ECB launch 'Friday Night Blast' live YouTube programme

The ECB will this week launch a new YouTube programme ‘Friday Night Blast’ to give fans even more opportunity to watch and follow all of the Vitality Blast action as the 18 counties begin the race to Finals Day.

The competition got off to a blistering start with more than 14,000 fans enjoying the first-ever Vitality Blast Off! in warm sunshine at Edgbaston on Saturday and tickets are selling fast across all venues.

Fans will get a first opportunity to see England Men's ICC T20 World Cup winners such as Jos Buttler, Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone, Tymal Mills, Chris Jordan, David Willey, Phil Salt and Alex Hales in action on home soil for the first time since they lifted the trophy in Melbourne during the winter.

And with high-profile international stars such as Shaheen Afridi (Notts Outlaws), Glenn Maxwell (Birmingham Bears), Shadab Khan (Sussex Sharks), Sunil Narine (Surrey), Naveen-ul-Haq (Leicestershire Foxes) and Chris Lynn (Northamptonshire Steelbacks) set to be available through to the end of the competition, this summer’s Vitality Blast promises to be the best yet.

To add to the fan experience ‘Friday Night Blast’ will launch from this Friday on the ECB’s YouTube channel and will follow all of the key moments across the live games that day, while providing insight and analysis from current and former England internationals.

The inaugural edition of the free-to-view programme will broadcast out of Sixes Social Cricket in Fitzrovia on Friday 26 May, continuing for the further five Friday nights of the competition, in addition to the final Sunday of the group stage.

Experienced broadcaster Matt Floyd will be the main host, with the likes of England quick Reece Topley, former England Women international Lydia Greenway and former England Men seamer Steven Finn joining Matt as expert analysts.

Many of the shows will also feature Max Whittle, who has become established as the face of the Vitality Blast on social media channels in recent years for his uniquely endearing behind-the-scenes conversations with players and coaches from the matches.

'Friday Night Blast', which will conclude with a wrap-up of the night’s action, is also set to cover the talking points and analysis of the Charlotte Edwards Cup as Southern Vipers look to defend their title and reach Finals Day at New Road on 10 June.

The programme will supplement the wide-ranging access county fans have become used to over recent years with live streams of matches available online on county websites, the ECB website and on your mobile device via the ECB app.

Sky’s award-winning coverage will feature 20 group-stage matches during the six-week group stage, while every ball of every game will be covered across the BBC radio network.

Sky’s coverage will extend to its YouTube channel while fans will also be able to access highlights of every match the morning after a game on county websites, with extended highlights of Sky matches on the ECB website and app.

For immediate reaction the ECB-funded Reporters Network provides written reports, plus quotes from the players and coaches, which are published across leading cricket websites, local and national newspapers as well as the county websites.

As the best of the summer weather starts there is nothing like being at a Vitality Blast match to enjoy domestic cricket’s fiercest rivalries in the fast-paced atmosphere of the T20 format.

Tickets are selling faster than last year with the Roses derby at Emirates Old Trafford a sell-out, as are all three of Essex’s Friday night home matches, with limited availability across a number of other matches.

To secure your place this summer’s Vitality Blast visit the ECB website, here: https://www.ecb.co.uk/blast-tickets

‘Friday Night Blast’ will be broadcast on the ECB YouTube channel, here: https://www.youtube.com/@officialenglandcricket

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