New broadcaster promises cricket’s ‘biggest shakeup’ in 42 years

Cricket is poised for one of the “biggest shake-ups” since Kerry Packer’s World Series Cricket 42 years ago.

Adam Gilchrist in the new commercial for Fox Cricket. Fox Cricket will go live on September 18.

Cricket is poised for one of the “biggest shake-ups” since Kerry Packer’s World Series Cricket ­ 41 years ago when the dedicated Fox Cricket channel is launched next Monday.

Foxtel chief executive Patrick Delany said “Australia should be ready for a shift as big as when World Series Cricket launched”.

As cricket looks to put dark days behind it after the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa, Mr Delany promised “revolutionary coverage” of all forms of the game on the Fox Sports channel, paying homage to the sport’s rich history while ­embracing a new future.

Innovations include agenda-setting talk and entertainment-based shows, higher production values, in-depth analysis, cutting-edge TV graphics, new camera angles, ultra-high definition 4K pictures, accompanied by a new summer soundtrack and one of the best commentary teams in the world. “We will shift our tone and voice between Test cricket, honouring the past but owning the ­future, and shorter forms of the game,’’ Mr Delany said. ‘‘At the other end, it really is about the ­future of cricket and youthful exuberance of the Big Bash. In the middle, we think one-dayers have been neglected for a while. They are really exciting formats, and we are going to try to reinvent them with a different attitude. We will never assume people know what’s going on. We will bring viewers in on the inside. Fox Cricket has got its own music that we hope will become the anthem of the Australian summer.”

Commentators include Shane Warne, Adam Gilchrist, Mark Waugh, Allan Border, Michael Hussey, and former women’s star Isa Guha. Warne and Gilchrist have spent time at Fox Sports in recent months working on graphics and new techniques to analyse the game. “Our commentators form a really diverse cast. Australia is going to be really surprised by the way we deal with stats and facts and intertwine them with graphics to give the game a fresh feel. The depth and breadth of our commentators mean we can do these shifts of gears.”

Some domestic forms of cricket will be shown on subscription-TV in Australia for the first time since Foxtel launched on October 23, 1995, as part of a new six-year $1.28 billion media rights deal between Foxtel and Cricket Australia. Seven is the free-to-air broadcaster. Foxtel is 65 per cent owned by News Corp Australia, publisher of The Australian.

Fox Cricket will become the home of cricket with every men’s Test, one-day international, Twenty20 and Big Bash League game available to watch or stream plus women’s international s and 23 Women’s Big Bash matches.

Sports coverage will kick off in 4K when Australia takes on South Africa in an ODI in Perth on ­November 4. Fox Cricket will go live next Tuesday with a JLT One-Day Cup match between Western Australia and NSW.