BBC have the edge in race for Web rights

English cricket is expecting a financial windfall from internet broadcasting rights. Five bidders are still in the running and a decision is expected within weeks. It is anybody's guess who might win and how much they may have to pay.

Radio on the Web is still in its infancy but the recent £40m three-year deal for English league football suggests that sport, and Web managers, think the future will be booming. Cricket is unlikely to attract a tenth of that amount but the advent of reasonable picture quality has intensified the auction.

Terry Blake, marketing director of the England and Wales Cricket Board, said: "Money has been discussed and all those we are talking to have retained an interest, but we are looking for a managing partner who will show English cricket in the best light to the widest audience." This probably means that the ECB wants somebody to run the site and the associated broadcasting on its behalf.

The present rights holders are Cricinfo, who sponsor the County Championship, but they are in financial trouble and have made redundancies. Their press officer said: "I know we are bidding again for the rights but more than that I can't say as I have just been laid off."

In such circumstances, it is difficult to see the ECB awarding Cricinfo the contract. Other websites in discussions include Channel 4, the BBC and the recently established Wisden.com. Channel 4 hold the television rights, the BBC the radio rights, and they would seem to be favourites.

The Wisden launch has been fraught and though it has shown itself to be quick with the news it still possesses little or no archival content. The Wisden brand has also developed a marked anti- establishment stance, never missing a trick in questioning the ECB's decisions.

Anthony Bouchier, who is managing their bid, said: "We will always retain our independence and our writers will have the Wisden logo attached to their names. That is of paramount importance. But we are very interested in having the rights because English cricket retains its popularity around the world."

The ECB may not wish to get into bed with quite such a sceptical partner. It is possible that the bid by BBC On-line, a hugely informative site with a vast global reach, will be the most persuasive. The Board is also negotiating rights for the third generation of mobile telephones – 3G – which will carry vast amounts of information, including pictures. "Every mobile phone company is interested," Blake said. "It's very exciting for us."