England are heading to South Africa this Christmas to take on the world champions over three Test matches in Johannesburg, Centurion and Cape Town, before three one-day internationals – and as it stands, nobody in the UK will be watching. Sky Sports’ contract with Cricket South Africa has expired, and TNT Sports has thus far turned down the opportunity to take over the reins.
There is still plenty of time for something to be agreed. Cricket South Africa will need to drop its reported £8m price but history tells us these series eventually get picked up, even if they require last-minute intervention. England’s white-ball tour of Bangladesh three years ago was bought by Sky Sports only after the ECB made a late financial contribution to smooth negotiations with the Bangladesh Cricket Board.
