Cricket: NZME secures audio rights for Black Caps' tour of Australia

Black Caps players celebrate. Photo / Photosport

New Zealand Media and Entertainment (NZME) has secured audio rights for coverage of the Black Caps' tour to Australia.

NZME's Gold AM network will run live commentary led by New Zealand's voice of cricket Bryan Waddle and his co-commentator Jeremy Coney. The commentary team will also include familiar voices Andrew Alderson and Malcolm Jordan as well as former international cricketers Maia Lewis and Craig Cumming.

"To be able to bring the biggest series of the summer to New Zealand cricket fans is exciting and being part of such a great team calling the game will add to what will be a cracking contest," said Waddle.

With three One Day Internationals and a massive smash and bash Twenty20 to round out the tour, this will be one of the highlights on the summer sporting calendar.

"NZME's Gold AM network will be front and centre for Kiwi cricket fans looking for a more traditional commentary with The Alternative Commentary Collective (The ACC) delivering their alternative approach to calling live sport," said NZME's chief radio officer Jason Winstanley.

The ACC will be fronting up with some of New Zealand's leading sports entertainers and comedians to call the Australian series with ACC regulars Jeremy Wells, Jason Hoyte, Mike Minogue, Matt Heath, James McOnie and G. Lane joined by Dai Henwood, Ben Hurley and Bec Sandys.

"It's potentially the world's largest commentary team both in terms of sheer numbers and indeed egos," said ACC General Manager Mike Lane.

"But the team will come together like true professionals for such an important series such as this and we also need to dry clean all the champagne out of our suits after the scenes from The ACC's coverage of World Test Championship in June," said Lane.

Over 196,000 Kiwis engaged with The ACC's coverage of the World Test Championships with even bigger numbers expected given the friendlier time zone and arguably tougher opposition.

The Black Caps' Australian tour is another major commentating coup for the Gold AM trophy cabinet following on from the ICC World Test Championship Final, every Super Rugby Transtasman game this year, the All Blacks tests, as well as NPC, the ANZ Premiership and Silver Ferns matches this season too.

Gold AM frequencies can be found here. The ACC can be found on iHeartRadio.

Black Caps v Australia schedule

Sunday January 30 - ODI Perth Stadium, Perth
Wednesday February 2 - ODI Blundstone Arena, Hobart
Saturday February 5 - ODI Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney
Tuesday February 8 - Twenty20 Manuka Oval, Canberra