"Good afternoon and welcome to the DW Stadium, where the skies have finally decided to give us a break."
The opening words of the broadcast were accompanied by a wide shot of the stadium, the clouds thinning above Wigan as patches of blue appeared between them.
Through them, sunlight fell across the pitch, catching the last traces of moisture on the grass and making the surface look almost unnaturally bright for an afternoon in England at this point of the season.
"And what a day it is for a game like this," the co-commentator added.
"You don't often get conditions like these around here at this time of year. Clear skies, a full stadium, and two teams who have spent much of this season wanting the ball."
"Two of the most possession-oriented sides in the league, certainly."
"And this was supposed to be an even bigger fixture than it already is, because there are a few names missing.
