My impression was cost saving. No need to set up commentary position and re-configure for each T20 fixture. Just plug in power and link to Scanner and you're good to go. Could be used for other sports elsewhere too. Minor add being the player interviews mid match being available.
It's a copy of how the Big Bash has been doing things in Australia, I understand. (Although I haven't seen any of their coverage myself, I gather that this is what Sky is 'aping' with the new set-up) The idea is to get close to the crowds and to the players and make the coverage a bit more 'personality driven' to appeal to new audiences.
Apparently a number of the counties are less than impressed by this development, having just been required by the ECB to spend considerable amounts of money updating their commentary facilities which will now not be used...!
The Big Bash also realise the importance of free to air coverage. They can mess with the format and presentation of the Twenty20 tournaments as much as they like but they're never going to take off properly as long as they're tucked away exclusively on pay-TV.
A pitch invasion by Hibs fans at Hampden has delayed the trophy presentation at the end of the Scottish Cup Final - which means BBC One Scotland are going to be a bit tight to get a brief Reporting Scotland bulletin out the way before the kick-off of the FA Cup Final from Wembley.
Reporting scotland going to have to go ahead either way now, Its still another 5-10mins off before the programme end in Scotland.
What does it matter? the amount of times Glasgow crashes into live sport is nothing new, just this afternoon on BBC2, Scotland joined up to the swimming which was already in progress.
Guest performer Tinie Tempah was late coming out, and came out to the pitch still faffing around on his phone. Thought I heard a commentator suggest they'd lost him...