The Death of The Rebirth

By Chris O'Keefe

I was in the newsroom on Wednesday night and in between news of Blunkett's resignation there was the biggest faux pas of all. The England and Wales Cricket Board had "sold their soul to the devil" by agreeing to let BSkyB screen test matches exclusively for the next three years.

Oddly enough I was watching Channel 4 News which had just lost out in the bidding war. They hadn't even won the highlights package. That went to Five, which can boast amongst other things the CIS Insurance Cup, Middlesborough's UEFA Cup run and the odd friendly involving Scotland. Both usually presented by John Barnes, who's autocue skills are questionable on a good day.

I noticed one writer in today's Sunday Express boasting how successful Sky's coverage of Premiership Football has been since they won that contract. However it's not like Sky haven't had their fair share of failures. Their coverage of England's Six Nations home games were ahrdly a ratings winner. Once they re-appeared on Grandstand, the figures went back up.

Premiership football never got the live coverage it used to, true. But because there's no barometer to measure against, it was always a comparative success.

Test match cricket was seen as dull and unfashionable in 1998 when the BBC were the hosts. This unpopularity was in part due to the team's performance. Now they are the mighty England ready to conquer the World.

But I don't think it is just a turn in fortunes on the pitch. Surely credit goes to those on the microphones and in the studio.

Channel 4 have injected vibrancy into cricket coverage. Cricketing legend and commentator Richie Benaud was asked who the best presenter on TV was for a Channel 4 advert.

His response: "Nicholas by miles!"

Benaud was referring to Mark Nicholas. Since 1999 he has become more than just the one doing piece to camera at Lunch, Tea or when the rain falls. His personality, reminiscent of Des Lynam, is projected to his audience. A confidence, almost arrogance, mixed with knowledge as he addresses the camera.

Nicholas has been a breath of fresh air. While not upseting the old guard of blazer at the local cricket club, he and his colleagues have brought in the next generation of cricketing viewers. Back in the nineties Tony Lewis never had that quality.

As well as the smoothness of Nicholas, Channel 4 also brought in Dermot Reeve like his playing style, unauthodox yet effective. Then we have Michael Atherton who made a successful transition unlike the plethera of other England captains on Sky. The re-introduction of the forthright Geoff Boycott to the screen and the immovable cricketing icon that is Benaud.

Interactivity is a good feature but not over the top in comparison to Sky's permanent shower of graphics plus Channel 4 have a figurehead and a timeslot in their coverage for 'The Analyst', Simon Hughes.

Sure Sky have the money, the England caps, and their own channel but do they have the character, ability and people skills in their lineup. If The Beatles song 'Money Can't Buy Me Love' is anything to go by then Sky needs to remember that they still have to win the viewers over. Just having the coverage is not enough, it's what you do with it.

Where the ECB thinking this when they went to bank with a grin on their face to cash the cheque?