No Test Match Special for England's winter tours as Talksport win radio rights

BBC's Test Match Special has lost the audio rights to England's winter tours of Sri Lanka and the West Indies, with commercial broadcasters Talksport the victors. 

The much-loved radio show will not cover an England overseas tour for the first time since 2005, with commentator Jonathan Agnew saying he was 'very sorry' to disappointed listeners. 

The free to air rights cover England's tours of Sri Lanka and the West Indies including all the Test matches, ODIs and Twenty20 internationals from each tour, and will be broadcast across Talksport and Talksport 2. 

Talksport Drive presenter and former England bowler Darren Gough, said: "England’s supporters are the best in the world and loyally follow the team around the cricketing globe. Come day or night and rain or shine, we’ll be there with the fans as all the drama unfolds and with a full analysis of the day’s play.” 

Wireless Group CEO Scott Taunton said: "Winning these prestigious rights is a great victory for Talksport and its first-class coverage.

"England's overseas tours are sure to lure large audiences of fans as we cement Talksport's position as the fans' favourite for sporting news, analysis and live coverage.

"I'm delighted that we will be with England fans for every ball of the day throughout these winter tours, with our own expert line-up of cricketing stars."

TMS will still have ball-by-ball radio coverage of England's Test series against Pakistan and India on home soil this summer. 

England travel to Sri Lanka in October where they will play five ODIs, one Twenty20 international and three Test matches. 

They face exactly the same schedule in the Caribbean in February and March 2019.