BBC cricket stars Phil Tufnell and Steven Finn face being banned from covering next summer’s Ashes amid a bitter row over a controversial YouTube show.
has threatened to strip several leading Test Match Special commentators of their media accreditation if they take part in an alternative broadcast of upcoming tour of South Africa.
The programme, called The Usual Voices, would see pundits provide live commentary from a London studio while watching on television, rather than attending the games themselves.
A host of have signed up, including Tufnell, Finn, Daniel Norcross, Alex Hartley, Vic Marks, Andy Zaltzman, Ebony Rainford-Brent and Simon Mann.
Former England captain David Gower and fellow broadcaster Simon Hughes are also involved in the proposed venture, which is being organised by Australian company Cricket Entertainment Network.
The firm counts Australia Test captain Pat Cummins among its founders.
But the plans have sparked fury at the ECB because talkSPORT has purchased the official radio rights for England’s three-Test series in South Africa, which begins next month.
The governing body fears the unofficial YouTube commentary could undermine the value of those expensive broadcasting agreements, which provide vital income for cricket boards around the world.
ECB chief executive Richard Gould told The Telegraph that the proposed venture resembled a “rip-off radio station” and warned that commentators could lose access to English grounds next summer if they went ahead with it.
Gould insisted protecting the value of broadcasting rights was essential to the sport’s finances, particularly for Cricket South Africa, which relies on the revenue to pay players and fund its operations.
He also revealed he had discussed the dispute with the BBC, talkSPORT and South African cricket officials.
But Cricket Entertainment Network has hit back, arguing that watchalong broadcasts are a legitimate part of modern sports coverage provided they do not reproduce copyrighted match footage or audio.
The company warned that denying accreditation would prevent commentators from earning a living and insisted it wanted to discuss the matter with the ECB.
The BBC is understood to be relaxed about its presenters taking part because Test Match Special does not hold the rights to England’s South Africa tour.
But the commentators now face a difficult decision, with the prospect of missing out on covering next summer’s home Ashes against Australia if the ECB follows through on its threat.
