One of the largest shakeups in Australian sports broadcasting history is just about complete thanks to Channel Seven‘s unveiling of their core cricket commentary team, as the network prepares to air Australia’s summer of cricket for the very first time.
The network revealed the swathe of talent they’ve signed on to present their block of international and domestic cricket throughout summer 2018/19, and frankly? It’s bloody sweet.
Gone is Channel Nine’s decades-old boys club often plagued by Shane Warne or Ian Chappell‘s inane ramblings and non-sequitur quips. Replaced by a fresh-faced lineup of recent ex-players, actual career broadcasters and, would you even believe it, women.
The biggest coup for the network is the signing of journalist and renowned caller Alison Mitchell, who will help lead ball-by-ball commentary across Seven’s broadcasts this summer.
In 2013/14 Mitchell became the first woman to provide ball-by-ball commentary for the ABC during the Ashes Series, and her work in England on BT Sports attracted universal acclaim.
Tim Lane and James Brayshaw will join Mitchell as Seven’s core team of ball-by-ball commentators for the entire summer.
In addition, the network confirmed both Mel McLaughlin and Abbey Gelmi have signed on as broadcast hosts who will anchor coverage for the network.
Veteran Seven sports broadcaster Bruce McAvaney has also found a new role with the cricket, interviewing “iconic figures” of cricket during the lunch breaks of the Melbourne and Sydney test matches.
They’ll be joined by a who’s who of former Australian test greats like Ricky Ponting, Damian Fleming, Lisa Sthalekar, Glenn McGrath, Greg Blewett, Jason Gillespie, and Simon Katitch who will provide special comments across all broadcasts.
Seven’s commentary team to date:
🏏 Ricky Ponting
🏏 Damien Fleming
🏏 Michael Slater
🏏 Glenn McGrath
🏏 Alison Mitchell
🏏 Mel McLaughlin
🏏 James Brayshaw
🏏 Lisa Sthalekar
🏏 Tim Lane
🏏 Abbey Gelmi
🏏 Greg Blewett
🏏 Simon Katich
🏏 Jason Gillespie
🏏 Brad Hodge #7cricket pic.twitter.com/5iCSf762pc— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) July 10, 2018
Seven also promised additional commentators would be announced closer to summer.
Seven’s inaugural summer of cricket broadcasts will begin on September 29th with the women’s international T20 between Australia and New Zealand.
— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) May 11, 2018
Pretty good effort, that. Pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty good.
