Sky Sports extends cricket coverage

Sky Sports has extended its rights to screen domestic and international cricket to include the period from 2010 to 2013 in England and Wales.

In addition, Five has agreed a deal for highlights at the family friendly time of 7.15pm to 8pm and Welsh channel S4C will provide Welsh language coverage of five matches involving Glamorgan.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) put 35 packages up for tender including broadcasters being able to bid for individual Test matches, series or competitions.

"It was also made clear to us, at the outset of talks, that the ECB would encourage competition for individual Test series, or one-off Test matches," said Sky Sports managing director Vic Wakeling,

"Sky has ended up with all the Test matches in each year of this new deal and we shall work with the ECB to give Test cricket the support it deserves.

"We shall continue to offer HD coverage of all games, and to invest in new technology as it is developed."

Giles Clarke, ECB chairman, said: "We held extensive talks with all broadcasters and were determined to be as flexible as possible in terms of our packaging and scheduling to allow the maximum number of bids for cricket from all areas of the broadcast industry."

David Collier, ECB chief executive, added: "In this process the ECB took into consideration the Culture, Media and Sport Select committee findings in 2005 and made a concerted and determined effort to ensure that there was an opportunity for all to bid for all or any part of the 35 packages available.

"We had countless meetings with broadcasters and I am convinced that we now have achieved the best deal available to cricket from those companies who expressed an interest in the rights."