How do you know it’s Summer? The heat is oppressive, the storms are massive, television programming makes less sense than it normally might, and the cricket is back on Channel 9. Bring. It. On. From the press release:
2011-2012 International Summer of Cricket LIVE on Nine
Fourteen weeks of hot competition await viewers in the Wide World of Sports international summer of cricket on Channel Nine.
Wide World of Sports will broadcast all the action from the Vodafone Test Series, Commonwealth Bank One-Day Series and KFC Twenty20 Internationals, beginning live on Nine this Thursday, December 1.
As Australian cricket goes through a rebuilding phase with a new coach, new selectors, new players, and Michael Clarke captaining his first home series, New Zealand, India and Sri Lanka are lined up to do battle this summer.
The Vodafone Test Series opens the summer of cricket on Thursday at the Gabba in Brisbane when Australia and New Zealand meet, live from 9.30am AEST. Australia will play two tests with New Zealand and four against India, including the historic Boxing Day Test at the MCG.
The KFC Twenty20 Internationals get underway with a double-header on February 1 when both the Australian men’s and women’s sides will be in action. First the Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars play the New Zealand White Ferns in the women’s game live at 2.00pm, before Australia play India at 6.30pm AEST.
The Commonwealth Bank Series of one-dayers between Australia, India and Sri Lanka starts four days later on February 5 and concludes on March 8.
The top names in the game will present Nine’s summer of cricket, led by the legendary Richie Benaud. The expert team joining him in the commentary box comprises Bill Lawry, Tony Greig, Ian Chappell, Mark Taylor, Ian Healy, Michael Slater, Mark Nicholas and James Brayshaw. Former Australian representative player Tom Moody will join Wide World of Sports’ live coverage of the One Day International series.
Star fast bowler Brett Lee will team up with Michael Slater for The Cricket Show which will appear live during lunch breaks in the Vodafone Test Series. The Cricket Show will include first-session recaps, player profiles, Master Classes, international and domestic updates, viewer emails, questions and feedback.
As well as the best commentary team in the business, the Nine Network, winner of the 2011 Logie Award for Most Outstanding Sports Broadcast, will have the latest in cricket broadcasting technology for the Wide World of Sports presentation.
Extreme Slo-Mo cameras, KFC Hotspot, Snicko, speed-gun, Bupa Eagle Eye and Heart Tracker will all return to give viewers the front-row, first-rate experience that makes the Wide World of Sports coverage unique.
This season, for the first time, viewers will be able to interact live with the cricket coverage – sharing their opinions and weighing in on debates with the commentary team in real time with the launch of Vodafone Viewers’ Verdict.
Available via the Cricket Live Australia app from the App store or Android Market for iPhone, Android, Tablet and PC, this state-of-the-art voting platform gives viewers the ability to respond instantly to questions in-program via the Vodafone Viewers’ Verdict, with results displayed on air.
As part of Nine’s multi-platform offering, the Wide World of Sports website is the ultimate online destination for cricket lovers throughout the summer of cricket. With breaking news, live scores, in-depth statistics and expert opinion from the commentary team, it is the perfect complement to Nine’s live broadcast.
Some of the key elements of the website wideworldofsports.com.au include:
• Latest cricket news and features
• Live scores and comprehensive stats centre
• Exclusive column with Michael Slater – In Bat with Slats
• Video updates from all Nine News sport bulletins
• Special features from The Cricket Show
• Cricket Trivia – a new game for all levels of cricket knowledge, with fantastic prizes
• High Performance Analysis – player insights and training techniques with the new Get the Edge feature
• A comprehensive mobile service, suitable for all handsetsFor all of these great features and much more, log on to wideworldofsports.com.au throughout the summer.
NINE’S INTERNATIONAL SUMMER OF CRICKET 2011-2012 BROADCAST SCHEDULE
Vodafone Test Series
Test 1: December 1-5, Australia v New Zealand Gabba, Brisbane LIVE @ 9.30am AEST
Test 2: December 9-13, Australia v New Zealand Bellerive Oval, Hobart LIVE @ 9.00am AEST
Test 1: December 26-30, Australia v India MCG, Melbourne LIVE @ 9.30am AEST
Test 2: January 3-7, Australia v India SCG, Sydney LIVE @ 9.30am AEST
Test 3: January 13-17, Australia v India WACA, Perth LIVE @ 12.00pm AEST
Test 4: January 24-28, Australia v India Adelaide Oval, Adelaide LIVE @ 9.30am AESTWomen’s Twenty20 International
T20 1: February 1: Australia v New Zealand Sydney Olympic Park, Sydney LIVE @ 2.00pm AEST
T20 2: February 3: Australia v New Zealand MCG, Melbourne LIVE @ 2.00pm AESTKFC Twenty20 International
T20 1: February 1: Australia v India Sydney Olympic Park, Sydney LIVE @ 6.30pm AEST
T20 2: February 3: Australia v India MCG, Melbourne LIVE @ 6.30pm AESTCommonwealth Bank Series
ODI 1: February 5, Australia v India MCG, Melbourne LIVE @ 1.00pm AEST
ODI 2: February 8, India v Sri Lanka WACA, Perth LIVE @ 2.00pm AEST
ODI 3: February 10, Australia v Sri Lanka WACA, Perth LIVE @ 2.00pm AEST
ODI 4: February 12, Australia v India Adelaide Oval, Adelaide LIVE @ 1.00pm AEST
ODI 5: February 14, India v Sri Lanka Adelaide Oval, Adelaide LIVE @ 1.00pm AEST
ODI 6: February 17, Australia v Sri Lanka SCG, Sydney LIVE @ 1.00pm AEST
ODI 7: February 19, Australia v India Gabba, Brisbane LIVE @ 1.00pm AEST
ODI 8: February 21, India v Sri Lanka Gabba, Brisbane LIVE @ 1.00pm AEST
ODI 9: February 24, Australia v Sri Lanka Bellerive Oval, Hobart LIVE @ 1.00pm AEST
ODI 10: February 26, Australia v India SCG, Sydney LIVE @ 1.00pm AEST
ODI 11: February 28, India v Sri Lanka Bellerive Oval, Hobart LIVE @ 1.00pm AEST
ODI 12: March 2, Australia v Sri Lanka MCG, Melbourne LIVE @ 1.00pm AEST
ODI Final 1: March 4 Gabba, Brisbane LIVE @ 1.00pm AEST
ODI Final 2: March 6 Adelaide Oval, Adelaide LIVE @ 1.00pm AEST
ODI Final 3: March 8 Adelaide Oval, Adelaide LIVE @ 1.00pm AEST
latest in Cricket broadcasting technology? without mentioning any HD Broadcast details?.
Still stuck in the past just like every “summer of cricket” that preceded it. Prefer Cricinfo for any online coverage and ABC for audio commentary…
I have a couple of questions I would like to ask…..
Have you noticed the ‘no ball’ check when Australians gets a wicket is checked a lot in this series by the referee. However, have they checked any when it was the Indians bowling ?
Secondlly, how come you (( in particular the Aussie commentators…know better than to expect a fair go from Tony Gregg’s commentating ))) are not making any comments to the fact THREE of our players ( Marsh, Clark and Hussey ) were given out when they weren’t out ?