MCC broadcaster prize winner secures live role at The Hundred final
Warwickshire journalism student wins 2026 MCC Female Young Broadcaster of the Year title, earning on-field access at Lord's.
Eighteen-year-old Rosa Simkin has been named the 2026 MCC Female Young Broadcaster of the Year, securing a live broadcasting role at The Hundred final at Lord’s on Sunday. The prize, supported by Sky Sports and the cricket charity Take Her Lead, places Simkin within the production team covering both the women’s and men’s finals.
Simkin, a journalism student from Warwickshire currently studying at Cardiff University, conducted flash interviews with Trent Rockets’ Georgia Adams and Manchester Super Giants’ Noor Ahmad during the innings breaks. She also presented digital highlight videos for Sky Sports Cricket’s digital channels and produced content for Lord’s Instagram, providing behind-the-scenes access to the event.
The competition, now in its third year, attracted a record 50 entries. The judging panel, which included Sky Sports director of cricket and NFL Bryan Henderson, MCC chief marketing officer Katie Maier, Take Her Lead founder Isa Guha, and broadcasters Alison Mitchell and Georgie Heath, selected Simkin based on the standard of her showreel submissions.
Prior to the final, Simkin visited Sky’s headquarters in Osterley to observe broadcast production processes. She toured the Sky Sports News studios, learned how cricket coverage is directed from the studio, and met Jo Osborne, head of women’s sport at Sky, to discuss navigating the industry. She concluded her preparation with a session alongside the cricket production team.
Simkin has held ECB media accreditation since the age of 16, having launched her platform Rosa Talks Ball while at school. She co-hosts the Two Tiers Deep podcast with Northamptonshire player Chloe Hill and founded TIERED, a magazine dedicated to women’s county cricket.
Henderson noted that the legacy of the competition has seen previous winners establish themselves in sports broadcasting, describing Simkin as a real talent. Guha added that Simkin had demonstrated professionalism and curiosity throughout the programme, expressing confidence in her future in the field.
Simkin stated that the competition had already opened doors through filming with Take Her Lead at Edgbaston and Trent Bridge, as well as media interviews and podcast work. She described the opportunity to broadcast live on the field with the Sky Sports team as an incredible experience she would not forget.
The initiative aims to increase opportunities for young women aspiring to careers in sports broadcasting and support the next generation of female talent in cricket. Simkin first became interested in the sport at age nine when her sister took her to Edgbaston to watch Warwickshire play.
