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The England and Wales Cricket Board has agreed a new deal with BBC Sport to broadcast ball-by-ball radio commentary on international cricket until 2019.
The agreement, which will encompass two home Ashes series in 2015 and 2019 - and tours by India in 2014 and South Africa in 2017, provides BBC radio with live and exclusive coverage of all England’s home Test, one-day international and Twenty20 series.
The deal covers the Australian tours in 2015 and 2019 and the visits of India in 2014 and South Africa in 2017.
David Collier, ECB chief executive, said: “This is excellent news for all cricket-lovers. Test Match Special brings cricket into millions of homes in this country each summer and is widely recognised for its unique and world-class coverage of cricket.
“The next six years are set to be exciting ones for the sport and Test Match Special’s coverage, together with the regular summaries and updates provided by BBC Radio 5 live, will play a significant role in promoting cricket from the playground to the Test arena.”
Barbara Slater, director BBC Sport, said: “We're delighted to be taking cricket on the radio forward for a further six years. Test Match Special, now in its 55th year, is one of the most treasured programmes on the BBC with its unique mix of expert commentary, insight, humour and entertainment.
"In a new digital era the programme and its accompanying download have never been more popular with its audience.”
Test Match Special was first broadcast in May 1957 on the opening day of the first Test between England and West Indies at Edgbaston, with commentary from Rex Alston, John Arlott, EW Swanton and Ken Ablack
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