More than 60 live county cricket matches will be shown on Sky Sports in 2012 as the broadcaster confirms its live fixtures for the new season.
English domestic cricket’s three premier competitions – the Clydesdale Bank 40, Friends Life t20 and LV= County Championship – will once again receive comprehensive coverage, with Sky Sports cameras travelling to each of the 18 first-class counties at least three times during the summer.
Sky Sports’ live coverage of the 2012 season begins in early May with the CB40, and the first live match is a repeat of last year’s final between champions Surrey Lions and Somerset.
There will be 35 live matches from the group stages, including 21 day-night games, with both semi-finals and the final live from Lord’s in September.
Sky will also show their first ever Netherlands home match in the competition’s history when they host Gloucestershire in Amstelveen on July 27, and the recently rebranded Welsh Dragons, formerly Glamorgan Dragons, will also feature.
Now in its tenth year, the ever-popular Friends Life t20 competition returns to Sky Sports on June 12, when three-time champions Leicestershire Foxes play against local rivals Nottinghamshire Outlaws.
The tournament returns to its more traditional format for 2012, with 18 counties split into three regional groups and each will play 10 group fixtures.
Sky Sports will show 25 live games live, including seven day-nighters, all four quarter-finals and Finals Day exclusively live from Cardiff’s SWALEC Stadium, which is hosting the competition’s finale for the first time, on August 25.
Finally from the county scene, there will be two live LV= County Championship four-day games, starting with the Division 1 clash between Sussex and 2011 champions Lancashire on May 9-12. Sky Sports will also screen a match from the final round of fixtures in mid-September.
In addition to Sky’s two live games, there will regular score updates and highlights from both divisions of the County Championship on Sky Sports News throughout the season, with reporters on-location at various grounds during the summer.
County cricket has been part a pivotal part of Sky Sports’ live cricket coverage for the last 20 years, and this summer’s live matches compliment the broadcaster’s extensive coverage of all of England’s home Investec Test Series, NatWest Series One-Day Internationals and NatWest International T20 matches against the West Indies
In addition Sky Sports will also show England’s five-match ODI series against Australia and an ODI against Scotland in August.
England Women’s team, current holders of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup, will feature in four NatWest Women’s International t20 matches live on Sky Sports over the summer.
They will play two matches in front of Sky cameras against India at Canterbury and then Chelmsford, while September sees the home side face the West Indies in two t20 matches at Emirates Durham ICG and Old Trafford.
All of Sky Sports live county cricket coverage will once again be fronted by the regular presenting team of Ian Ward, Charles Colvile and Matt Floyd.
Michael Atherton, Nasser Hussain, Bob Willis, David Lloyd, Michael Holding, Nick Knight, Paul Allott, Jeremy Coney and Dominic Cork will all be part of the commentary team, along various guest contributors throughout the season.
“Summer 2012 looks set to be one of our best ever and there are so many stories in the county game,” said Paul King, Sky Sports Cricket Executive Producer.
“Can Somerset finally win a trophy? Are the glory days back at Old Trafford after Lancashire’s County Championship win? Will there be another surprise winner of the t20?
“Our commitment to cricket continues with England looking to retain that number one spot in Test cricket and there’s the challenge of the Aussies in the one-day game.
“There are internationals in Edinburgh and Belfast, four live women’s games and the best of the amateur teams in the Cockspur Cup finals day. I can’t wait.”
County Cricket on Sky Sports in 2012 Live FixturesClydesdale Bank 40
Friday, May 4 – Surrey v Somerset
Sunday, May 6 – Yorkshire v Kent
Monday, May 7 – Middlesex v Gloucestershire
Thursday, May 24 – Sussex v Yorkshire
Thursday, May 31 – Hampshire v Nottinghamshire
Friday, June 1 – Kent v Warwickshire
Sunday, June 3 – Durham v Nottinghamshire
Monday, June 4 – Essex v Gloucestershire
Tuesday, June 5 – Lancashire v Worcestershire
Wednesday, July 11 – Warwickshire v Sussex
Thursday, July 12 – Welsh Dragons v Somerset
Friday, July 13 – Northamptonshire v Derbyshire
Saturday, July 14 – Leicestershire v Worcestershire
Sunday, July 15 – Hampshire v Durham
Monday, July 16 – Lancashire v Middlesex
Tuesday, July 17 –Nottinghamshire v Hampshire
Wednesday, July 18 – Essex v Middlesex
Friday, July 27 – Netherlands v Gloucestershire
Saturday, July 28 – Somerset v Welsh Dragons
Sunday, July 29 – Worcestershire v Essex
Monday, July 30 – Lancashire v Gloucestershire
Tuesday, July 31 – Derbyshire v Kent
Wednesday, August 1 – Nottinghamshire v Surrey
Tuesday, August 7 – Warwickshire v Yorkshire
Wednesday, August 8 – Derbyshire v Sussex
Thursday, August 9 – Northamptonshire v Yorkshire
Friday, August 10 – Welsh Dragons v Hampshire
Saturday, August 11 – Durham v Surrey
Monday, August 13 – Warwickshire v Kent
Tuesday, August 14 – Hampshire v Somerset
Wednesday, August 15 – Sussex v Warwickshire
Tuesday, August 21 – Surrey v Welsh Dragons
Wednesday, August 22 – Kent v Yorkshire
Thursday, August 23 – Essex v Lancashire
Monday, August 27 – CB40 TBC
Saturday, September 1 – CB40 Semi Finals (Both games)
Saturday, September 15 – CB40 Final
Friends Life t20
Tuesday, June 12 – Leicestershire v Nottinghamshire
Wednesday, June 13 – Somerset v Warwickshire
Thursday, June 14 – Sussex v Hampshire
Friday, June 15 – Warwickshire v Worcestershire
Sunday, June 17 – Somerset v Northamptonshire
Monday, June 18 – Derbyshire v Yorkshire
Wednesday, June 20 – Surrey v Hampshire
Thursday, June 21 – Middlesex v Essex
Monday, June 25 – Lancashire v Durham
Tuesday, June 26 – Kent v Middlesex
Wednesday, June 27 – Leicestershire v Yorkshire
Thursday, June 28 – Essex v Sussex
Saturday, June 30 – Hampshire v Surrey
Monday, July 2 – Gloucestershire v Welsh Dragons
Tuesday, July 3 – Nottinghamshire v Lancashire
Thursday, July 5 – FL t20 TBC
Friday, July 6 – FL t20 TBC
Sunday, July 8 – FL t20 TBC
Tuesday, July 24 – FL t20 Quarter Final (two games)
Wednesday, July 25 – FL t20 Quarter Final (two games)
Saturday, August 25 – FL t20 Finals Day
LV= County Championship
May 9-12 – Sussex v Lancashire
September 11-14 – TBC
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