| Cricket AM | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original release | |
| Network | Sky Sports |
Cricket AM is a Saturday-morningcricket-basedtelevision programme that was broadcast in the United Kingdom onSky Sports 1. It began broadcasting in May 2006, and is largely based on its successfulfootball-related counterpartSoccer AM, as a replacement during the football off-season. The show lasts for 90 minutes and is presented by Matt Floyd, who has taken over fromSimon Thomas, andSarah-Jane Mee, the latter taking over fromAnita Rani.[1] During the English Cricket Season either an England test or game or a County Cricket game followed the programme.
The programme was last broadcast in 2013, and Sky confirmed it would not return for the 2014 season.[2]
The show features a range of regular cricket-related programming features. Studio guests include past and present cricketers, and musicians with an interest in cricket. Aside from results, previews and commentary on ongoing cricket, there are a number of regular studio features on the show, includingReady Steady Freddie, a segment featuring prominentEnglandall-rounderAndrew "Freddie" Flintoff competing against professionals in a number of different sports. Freddie has competed againstRicky Hatton at boxing,Joey Barton at football, and has playedtable tennis,tenpin bowling,archery,baseball,basketball anddarts against world championPhil "The Power" Taylor, with mixed success. Another regular feature has two animated characters ("Willow and "Stumpy") explaining unusual rules or jargon. 'Champagne Cork' features Hampshire'sDominic Cork looking back at the best moments of the past seven days, also there is a Stat of the Week, presented by the Sky Sport StatisticianBenedict Bermange, while one of the Sky Sports commentary team is sitting behind him looking distinctly unimpressed.
The show mirrorsSoccer AM very closely in many regards; theLuther Blissett Stand was renamed as theGary Pratt cricketpavilion, (2006). It was subsequently renamed as theDwayne Leverock (2007) and theJesse Ryder Pavilion for the 2008 season. In 2011, it has been renamed theDouglas Jardine Pavilion. The pavilion is filled by the members of a club cricket team, who compete in abowl-out in the outdoor car park at the end of the show.Throw Time, a feature in which county cricket teams were visited and contested to throw a ball at the stumps with their "wrong" hand, closely resembledSoccer AM'sCrossbar Challenge.
In 2009, two weekly features called 'Ultimate Sportsman' and 'Brain + Brawn' were introduced. In 'Ultimate Sportsman', three county professionals all from the same team compete to become the ultimate sportsman. A penalty shootout, a golf pitching challenge and a 3 dart throw are completed, and the player with the most points after this is the winner. In 'Brain + Brawn', two players from the same team attempt to score as many points as possible. One player has to answer quiz questions, while the other must hold a 5 kg dumbbell with their arm straight and horizontal to the body. Time ends when the weight cannot be held for any longer.