MCC working with leading broadcaster Isa Guha on competition to find the next female broadcasting talent; Winner to be announced at the England vs New Zealand Metro Bank Women's T20 International at Lord's; Winner to be part of the Sky Sports team for The Hundred Final
Friday 10 May 2024 20:07, UK
Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), alongside Sky Sports and Take Her Lead, has launched a new competition to encourage and support the next generation of female cricket broadcasting talent, with the winner to join Sky Sports' broadcast team for The Hundred final.
MCC's Young Female Broadcaster of the Year initiative aims to increase opportunities for young women looking to forge a career in the cricket media, specifically in broadcasting, and follows the huge growth in the women's game including record-breaking attendances and TV audiences for last summer's England vs Australia Ashes series, broadcast live on Sky Sports.
A judging panel made up of representatives from MCC, Sky Sports, current broadcasters, and chaired by Isa Guha on behalf of Take Her Lead, will choose a winner and five shortlisted runners-up who will be invited to Lord's for England's Metro Bank Women's T20 International against New Zealand on Wednesday July 17. During the day they will be invited to meet the Sky and BBC teams working on the live match coverage.
The winner will then be invited back to spend the day at Lord's and be part of the Sky Sports team for their live broadcast coverage of The Hundred Final at Lord's on Sunday August 18. They will also get the opportunity to undertake training with Sky Sports and Take Her Lead ahead of The Hundred Final.
The competition is aimed at budding female cricket broadcasters, aged between 18-24, looking to take their first steps in the industry with entries to be via submission of video or audio showreel of a match commentary, match report, or a presenter clip.
The competition will bring together three organisations who are committed to improving gender equality and inclusivity in cricket and sport.
MCC, through the MCC Foundation Hubs programme is helping to increase girls' participation in cricket with nearly 1500 girls taking part in this year's programme (an increase from 940 in 2023), while Sky Sports has an unrivalled range of women's sport and, in 2023, was the home of over 70 per cent of all televised women's sport.
Sky Sports is also proud to partner and work closely with both the Women's Sport Collective and Women in Football - external networks that champion and support women working in sport.
Take Her Lead was established in 2022 by broadcaster and former England cricketer Isa Guha and aims to advance equity and inclusion, and increase participation in all areas of the game, for women and girls.
Bryan Henderson, Director of Sky Sports Cricket, said: "We are thrilled to partner with Take Her Lead on MCC's Young Female Broadcaster of the Year initiative to support the future stars of cricket broadcasting.
"Sky Sports covers an unrivalled range of women's sport and has proudly covered women's cricket since 1996, helping the sport to continue to grow and thrive.
"We're committed to increasing opportunities for women taking their first steps within the broadcast industry and look forward to the winner joining our broadcast team for The Hundred Final at Lord's."
