The Analyst Inside Cricket

A crazy weekend with one player playing two top class cricket matches on two different continents in the space of 24 hours, while one English club side win a match by 424 runs in half an afternoon. Simon Hughes and Simon Mann report on the madness of cricket and look at a slightly more sane weekend of county cricket action. Our live podcast in aid of Syd Lawrence is in Bristol on June 18. Please join us - tickets here https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-analyst-inside-cricket-podcast-live-tickets-1353264403259 victor now on the post! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

England polish off brave and plucky Zimbabwe by an innings. Shoaib Bashir took six wickets and benefitted from a good workout but the real stars of the show were Ben Stokes potent bowling after a long lay off and Harry Brook's incredible slip catch. Simon Hughes and Simon Mann report and assess the strength of the just-announced India squad for the main fare in a month's time. For the last few tickets for our live podcast show on June 18 visit https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-analyst-inside-cricket-podcast-live-tickets-1353264403259 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon Mann and Simon Hughes report on the first day mismatch between England's eager batters and Zimbabwe's hapless bowlers as England's feast on a liberal diet of 'help-yourself' deliveries. For a match report read Derek Pringle at the Cricverse at https://open.substack.com/pub/cricverse/p/england-batters-fill-their-boots?r=lo2wd&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true For tickets for our live podcast in Bristol on June 18 visit https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-analyst-inside-cricket-podcast-live-tickets-1353264403259 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Following Ben Stokes declaration of an alcohol-free year so far, we discuss what is, and what is not, the best diet for a professional cricketer. Also why do Durham produce so many pace bowlers and other counties do not, which famous commentator prompted the old bouncer war between Middlesex and Leicester and who is the best overall cricketing package - Joe Root or Virat Kohli? To join our live podcast evening in Bristol on June 18 with Vic Marks in aid of the Syd Lawrence MND cause, click on this link - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-analyst-inside-cricket-podcast-live-tickets-1353264403259?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=cp&aff=ebdsshcopyurl Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon Hughes and Simon Mann consider England's newly announced odi and T20 squads, the first under new captain Harry Brook, and assess their chances of rejuvenating an ailing brand. In the second half of the show we hear from Roland Butcher - the first black cricketer to play for England - about his life , richly detailed in his newly published autobiography Breaking Barriers. For tickets for our live podcast show on June 18 in aid of Syd Lawrence, visit https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-analyst-inside-cricket-podcast-live-tickets-1353264403259 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Virat Kohli today announced his immediate retirement from Test cricket. Simon Hughes and Indian commentator Deep Dasgupta discuss the significance of this decision - this is the man who is a global brand with over 300m social media followers - the amazing legacy Kohli has left behind and who will be the next Indian Test captain now that Rohit Sharma has also retired. Be part of our special live podcast show on June 18th in Bristol - details here - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-analyst-inside-cricket-podcast-live-tickets-1353264403259 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Part 2 of our conversation with Jarrod Kimber, author of a new book The Art of Batting, counting down the fifty greatest Test batsmen of all time. Using scrupulous statistical analysis and exhaustive research, Kimber has identified some unexpected high rankers, and while Number 1 is no surprise, he has also eliminated some surprising stars for well explained reasons. Never before has such a meticulous evaluation of the greatest players been conducted and it makes for lots of excellent talking points. For instance, is it fair to rank modern batters higher than those brave souls who played in the pre-helmet era? The Art of Batting is available here - https://amzn.eu/d/7md9ktV CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction to the Greatest Batters 01:02 Criteria for Ranking Batters 03:01 The Case of Graham Gooch 05:53 Comparative Metrics in Batting 09:01 The Unlucky Barry Richards 11:58 The Mental Approach to Batting 18:02 Exploring the Top 50 Batters 22:18 Controversies in Rankings 28:28 The Top 10 Batters Discussion 31:42 The Impact of Helmets on Batting Greats 34:30 Courage and Technique in Fast Bowling 37:36 Top 10 Batters: A Deep Dive 43:41 The Top Five Batters of All Time 52:00 Analyzing Bradman, Tendulkar, and Hobbs 59:46 The Legacy of Don Bradman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon Hughes and Simon Mann review the latest round of county championship matches which resulted in some nerve-tingling run chases. They also discuss England's squad for the Zimbabwe Test and hear from Australia's Jason Gillespie how Australia consistently win more cricket matches than any other country and why the idea of Sheffield Shield final would work for the County Championship. Details of our live podcast in Bristol on June 18th and tickets are here - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-analyst-inside-cricket-podcast-live-tickets-1353264403259 For more cricket features and revelations subscribe to The Cricverse at https://cricverse.substack.com/p/so-who-is-the-greatest?r=lo2wd Visit www.betterhelp.com/INSIDECRICKET  to get 10% off your first month – as heard on the podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Broadcaster, author and stats guru Jarrod Kimber joins the podcast to talk about his new book The Art Of Batting - a deep dive into what makes a great Test match run-maker and using sophisticated metrics to identify the best batters of all time. In this first part, we examine the difference between 'batting' and runmaking, the five phases of batsmanship through the ages, how players - eg Lara, Richards, Bradman - were often shaped by their environment and which outstanding players didn't make the top fifty. Final week of being able to enter the draw for Lord Test match tickets - subscribe to The Cricverse - https://cricverse.substack.com/p/what-the-actual-fk?r=lo2wd #CRICKET #BATTING #GREATEST CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction to the Art of Batting 01:09 Understanding Batting vs. Runmaking 04:48 The Science and Art of Batting 10:15 The Subconscious Nature of Batting 15:32 The Influence of Environment on Batting 19:14 Characteristics of a Successful Batter 21:40 The Evolution of Batting and Bowling Dynamics 25:05 Phases of Batting Through History 30:54 Shot Innovation and the Impact of Equipment 37:23 The Role of Protective Gear in Modern Cricket Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The 14 year old wunderkid Vaibhav Suryavanshi has just assaulted four international bowlers for a 35 ball hundred in the IPL: Its the second fastest IPL hundred of all time after Chris Gayle's 30 ball effort in 2013, and earned him the nickname Boss Baby. After trying to digest this astonishing performance, Simon Hughes and Simon Mann talk to Leicestershire's Ian Holland, the leading wicket-taker in Division 2, about being top of the table, who are the best all-rounders in the county game and who has the silliest nicknames. Final week of entering the free Test match tickets competition by subscribing to The Cricverse at https://cricverse.substack.com/p/test-cricket-the-next-phase?r=lo2wd Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon Hughes and Simon Mann are joined by Daily Telegraph cricket writer and author Tim Wigmore to discuss the backstory, the current state and the future prosperity of the Test format as examined in Tim's new book Test Cricket: A History. The conversation ranges from the origins of the Test match idea, with just three countries involved, how it expanded, chronicling key matches, turning points and characters, how the great 1970s West Indies and 1990s Australia were formed, and why Australia are consistently so much better than everyone else. Finally we consider if India can dominate in the same way and how the Test format can survive and prosper. To buy Tim's book visit https://amzn.eu/d/1Qrtofk To enter our free competition for Lord's Test tickets subscribe to THE CRICVERSE at https://cricverse.substack.com/p/county-crickets-saviour?r=lo2wd CHAPTERS - 00:00 The Brutality of Test Cricket 01:40 Exploring the History of Test Cricket 04:34 The Evolution of Test Match Selection 07:22 The Global Expansion of Test Cricket 10:40 Key Moments and Shifts in Test Cricket 13:18 The Impact of Prejudice in Team Selection 16:17 The Competitive Landscape of Test Cricket 19:11 Looking Ahead: The Future of Test Cricket 21:05 Cricket's Golden Age: A Historical Perspective 23:55 The Evolution of Test Cricket and Key Matches 28:24 The Rise of India in Test Cricket 32:05 Australia's Dominance and Cultural Impact on Cricket 34:47 The Future of Test Cricket: Challenges and Opportunities 41:39 Preserving Test Cricket in a Changing Landscape Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon Hughes and Simon Mann review the action in the weekend's county championship matches, highlighting the disputed catch to give Essex victory over Worcestershire. The discussion focusses on whether DRS should be brought into county cricket, with now every match available on YouTube which celebrates its 20th anniversary this week. Also a debate about the points system in county cricket, Zak Crawley battles to a fifty and how our 10 to follow got on last weekend. For our regular cricket blog subscribe to The Cricverse at https://cricverse.substack.com/p/boots-on-the-ground?r=lo2wd Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Three gnarled veterans of the bowling brotherhood - Simon Hughes, Angus Fraser and Derek Pringle - jovially reflect on the hardship of the fast bowlers' lot, but are thankful for the craftsmanship that went in to their hand-made boots. They sent down more than 170,000 deliveries between them, putting at least six times their bodyweight through their knees and ankles every ball. Read Derek Pringle and Simon Hughes on The Cricverse and enter the competition for free tickets for the Lord's Test at https://cricverse.substack.com/p/these-boots-are-made-for-bowlin?r=lo2wd Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Melissa, Luke and Nikki discuss the immense signing of Ellyse Perry at Hampshire, the appointment of Charlotte Edwards as England Women's Coach and the new ICC dedicated task force to support the Afghanistan Women's Team. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The highlight of the second round of county championship matches was Warwickshire's dramatic one wicket win at Durham. Simon Hughes and Simon Mann focus on that, a brilliant first division win for Sussex, Hampshire's brave fightback against Surrey, Yorkshire's resounding win despite Johnny Bairstow's controversial dismissal and the amazing IPL circus act that is MS Dhoni. To enter our competition for pair sof Lord's Test match tickets subscribe to The Cricverse at https://cricverse.substack.com/p/take-a-deep-breath?r=lo2wd Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A review of the IPL so far, with Simon Hughes and Indian commentator Deep Dasgupta reviewing how a superb KL Rahul innings in Bangalore usurped Virat Kohli's RCB team and took Delhi Capitals to joint top of the table. They pick out other star performers in the tournament so far including Nicholas Pooran and Jofra Archer, and marvel at MS Dhoni's continued brilliance as he takes over the Chennai captaincy (again!) from the injured Ruturaj Gaekwad. To enter the draw for Lord's Test match tickets subscribe (free) to THE CRICVERSE at https://cricverse.substack.com/p/knott-a-bad-cricketer?r=lo2wd Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The first round of County Championship matches were either comprehensive victories or pulsating draws. Somerset were the unluckiest, being kept at bay for 200 overs by a determined Worcestershire in their second innings to hang on nine down for 87 deliveries. Simon Hughes and Simon Mann review four days of action blessed by glorious weather, report on their ten players to follow and react to the confirmation of Harry Brook as England's white ball captain. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Somerset captain LEWIS GREGORY joins the podcast to explain how SOMERSET hope to find a way past Surrey's County Championship dominance, and describes Somerset's unique DNA. Also Simon Hughes and Simon Mann pick their ten county players to follow. To win Lord's Test match tickets subscribe (free) to THE CRICVERSE at https://open.substack.com/pub/cricverse/p/the-year-of-the-cat?r=lo2wd&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tim Bostock, Durham's influential CEO, tells Simon Hughes and Simon Mann of his ambition to boost the County Championship's image by creating more jeopardy, introducing play-offs and making the championship the envy of the cricket world. Also what to do with the Hundred windfall and how Durham cricket can establish a booming sporting ecosystem in partnership with their premier league women's footballers. To win Lord's Test match tickets subscribe free to THE CRICVERSE at https://open.substack.com/pub/cricverse/p/competition-watch-england-v-india?r=lo2wd&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A preview of the richest, craziest, noisiest and longest cricket show on earth - the IPL 2025. Simon Hughes, Simon Mann and Indian commentator Deep Dasgupta discuss the intricacies of the tournament, marvel at MS Dhoni's longevity, ask whether this could finally be RCB/Virat Kohli's year and assess the likely fortunes of the ten English players involved. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There is a 13 year old (possible) debutant in the IPL (Vaibhav Suryavanshi). A 20 year old Ashes debutant, leg spinner Mason Crane, reflects on handling the pressure when young and how powerful Shane Warne's influence on him still is. We reflect on pre-season training in March, mad playing colleagues and the rumoured Saudi Arabian T20 league. For more insightful cricket content subscribe to The Cricverse blog at https://cricverse.substack.com/p/because-youre-worth-it?r=lo2wd Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Second part of the interview with the giant former England fast bowler Chris Tremlett on how he got to be this big and yet how, without Shane Warne's considerable influence as his county captain he would never have been part of an Ashes winning team. For more on Test cricket and the Ashes go to The Cricverse blog at https://cricverse.substack.com/p/get-in-the-pink-a1e?r=lo2wd Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Chris Tremlett, the tallest fast bowler to play for England in Tests, recounts the tale of England's 2010/11 Ashes success, its meticulous planning and execution despite a very inauspicious start when he inadvertently put England's spearhead, Jimmy Anderson, temporarily out of action. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

India's four-pronged spin attack proves too restrictive to New Zealand's determined cricketers to give India their second ICC trophy in the last 8 months. Simon Mann and Simon Hughes review the match and assess where this Indian team rank in the white ball world hall of fame. For more cricket analysis and opinion subsribe to The Cricverse on Substack - https://open.substack.com/pub/cricverse/p/dubai-the-unlikely-cricketing-hub?r=lo2wd&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The two Champions Trophy semi finals were relatively comfortable victories for India and New Zealand, pitting the world's most populous nation against one whose population would fit into an Indian suburb. The Simons review the two semis, examine how much of an advantage it is to be playing all your matches in Dubai, and explain how the UAE has become such an important cricketing venue. For more on this go to The Cricverse blog on Substack - https://cricverse.substack.com/p/dubai-the-unlikely-cricketing-hub?r=lo2wd Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon Hughes and Simon Mann review England's hapless performance against South Africa in the Champions Trophy, giving them nil points in the competition. England's wekaneses explored and explained, future captains debated and some future changes to white ball cricket revealed. Have your say on our ideas at The Cricverse - https://open.substack.com/pub/cricverse/p/avoiding-the-pitfalls?r=lo2wd&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

England lose a nailbiter to Afghanistan and are out of the Champions Trophy. That's six successive defeats in 50 over cricket. Time must be up for Jos Buttler as captain and several other players in this format. Simon Hughes and Simon Mann chew over the entrails and ask what's next in the competition and wonder how far Afghanistan can go. For more cricket content supplied direct to your email join our community at The Cricverse at https://cricverse.substack.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon Hughes and Simon Mann review England's defeat to Australia in their opening Champions Trophy game in Lahore which was administered by Josh Inglis who was born in Leeds. They also preview Sunday's blockbuster match between india and Pakistan. For ad-free advance episodes of this podcast visit patreon.com/analyst25 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The former Hampshire and England batter Michael Carberry, the last black British player to represent England (Jofra Archer and Chris Jordan were both born in Barbados), joins the podcast to talk about his coaching work with the previously-neglected London Schools association, reflects on the challenges of facing Mitchell Johnson in the infamous 2013/14 Ashes and questions whether Bazball will work Down Under. For the complete interview and other exclusive content join the Analyst Plus at patreon.com/theanalyst25 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon Hughes and Simon Mann preview the Champions Trophy which begins on Wednesday. All teams are assessed but the overwhelming view is that India have a huge advantage because of their depth and the fact that they are playing all their matches in Dubai. For advance, ad-free podcasts and special series join The Analyst Plus at patreon.com/theanalyst25 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

An update on The Hundred franchise sales and what it means for the domestic game, analysis of England's white-ball woes and an interesting admission from a man who many believe should be in England's one day squad, Liam Dawson. For the full Dawson interview and other exclusive, ad-free content join The Analyst Plus at patreon.com/theanalyst25 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon Hughes and Simon Mann admire the continued dominance of India at home in white ball formats as they seize the ODi series 2-0 having trounced England 4-1 in the T20s. A look at what England need to do to compete and more on the shareout of the money from the Hundred franchise sales. To join our Analyst Plus community including our special series on the 1974/5 Ashes, visit patreon.com/theanalyst25 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With the investment of £365m (so far) in five Hundred franchises which will be shared equally amongst counties, it is a seismic moment for the domestic game. But how should the money be used? Simon Hughes and Simon Mann delve into the detail and also analyse England's T20 disasters against India. For more on the way to future-proof county cricket visit The Cricverse at https://open.substack.com/pub/cricverse/p/how-to-spend-it?r=lo2wd&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In a very special episode Nikki Chaudhuri and Melissa Story speak to Afghan women's cricketers Firooza Amiri, Nahida Sapan, and Benafsha Hashimi. They share their cricketing stories from Afghanistan to Australia, how they discovered their love of cricket and what it's been like adjusting to their new lives down under. We also hear about what action they would like to see from the ICC and how the global cricket community can help them live their dreams. From Firooza cover driving like Virat Kohli, Benafsha loving to face bouncers, and Nahida's heartfelt message of hope to women and girls in Afghanistan - these three women's positivity and enthusiasm is not one to miss. Thank you to Firooza, Nahida and Benafsha again for their time and if you'd like to support the Afghanistan women's cricket team, please see the link to donate here: https://www.lords.org/refugeefund Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nikki Chauduri is joined by Simon Hughes for a post mortem on England's disastrous Ashes campaign which ended with a humbling innings defeat and a 16-0 overall score. The Australians once again exposed the chasm in ability between the two teams, with some brilliant bowling on the third day, led by the superb leg spinner Alana King. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon Hughes and Simon Mann complete the special podcast series looking back at the epic 1974/5 Ashes by assessing its seismic impact on cricket. It heralded the most ferocious period of fast bowling the game has seen, and the inevitable introduction of proper head protection. Now, half a century on, it has led to a generation of super-adventurous, fearless batters and a doubly entertaining game. For the complete HEADHUNTERS boxset visit https://www.patreon.com/collection/1258828 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

England's mix of extreme pace and mystery spin shuts down India's erratic batting in the third T20 in Rajkot, keeping the five match series alive. Simon Hughes and former Indian batter Deep Dasgupta analyse the match and question GenerationT20's obsession with six-hitting. For our special podcast boxsets on historical series and exclusive interviews visit patreon.com/theanalyst25 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Melissa, Nikki and Luke confront another disappointing England performance and marvel at the skill of Beth Mooney. In addition, they dissect England Coach, Jon Lewis' bewildering comments on Australia's advantageous climate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

England's new white ball campaign under Brendon McCullum begins with a humbling defeat by India. England's incompetence against India's spinners results in their heaviest T20 loss. Simon Hughes and former Indian opener Deep Dasgupta mull over the evidence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon Hughes is joined by former cricketer and commentator Izzy Westbury to look back at England's dismal performances in the women's Ashes and analyse why there is not so much a gap as a chasm between the England and Australian teams. Does the England women's team need a complete reset from the Director of Cricket down? For more on Ashes history check out our special boxset on the 1974/5 Ashes https://www.patreon.com/collection/1258828 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nikki, Melissa and Luke dive deep on the first t20 between Australia and England. Australia retain the Ashes as England continue to struggle against spin. Just how fearless can you be, before you start looking at changes? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the fourth part of our special podcast boxset looking back at the brutal 1974/5 Ashes series, Simon Hughes and Simon Mann relay the drama of the critical Sydney Test, and reveal with David Lloyd and Dennis Amiss - two men who survived that series relatively unscathed - the seismic impact it had on the game. For the entire five-part series go to patreon.com/theanalyst25 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon Hughes and Simon Mann answer listeners questions which included views on the carve up of the Test arena, selection philosophies of England's current regime, the worst incidents in cricket and the future of the game's various formats. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nikki and Melissa review the 2nd WAshes ODI where England bowled out Australia for 180, but fell short in their run chase by 21 runs despite the batting efforts of Amy Jones. It was a day for the spinners with Alana King taking taking 4-25 and England's Ecclestone and Capsey taking 7 of the Australian wickets. Stay tuned for more WAshes Dailies! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nikki and Melissa review the first Women's Ashes ODI which saw Alyssa Healy and Ash Gardner guide the home side to a 4 wicket win and pick up the first points of this Ashes series. Meanwhile, Heather Knight's England need to bounce back in Melbourne and rectify some fielding errors and address batting depth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 3 of our special podcast series looking back at the epic 1974/5 Ashes fifty years ago. This programme features the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne 1974 in which all results were possible until the very end. Dennis Amiss and Ian Chappell help Simon Hughes and Simon Mann tell the story. For the complete series go to patreon.com/theanalyst25 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon Hughes and Simon Mann review the final day of a riveting series which Australia won 3-1 as one of us predicted! We assess the decisive moments and characters, the winers and losers, the flashpoints and what it all means for England's prospects in Australia in 12 months time. For our exclusive boxset series on the 1974/5 Ashes go to patreon.com/theanalyst25 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Intriguing developments in the World Test Championship table as Australia overcome India in the exciting Boxing Day Test, and South Africa move to the top of the table with their win over Pakistan. Simon Hughes and Simon Mann discuss the events of the last week, the permutations going forward and their highs and lows of the year. For the special podcast series on the epic 1974/5 Ashes contests go to patreon.com/theanalyst25 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The second instalment of our special 5-part series looking back at the iconic and brutal Ashes contests of 1974/5, fifty years ago. This episode features the painful encounter in Perth when England's batters - supplemented by 41 year old Colin Cowdrey - were subjected to a barrage from Lillee and Thomson. For the complete series go to The Analyst Plus at patreon.com/theanalyst25 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

First episode of our regular question time sessions - answering listeners questions. This week's include - should Ben Stokes captain England if is not fit to bowl, where does Jasprit Bumrah raank in the all-time bowlers pantheon, what is the future for membership-structured counties and who is cricket's Scrooge and Santa. To be part of our cricket community with q and as and special podcast series like our 1974/5 Ashes dramatisation - go to patreon.com/theanalyst25 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

England's Test match year began with a bang (winning in Hyderabad) and ended with a whimper (losing to New Zealand by 423 runs). Our assessment of the final Test in Hamilton and where the England team are at now. For more exclusive content including our special series on the great 1974/5 Ashes 50 years ago, visit patreon.com/theanalyst25 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices