BSkyB Signs Deal for Cricket World Cup and ICC Champions Trophy

SKY SPORTS has signed two new cricket contracts to bring even more live international cricket this autumn and winter.

Under the two new deals Sky Sports has secured:

The ICC Cricket World Cup

Exclusive live coverage of every match in the 14-team tournament, staged in South Africa from 8th February to 23rd March 2003.

ICC Champions Trophy

Exclusive live coverage of every match in the 12-team One-Day International tournament held in Sri Lanka from 12th to 30th September 2002.

Next year’s ICC Cricket World Cup will be the fourth to be broadcast live by Sky Sports. The tournament features fourteen international teams with every match broadcast live by Sky Sports.

When two matches are played at the same time, Sky digital viewers will be able to choose which to watch by pressing the red button on the Sky remote control and selecting from an interactive menu.

The ICC Champions Trophy also features many of the top international teams including Australia, India, South Africa and England and is important preparation for the World Cup. Matches will be screened exclusively live on Sky Sports Extra, beginning with Sri Lanka vs Pakistan on 12th September.

This winter will be one of Sky’s busiest ever for live cricket with Sky also holding the rights to:

* ICC Champions Trophy: 12th – 30th September
* South Africa vs Bangladesh: 3rd – 29th October
* Australia vs England ‘The Ashes’: 7th Nov – 6th January
* South Africa vs Sri Lanka: 8th Nov 6th December
* South Africa vs Pakistan: 8th Dec – 6th January
* VB Series: 13th – 27th January
* ICC Cricket World Cup: 8th Feb – 23rd March

For further information please contact:

James Motley
Sky Sports Publicity
T: 0207 705 3406
M: 07802 203377