BT Sport introduces Timeline functionality on large screen devices as part of extensive Ashes coverage plan
BT Sport has unveiled its coverage plans for the Ashes with viewers able to watch every ball live on the BT Sport app with Timeline functionality, as well as online and on TV. Previously only seen on mobiles and tablets, the Timeline is now available on large screen devices for the first time, enabling fans to rewatch highlights such as boundaries, wickets, dropped catches and more, and move seamlessly back to the live action.
In terms of the presenting team, Matt Smith will head up proceedings live from the BT Sport Studio in London, alongside former England internationals across the series including Alastair Cook, Moeen Ali, Steve Harmison, Matt Prior and Mark Butcher, as well as England women’s captain Heather Knight. The team will be joined from Australia by special guest Glenn McGrath, with Alison Mitchell and Mel Farrell also reporting live from down under.
The commentary team for the first two tests will include Shane Warne, Adam Gilchrist, Isa Guha, Allan Border and Mark Waugh among others.
Following the close of each day’s play, Ashes Daily, a new daily live breakfast show, will provide fans with all the latest news, highlights and talking points from the action overnight. Presented by Rob Armstrong, and featuring the likes of Steen Raskopoulos, Jason Roy, Adam Collins, Kate Cross, Vithushan Ehantharajah and Lydia Greenway, alongside journalists and celebrities, Ashes Daily will bring viewers right up to date with the latest from Australia and is available to BT Sport customers on TV, online and via the BT Sport app, with the best bits then available to everyone via YouTube (from 14:00). It will also be made available as a podcast.
Coverage of Day One of the first Test begins today (7 December) at 23:00 on BT Sport 1. A full 90 minutes of highlights will be made available every morning for BT Sport customers following the conclusion of Ashes Daily and repeated later in the day.
A shorter highlights package will also be available for BT Sport customers on the app and btsport.com soon after the day’s play finishes. Non-subscribers will be able to watch on the app and website at 16:00 each day.
On the last day of each Test, viewers will also be able to tune into ‘The Cricket’s On’. The show will be hosted by Miles Jupp with a group of cricket-loving comedians giving their take on all five Test matches down under.
Simon Green, head of BT Sport, said: “There is nothing quite like the rivalry of the Ashes. This winter we are looking forward to bringing all the action from Australia to cricket fans in the UK and we hope to bring some escapism to those unlucky England fans who had hoped to be there. Alongside comprehensive live coverage we’ll make sure that everyone can easily get their fix, whether that’s watching on the app using our interactive timeline, our daily live breakfast show, podcast or highlights on TV or the app.”