Sky offers upside-down remote for Aussies

24 June 2009 9:20 GMT / By Amy-Mae Elliott

In order to gain column inches for its cricket coverage, Sky+HD has produced what it says is "the ultimate gift to make the visiting Aussie Ashes team and their supporters feel at home this summer", an upside down remote control.

Possibly managing to offend a few antipodeans in the process, the stunt sees all the Sky buttons flipped on their head, and is, Sky says "sure to make visitors and residents from Down Under feel at home for the 2009 Ashes series, the first ever to be shown in high definition".

Sky’s industrial design manager, Ed Snodgrass says: “We are looking forward to what is sure to be an exiting Ashes series - not least as it will be the first ever Ashes broadcast in super sharp high definition. We hope our specially commissioned upside down remote will help make the team and their fans feel at home - though we’re not so comfortable if they steal a win from us and take remote control of the urn!”

Coverage of the npower Ashes starts exclusively live on Sky Sports HD from Wednesday 8 July.