79 times in two years and scored 24 goals. He also scored a crucial penalty in Liverpool's Champions League final shootout with AC Milan in 2005. Advertisement Fernando Torres - £20m in 2007 In a running theme, it was another striker three years later that would increase the club's record signing by £6m with the arrival of Torres from Atletico Madrid. The Spaniard became adored by Reds during his time on Merseyside, before an acrimonious £50m exit to Premier League rivals Chelsea in January 2011. In his four years, he played 142 times and scored an impressive 81 goals. Andy Carroll - £35m in 2011 Once again, the Reds brought in a number nine and broke the club record by £15m when signing Andy Carroll from Newcastle following the exit of Torres. Despite signing a five-and-a-half-year deal, it was a somewhat ill-fated time at Anfield for Carroll. He made just 58 appearances and netted 11 goals before making a loan move in 2012 and then permanent switch to West Ham in 2013. Advertisement Naby Keita - £48m in 2017 It would be six years before Liverpool would break their record again, this time spending £48m (plus a reported undisclosed premium) to secure the signature of Keita from RB Leipzig - a year before he would officially arrive in 2018. There were big expectations on the midfielder, but injuries hampered his time with the Reds - 129 appearances across five years - but he still came away with multiple winners' medals. Virgil van Dijk - £75m in 2018 It was a big-spending 12 months for Liverpool when they smashed their club record by £27m with the signing of Van Dijk from Southampton a year after Keita. Advertisement It was also a then world record fee for a defender and former Newcastle striker Alan Shearer said at the time the Netherlands international was "not worth it at all". However, 319 appearances and nine pieces of silverware later, it is safe to say it has been a success. Florian Wirtz - £100m in 2025 It has taken seven years for the Reds to break their own record again, but they will do that with Wirtz. Now, only time will tell whether it will go down as one of the success stories or relative disappointments.
Yahoo
17 minutes ago
- Yahoo
🚨 Still cash left after Wirtz? LFC reportedly seal next deal
Despite the substantial investment in Florian Wirtz, which is said to cost Liverpool around 150 million euros, it appears that Liverpool is still not satisfied. After 'Sky' reporter Florian Plettenberg initially spoke of a "Done Deal" today, Fabrizio Romano has now followed suit and given his "Here we go" for the transfer of Milos Kerkez. The 21-year-old caught the eye in the past Premier League season with AFC Bournemouth. So much so that, according to reports, Liverpool is said to be willing to pay up to 47 million euros for the left-back – who could potentially succeed Andrew Robertson in the long term. Advertisement This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here. 📸 Ryan Pierse - 2025 Getty Images
Yahoo
23 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Spain U21 vs England U21 prediction: La Roja to end Young Lions' Euros?
Lee Carsley will hope his Young Lions can keep their U21 Euros hopes alive (PA Wire) Spain U21 vs England U21 tips: BTTS and Spain to win - 4/1 Bet365 James McAtee to score at any time 22/5 Unibet England U21's face Spain on Saturday in the quarter-final of the European Championships and will need to be much improved from their performance last time out against Germany. Advertisement Lee Carlsey's side found themselves a goal down after just three minutes despite Germany making 11 changes for the game, after already qualifying for the knockout stages. Ansgar Knauff opened the scoring when he took advantage of a mistake by Liverpool's Bayer Leverkusen-bound defender Jarell Quansah and they were 2-0 up just after the half-hour mark when Nelson Weiper somehow got in between the England defence to head home. Despite dominating possession in the second half, they struggled to create any clear-cut chances despite the introduction of £15m striker Jay Stansfield. They eventually pulled a goal back with 14 minutes remaining when a cross from Omari Hutchinson was tapped in from close range by Alex Scott. Advertisement They battled in vain to secure the equaliser, meaning they finished second in Group B with one win, one draw and one defeat from their three matches. Spain finished top of Group A after wins against Slovakia and Romania and a 1-1 draw with Italy last time out. Carsley's side will take some confidence from the fact that their opponents have conceded in all three matches so far, but they have also scored six. England managed three in their opening game against Czechia but were held to a goalless draw against Slovenia and struggled to break down Germany, but they will have to be at both their attacking and defensive best on Saturday. Spain U21 vs England U21 prediction: Will Young Lions come undone? These two sides met in the final of the last European U21 Championships back in 2023, and back then, it was England who came out on top. Advertisement Curtis Jones scored the only goal of the game when he deflected a free kick from Cole Palmer past Arnau Tenas in the Spain goal. England goalkeeper James Trafford ensured the victory when he saved a penalty from Abel Ruiz eight minutes into stoppage time. Football betting sites have Spain as the favourites to win the title at odds of 7/2, just ahead of France and Germany at 4/1, while England are fourth favourites at 11/2. Spain have reached the final of this competition five out of the last seven times, winning it three times, the last of which came in 2019 when the tournament was held in Italy and San Marino. They have already shown their battling qualities after netting late winners against both Slovakia and Romania, so this is going to be anything but easy for Carsley's side, who will need their experienced players to step up. Advertisement Betting sites are backing Santi Denia's side at odds of 13/10, while you can get 47/20 on an England win and 12/5 on a draw after 90 minutes. Both sides are capable of scoring goals, but they have also conceded more than they would have liked and providing England have learnt the lessons from the defeat to Germany, they will make life very hard for Spain, as they look to defend their title. You can get 9/2 on either team to win on penalties or 11/2 on either team to win after extra time, and that could be worth a look. As much as I would love to see England progress, I just think Spain will have too much in Trnava. Spain U21 vs England U21 prediction 1: BTTS and Spain to win - 4/1 Bet365 Spain U21 vs England U21 betting: England need a captain's performance We all know what James McAtee is capable of, scoring seven goals for City last season, and his side will need some of that magic against Spain. Advertisement The 22-year-old made his debut in 2022 and was named captain ahead of the tournament. Betting apps are offering 19/2 on him scoring first or 22/5 to score any time, or you can get 2/1 on him to score or assist. Spain U21 vs England U21 prediction 2: James McAtee to score at any time 22/5 Unibet Please gamble responsibly When having a bet, it's vital to practice responsible gambling. Betting can be addictive and it's important to stay in control of your betting. Never treat gambling as a way to make money, never bet more than you can afford and when the fun stops, stop. Gambling sites offer punters tools, like deposit limits, profit and loss trackers and self-exclusion options, to help them stay in control. Advertisement But if you ever feel like you need help or advice on gambling addiction, don't hesitate to contact one of the charities or organisations below. We may earn commission from some of the links in this article, but we never allow this to influence our content. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.
