British sports radio programme, originally, cricket theme cake its name implies, dealing exclusively with Test cricket matches, but currently covering any professional cricket. BBC Radio was the first broadcaster to cover every ball of a Test match.
Live cricket had been broadcast since 1927, but originally it was thought that Test match cricket was too slow for ball-by-ball commentary to work. TMS became a fixture on BBC Radio 3’s medium wave frequencies until Radio 3 lost them in February 1992. The programme moved to Radio 3 FM that summer and the following summer the morning play was on Radio 5, switching to Radio 3 for the afternoon session. Many spectators who are present at Test matches listen to TMS via headphones attached to portable radios. TV commentary are sometimes available for purchase at grounds. From 1973 to 2007, Test Match Special was produced by Peter Baxter.
Halfway through 2007, Baxter retired and was replaced by Adam Mountford, previously the Five Live cricket producer. Mountford was aged just one when Peter Baxter became involved with TMS. Format changes include the addition of daily live weather forecasts and reports on the domestic county championship for home series, plus an end of day summary with Jonathan Agnew and Geoffrey Boycott. After Boycott left Test Match Special in 2020, Agnew now conducts the end of day summary alongside Michael Vaughan.
Calypso-tinged theme music from the track “Soul Limbo” by the American soul band Booker T. In December 2008 the BBC won the UK radio rights up to 2013. In 2001, Agnew was forced to broadcast by mobile phone from Galle Forte, overlooking the Sri Lankan ground, when the BBC were locked out. 20 minutes, and each summariser for 30 minutes, at a time. In recent years, this pattern has changed, with comments being made not just between overs but between balls. In addition, visitors from overseas join the TMS team as commentators or summarisers when their country is touring England or vice versa.