The MCC Female Young Broadcaster of the Year for 2026, Rosa Simkin, received the ultimate competition prize when joining Sky Sports’ live coverage of The Hundred final at Lord’s on Sunday.

During the innings break of both the women’s and men’s finals, Rosa held flash interviews talking to Georgia Adams from Trent Rockets and Noor Ahmad from Manchester Super Giants as both teams ultimately went on to lift the titles.

The 18-year-old also presented some of the bitesize highlight videos for Sky Sports Cricket’s digital channels and made content for Lord’s Instagram, giving audiences an insight into her day as part of the team.

Prior to The Hundred, Rosa visited Sky’s headquarters in Osterley for a look at broadcast production from behind the camera.

Here, she learned how cricket coverage is directed in studio, experienced various elements of live sport production, got a tour of the Sky Sports News studios and more.

She also met Jo Osborne, head of women’s sport at Sky, for an invaluable chat about navigating the industry, before having a final preparation session with the cricket production team ahead of The Hundred final.

Now in its third year, the MCC Young Female Broadcaster competition, supported by Sky Sports and leading cricket charity Take Her Lead, aims to increase opportunities for young women aspiring to build a career in sports broadcasting, while uncovering and supporting the next generation of female broadcasting talent in cricket.

The competition received 50 entries this year – its highest yet. The judging panel, including Sky Sports’ director of cricket & NFL, Bryan Henderson, MCC chief marketing officer, Katie Maier, Take Her Lead founder and broadcaster, Isa Guha, as well as fellow broadcasters Alison Mitchell and Georgie Heath were hugely impressed by the standard of the showreel submissions and selected Rosa as the winner.

Rosa, a journalism student at Cardiff University, is from Warwickshire. She first fell in love with cricket at nine, when her sister Mae took her to Edgbaston to watch Warwickshire play.

She has held ECB media accreditation since the age of 16, having launched her platform, Rosa Talks Ball, while still at school. Since then, she has gone on to co-host and produce the weekly Two Tiers Deep podcast with Northamptonshire player Chloe Hill, exploring every level of the women’s game, and founded TIERED, the first monthly magazine dedicated to women’s county cricket.

Following her day broadcasting at The Hundred final, Rosa said: “Getting the chance to broadcast live on the field with the Sky Sports team was a truly incredible experience and one I won’t forget.

“This competition with MCC, Sky Sports and Take Her Lead is already opening doors for me, from filming with Take Her Lead behind the scenes at Edgbaston and Trent Bridge and visiting Sky HQ, to media interviews, podcasts, and of course my ultimate prize at Lord’s with the Sky Sports team.

“I can’t wait to see where it takes me next in the broadcasting world!”

Bryan Henderson, director of cricket & NFL at Sky Sports, added: “Sky Sports was once again delighted to be involved in this brilliant initiative, and it was fantastic to see a record 50 entries this year showing just how important this competition is.

“The legacy over the three years has led to some very talented women establishing themselves in the sports broadcasting world.

“Rosa is a real talent, and we were proud to have her as part of our on-screen team for our coverage of The Hundred final.”

Isa Guha, founder of Take Her Lead, said: “Rosa has shown real talent, curiosity and professionalism throughout the programme, and we have no doubt she has an incredibly bright future ahead.

“We look forward to continuing to support her on her broadcasting journey.”

CHICAGO — The Chicago Cubs placed shortstop Dansby Swanson on the injured list before Monday’s game with a strained left oblique. Manager Craig Counsell said that Swanson, who had an MRI Monday morning, would “probably” miss four weeks.

“Dansby’s ready to attack the injury and do whatever he can to make this go as quick as possible,” Counsell said a day after Swanson exited Sunday’s game against the St. Louis Cardinals with the injury.

While this isn’t a worst-case scenario, Counsell wasn’t ready to spin it in too positive a light.

“I don’t know if there’s any silver linings to this,” Counsell said, “but we’ll get Dansby back this year.”

In Swanson’s absence, Gold Glove second baseman Nico Hoerner will shift to shortstop while rookie Pedro Ramírez is expected to get the everyday reps at second.

“You’re going to see that a lot,” Counsell said. “Matt Shaw is nearing rehab. If he has a good day (Monday), he’ll play on Wednesday in Iowa. He’s going to beat Dansby back, assuming everything goes well. So that’s the next thing happening.”

Swanson is the backbone of the Cubs’ elite infield defense. By every advanced metric, the Cubs have lapped the league defensively. Losing him isn’t easy to overcome. But the team’s depth is a strength this year, and it does have the personnel to avoid a major defensive drop-off in Swanson’s absence.

Dansby Swanson, left, and Nico Hoerner have been anchors for the best defense in baseball. (Michael Hirschuber / Getty Images)

Hoerner has two Gold Gloves at second base but has just 203 innings at shortstop over the last three seasons. However, in 2022, the season before Swanson arrived in Chicago, Hoerner manned shortstop on a daily basis. In that season, he showed he was more than capable of handling the position regularly. He finished the year second to Swanson among shortstops in Outs Above Average and fourth in Fielding Run Value.

“Nico’s put up a great shortstop season,” Counsell said. “That’s another thing that makes you feel really good about it. He has not played a lot of games there the last three years. That’s the only thing that’s different about playing shortstop for him.”

Counsell explained that the lack of reps means there are just some things that Hoerner won’t be as used to doing as he is at second.

“Nico can pick up a groundball as good as anybody,” Counsell said. “But there’s still some plays that you get to the edgier range, some tricky hops and balls he has to come into, that he hasn’t made frequently because he hasn’t played there.”

Hoerner will also have to develop a rapport with Ramírez as his new double-play partner. The latter has quickly earned playing time in his first year in the big leagues. A minor-league Gold Glove winner at third base last season, Ramírez has ample experience at second as well. He’s shown that the Cubs don’t lose much defensively when he’s on the field and has earned regular at-bats while posting a 119 wRC+ in 140 plate appearances.

“Pedro’s a good player, bottom line,” Counsell said. “I told you out of spring training, if Pedro has to come and play every day in April, I’m good with it. This is after (140) major-league at-bats where he’s really performed. He’s more than ready for this.”

Shaw has been on the IL since late June with a nagging wrist issue. His time on the shelf has lasted much longer than originally expected, but Shaw recently crossed some major hurdles and is close to a rehab assignment. He’s also a plus defender at multiple positions and was a Gold Glove finalist last season after playing third base regularly for the first time in his career. Shaw was drafted as a shortstop out of Maryland in 2023, has played all over the infield in the minors and quickly took to right field this season after Alex Bregman was signed in the winter, taking Shaw’s spot at third.

Still, Swanson’s absence can’t be ignored. He’s as consistent as they come at shortstop. By OAA, he entered play Monday as the second-best defender at the position behind Bobby Witt Jr. His brilliant defense was key for the Cubs last fall during their series win over the San Diego Padres in the wild-card round.

The Cubs are likely deep enough to weather this storm in the short term. But they have to cross their fingers and hope Swanson’s rehab goes smoothly. Oblique injuries are notoriously fickle, and Counsell was clear that four weeks was their best guess for now. The Cubs are lucky to have depth, but they certainly want to be at full strength come October. Getting Swanson back before the end of the season and prepared for the playoffs will be essential for a team so reliant on its defense.

Liverpool’s home matches against Manchester City and Arsenal, plus Manchester United’s trip to rivals Leeds, are among the 21 Premier League games being shown live on Sky Sports in October and November.

Liverpool welcome Manchester City on Sunday October 11, with kick-off at 4.30pm, and then host another blockbuster Super Sunday on November 1 against champions Arsenal. Mikel Arteta’s side will also be under the spotlight when they head to Nottingham Forest on Sunday October 18.

Manchester United host Roberto De Zerbi’s Tottenham on Saturday October 10 before their televised trip to Leeds on Sunday October 18 and the visit of Bournemouth on Sunday October 25.

Elsewhere, Tottenham visit Chelsea in a Saturday Night Football London derby on October 24, after hosting newly promoted Coventry six days earlier on Monday Night Football on October 19. Tottenham also face Crystal Palace at home on October 31, while Palace will resume their rivalry with Brighton on October 18.

Premier League fixtures live on Sky Sports

Saturday October 10

Man Utd vs Tottenham – kick-off 5.30pm, live on Sky Sports

Sunday October 11

Crystal Palace vs Nottingham Forest – kick-off 2pm, live on Sky Sports

Hull vs Everton – kick-off 2pm, live on Sky Sports

Liverpool vs Manchester City – kick-off 4.30pm, live on Sky Sports

Monday October 12

Coventry vs Newcastle – kick-off 8pm, live on Sky Sports

Saturday October 17

Newcastle vs Aston Villa – kick-off 2pm, live on Sky Sports

Sunday October 18

Bournemouth vs Sunderland – kick-off 2pm, live on Sky Sports

Brighton vs Crystal Palace – kick-off 2pm, live on Sky Sports

Leeds vs Man Utd – kick-off 2pm, live on Sky Sports

Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal – kick-off 4.30pm, live on Sky Sports

Monday October 19

Tottenham vs Coventry – kick-off 8pm, live on Sky Sports

Friday October 23

Ipswich vs Nottingham Forest – kick-off 8pm, live on Sky Sports

Saturday October 24

Chelsea vs Tottenham – kick-off 5.30pm, live on Sky Sports

Sunday October 25

Crystal Palace vs Newcastle – kick-off 2pm, live on Sky Sports

Hull vs Brentford – kick-off 2pm, live on Sky Sports

Man Utd vs Bournemouth – kick-off 2pm, live on Sky Sports

Sunderland vs Leeds – kick-off 4.30pm, live on Sky Sports

Saturday 31 October

Tottenham vs Crystal Palace – kick-off 5.30pm, live on Sky Sports

Sunday November 1

Aston Villa vs Fulham – kick-off 2pm, live on Sky Sports

Liverpool vs Arsenal – kick-off 4.30pm, live on Sky Sports

Monday November 2

Newcastle vs Everton – kick-off 8pm, live on Sky Sports

Follow the new Premier League season with Sky Sports!

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August 21: Premier League campaign starts

w/c August 24: Carabao Cup second round for non-European teams

August 27: Champions League league-phase draw

w/c September 7 and September 14: Carabao Cup third round as European teams enter

September 8-10: Champions League league phase starts

January 9: FA Cup third round

January 27: Champions League league phase ends

February 16: Champions League knockout phase begins

March 21: Carabao Cup final

May 22: FA Cup final

May 30: Premier League season ends

June 5: Champions League final, Wanda Metropolitano Stadium, Madrid