UK public broadcaster the BBC has reportedly confirmed it will televise the women’s final of new white-ball cricket competition The Hundred, granting live free-to-air exposure in the country to the women’s game for the first time in 27 years.
UK newspaper The Times said the BBC confirmed its intentions to the England and Wales Cricket Board, organising body of The Hundred.
The new competition is set to launch in July 2020 using an innovative 100-ball format. It will feature men and women’s competitions from launch, a first for world cricket.
The BBC will reportedly show the inaugural women’s final on BBC Two in a prime-time evening slot on Friday, August 14 next year. The channel will show the men’s final the next day.
The most recent live women’s cricket game on free-to-air television in the UK came in the shape of the 1993 World Cup final between England and New Zealand, which took place at Lord’s in London.
The ECB agreed five-year deals in 2017 with the BBC and pay-television broadcaster Sky, running from 2020 to 2024. Sky will hold live rights to all home England national team and domestic county matches, and will also hold highlights and clips rights. The BBC will hold non-exclusive live rights to 21 selected national team and domestic matches per year, and will hold clips, highlights and radio rights.