TEN confirms Women’s Big Bash League commentary team
Mel Jones, Lisa Sthalekar and Andy Maher to commentate from December.
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TEN has announced Mel Jones and Lisa Sthalekar to join the commentary team for the Women’s Big Bash League this summer.
They will join Andy Maher from Saturday, 19 December when the Brisbane Heat take on the Adelaide Strikers at the GABBA, Live on ONE.
TEN Head of Sport, David Barham, said: “Lisa and Mel are two of the most highly-decorated female cricketers in the country and are a perfect fit for Network Ten. We are thrilled that they are joining us for the broadcast of the inaugural rebel Women’s Big Bash League.
“The WBBL is a great concept that we believe will appeal to our audience. Like the KFC Big Bash League, it will take time to find its feet, but we are committed to helping build a viable and important competition.
“Lisa, Mel and Andy will bring fans all the excitement and action, ensuring first-class commentary in our first season. We are really looking forward to it,” he said.
Lisa Sthalekar is one of the most accomplished female cricketers in the world. She has been part of four World Cup winning teams across 50 over and T20 cricket. She was also part of the Australian teams which won the 2001 and 2011 Ashes series.
Sthalekar, who will also play for the Sydney Sixers this summer, said: “The rebel Women’s Big Bash League is gearing up to be a fantastic competition. It is a significant step forward for women’s cricket in Australia and globally. I can’t wait to get stuck into it, both on and off the field.”
A right-handed batter and occasional medium pace bowler, Mel Jones played five test matches for Australia between 1998 and 2003, highlighted by 131 on debut against England in August 1998. One of Victoria’s most capped players, Jones also played in Tasmania’s inaugural Women’s National Cricket League season as well as 61 ODIs for her country.
Jones, already an established cricket commentator, said: “The fact that the rebel Women’s Big Bash League is now live and on free-to-air television is a real coup for women’s cricket.
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12 Responses
So will we see more of Andy Maher commentating in men’s BBL matches?
How about less of Andy and more of Mel
That’s what I would like to hear from you mattcoil! Hope we have Mel Jones in prime-time BBL commentary!
Great! Looking forward to this, and nice to see they have female commentators (especially former players). Love the men’s Big Bash and seeing the women’s version go mainstream makes me proud.
Actually not true. The womens footy match melbourne and bulldogs outrated the essendon adelaide mens match this season.
referring to me?
I’m a confirmed cricket tragic, and I like women’s cricket in principle, but it’s borderline unwatchable. Short form cricket is all about big bowling and big hitting. It’s hard to take this sort of cricket seriously when “pace” bowling maxes out at a whopping 120 kmh. And when was the last time you saw the ball being hit into the tenth row of the spectators, or even the first row?
I thought Ten’s Head of Sport David Barham wasn’t no longer at Ten. Also both Andy and Lisa will be a part of the BBL commentary team
Womens team sports never rate.
I reckon the slash n bash of BBL will work for Ten. If it was ordinary one dayer then l agree.
oh really? As from what I know the exhibition match of the AFL got like 300k on 7 with something like 500k in total. Netball World Cup did 500k for the grand final across Ten and Fox. ANZ Champs does something like 150k which is something like the men’s would get in the A League and it also beats the NBL on Nine and FOX.
This should be good, can’t wait.