A separate picture also included the screen and mic.

Would seem harsh to call them in at 5am just to watch it in a greenroom. I doubt Willis and Co are doing the same at Sky.

Surely they could do that at home, though? Simon Hughes describes the Channel 4 off-tube commentary from the Pakistan, Sri Lanka and India tours in 2000 and 2001 in his book - he and Dermot Reeve would watch the live coverage at home on Sky, head into the studio mid-afternoon to sit in a booth and be told what was coming up in the pictures, 'three balls: two plays-and-misses then a Thorpe boundary', and commentate over it.

I haven't seen the ITV show yet, but it strikes me as odd that they are doing off-tube comms. Presumably, it was less expensive to hire Smith, Vaughan and Trott to do off-tube comms than pay extra for the commentary feed - that can be the only explanation.

Can you watch the ITV highlights on their "hub"

I didn't see any studio stuff yesterday. Trott is on the verdict today so I guess that's where he was. Doing a double shift

Funnily enough, those matches against Pakistan and Sri Lanka were the last overseas non-Ashes series to have FTA highlights I think.

I only flicked over for a few minutes last night, but was it Smith and Trott doing the whole day, or just the last bit? I presumed it would've been dubbed on, but when play finishes at 12-ish, it'd be a bit too much of a rush to get the highlights edited and then dub on commentary, in time for Trott to get to Sky, do make up, rehearsals etc. before 4pm.

I'd be surprised if host broadcaster commentary wasn't included in the highlights rights, but you never know with these last minute deals. Less likely reason could be that they didn't want to use the Sky-heavy commentary.

They may well commentate live on it but they could just as well be watching it ready to record. If Trott watched at home, how is he going to get to ITV ( after play at 12.30 ) to record his bits then travel to Sky to record The Verdict ? Plus Willis etc don't provide commentary, they provide opinion after the game so they can watch at home.

Seems a long shift for just 3 people to commentate on a whole 90 overs as live when only a tenth of it will be used.

If Michael Vaughan wasn't commentating live, then he did a great job of sounding his normal TMS conversational self in describing the action!

Either way, it's interesting that it's ITV Sport that seems to be producing the highlights rather than Sunset & Vine who do the C5 packages

S&V have their own production team at the ground don't they? Whereas I'm assuming this is using the host broadcast feed, edited down by ITV Sport?

Really enjoyed Rob Key so far hope he plays a role in the English summer with the tests etc

No different to Channel 5 during the summer.

It is because those people are also there working for others too. TMS etc

You keep making comparisons which are nothing like the point. Comparing people commentating on a match to watching it for The Verdict. Two different roles. And commentating at the ground against commentating in a booth in London.

Look I said, they may well do it all live. I would be very surprised as it seems a huge waste of time and resources but they may well do that.

Interesting that the ITV format has been Ed Smith and ANO. Trott on day 1, Vaughan on day 2, Hoggard on day 3, rather than sharing commentating duties during the day.

I think Rob Key has come out of this very well indeed. Terrific commentator

He's very good, suspect he's next in line for a vacancy on the first choice lineup.

I tried, seems not. I searched under "sport".

Hope so James. Certainly put down a good audition

Sky started on ss4 for some reason before it came on SS2 aswell. Wonder what time it came onto Sky Sports 2? Could it bugger up anyones recordings?!

Shocking
I had set overnight recording using Series Link
Test in the balance
Less than an hours play
So what do i get
30 mins American football
With a bar saying cricket on SS4
All they showed was 2 balls at 515am
Was it really live ??

The NFL live game went into overtime apparently. Not a great deal they could do. Either move the NFL or the cricket.

Move the NFL

So those watching the 3 hours or so of it, or recording it miss out ?

What a selfish comment?

Not that I am surprised, I remember when the opposite happened years ago and cricket over an into the start of NFL. The NFL fans were spewing.

Get over it. Live sport is unpredictable, it happens.

I had the same problem, I know the NFL was live, But The cricket was England, and it was a crucial part of the test.

If it had been like Day 3, when I wouldn't have worried.

If it was Sky Sports USA, then obviously fair dos, but it is a British Sports Channel./

They would have known many would have recoded the cricket.

All for Overtime, In Mamby Pamby Rugby,

Was there really too much sport on overnight to totally avoid any risk of a clash last night?!

Looking at the schedules for last night the cricket was down on SS4 as well as 2 so they did cover themselves in case of this happening.

I hate American Football with a passion, worst sport in the world but i know many do like it so these things happen. Certainly not going to let it upset me or spoil my day.