Test Match Special is a cricket radio programme that broadcasts in the UK. Originally it was dedicated to test matches, but it now covers all kinds of professional cricket.
Test Match Special broadcasts on Radio 4 long wave, BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra and online.
To listen on Radio 4 long wave, tune into 198 kHz on the AM band of your radio.
In some parts of the country you can listen to Radio 4 on medium wave, which also broadcasts Test Match Special: Aberdeen 1449 kHz, Carlisle 1495 kHz, Derry 720 kHz, Enniskillen 774 kHz, Glasgow 720 kHz, Hayle (Cornwall) 756 kHz.
To listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, scroll through the stations on a DAB radio until you find BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra.
Unfortunately, you can’t listen to Test Match Special on FM radio, so you will need either AM or DAB. Most radios are either AM/FM radios or FM/DAB radios, so you should be able to listen to Test Match Special no matter what kind of radio you have.
During the Cricket World Cup you can listen to Test Match Special via digital TV and see scores and statistics on the screen. To access this, you have to press the red button while watching a BBC channel.
In summary, you can listen to Test Match Special as follows:
- AM radio: BBC Radio 4 long wave (198 kHz). BBC Radio 4 medium wave in some parts of the country: Aberdeen 1449 kHz, Carlisle 1495 kHz, Derry 720 kHz, Enniskillen 774 kHz, Glasgow 720 kHz, Hayle (Cornwall) 756 kHz.
- FM radio: Not available
- DAB radio: BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra (uses the DAB frequency 12B or 225.648 MHz, though you shouldn’t need to enter this manually)
- Sky: Via BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra on channel 0144
- Freeview: Via BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra on channel 706
- Freesat: Via BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra on channel 706
- Virgin Media: Via BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra on channel 908
- Online: Via BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra on an app or the BBC website
History of Test Match Special Broadcasting
Test Match Special, or TMS, was launched in 1957. At first it was broadcast on BBC Radio 3 on AM medium wave until Radio 3 stopped broadcasting on MW in 1992.
For a few years, Test Match Special was broadcast on BBC Radio 3 FM and BBC Radio 5 (the precursor to BBC Radio 5 Live).
When BBC Radio 5 Live launched in 1994 Test Match Special moved to Radio 4 long wave, where it remains.
BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra launched in 2002, and has broadcast Test Match Special on digital radio ever since.