Virat Kohli's absence hurts Channel 7

NEW DELHI: Broadcasters Channel 7 hit out at Cricket Australia (CA) on Thursday after its ongoing dispute took a turn for the worse following India skipper Virat Kohli's decision to withdraw from three of the four Tests. Kohli's absence has left Channel 7 at a major disadvantage but it has given a major boost to its rivals Fox Sports.

Channel 7, a free-to-air, holds the rights for the four-match Test series while Fox Sports, a pay channel, has the rights to broadcast the two white-ball series — three T20Is and as many ODIs. Both channels will, however, be able to broadcast the first Test, a pink-ball affair to be played at the Adelaide Oval, where Kohli will play.

Fox Sports will get to broadcast 14 days of cricket with Kohli — six white-ball series games, a warm-up match, and the day-night Test — Channel 7 will broadcast only the five-day first Test featuring one of the best batsmen in the world.

Kerry Stokes, chairman of Seven West Media, which owns Channel 7 was quoted by The Age as saying in the company annual general meeting, "Our company loves cricket. We couldn't be more excited about cricket, the people who play it and the games and watching Australia represent us at the middle of the oval."

Stokes told investors at Seven's virtual AGM that CA administrators have let them down.

"It is outside the oval and at the administrative offices where we have some issues. The company paid a lot of money — a record amount of money — for a quality product and that hasn't been delivered to us, and nor have they offered us anything in return to make up for what they haven't delivered, and will continue to push your company's rights to achieve a fair outcome," he said. IANS

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