NZ cricket rights transferring back to Sky after this summer and it remains to be seen if Martin will be picked up by Sky.
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Seven’s coverage is middling to fair.
I find FOX to be far superior. Skull, Midge (a revelation), and Isa to me are outstanding. But the stand out for the summer (and NRL winter) is Eloise Sohier. Fox will miss her while she’s off having her bub.
That’s true I forgot about that. But also currently she does WBBL for 7, goes to do NZ cricket and then comes back for Women’s Internationals on 7
So when NZ is visiting Aus for the 4 test matches, even if she’s with Sky, there won’t be men’s cricket for her to commentate in NZ (apart from their t20 competition maybe) and could potentially join 7’s test coverage as the NZ expert commentator.
Since she’s already part of 7cricket, this could also mean 7 can pay someone like Broad to comeback or someone else since they lack that depth of good analyst or expert commentators. They have 2 who are good and 2 who are terrible and 2 who are mediocre.
Yeah it’ll be interesting - I suspect Sky will pick her up, but remains to be seen.
But yeah regardless she should be free to head over for 7.
Sky aren’t showing the Super Smash anyway and it remains to be seen if it’ll exist next summer.
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Agree with change of host from Mel McLaughlin to Emma Freedman.
Ball by ball commentators; Alister Nicholson in for Tim Lane, Alison Mitchell & James Brayshaw.
Expert commentators; Ricky Ponting, Justin Langer, (International), Aaron Finch 7’s lead BBL expert for Test Matches before BBL starts. Trent Copeland does expert commentary in addition to his analysis segments when BBL is underway. Ed Cowan intelligent, thoughtful and knowledgeable knows how to communicate modern cricket jargon in a conversational manner & final expert commentary position goes to Mark Taylor currently MMM’s lead expert, contract him to 7 & SCA from 9 benefit of being a merged business.
Out, Matthew Hayden never available for Boxing Day & New Year’s test matches, Damien Fleming, Simon Katich & Greg Blewett.
Keep Simon Taufel, Peter Lalor & Bharat Sundaresan in their current segments.
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Seven’s The Ashes bowls over viewers
Test series reaches 14.2 million
Smashes records on Seven and 7plus Sport
Total TV audience up 12%, 7plus up 103% year-on-year
The Ashes delivered a winning innings for the Seven Network, reaching 14.2 million Australians across the series and producing a record-breaking start to summer on both Seven and 7plus Sport.
The 2025-26 Ashes series is the highest rated Test series ever on Seven, with an average total TV audience of 1.19 million across the five Tests, up 12% year-on-year. Each session had an average 196,000 streaming on 7plus Sport, up 103%.
Seven recorded its highest rated Test ever during the Boxing Day Test, which had an average total TV audience of 1.52 million, up 16% on last year. On average, 246,000 people streamed each session on 7plus Sport, up 94% on last year.
Day 1, Session 3 of the Boxing Day Test was the highest rated session ever on Seven, reaching 3.4 million nationally and securing a national audience of 1.84 million, up 18% year-on-year. It posted a record cricket streaming audience on 7plus Sport, with 299,000 tuning in, up 112% year-on-year.
The Fifth Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground, headlined by Jane McGrath Day, reached more than 7.4 million Australians across the five days. It had a total TV audience of 1.14 million and 193,000 on 7plus Sport (up 27% year-on-year).
Seven Network Director of Sport, Chris Jones, said: “What an unbelievable start to the Summer of Cricket on Seven and 7plus Sport.
“Even with Australia retaining The Ashes by the Adelaide Test, audiences continued to surge right through to the Boxing Day Test and the Pink Test, delivering record-breaking numbers across Seven and 7plus Sport.
“With new, younger audiences flocking to 7plus to stream the cricket, paired with a growing linear broadcast audience, it’s a powerful reflection of the nation’s passion for the sport and firmly solidifies cricket as Australia’s favourite summer sport,” he said.
Seven Network Head of Cricket, Joel Starcevic, said: “This Ashes series reaffirmed cricket’s place at the heart of Australian sport, with viewers staying with us in record numbers right through The Ashes campaign.
“And it doesn’t stop there. The Big Bash rolls on through to the all-important Final on Sunday, 25 January, before the nation’s favourite sporting team – the Australian Women’s Cricket Team – takes centre stage in a blockbuster multi-format series against India from 15 February.
“As we close out another men’s Test summer, we thank our exceptional commentary and production teams, Cricket Australia, and the players and their families for helping deliver another outstanding series on Seven and 7plus Sport.”
Seven’s coverage of The Ashes starred cricket’s #1 commentary team, which included world-leading expert, Ricky Ponting, unmatched insights from Stuart Broad, the expertise of Justin Langer, Matthew Hayden, Damien Fleming, Greg Blewett, Trent Copeland, David Lloyd and Simon Katich, alongside the brilliant Alison Mitchell, Tim Lane, Mel McLaughlin, Emma Freedman and James Brayshaw.
The Big Bash League (BBL) has started its season strong on Seven, with its total TV audience up 5% year-on-year and streaming up 109% on 7plus Sport. The Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) finished its season with total TV up 28% and streaming up 189%.
Seven’s BBL action continues on Sunday, with the Sydney Sixers taking on the Hobart Hurricanes at the SCG from 2.00pm AEDT live and free on Seven, 7mate and 7plus Sport. Followed by the Adelaide Strikers and the Perth Scorchers live from Adelaide at 7.00pm AEDT.
The Ashes ratings:
First Test: reached 6.2 million Australians and had an average total TV audience of 1.15 million, up 57% on last year. An average of 186,000 people streamed each session on 7plus Sport, up 232% on last year.
Second Test: reached 8.06 million Australians, with an average total TV audience of 1.21 million, up 6% on the First Test and 36% on last year. An average of 195,000 people streamed each session on 7plus Sport, up 180% year-on-year.
Third Test: reached 7.64 million Australians and had an average total TV audience of 1.08 million, up 35 % on last year. An average of 182,000 people streamed each session on 7plus Sport, up 201% on last year.
Fourth Test: reached 6.4 million Australians and had an average total TV audience of 1.52 million, up 16% on last year. An average of 246,000 people streamed each session on 7plus Sport, up 94% on last year.
Fifth Test: reached 7.47 million Australians and had an average total TV audience of 1.14 million. An average of 193,000 people streamed each session on 7plus Sport, up 27% on last year.
Fifth Test ratings:
Day 4, Session 3 (Wednesday): #1 program in all people, 25 to 54s, 16 to 39s and grocery shoppers. National reach 2.92 million, national audience 1.39 million.
Day 3, Session 3 (Tuesday): #1 program in all people, 25 to 54s, 16 to 39s and grocery shoppers. National reach 2.87 million, national audience 1.43 million.
Day 2, Session 3 (Monday): #1 program in all people, 25 to 54s, 16 to 39s and grocery shoppers. National reach 2.75 million, national audience 1.32 million.
Day 5, Session 2 (Thursday): #1 program in all people, 25 to 54s, 16 to 39s and grocery shoppers. National reach 2.35 million, national audience 1.29 million.
Day 1, Session 2 (Sunday): National reach 2.11 million, national audience 1.22 million, up 4% year-on-year.
Day 4, Session 2 (Wednesday): National reach 2.1 million, national audience 1.12 million.
Day 3, Session 2 (Tuesday): National reach 2.07 million, national audience 1.13 million.
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I think they should keep Simon cause he’s not too bad. I think he’s better than Copeland with commentary. I would keep Copeland for the studio stuff & maybe interviews etc with minimal commentary duties.
They are not going to replace Brayshaw but they should. All he says is ‘Look at this’ ‘Wowee’ ‘what is that’ etc on 7 cricket & AFL. If he gets more MMM personality into the 7 broadcast then he can stay but he’s definitely the worst caller at 7.
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I pay (too much) for Fox and I constantly chose Seven’s coverage over Fox.
Tim Lane isn’t at the same standard he used to be, but I think he’s still fine. He’s nowhere near the level Al Michaels has reached of having one good quarter in every three games and seemingly getting bored and confused the rest of the time. That must be causing concern for the higher-ups at Amazon.
Stuart Broad was a great addition. I won’t go into detail on the rest but on the whole I think it’s a better team than Fox. Howie drives me absolutely bonkers, Skull can’t stay on topic, Gilchrist bores me. Isa is the only standout talent for me in the Fox team.
I don’t see a huge difference between Seven and Fox’s graphics. Functionally they both do the job. Seven’s might be slightly easier on the eye (my parents find it easier to read).
Overall I’ll gladly sit through the ads and the channel changes and the Australian Idol promo overkill if it gives me Seven’s coverage rather than Fox’s.
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Out with Hayden, but what’s wrong with Simon Katich and Greg Blewett??
Both have great insight, and easy to listen too.
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Blewey has called ball-by-ball, so could be one of the “lead” options if they went with a Sky-style two man setup.
I think there’s a trend nowadays in trying for the Tyler/Drury style of having someone who can lyricise once a wicket is taken, while on TV you shouldn’t really need someone to describe what is going on (beyong as an expert in said matter).
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Heverin on BBL duties at the SCG today.
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Rain has delayed play in afternoon BBL:
Edit - washout - first of season.
Seven gone to back up programming.
Earlier - graphics problems with adverts
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I was wondering if he was going to call BBL games. He was in their commentators list but only called 1 WBBL game iirc
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7 somehow missed the final ball of the 19th over of tonight’s game. (presumably in an ad break domestically but on the world feed they didn’t show it either, hung with Sutherland walking down tunnel and then cut to the bowler getting his hat from the umpire post delivery (it was a single).
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They did show that ball (a replay) before the first ball of the 20th over
Yes probably lucky it was fairly inconsequential in the end
another new duck animation. Just the 
angrily storming out. Probably their best animation they have as the other ones did seem too kid/child oriented
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Why are they suddenly social distancing the three logos?
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Can the Perth Scorchers finish on top 