Five unveil Ashes facility

Five are to show on-demand highlights of this summer's npower Ashes series

Broadcaster Five has unveiled a multi-platform strategy for its coverage of the 2009 npower Ashes series.

For the first time, Five will make available its daily television coverage of the Test series to its catch-up TV service, Demand Five.

The broadcaster will also launch a stand-alone Ashes microsite which will feature exclusive short video content in addition to the longer highlights programme.

Each 45-minute programme presented by Mark Nicholas will be available online for seven days from 10pm each evening of play.

Head of Sport at Five, Robert Charles, said: "The Ashes series is a major landmark for Five. Expanding the presence of our exclusive broadcast coverage of cricket to online users brings the flexibility of on-demand viewing to the game and can only help it reach as wide an audience as possible."

ECB Chief Executive, David Collier, said: "We are delighted that Five has further widened the viewing audience by expanding its coverage of the npower Ashes Test Series. The Ashes is the most anticipated sporting event of the year and Five is helping meet what will no doubt be an insatiable public appetite for cricket this summer."