Stars having a home game in Canberra against the thunder who will has a home game there just 11 day before is a weird choice.
I wonder why the Stars are playing in Canberra & why it’s against a team that uses the ground as a home ground. Surely it could have been a non nsw team for that game.
The Stars say the MCG is not available due to the Boxing Day test.
I wonder if they could have chosen Junction Oval or other venues in regional Victoria or Albury instead?
That’s what they have done in the past when the MCG wasn’t available. Don’t know why they were ok with playing in Canberra, the CA statement said that playing in Canberra means the thunder will continue playing 2 games there
It means the Thunder will continue to feature twice in nation’s capital this season despite strengthening their presence at their Western Sydney base by hosting an extra home match at the showground’s newly named ENGIE Stadium.
Just revealed during the lightning break of the AFL that the BBL & WBBL draft is airing on 7mate & 7two depending on the market (7+ everywhere) live on Sunday 1 September.
Did 7 get the draft rights from Fox in the new broadcast deal? Or are they both showing it from this year since I think it was Fox exclusive
@TV.Cynic any chance you have a screenshot of the graphic they showed?
Foxtel’s EPG has them showing the BBL & WBBL drafts live as well.
So someone is simulcasting the other networks feed; question is who’s the host?
https://www.foxtel.com.au/tv-guide/grid/2024/09/01/1400
No graphic but I do have Seven’s schedule for Sunday 1 September.
W/BBL Draft
3:00 pm - 5:30 pm AEST
7Two Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth
7Mate in Melbourne
Join hosts Andrew Maher, Lisa Sthalekar and Aaron Finch for live and free coverage of this year’s overseas player draft, as Big Bash clubs are officially on the clock in an action-packed draft day.
(1st Hour is WBBL, remainder is BBL).
Looks like 7 are hosts? It does make sense because 7 are the host broadcaster for BBL & WBBL while Fox only for men’s internationals.
I guess the reason why Fox had exclusive coverage of the draft before is probably because 7 didn’t want it. Since they now seem to be fully invested into cricket they probably wanted it
Could it actually be two coverages though? With a more generic AFL-style announcement setup so that anyone can run a hosting setup?
A BBL/WBBL season preview show has been scheduled for late Thursday night, September 5, after the opening match of the AFL finals series (pending on the league’s announcement tomorrow morning). At this stage, the preview show will air on 7mate in WA, and on main channel in other states.
• Ponting with a long contract extension
• Finch joins doing first 2 test matches + BBL
• Gavaskar returns as the international pov commentator
• Starc joins doing Women’s Ashes (white ball)
• Rachel Khawaja joins to connect viewers with the families
##seven boosts commentary team with star-studded cricket lineup
Finch, Ponting, Gavaskar, Starc and Rachel Khawaja, live and free on Seven and 7plus
The Seven Network has today announced an unbeatable lineup of new signings to its 7Cricket commentary team for the upcoming Summer of Cricket, live and free on Seven and – for the first time – streaming on 7plus.
Bringing together a group of the most respected and experienced voices in the game, Aaron Finch leads the impressive roster of new recruits, which includes:
- 7Cricket’s captain and legend of the game, Ricky Ponting, who continues his expert commentary role with Seven, signing a long-term deal with the network
- Former Indian captain and master opening batsman Sunil Gavaskar signs on for Seven’s coverage of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy
- Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc joins Seven’s coverage of the Women’s Ashes
- Rachel Khawaja makes her 7Cricket debut, reporting all the colour and excitement direct from Test match venues for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy
With his deep understanding of the game, charismatic personality and vast experience, Finch is set to provide fans with unique insights and analysis, beginning with the first two Test matches of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, in Perth and Adelaide and the 2024-25 Big Bash League (BBL) season.
Arguably Australia’s best T20 player, Finch will be right at home on Seven’s unbeatable BBL coverage, alongside cricket’s #1 commentary team, headlined by the incomparable Ricky Ponting.
Finch will also host this Sunday’s WBBL and BBL Draft alongside Seven’s Lisa Sthalekar and Andy Maher, live and free on 7mate, 7two and 7plus from 3.00pm AEST.
In a coup for Australian cricket fans, former Australian cricket captain and the most authoritative voice in world cricket, Ponting continues his expert commentary role with Seven, signing a long-term deal with the network ahead of the 2024-25 summer.
Ponting will again be a central figure across the network’s Test and BBL coverage and will kickstart the BBL season on opening night, setting the competition off to a thrilling start.
Ahead of a fiery Summer of Cricket on Seven, Ponting said: “I’m so thrilled to have locked in with my 7Cricket family long term.
“I love the team we work with on and off air and can’t wait for an epic Test Series against India and another massive season of Big Bash.”
Adding to the excitement of one of the greatest Test rivalries ever seen, iconic former Indian captain and batting maestro, Sunil Gavaskar will join Seven’s coverage of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Adored for his articulate commentary and deep understanding of the game, Gavaskar will return to Seven’s coverage for all five test matches within the Border-Gavaskar Trophy Series, as the travelling side look to clinch the victory from Australia following their historic upset in 2020-21.
Adding to Seven’s new signings, current Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc will join the commentary team for Seven’s Women’s Ashes coverage for white ball matches, starting at North Sydney Oval on 12 January on Seven and 7plus.
Rounding out Seven’s new signings is Rachel Khawaja, who will join Seven’s Australia v India Test Series coverage, connecting viewers with the people closest to the Australian cricket teams’ players – their families.
Seven Network Director of Sport, Chris Jones, said: “Ahead of the first Australian Summer where everyone can stream the cricket for free, we are excited to welcome so many new faces to our 7Cricket family, including the BBL’s most popular player, Aaron Finch.
“Having worked with Finchy across our coverage in recent seasons, we know he’s a natural commentator who can take us behind the play like nobody else. As a captain, he saw ahead of the game and will bring that to his commentary across our Test and BBL coverage this season.
“Ricky Ponting is in our opinion, the world’s best expert commentator, and we are so thrilled to continue to share his unrivalled insights with Australian viewers. He is the captain of our commentary team and has led from the front both on and off air since his arrival at Seven,” he said.
“The only place you can hear Ricky across the summer is on Seven and for the very first time, on 7plus and it’s an honour for our 7Cricket team to have Ricky commit to us long term.”
Seven’s Head of Cricket, Joel Starcevic, said: “We are delighted to welcome back Sunil Gavaskar to Seven’s cricket coverage, where he will provide expert commentary during the Series named in his honour.”
“Never afraid to speak his mind, not only is Sunil a highly respected voice in world cricket, but he is also cricket royalty.“In a summer where we could see Steve Smith become just the 15th cricketer to score 10,000 Test runs, we will have Sunil – the first player to ever achieve that milestone – behind the mic’ for Seven. It doesn’t get any better than that,” he said
“This summer also has the potential to be the biggest ever for Women’s International cricket, and it’s only fitting for us to have a modern-day superstar like Mitch Starc as part of our 7cricket commentary team to add to the excitement of the Women’s Ashes.
“Adding Rachel Khawaja to the mix further allows us to connect viewers at home to the families and friends of our adored Australian players. We cannot wait to see her deliver all the colour and excitement from the stadium during the Border-Gavaskar trophy,” Mr Starcevic said.
“With world-class cricket from Thursday, 19 September all the way through to the BBL final on Monday, 27 January, there is absolutely nowhere else you’d rather be this summer than right here on Seven and, for the first time, 7plus.”
Fail to find a reason other than nepo for her to be there
I still think they need to find the comedic angle for Big Bash. Do it organically - see if Pang, Molloy or similar talents are available for a game or two.
It was really good with Nazeem Hussain a couple of years ago when he guest commentated.
As mentioned previously, Andy, Lisa and Aaron hosting coverage as simulcast on Fox.
Looks like either generic/special graphics for tonight or new ones for this year.
Despite the WBBL being the first draft up, they started by talking about the Men’s comp.
My assumption is that this was pre-recorded as-live earlier today.
Hosts commentating off screen so no desk set ala-AFL that Fox used.
Thanks for capping this. Disgraceful they’re using an AI generated image for the background.
