English broadcaster Alison Mitchell has been unveiled as one of Channel Sevens commentators for the upcoming summer of cricket, making her the first female to call ball-by-ball Test action on free-to-air television.
Mitchell is a highly rated commentator and award-winning journalist who has worked for the BBC and called cricket in England, India, Sri Lanka and Australia.
“Im tremendously excited to be joining Seven in a new era for Australian cricket coverage": Alison Mitchell.
Photo: PA
She will join a new commentary team featuring Ricky Ponting, Glenn McGrath, Damien Fleming and Michael Slater in what is the first season of a new six-year broadcast deal for Channel Seven.
“Im tremendously excited to be joining Seven in a new era for Australian cricket coverage,” Mitchell said in a statement.
“Test cricket holds a very special place in the hearts of the Australian public and it will be a privilege to take a lead role in bringing the action into peoples homes.”
Advertisement
There will be three ball-by-ball callers for Tests against India and Sri Lanka this summer, with Mitchell joining veteran broadcaster Tim Lane and former Channel Nine commentator James Brayshaw.
Brayshaw and Mel McLaughlin will dual host the coverage in what is also a first in Australian cricket.
Channel Seven has also announced a number of other former players to bolster their coverage, with Jason Gillespie, Simon Katich, Greg Blewett and Brad Hodge all coming on board.
Gillespie will work as an expert at the Adelaide Test, Katich will come on in Melbourne and Sydney, while Hodge will be used as a T20 specialist during the Big Bash.
Meanwhile, doyen broadcaster Bruce McAvaney will join the coverage and conduct interviews during the lunch breaks of the Melbourne and Sydney Tests.
Sevens head of cricket, Dave Barham, said: “We are looking forward to the summer of cricket enormously. Throughout the coverage, we will be showcasing the players, bringing out their character and personality with more than 30 player features and vignettes. Heartland cricket will also be championed as Seven highlights stories at community level and local cricket”.
Tom Decent is a journalist with Fairfax Media.
Most Viewed in Sport
Morning & Afternoon Newsletter
Delivered Mon–Fri.
