Rosa Simkin, the 2026 recipient of the MCC Female Young Broadcaster of the Year award, earned the competition’s top prize by joining Sky Sports’ live broadcast team for the final of The Hundred at Lord’s on Sunday. During the interval of both the women’s and men’s championship matches, Rosa conducted rapid‑fire interviews with Trent Rockets captain Georgia Adams and Manchester Super Giants star Noor Ahmad, moments that were captured as each side ultimately lifted its respective title.
At just 18 years old, Rosa also contributed bite‑size highlight reels for Sky Sports Cricket’s digital platforms and produced content for the official Lord’s Instagram account, offering viewers a behind‑the‑scenes glimpse of her day with the production crew. The experience was complemented by a prior visit to Sky’s Osterley headquarters, where she observed the inner workings of cricket broadcasting from the studio floor. There she learned how live cricket feeds are directed, sampled various aspects of live‑sport production, toured the Sky Sports News studios, and absorbed a wealth of technical knowledge.
During that visit Rosa sat down with Jo Osborne, Sky’s head of women’s sport, for an insightful conversation about navigating a career in sports media. The meeting was followed by a final prep session with the cricket production team, ensuring she was ready for the high‑pressure environment of a live final. Now in its third edition, the MCC Young Female Broadcaster competition—backed by Sky Sports and the women‑focused cricket charity Take Her Lead—aims to broaden pathways for young women who aspire to careers in sports broadcasting.
The initiative seeks to discover and nurture the next generation of female cricket presenters, commentators and producers. The competition attracted a record 50 entries this year, the highest number to date. A judging panel that included Sky Sports’ director of cricket and NFL, Bryan Henderson, MCC’s chief marketing officer Katie Maier, Take Her Lead founder and former England cricketer Isa Guha, as well as veteran broadcasters Alison Mitchell and Georgie Heath, praised the overall quality of the show‑reel submissions and selected Rosa as the winner. Rosa is a journalism student at Cardiff University and hails from Warwickshire.
Her passion for cricket began at age nine when her sister Mae took her to Edgbaston to watch Warwickshire play. She earned ECB media accreditation at 16 and launched her own platform, Rosa Talks Ball, while still in school.
Since then she has co‑hosted and produced the weekly Two Tiers Deep podcast with Northamptonshire all‑rounder Chloe Hill, a show that delves into every tier of the women’s game. She also founded TIERED, the first monthly magazine dedicated exclusively to women’s county cricket. Reflecting on her day at The Hundred final, Rosa said, “Broadcasting live from the field with the Sky Sports team was an unforgettable experience. This competition, supported by the MCC, Sky Sports and Take Her Lead, has already opened doors for me—from filming behind the scenes at Edgbaston and Trent Bridge with Take Her Lead, to visiting Sky’s headquarters, to conducting media interviews and podcasts, and finally to my ultimate prize at Lord’s with the Sky Sports crew.
I can’t wait to see where this journey takes me next in the world of broadcasting.” Bryan Henderson, Sky Sports’ director of cricket and NFL, added, “Sky Sports was delighted to be part of this brilliant initiative again, and the record 50 entries this year underscore how vital the competition has become. Over the past three years the programme has helped launch the careers of several talented women in sports broadcasting.
Rosa is a genuine talent, and we were proud to have her on‑screen for our coverage of The Hundred final.” Isa Guha, founder of Take Her Lead, commented, “Rosa has demonstrated real talent, curiosity and professionalism throughout the programme. We have no doubt she has an incredibly bright future ahead, and we look forward to continuing to support her on her broadcasting journey.” The MCC Young Female Broadcaster competition continues to grow, offering mentorship, hands‑on experience and exposure to the fast‑paced world of live sports media. By partnering with industry leaders like Sky Sports and Take Her Lead, the programme not only showcases emerging talent but also works to close the gender gap in cricket broadcasting, ensuring that more women have the opportunity to become the voices that bring the game to fans worldwide.