The legendary umpire, who officiated at three World Cup finals, says the “elderly can’t be expected to be use recording devices. It’s too difficult.” Sky Sports, the pay-tv broadcaster, are showing the live coverage, together with their own highlights. The late showing of the terrestrial highlights on Channel 4 compares unfavourably with the prime-time slot given to Test highlights on Channel 5. They normally go out at 7pm, only an hour after stumps.
Channel 4 claim they placed the coverage in the “most convenient slots for cricket” even though only two of next week’s shows are before midnight.
Mr Bird, 86, a most-loved former umpire and famous Yorkshireman, told the Sunday Express exclusively: “I am still stopped in the street by people who saw me umpire the 1975 World cup final. The greatest game I ever umpired. They still remember and they would still want to watch it now.
“It’s very late, and I’m in bed at that time. Channel 4 is a good broadcaster but the shows are especially late for elderly people. And if you’re sick or infirm, you’re in bed too. They are a lot of elderly people now, they’re living longer and they want some sport to watch. If they brought it forward it would be tremendous.”
“I also think it’s difficult to expect older people to record it. They want to see the highlights, but technology can be difficult if you’re that age.”
But Bird, who will be going to both the World Cup, and The Ashes at Headingly, praised the popularity of the modern one-day game.
“It’s brought a new audience to cricket, including 20-20. It puts bums on seat, and you get a result in a day.
“But I do think, one day, the Ashes, will be the only Test cricket series. That will be sad, but you can’t argue with the success of the other formats.”
Fans have taken to Twitter to vent their spleens over the coverage.
Matty Hodges tweeted: “Can’t believe the time the highlights are on Channel 4. No one will know the cricket World Cup is on apart from the privileged few who can afford Sky Sports.”
Owen Shirley asked: “Surely highlights should be on when families, kids can watch them.”
A Channel 4 spokesman said: “Various factors are taken into account when scheduling any programming, such as restrictions on how soon highlights can air after live coverage, but we try to place our coverage in the most convenient slot for cricket fans, while most crucially ensuring that Cricket World Cup highlights are available for free on terrestrial television and also via All4.”
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