Rosa Simkin, the 2026 recipient of the MCC Female Young Broadcaster of the Year award, earned the ultimate prize of the competition by taking part in Sky Sports' live broadcast of The Hundred final at Lord's on Sunday. During the innings break of both the women's and men's championship matches, the 18‑year‑old conducted rapid‑fire interviews with Trent Rockets captain Georgia Adams and Manchester Super Giants bowler Noor Ahmad, moments that were captured as both sides ultimately lifted their respective titles. In addition to the on‑field interviews, Rosa contributed bite‑size highlight reels for Sky Sports Cricket's digital platforms and produced content for the Lord's Instagram account, offering fans a behind‑the‑scenes glimpse of her day working 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 broadcast production.
There she learned how live cricket is directed from the studio, sampled various facets of live‑sport production, toured the Sky Sports News studios and more. During that visit Rosa also sat down with Jo Osborne, Sky's head of women’s sport, for an insightful conversation about navigating a career in the industry. She then joined a final preparation session with the cricket production team ahead of the Hundred final, ensuring she was ready for the high‑pressure environment of live television. Now in its third edition, the MCC Young Female Broadcaster competition – backed by Sky Sports and the cricket charity Take Her Lead – is designed to broaden opportunities for young women who aspire to a career in sports broadcasting.
The initiative seeks to uncover and nurture the next wave of female talent in cricket media. The competition attracted a record 50 entries this year, the highest number to date.
A judging panel comprising Sky Sports’ director of cricket and NFL, Bryan Henderson; MCC chief marketing officer, Katie Maier; Take Her Lead founder and former England cricketer Isa Guha; and 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.
By 16 she had earned ECB media accreditation and launched her own platform, Rosa Talks Ball, while still in school. She later co‑hosted and produced the weekly Two Tiers Deep podcast with Northamptonshire player Chloe Hill, a series that explores every level 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, "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, 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, commented, "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."