Cricket commentator Jonathan Agnew and batsman Geoffrey Boycott are to lead a cricket match in Leeds to mark Test Match Special’s 60th birthday.
Taking place on Thursday 24 August, TMS 60 – Test Match Special anniversary match is open to the public and will feature ex-England players Michael Vaughan and Phil ‘Tuffers’ Tufnell, along with Greg James of Radio 1, BBC Breakfast presenter Naga Munchetty and Harry Judd from McFly.
BBC Radio 5 live Sports Extra’s cricket show TMS is 60 this year, and audiences are invited to enter a ballot to attend the birthday match at Sports Park Weetwood, part of the University of Leeds.
Going head-to-head in a Twenty20 match, two teams will be made up of TMS commentators past and present, former England cricket stars and cricket-loving celebrities.
Jonathan Agnew and Geoffrey Boycott will be coaches alongside captains Phil Tufnell and Michael Vaughan, who have their own show on BBC Radio 5 live – The Tuffers and Vaughan Cricket Show.
Celebrities taking to the crease will include Made in Chelsea’s Jamie Laing, athlete Yohan Blake, actress Nina Wadia, and Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, plus comedians Dom Joly and Andy Parsons.
England cricket stars taking part include Graeme Swann, Simon Hughes, Ebony Rainford Brent, Charlotte Edwards, Lydia Greenway, Ed Smith and Isa Guha, while TMS commentators hoping to hit a six include Simon Mann, Alison Mitchell, Charles Dagnall and Fazeer Mohammed.
Umpires on the day will include Vic Marks and James Taylor, plus Geoff Boycott has promised to don the white jacket in between his coaching duties.
Controller of BBC Radio 5 live & 5 live Sports Extra Jonathan Wall says: “This is cricket’s big party day of the summer. Can the opinionated voices behind the mic handle the pressure at the crease? It promises to be a lot of fun as we say happy birthday to the much loved radio institution that is Test Match Special.”
TMS 60 – Test Match Special anniversary match will be televised on the BBC Red Button as well as BBC iPlayer and BBC Radio 5 live Sports Extra.
