ICC Cricket World Cup: BBC secures commentary rights

The BBC has won radio commentary rights to next year's ICC Cricket World Cup.

Test Match Special will broadcast live ball-by-ball commentary of the 2019 tournament, which is being played in England and Wales.

It is part of a long-term deal that ensures TMS will cover all the ICC's major events through to the 2023 Cricket World Cup in India.

The commentary will feature on BBC Radio 5 live Sports Extra, Radio 4 Long Wave and the BBC Sport website.

The website will also have video clips of all the big moments as they happen.

"It's fantastic news for our loyal army of fans," said TMS commentator Jonathan Agnew.

Test Match Special celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2017 and Ben Gallop, head of BBC Radio and Digital Sport, said: "The iconic Test Match Special is, undoubtedly, the home of cricket on the radio."

Australia won the last ICC Cricket World Cup in 2015, which they co-hosted with New Zealand

ICC chief executive David Richardson said: "That the ball-by-ball coverage of the tournament will be broadcast on BBC Test Match Special is great news, it is part of the fabric of our game and has tremendous reach on multiple platforms across the United Kingdom."

Ajay Sethi, chairman of Channel 2 Group Corporation, added: "BBC Test Match Special has an incredible fan base that has been enjoying cricket coverage for over 60 years. We are thrilled to have partnered with TMS until 2023."

This summer, all of England's matches will be live on TMS, beginning with the first Test against Pakistan, starting on Thursday.

BBC Radio will broadcast all of England's home internationals through to 2024.

The BBC also has radio commentary rights for the next three Ashes series, both home and away, plus all of England women's home matches, including ODIs against South Africa and New Zealand and the T20 Tri-series.

Coverage of all the county fixtures and Women's KSL is continuing on BBC Radio, and live cricket will also return to BBC TV for the first time in 21 years from 2020.

• Tailenders podcast: Don't mention Buddy Holly, plus toilets, Soft Cell and Mario Kart