Cricket: Black Caps tests in England split between Spark Sport and Sky TV

Black Caps captain Kane Williamson. Photo / Photosport

Fans will need a subscription to both Spark Sport and Sky Sport to watch all three Black Caps tests in June.

Sky TV has announced that it will broadcast the World Test Championship between the Black Caps and India, while Spark Sport will broadcast New Zealand's two tests against England on June 2 and 10.

Spark Sport last year won the rights to broadcast New Zealand Cricket for six years.

The deal meant Spark Sport snagged the rights to NZ Cricket games played in New Zealand (including the Black Caps and White Ferns), while Sky still has the rights to Cricket Australia games played in Australia and BCCI (India) games played in India and the IPL, as well as other international and domestic matches.

Spark Sport also has the rights for international and domestic cricket matches played in England, under the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), in a four-year deal announced last year.

However, the telco streaming service won't broadcast the World Test Championship final on June 18, with Sky claiming the rights this year, though it will have daily highlight packages of the test finale.

Sky's coverage will include commentary from long-time cricket broadcaster and former Black Cap Ian Smith, as well as former Black Caps coach Mike Hesson and broadcaster Laura McGoldrick.

A subscription to Spark Sport costs $24.99 per month while Sky Sport Now (Sky TV's sports streaming service) costs $19.99 per week, $39.99 per month or $399.99 per year.

The World Test Championship final is also available on Sky's traditional pay TV subscription offering and on Sky Go.

The split of cricket rights is a sign of things to come for New Zealand cricket fans.

Here's how the cricket broadcasting rights look:

Spark Sport: Black Caps and White Ferns home games, ECB international and domestic cricket matches, Men's and Women's Super Smash games, Ford Trophy final.

Sky Sport: Every ICC fixture, the Big Bash League, Cricket Australia internationals at home, BCCI internationals at home, the IPL, South Africa cricket internationals at home, West Indies internationals at home and domestic and international competitions in Pakistan.