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 commentary team for The Hundred final at Lord's on Sunday. During the interval of both the women's and men's championship matches, Rosa conducted rapid-fire interviews with key players: she spoke to Georgia Adams of the Trent Rockets and to Noor Ahmad of the Manchester Super Giants, both of whom later lifted their respective trophies. At just 18 years old, Rosa also contributed bite‑size highlight reels for Sky Sports Cricket's digital platforms and produced behind‑the‑scenes content for Lord's official Instagram account, offering fans a glimpse into a typical day for a young broadcaster working on a major cricket event. Before the final, Rosa visited Sky's headquarters in Osterley, where she observed the inner workings of a live sports broadcast from the production side.
She learned how a cricket match is directed from the studio, interacted with the various technical elements that keep a live feed running smoothly, toured the Sky Sports News studios and received a comprehensive overview of the workflow that turns a live sporting event into a polished television product. During the visit she sat down with Jo Osborne, Sky's head of women's sport, for an insightful conversation about navigating a career in the industry, building a professional network and overcoming the challenges that women often face in sports media. The meeting was followed by a final preparation session with Sky's cricket production crew, where Rosa reviewed run‑of‑show scripts, practiced on‑camera delivery and familiarised herself with the equipment she would use on the day of the final. The MCC Young Female Broadcaster competition, now in its third edition and backed by Sky Sports and the cricket charity Take Her Lead, aims to broaden opportunities for young women who aspire to a career in sports broadcasting.
By identifying and nurturing emerging talent, the programme hopes to increase female representation on‑screen and behind the scenes in cricket coverage. The Hundred final itself was a showcase of Rosa's growing skill set. She appeared on‑screen alongside the Sky Sports commentary team, delivering live reports from the boundary, providing quick player reactions and guiding viewers through the key moments of the match.
Her contributions were praised by senior Sky executives for their professionalism and poise under pressure. The competition attracted a record 50 entries this year, the highest number since its inception. The judging panel—comprising Sky Sports' director of cricket and NFL coverage Bryan Henderson, MCC 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—were impressed by the quality of the showreels and unanimously 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 an Edgbaston match featuring Warwickshire. By sixteen, she had earned ECB media accreditation and launched her own platform, Rosa Talks Ball, while still in secondary school.
She later co‑hosted and produced the weekly podcast Two Tiers Deep with Northamptonshire all‑rounder Chloe Hill, a series that delves into every tier of the women's game. In addition, Rosa founded TIERED, the first monthly magazine dedicated exclusively to women's county cricket, further demonstrating her commitment to amplifying women's voices in the sport. Reflecting on her experience at Lord's, 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 behind the scenes at Edgbaston and Trent Bridge with Take Her Lead, 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, Sky Sports' director of cricket and NFL, 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, praised Rosa's dedication: "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."