Even as satellite channel MAX displayed a strong performance in the latest list of C&S Top 100 programmes released by TAM, Nimbus, the marketing partner for Doordarshan has hit back claiming that the terrestrial player has a 32 per cent higher viewership across India for the first three matches simulcast on both channels. According to an official statement from the company, the South Africa-West Indies opening match on February 9 garnered a TVR of 4.6 to MAX's 3.4, assuring a 33 per cent increase in reach for the terrestrial player. The India-Holland one dayer on February 12 garnered a TVR of 7.2 to MAX's 5.4, once again assuring an increase in reach proportionate to the former. The India-Australia one-day international on DD1 achieved a TVR of 6.1 to Max's 4.6, guaranteeing an increase in reach of 31 per cent.

The DD reach advantage was higher in the case of rest of India excluding the four metros of Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai. The opening match garnered a TVR of 4.9 to MAX's 2.7, assuring an 83 per cent increase in reach for the terrestrial channel while the India-Holland and India-Australia matches guaranteed a 77 and 71 per cent reach for Doordarshan with corresponding TVR figures going as follows: 7.9 (DD1) and 4.5 (MAX) for the India-Holland match and 6.5 (DD1) and 3.8 (MAX) for the India-Australia one day international.

When the key C&S markets of Delhi and Mumbai were excluded from the rest of India reach figures were 66 per cent (opening match), 56 per cent (India-Holland) and 55 per cent (India-Australia), while the TVR figures were as follows: 5.0 (DD1) and 3.0 (MAX) for the opening match, 7.8 (DD1) and 5.0 (MAX) for the India-Holland cricket match and 6.7 (DD1) and 4.3 (MAX) for the India-Australia one day international.