Isa Guha to host highlights as Test cricket returns to the BBC

Isa Guha, the former England bowler, will lead the BBC’s highlights show this summer alongside former England captains Sir Alastair Cook and Michael Vaughan.

The BBC confirmed on Thursday that Guha would be the lead presenter as Test cricket returns to the BBC for the first time in 20 years.

The corporation will show highlights from all of England’s matches this summer from 7pm on BBC Two. It was due to show its first live cricket action for two decades with the launch of the Hundred, but the competition has been postponed for 12 months.

Sky and the BBC were awarded the cricket rights in 2017 for a four-year _period between 2020-2023 for £1.1 billion, the highest paid in English cricket.

Part of the deal was the highlights package that had been shown on Channel 5. The England and Wales Cricket Board insisted it had to go out at 7pm.

Guha was in the running to replace David Gower as Sky’s cricket presenter, but joined the BBC last year. She was the first British Asian woman to play for England and won the 2009 World Cup. Since retiring from playing, she has become a respected broadcaster and has commentated for Test Match Special since 2014. She also presents cricket for Fox television in Australia.

Sir Geoffrey Boycott will not be working for Test Match Special as a summariser after a long association with the corporation. The 79-year-old’s contract ended last year and due to the Covid situation he will not be able to leave his home and go to the matches, even though they will be played in bio- secure environments. He also had major heart surgery two years ago, putting him in a higher risk category. The BBC may still use him for occasional analysis pieces with Jonathan Agnew.

The director of sport, Barbara Slater, said: “We are delighted to welcome back Test match cricket highlights to BBC TV. Along with broadcasting some of the best classic matches from over the decades, the coverage will provide the perfect mix for cricket fans this summer.”

Cook and Telegraph columnist Vaughan will provide analysis for the highlights package and on Test Match Special alongside Carlos Brathwaite, who hit four sixes for West Indies to beat England in the 2016 World Twenty20 final. Alison Mitchell and Phil Tufnell complete the highlights team.

On July 12, BBC One will show a documentary on the 2019 World Cup final entitled One Day which will recount July 14 last year, when England beat New Zealand at the same time that Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic played out one of the most extraordinary Wimbledon finals.