Sky Coverage Nominated

SKY SPORTS' coverage of darts has been nominated for two awards in the SJA British Sports Journalism Awards.

The shortlists for this year's sports broadcasting awards, presented by the Sports Journalists' Association and voted for by its members, have been announced and include two nominations for darts coverage.

Sky Sports' darts coverage has been nominated alongside Test Cricket, Open Golf, Match of the Day 2, Formula One Grand Prix and Soccer Saturday in the Best Television Programme category.

The nominations described Sky Sports' darts broadcasting as having "superb coverage, unusual angles".

Meanwhile, commentator Sid Waddell has been nominated for Best TV Broadcaster, being described as the "Geordie master of 'the arrows'".

Waddell's rivals for the award are BBC duo Clare Balding, Jake Humphrey, ITV's Steve Rider and Sky Sports' Jeff Stelling.

"I'm very chuffed to be nominated and it's a fantastic recognition of the job Sky Sports are doing with darts," said Waddell.

"I think that the rock 'n' roll Sky treatment of darts goes from strength to strength and we're fortunate to have the standard of players, and characters, we have now."

The awards, sponsored by UK Sport and Sky Bet, will be presented on Monday March 8 in London.

Official PDC photographer Lawrence Lustig was amongst the 2009 nominations for Sports Photographer of the Year for his darts portfolio.