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Will Steve Smith feature in the 2027 Ashes? The Aussie legend has hinted that he might not play in the next Ashes series because he's "in kind of a series-by-series proposition". Alison Mitchell, Jim Maxwell and Charu Sharma examine the impact this could have on the Aussie batting line up and whether he's considered as one of the of the greats of the game, despite not winning the urn away from home?Former South Africa captain Dean Elgar tells Stumped he's “over cricket now”. The left-hander played 86 Test matches and scored 14 centuries for the Proteas. He says it's the “right time” to step away from the game at the end of the County Championship season in England. He also reflects on ‘sandpapergate' and his time leading his country.Plus, things go from bad to worse for Pakistan as they were docked 11 World Test Championship points due to a slow over rate during the Edgbaston Test. They now sit at the bottom the table – where do they go from here?Photo: Steve Smith of Australia leads the team onto the field during day four of the Second 2025/26 Ashes Series Test Match between Australia and England at The Gabba on December 07, 2025 in Brisbane, Australia. (Credit: Cricket Australia via Getty Images)
We have reached the penultimate round of fixtures in the 2026 County Championship and it is STILL all to play for at the top and the bottom of Division One, but is a late points deduction going to set a cat among the pigeons? Oliver Hawke, Dan Haggar, Barrie Funnell, David Wright and Alex Gates describe a frantic dash for the finish line.
Are England in a better place now than they were at the beginning of the Summer? Who is sacrificed when Jacob Bethell comes back in? Will we be ready to take on a dangerous South Africa? Could this bowling attack be set for the next few years? Is Joe Root a good enough test captain?Sam Ellard is alongside Faraaz Noor for this week's episode, discussing England wrapping up a dominant 3-0 test series win vs Pakistan. The lads also take a look into a very tight County Championship and Georgie Heath pops her head in from Barbados!They also take a look back on the whole test summer in a special version of Faraank, giving each test player a ranking out of 10 for their summer!Enjoy!Instagram: @talkSPORT_Cricket, @samellard, @faz.noor, @georgieheath27YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@talkSPORTCricketHosts: Sam Ellard, Faraaz Noor and Georgie Heath Producer: Alex Christie Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Cameron, Lawrence and Butch reflect on the Test summer, which finished with victory for England by eight wickets at Edgbaston. Also on the show, the race to South Africa, Root's captaincy under the microscope, keepers standing up, the County Championship run-in and more. 0:00 Carib Beer / 0:32 Intro / 0:52 Are England better than they were in June? / 5:22 Top six for South Africa / 9:37 Ben Duckett / 14:46 Joe Root / 16:52 Picking a spinner for South Africa / 22:42 Gullivers Sports Travel / 22:59 The keeper-up debate / 29:28 Pakistan / 33:59 Roasting Party giveaway / 34:38 Knight-Stokes Cup / 35:38 England vs Sri Lanka & Kevin Pietersen / 43:22 Multi-nation series reports / 53:58 County Championship / 58:05 Outro / 58:29 Carib Beer CARIB BEER
Welcome to Episode 359 of The County Cricket Podcast! On today's episode, hosts Aaron, Joe and Kieran sat down to discuss the key moments and standout performances from the Thirteenth Round of the 2026 Rothesay County Championship such as Durham's dominant Division Two triumph, Manny Lumsden's magnificent First-Class debut for Hampshire, Kuldeep Yadav's spellbinding display of left arm wrist spin at Headingley and Martin Andersson's superb all-round performance against Kent in Derby. If you enjoyed this episode please feel free to share it with any cricket fans that you know and be sure to follow us on Twitter for daily County Cricket and Podcast updates! Check out our personal social media channels here: https://x.com/Thecricketconn1 https://x.com/Joe_Nuttall9 https://www.tiktok.com/@kieran.hyde316 Check out our Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/thecountycricketpodcast Check out our Twitter here: https://twitter.com/TheCountyCrick2 Check out our £1 Patreon membership here: https://www.patreon.com/thecountycricketpodcast This episode of The County Cricket Podcast was brought to you in association with our friends at Bear Cricket: https://www.bearcricket.co.uk/
Is Kevin Pietersen the right appointment for this England side? Will his strong personality benefit or hinder this side? Who needs runs more than anyone this week at Edgbaston vs Pakistan? Should England be resting some of their front line seamers? Why are the British public being priced out of watching the Ashes next summer?Sam Ellard is back alongside Georgie Heath and Faraaz Noor to discuss the shock appointment of Kevin Pietersen to England's White Ball set up. They also look ahead to the 3rd and final test vs Pakistan at Edgbaston this week AND dive into the County Championship as we reach the latter stages.Faraank gets another run out as Faraaz gives you his top 3 mavericks in the world of cricket AND Heath Sledger returns as Georgie lays into the ECB for the price of Ashes tickets!Enjoy!Instagram: @talkSPORT_Cricket, @samellard, @faz.noor, @georgieheath27YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@talkSPORTCricketHosts: Sam Ellard, Faraaz Noor and Georgie Heath Producer: Alex Christie Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Cameron and Phil are joined by a returning Wisden legend, Taha Hashim, to discuss expensive Ashes tickets, the third England-Pakistan Test at Edgbaston, Kevin Pietersen's new mentoring role and more. Also on the show, Nathan Johns on what the arrival of the ETPL means for the sport in Europe. 0:00 Intro / 1:20 Mark Butcher / 17:21 Ashes tickets / 24:08 Pakistan / 33:48 England / 43:35 Kevin Pietersen & England's white-ball teams / 50:04 Visit Barbados / 50:43 County Championship / 59:07 ETPL / 1:15:22 T20 leagues / 1:21:29 Ben Stokes / 1:23:42 Outro VISIT BARBADOS
Welcome to Episode 358 of The County Cricket Podcast! On today's episode, hosts Aaron and Joe sat down to discuss the key moments and standout performances from the Twelfth Round of the 2026 Rothesay County Championship such as Surrey's dramatic 1-wicket victory over Yorkshire at The Oval, Henry Crocombe's unbelievable hat-trick against Essex in Chelmsford, Durham's dazzling Day Four bowling display in Northampton as well as Yousaf Bin Naeem's impressive FC debut for Derbyshire in Bristol. If you enjoyed this episode please feel free to share it with any cricket fans that you know and be sure to follow us on Twitter for daily County Cricket and Podcast updates! Check out our personal social media channels here: https://x.com/Thecricketconn1 https://x.com/Joe_Nuttall9 Check out our Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/thecountycricketpodcast Check out our Twitter here: https://twitter.com/TheCountyCrick2 Check out our £1 Patreon membership here: https://www.patreon.com/thecountycricketpodcast This episode of The County Cricket Podcast was brought to you in association with our friends at Bear Cricket: https://www.bearcricket.co.uk/
Will the County Championship be decided on goal difference? Are Surrey now safe from the drop? Are Yorkshire now bigger favourites for the drop than Leicestershire? Will the pain at Lancashire ever end, ROTA WATCH and where does George disappear off to halfway through the show?Instagram: @talkSPORT_cricketTwitter: @cricket_ts @fulhamjon @harmy611 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@talkSPORTCricketEmail: cricket@talksport.co.ukHosts: Jon Norman, Steve Harmison, George Dobell & Nick FriendExec Producer: Jon Norman Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Cameron, Phil and Lawrence dissect England's victory in the second Test at Lord's, and there's an emergency chat with Danyal Rasool after Pakistan made sweeping changes to their playing and coaching groups mid-series. 0:00 Intro / 0:29 Southall Travel / 1:00 Ollie Robinson / 10:30 Joe Root / 23:07 Patreon / 23:41 Richard Thompson's comments / 31:39 Lord's / 34:50 Visit South Africa / 35:55 Imran Khan / 46:55 Mohammad Abbas / 49:14 England's top six / 51:18 Chaos in Pakistan / 1:03:43 Visit Barbados / 1:05:26 County Championship / 1:12:19 Outro SOUTHALL TRAVEL ✈️ Where would you go if you could book it right now? Dubai, the Maldives, Mauritius, Kenya? Southall Travel can get you out of the grey and into some proper sunshine, wherever takes your fancy: https://www.southalltravel.co.uk/australia/ VISIT SOUTH AFRICA
Season 20, Episode 28: The PCB go from meme material to utter embarrassment. Lord's pitch has a renewal plan, Sri Lanka pull off one of the great rearguards, and Kagiso Rabada may miss the entire Sandpaper Redux as Australia make selection moves. The Mr Sheffield Shield re-cuts the cricketing day, the Euro T20 is finally up and running, and a wet County Championship round has title repercussions. Could you support the show? You can send us a Nerd Pledge or become a member at patreon.com/thefinalword. Stop snoring with 15% off a Zeus device, and they'll donate £50 to The Lord's Taverners: use code CLUBSNORER at zeussleeps.com Check out the Lord's Performance Centre for activities and courses: lords.org/lords/performancecentre Morie Candles have an extra 5% off any existing promotion: click morie.com.au/discount/TFW5 Get 15% off Step One clothes at uk.stepone.life/discount/TFW148 Maurice Blackburn is Australia's leading social justice law firm. Contact them to ask about what you need: mauriceblackburn.com.au They can't harm you, if they can't find you! Use code FINALWORD and get 60% off annual plans: incogni.com/finalword Get yourself 10% off lovely Duncan Fearnley bats and kit with code TFW10 Get your big NordVPN discount: nordvpn.com/tfw or 10% off BIG Boots UK boots and socks at bigboots.co.uk/?ref=thefinalword Find more at finalwordcricket.com Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Welcome to Episode 357 of The County Cricket Podcast! On today's episode, hosts Aaron and Kieran sat down to discuss the key moments and standout performances from the Eleventh Round of the 2026 Rothesay County Championship such as Durham's dominant 10-wicket victory over Gloucestershire at The Riverside, Ben Foakes' heroic 120* against Essex in Chelmsford and Henry Crocombe's sensational hat-trick and five-wicket haul against Somerset in Hove. If you enjoyed this episode please feel free to share it with any cricket fans that you know and be sure to follow us on Twitter for daily County Cricket and Podcast updates! Check out our personal social media channels here: https://x.com/Thecricketconn1 https://www.tiktok.com/@kieran.hyde316 Check out our Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/thecountycricketpodcast Check out our Twitter here: https://twitter.com/TheCountyCrick2 Check out our £1 Patreon membership here: https://www.patreon.com/thecountycricketpodcast This episode of The County Cricket Podcast was brought to you in association with our friends at Bear Cricket: https://www.bearcricket.co.uk/
Mark Chapman is joined by Matt Prior and Mark Ramprakash. The panel reflect on a Test series win for England against Pakistan, with one match at Edgbaston still to come. There's an in-depth look at how the Lord's pitch played a part in England's win, is there legitimate concerns about the HQ surface? Also, just how good is England's bowling attack? Former Pakistan Test player Ramiz Raja joins the chat to talk about the big changes the team have made going into the third Test. Plus, more on Surrey's County Championship struggles.
Daniel Norcross in conversation with the legendary Pakistan batter Zaheer Abbas, who has recently released his new autobiography, From A to Zed: A Life in Cricket.Abbas holds the highest first-class average for matches at The Oval, an extraordinary 162.14, from 13 innings (1,135 runs) which includes four centuries and highest score of 240, scored for Pakistan against England in 1974. This interview was recorded during the lunch interval on day three of Surrey's County Championship match against Nottinghamshire, on Saturday 22nd August, 2026.
Daniel Norcross in conversation with Martin Allen from Chertsey Cricket Club, telling his club's amazing story about how the middle stump was invented in Chertsey 250 years ago in 1776!Find out all about the amazing story of how one of the most crucial and game changing additions in cricketing history took place in the heart of Surrey - and Chertsey's plans to commemorate it throughout this anniversary season.This conversation was recorded during the tea break on day 2 of Surrey's County Championship fixture against Nottinghamshire, on 21st August, 2026.
Daniel Norcross in conversation with Ian Hewitt, a former Chair of the All England Lawn Tennis Club, who has recently written 'London's Sporting Heroes', a book exploring the capital's incredible sporting heritage.Daniel and Ian discuss the amazing variety of sports that have taken place in London - and how they are so well remembered throughout the city with plaques, statues, street names and other forms of commemoration.This conversation was recorded during the tea break on day 2 of Surrey's County Championship fixture against Nottinghamshire, on 21st August, 2026.
Cameron is joined by Butch and Urooj Mumtaz to review England's comprehensive Headingley victory and look ahead to the second Test at Lord's. Also on the show, the Brydon Carse 'incident', a closer look at the domestic scene in Pakistan, two-day Tests, thrilling County Championship action and Wisden Cricket Monthly brings up an epic century with the 100th issue out later this week! 0:00 Intro / 1:38 Southall Travel / 2:17 Brydon Carse / 9:26 England's bowling / 13:45 Pakistan / 17:03 England's team balance / 21:15 Pakistan's XI / 24:59 Headingley / 31:33 Gullivers Sports Travel / 32:22 Domestic cricket in Pakistan / 43:56 Wisden Cricket Monthly's 100th issue! / 1:02:17 Visit Barbados / 1:03:07 Australia vs Bangladesh / 1:10:01 County Championship / 1:13:38 Outro SOUTHALL TRAVEL ✈️ Whether it's the cricket, the wildlife or the landscapes, Southall Travel make getting to Australia easy. Ring them anytime and let their travel experts sort the best deal for you, whether you're bound for Sydney, Melbourne, Perth or beyond: https://www.southalltravel.co.uk/australia/ GULLIVERS SPORTS TRAVEL
India legend Rahul Dravid, Australia great Steve Waugh and South African superstar Jonty Rhodes join Neil Manthorp and Steve Harmison to discuss the launch of the new European T20 Premier League in the Netherlands this week. What was the motivation behind being team owners in this competition? Can Cricket finally be a success in Europe? What makes this T20 franchise league different to all the others? They also discuss the news that Brydon Carse was dropped from England's squad for this week's Second Test against Pakistan. Does Cricket have a drinking problem? What can the ECB to prevent more players being caught up in off field incidents? Do they need to send a message out? And finally, they are joined by the Nottinghamshire fast bowler Olly Stone after his 10-wicket haul helped them beat Surrey to go back to the top of the County Championship.Instagram: @talkSPORT_CricketYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9vsecLHNgTj-yoNumw63lQX: @Cricket_TS @NeilManthorp @Harmy611Hosts: Neil Manthorp and Steve HarmisonProducer: Scott Taylor Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Welcome to Episode 356 of The County Cricket Podcast! On today's episode, hosts Aaron and Joe sat down with fellow county cricket badger Kieran Hyde to discuss the key moments and standout performances from the Tenth Round of the 2026 Rothesay County Championship such as Warwickshire's dramatic 1-wicket victory against Sussex at Edgbaston, Dan Lategan's magnificent maiden First-Class century for Worcestershire in Cheltenham and Sheridon Gumbs' pivotal 93 against Glamorgan at Grace Road. If you enjoyed this episode please feel free to share it with any cricket fans that you know and be sure to follow us on Twitter for daily County Cricket and Podcast updates! Check out our personal social media channels here: https://x.com/Thecricketconn1 https://x.com/Joe_Nuttall9 https://www.tiktok.com/@kieran.hyde316 Check out our Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/thecountycricketpodcast Check out our Twitter here: https://twitter.com/TheCountyCrick2 Check out our £1 Patreon membership here: https://www.patreon.com/thecountycricketpodcast This episode of The County Cricket Podcast was brought to you in association with our friends at Bear Cricket: https://www.bearcricket.co.uk/
The lads return for the end of the 2026 County Championship season. Who is favourite to win the title from here? Nottinghamshire, Somerset or Warwickshire? Are Surrey in a relegation battle? Could Mick Newell be poached? Who wins between Hollioake and Lehmann? And when will the penny drop with professional cricketers?Instagram: @talkSPORT_cricketTwitter: @cricket_ts @fulhamjon @harmy611 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@talkSPORTCricketEmail: cricket@talksport.co.ukHosts: Jon Norman, Steve Harmison, George Dobell & Nick FriendExec Producer: Jon Norman Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Join us as we gear up for the Championship opening day clash with Derby County, hearing from Nathan Jones.Thanks to our sponsors PSF Steel Ltd for making this show possible. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Rethinking Leadership in Sport & Business: How Ed Smith Uses Humanities & AI to Shape Future Leaders This week's podcast special guest is Ed Smith – former professional cricketer, author, broadcaster, ex-Chief Selector for England Cricket (2018–2021), President of Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), and Director of the Institute for Sport and Humanites (ISH). From opening the batting for Kent as a teenager to helping England win the Cricket World Cup and now shaping leaders through education and AI, Ed's career spans elite performance, leadership, and deep thinking about what sport can teach us about life. He's uniquely placed at the intersection of high-performance sport, humanities, and emerging technologies like AI. In this conversation, Ed shares how his experiences in professional cricket, writing, and academic leadership have shaped his philosophy on amateur vs professional mindsets, balance vs obsession, and how education and AI can help us rethink leadership in both sport and business. What You'll Discover: Ed's unexpected leap into professional cricket: How he went from Kent U19s to opening the batting in the County Championship almost overnight – and why loving the game and being a good learner matters more than being "ahead" when you're young. Amateur vs professional mindset – and why we need both: The core ideas from his book What Sport Tells Us About Life – why "amateur" shouldn't mean sloppy, how to protect the joy that got you into sport in the first place, and how to carry that into a professional environment. The real meaning of balance in high performance: Why Ed's best seasons (1997 and 2003) came when he was stretched off the field – studying for university exams and writing a book – and what this teaches athletes and leaders about not sacrificing everything for performance. Using your 'extra' time as an athlete wisely: Ed's candid view that many professional athletes have more time than they think – and how using that time for education, reflection, or a second discipline can actually improve on-field performance. The Institute for Sport and Humanities (ISH) and leadership development: How Ed founded ISH while serving as England's Chief Selector, the type of leaders they're developing (from players like Matt Fisher and Heather Knight to professionals across sports), and why critical thinking, humanities, and AI now sit at the heart of modern leadership. Flow state, form, and the 'absence of irrelevant thought': Ed's practical take on flow – how to focus on enjoying concentration rather than runs or results, how to handle bad form, and why being fully present (and not thinking about anything else) is a powerful competitive advantage. Lessons for business leaders from elite sport: How ideas like balance, deep focus, love of the work, and intelligent use of technology (including AI) translate directly from the dressing room to the boardroom – and what leaders in any industry can borrow from Ed's playbook. Connect with Ed here: Website: https://www.edsmithwriter.com/ ISH Website: https://www.sportshumanities.org/
Listen back to the Friday July 24th 2026 edition of Across The Line as Paul Carroll looks ahead to a busy weekend of sport in Tipperary. On this week's show: - A bumper preview of the county hurling championships with Darragh McCarthy, Shane Brophy and Enda Treacy - Paul speaks to Tipperary forward Eimear McGrath and analyst Geraldine Kinane ahead of the All-Ireland camogie semi-final against Cork - Paul takes a trip to Golden to speak with 5-time Irish Greyhound Derby winning trainer Graham Holland along with GRI Director of Racing Derek Frehill whilst Barry Drake provides the weekly greyhound racing update
Cameron, Ben and Phil react to Ben Stokes' press conference, look ahead to the Trent Bridge Test, discuss their 12-point WTC deduction for slow over rates and more. We apologise for the quality of Ben's audio this week. 0:00 Intro / 1:06 KIA UK / 1:34 Audio disclaimer / 2:00 Ben Stokes / 22:45 Roasting Party / 23:10 Team news / 30:28 WTC points deduction / 34:55 2027 Test news / 38:10 Gullivers Sports Travel / 39:21 England vs India white-ball tour / 46:36 Wisden Women's Cricket Weekly / 47:05 Wisden Cricket Monthly / 53:08 Win England vs Sri Lanka ODI tickets / 53:30 Other cricket / 57:36 County Championship / 1:04:20 Test drive the KIA EV2 / 1:04:49 Outro KIA UK
In this episode of the show, Baldy, Binksy, Jamie and Stu look back at the second of three tests between England and the Black Caps, this time at The Oval. We talk about New Zealand's dominant win and the star performers, plus the tumultuous off-field nature of England Cricket at the moment, all with one eye on the series decider at Trent Bridge in just a few days' time. We start the show with a much happier New Zealand contingent after an all-around team performance contributed to a big Kiwi win to square the series. There's praise for Henry Nicholls and Glenn Phillips - including yet another debate about Phillips' best position in the order - for their impressive hundreds. We also pour one out for Matt Henry's masterclass and highlight the impact of Tom Blundell behind the stumps.. In amongst all of the positives for New Zealand comes the nuggets of frustration for England - dropped catches, tactical errors and the continuation of off-field drama that led to a much-changed side and the broadcasters showing footage of Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson playing in the County Championship rather than at The Oval. We also discuss newer players like Emilio Gay, Sonny Baker, James Rew and Jordan Cox. To round out the show, we examine how curfew-gate has been handled, and what that might mean for the futures of Brendon McCullum, Rob Key and.Ben Stokes - and how much it could impact the England dressing room for the third test at Trent Bridge. And before Jamie and Binksy have to race off to start their workday, we make our predictions for that match. We'll be back again at the conclusion of the third test in the England v New Zealand series, when we should also be nearing the business end of the Women's World Cup. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 1:30 All-around dominance from the Black Caps 3:30 A muddled performance from a much-changed England 6:30 Hundreds for Glenn Phillips and Henry Nicholls 20:30 Matt Henry's masterclass 23:00 Tom Blundell's glovework 26:00 England's newer players: Baker, Rew, Gay, Cox, Fisher 37:05 Contrasting tests - what's real for the Black Caps? 41:05 How much did the Stokes/Atkinson curfew impact England? 51:20 Predictions for Trent Bridge Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Cameron Ponsonby, Ben Gardner, Lawrence Booth and Mark Butcher look ahead to the second Test at The Kia Oval, with England making at least four changes from their Lord's XI. Also on the show, Kane Williamson's retirement, the latest from the County Championship, and Alex Malcolm provides an update on the BBL merger saga. 0:00 Intro / 0:46 KIA UK / 1:13 Mark Butcher / 17:33 Brendon McCullum / 24:47 England's XI / 30:39 Ollie Robinson / 32:29 Kane Williamson / 43:23 MNDA chat with Chris Broad / 50:52 Women's T20 World Cup / 51:32 County Championship / 59:14 Win ODI tickets vs Sri Lanka / 59:35 Big Bash / 1:00:33 Alex Malcolm on the BBL / 1:14:36 Other cricket / 1:17:23 Outro KIA UK
Neil Manthorp is joined by the former England fast bowler Steve Harmison to look ahead to the second Test between England and New Zealand, which starts at the Kia Oval on Wednesday. They hear from the England Head Coach Brendon McCullum, and are joined on the show by the New Zealand batter Rachin Ravindra.Will Ben Stokes continue in his role as England Test captain when he returns to the fold after his suspension? Is Brendon McCullum pleased to see him back playing for Durham while he misses this Test Match? Does Sonny Baker have the potential to be as good as Dale Steyn with the Hampshire bowler set to make his Test debut this week? How did Rachin Ravindra react to Kane Williamson's international retirement? What did he learn off Kane during their time playing together for New Zealand? How excited is he for the next 12 months as a New Zealand Test Cricketer? Can Sussex go on to win the County Championship after a positive start to the season?Instagram: @talkSPORT_CricketYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9vsecLHNgTj-yoNumw63lQX: @Cricket_TS @NeilManthorp @Harmy611Hosts: Neil Manthorp and Steve HarmisonProducer: Scott TaylorHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mark Chapman is joined by three men who all played for England, former captain Sir Alastair Cook, former batter Mark Ramprakash and former fast bowler Steven Finn. Not many England coaches survive a thrashing by Australia. But Brendan McCullum and Ben Stokes will continue to lead the side starting with that 1st Test against New Zealand on Thursday at Lord's.There'll be at least one man making his debut at Lord's on Thursday - Durham batter Emilio Gay is expected to open after a piling on the runs during the opening block of the County Championship. Ollie Robinson is also back in the squad for the first time since being dropped after the tour of India in 2024.England's Test summer begins where rain and grey skies are forecast. The panel get a look into the opposition and are joined by New Zealand fast bowler Matt Henry.On Tuesday, it's England women's last match before the T20 World Cup which starts next week. They face India at Taunton with the series level at one all. All rounder Dani Gibson joins Test Match Special. TIME CODES00:00 Intro 00:50 Brendon McCullum 03:50 McCullum given a second chance 08:30 Mark celebrating Arsenal's Premier League title 09:30 How England should approach the New Zealand test 17:00 Emilio Gay 22:00 The challenges of making your England debut as an opener 26:10 Making debuts 28:12 The recall of Ollie Robinson 29:53 New Zealand bowler Matt Henry joins the pod 37:30 Are New Zealand underestimated? 40:30 England Women's final game before the World Cup 40:50 Dani Gibson joins the pod 48:50 The 15-year-old MVP in the Indian Premier League
A sad episode today as we officially say goodbye to Yas ahead of his departure from Wisden Towers on Friday. He's joined in the studio one last time by Ben and Butch to tackle the future of Tests, an England Lions squad and a busy week of County Championship action, before signing off with a couple of listener questions. What a ride it's been! ❤️ 0:00 Intro / 1:21 KIA UK / 1:50 Test cricket / 15:53 English summers / 19:21 Win T20 Blast tickets / 19:47 England Lions squad / 26:14 County Championship / 40:46 T20 Blast / 42:36 Dimension Sport / 48:51 Listener questions / 1:00:29 Outro KIA UK
Kevin Howells presents the best of the conversations around this week's County Championship results.He talks to England's record run-scorer Joe Root following Yorkshire's huge win over Surrey, and Liam Dawson looks back at his red-ball career. Kevin also speaks to Nottinghamshire's Director of Cricket Mick Newell, Yorkshire Head Coach Anthony McGrath, and Mail on Sunday's Richard Gibson.
This week on the Wisden Cricket Weekly Podcast Yas is joined by Phil Walker & Lawrence Booth to discuss England's Test squad announced earlier today, before rounding up another week of County Championship cricket and Bangladesh's extraordinary Test victory over Pakistan. 0:15 Intro//0:47 KIA UK//2:00 Initial squad thoughts//5:48 Ollie Robinson//14:42 Sonny Baker & Emilio Gay//23:02 Shoaib Bashir & Rehan Ahmed//31:35 Win T20 Blast tickets thanks to KIA//32:07 Butch on squad announcement//50:35 Bangladesh vs Pakistan//55:05 Future Test schedule//1:01:35 County Championship round up//1:08:50 Wisden Cricket Monthly//1:12:53 Enter KIA's Grassroots competition KIA UK Find out more about KIA's range of EVs: https://www.kia.com/uk/electric-hybrid-cars/electric-cars/ Win T20 Blast tickets: https://www.kia.com/uk/about/sport-sponsorship/kia-oval-t20/
After the latest round of County Championship matches we are sure of one England opener after Ben Duckett's excellent undefeated double hundred for Notts today. But after a shocking dismissal for 17 continuing a poor run of scores, Zak Crawley's fate is sealed. Simon Hughes and Simon Mann lament the fading of his star, and consider the likely replacements. They also discuss the astonishing hattrick on debut by Glamorgan's Tom Norton, Josh Tongue's continued hostility with the ball which caused England teammate Gus Atkinson to summon a concussion substitute, and which spinner, if any, will get the England call-up. This podcast is in association with SumUp and Making Tax Digital. Visit https://www.sumup.com/en-gb/business-account/making-tax-digital/ for more details Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
This week on the Wisden Cricket Weekly Podcast Yas & Butch break down the various spin options England could go for this Test summer. Then, Lawrence Booth and Surrey's recently retired Cameron Steel join Yas in the studio at Lord's to discuss the county grind as England's potential new selector Marcus North & today's New Zealand Test squad announcement. 0:15 Intro//1:33 Butch on England's spin options//21:57 Cam Steel on retirement//24:31 Mason Crane & England's spin bowling options//33:00 Cam's experience at the top and the yips//36:45 County Championship round-up//47:53 Marcus North: England's new selector?//49:51 Cam's time at Durham//52:05 New Zealand Test squad// KIA https://www.kia.com/uk/electric-hybrid-cars/electric-cars/ SPORTS TRAVEL EVENTS https://gulliverstravel.co.uk/event/england-cricket-tour-south-africa-0?utm_source=Wisden&utm_medium=YouTube&utm_campaign=SouthAfrica2026
Is Emilio Gay now the front-runner to open alongside Ben Duckett for England against New Zealand this summer? How does he feel about the noise regarding a potential selection? Did he move to Durham to further his England chances? What did he say to the West Indies after they attempted to get him to play Test Cricket for the region? Does he thrive under the spotlight? What now for Cameron Steel after his career was cut short by an ankle injury at the age of just 30? Will Steven Finn make a good England selector? Is it a bad look to have wicket-keepers bowling in games that are drifting towards a draw in the County Championship?Instagram: @talkSPORT_CricketYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9vsecLHNgTj-yoNumw63lQX: @Cricket_TS @NeilManthorp @Harmy611Hosts: Neil Manthorp and Steve HarmisonProducer: Scott TaylorHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week on the Wisden Cricket Weekly Podcast Yas is joined by Katya & The Cricketer's Nick Friend in the library at Lord's to discuss the various stories to have emerged from another week of County Championship cricket. Before all of that though, Yas & ESPNcricinfo's Andrew Miller interview Glamorgan opener Asa Tribe on his ambitions in international cricket & his remarkable journey from Jersey cricket to England Lions. 0:15 Intro//1:45 Asa Tribe Interview//31:00 Who will open for England in June? //39:35 County Championship injuries//43:49 Division Two & what's happening with Kent?//48:52 Division One & why are there so many draws//56:15 Pitches in England & styles of play//59:35 Bowlers impression this summer & Discord questions
As Alec Stewart returns full time to Surrey, the Director of Cricket sits down with Ath for a special episode of the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast. We talk England and the Ashes defeat, the start of the County Championship, Jude Bellingham's involvement in cricket and the future of the game. •You can watch the cricket action live on Sky Sports. If you're not already a Sky customer, you can stream Sky Sports on your terms with a NOW membership. Sign up to NOW here: www.nowtv.com/membership/watch-sky-sports?DCMP=ilc_skysports_podcastlink•Listen to every episode of the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast here: www.skysports.com/podcasts/36578/11933948/sky-sports-cricket-podcast-with-nasser-hussain-and-michael-atherton•You can listen to the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast on your smart speaker by asking it to "play Sky Sports Cricket Podcast".•For all the latest cricket news, head to www.skysports.com/cricket•For advertising opportunities email: skysportspodcasts@sky.uk
Just weeks after they were brought in, the new rules allowing replacement players in England's County Championship could be changed at the end of the first block of fixtures. Alison Mitchell, Jim Maxwell and Charu Sharma discuss how using substitutes in Australian, Indian and English domestic cricket is working and debate the merits of introducing them to international cricket. The team also reflect on Smriti Mandhana becoming India's highest run scorer in International T20s. Plus. we find out more about how the ICC is developing cricket across Europe. Esther de Lange, ICC European Development Officer, joins the team along with Scotland's Nayma Sheikh, who played in the recent ICC Europe XI v MCC at Lord's. Photo: Jonny Bairstow of Yorkshire receives medical attention during Day Four of the Rothesay County Championship Division One match between Somerset and Yorkshire at The Cooper Associates County Ground on September 11, 2025 in Taunton, England (Credit: Getty Images)
Do Warwickshire have the bowling stock to win the County Championship? Is Somerset's weakness in the same area going to hold them back? Can things get any worse for Gloucestershire? And on another week of replacement player farce who would be a like-for-like replacement for Jimmy Anderson? All this and ROTA WATCH!Instagram: @talkSPORT_cricketTwitter: @cricket_ts @fulhamjon @harmy611 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@talkSPORTCricketEmail: cricket@talksport.co.ukHosts: Jon Norman, Steve Harmison, George Dobell & Nick FriendExec Producer: Jon Norman Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Ath and Nas are joined by England batter Jacob Bethell on the latest episode of the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast.They chat about Jacob's experiences in the IPL, about his upbringing in Barbados and he also tells us about his aspirations to play multi-format cricket for England.Plus, Nas and Ath chat about the opening weeks of the County Championship and whether the rules about substitutes need tweaking.-•You can watch the cricket action live on Sky Sports. If you're not already a Sky customer, you can stream Sky Sports on your terms with a NOW membership. Sign up to NOW here: www.nowtv.com/membership/watch-sky-sports?DCMP=ilc_skysports_podcastlink•Listen to every episode of the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast here: www.skysports.com/podcasts/36578/11933948/sky-sports-cricket-podcast-with-nasser-hussain-and-michael-atherton•You can listen to the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast on your smart speaker by asking it to "play Sky Sports Cricket Podcast".•For all the latest cricket news, head to www.skysports.com/cricket•For advertising opportunities email: skysportspodcasts@sky.uk
A bumper episode of the Widen Cricket Weekly podcast this week, as Yas & Vithushan Ehantharajah sit down with Durham's Emilio Gay to discuss his winter tour with the England Lions and aspirations going into this season. Yas, Ben & The Telegraph's Will Macpherson then pick apart England's options as the County Championship season rolls on, and give their takes, along with Butch's, on the recent spate of injury substitutions. Yas then speaks with Elliot & Reuben from TruGuard. 0:15 Intro//2:33 Emilio Gay on England hopes//37:10 Who could open the batting for England this summer?//54:27 Injury subs//1:01:37 Butch on injury subs and the PSL//1:14:13 County championship round up//1:23:35 TruGuard chat//1:32:52 Outro AERO TRUGUARD https://www.aerotruguard.com/?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMjU2MjgxMDQwNTU4AAGn9begvFhOUoIdJHTBnlrlM3r_A348XnIyhd7MjpHGf_ZNHJQwX0YkLfssakA_aem_zVhARajXZ7Jf0X7lF00uhATHE DUCHY SUITE AT THE KIA OVALhttps://hospitality.kiaoval.com/list/partnerAdvantage?code=DUCHY5&utm_source=wisden&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=duchy_5 https://www.instagram.com/truguard.nz/ GULLIVERS SPORTS TRAVEL https://gulliverstravel.co.uk/event/england-cricket-tour-south-africa-0?utm_source=Wisden&utm_medium=YouTube&utm_campaign=SouthAfrica2026
Mark Chapman, Alex Hartley, Steven Finn and, Matt Prior discuss how England's Test team is shaping up for the summer, the spots up for grabs and, who is best placed to take them. Less than two months to go until England begin their Test summer against New Zealand at Lord's, by that time it will be nearly five months since Ben Stokes' side trudged off the SCG having lost the 5th Ashes Test, losing the series 4-1.Who should remain in the side? What are the main positions up for grabs? And is there someone who has done enough to make the step up?They also discuss the new rules around replacing players in the County Championship which has proved controversial so far.TIME CODES 00:00 Intro 06:15 How does selection work? 12:38 Opening batting partnership 16:35 Time for a new opening partnership? 24:37 James Rew and a positional dilemma 27:08 The cricket structure in England 30:31 Jacob Bethell and the Indian Premier League 34:34 Scores in the league 36:17 Favourites in the IPL 36:42 England's pace bowlers 43:09 Spin bowlers 47:30 County Championship substitutes rule
Thanks to Tom Abell's nerveless 100, Somerset get home against Hampshire to extend their lead at the top of the County Championship. The match featured impressive performances by England hopefuls James Rew and Sonny Baker. Simon Hughes and Simon Mann review the weekend;'s action and answer listeners questions including could Rew open for England, will England consider Sam Cook again and can you pick England players from division 2? This podcast is available to view (with match action) on YouTube. Click the link here - Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Butch & Yas on the race for England spots as the County Championship got underway last week, Jamie Smith's technical adjustments since the Ashes & the prospect of a European cricket nations cup. 0:15 Intro & England spots up for grabs//7:41 Jamie Smith's technical changes//14:27 The Euro Cup //18:57 Why don't England help non-big three nations?
The County Championship is back and we're loving it! Jimmy's in the wickets and, despite it being absolutely freezing, there was a full #tailendersoftheworlduniteandtakeover at Lords for Day 1 of Middlesex v Gloucestershire. Plus random Chocolate Bars, Playfair annuals, Scoring etiquette, GCSE results and a History Lesson from Mattchin.
Essex and South Africa all-rounder Wiaan Mulder talks about his life in the County Championship and shares his thoughts on the impact player rule in the Indian Premier League. Nikesh Rughani, Charu Sharma and Jim Maxwell also ask him about his famous 367 declaration to protect Brian Lara's 400 runs Test record. There's discussion on pace bowling as Bhuvneshwar Kumar made IPL history by becoming the first fast bowler to take 200 wickets in the competition and James Anderson reached a rare feat in the opening game of the County Championship. He got James Sales out in the opening game of the season, only 21 years ago, he also dismissed his father, David Sales. What's the secret to the pacer's longevity? And the team explores the relationship between cricket and poetry as they find out about the new book, Catching the Light – A New Anthology of Cricket Poetry, which is out this month. Photo: Wiaan Mulder of South Africa celebrates taking the wicket of Travis Head of Australia during day two of the ICC World Test Championship Final 2025 between South Africa and Australia at Lord's Cricket Ground on June 12, 2025 in London, England. (Credit: ICC via Getty Images)
The first round of County Championship matches featured two totals over 500, five draws and a number of batsmen filling their early-season boots. Jamie Smith was one, promoted to number three by Surrey. What do we read into that and what else did we learn from those first matches? Simon Hughes and Simon Mann consider the entrails ad celebrate the continued excellence of the 43 year old Jimmy Anderson as he passes the 1150 first class wicket mark. Later on we chat to Sam Morshead, the founder of CounterPress, a platform offering daily, dedicated online coverage of individual counties with news, opinion and reports. The individual sites can be found by clicking on these links below - Cider Press (Somerset) http://ciderpress.news Hove & Away (Sussex) http://hoveandaway.news Lanky Lanky (Lancashire) http://lankylanky.news King Pears (Worcestershire) http://kingpears.news Taff & Daff (Glamorgan) http://taffanddaff.news The Bear (Warwickshire) http://the-bear.news The Chester (Durham) http://thechester.news The Fox (Leicestershire) http://the-fox.news The Hawk (Hampshire) http://thehawk.news The Peakite (Derbyshire) http://thepeakite.news The Rey (Surrey) http://therey.news The Spitfire (Kent) http://thespitfire.news The Steeler (Northants) http://thesteeler.news The Trent (Notts) http://thetrent.news Up The Middle (Middlesex) http://upthemiddle.news White Rose Files (Yorkshire) http://whiterosefiles.news The Glorious Gazette (Glos) https://www.thegloriousgazette.news #cricket #countychampionship #englandcricket Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Yas, Phil and Lawrence discuss the opening round of County Championship action, including centuries for Jamie Smith and James Rew, a thrilling finish at Northants and Ollie Robinson's first innings five-wicket haul. 0:00 Intro / 0:42 Exciting finishes / 5:09 Ollie Robinson / 11:18 Jamie Smith / 17:21 James Rew / 26:13 Pitches / 30:13 Northamptonshire / 33:45 Has the opening round changed our minds at all? / 41:16 Who is England's spinner? / 47:43 Other results / 50:48 Wisden Cricket Monthly offer / 55:08 Wisden Almanack / 56:55 Outro
Nas and Ath answer YOUR questions on the latest episode of the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast.They give their thoughts on the what they've seen in the opening days of the County Championship season and consider how England should approach selection as we head towards the international summer of cricket.Plus, they look ahead to this year's Women's T20 World Cup and pick out their favourites to lift the trophy.Thanks to all our listeners and viewers who sent in questions on social media!-Watch every episode of the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast on YouTube here: Sky Sports Cricket Podcast on YouTubeListen to every episode of the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast here: skysports.com/sky-sports-cricket-podcastYou can listen to the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast on your smart speaker by asking it to "play Sky Sports Cricket Podcast".For all the latest Cricket news, head to skysports.com/cricketFor advertising opportunities or to get in touch with the pod email: skysportspodcasts@sky.uk
The English summer is nearly here! Yas, Ben and Katya preview the 2026 County Championship, including title favourites, relegation contenders, players to watch and everything in between. Also on the show, disgruntled ex-England players, a look at Sussex's off-field problems, updates from the IPL and PSL, and an extraordinary story coming out of South Africa. 0:00 Intro / 1:45 County Championship Division One / 13:09 Sussex's mismanagement / 19:37 Middlesex and Lancashire's struggles / 26:03 Division One continued / 31:17 Division Two / 38:29 Disgruntled England players / 47:46 Rule changes / 51:59 PSL / 55:03 IPL / 1:00:43 Beyers Swanepoel / 1:03:29 Kevin Pietersen / 1:05:58 Outro
Sussex all-rounder James Coles joins Nasser Hussain and Michael Atherton to discuss his impressive white ball winter, Sussex's preparations for the County Championship season after the points deduction, his Test aspirations and that £390,000 Hundred draft fee! Plus, Nasser and Michael round-up the rest of the cricket news from around the world!Watch every episode of the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast on YouTube here: Sky Sports Cricket Podcast on YouTubeListen to every episode of the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast here: skysports.com/sky-sports-cricket-podcastYou can listen to the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast on your smart speaker by asking it to "play Sky Sports Cricket Podcast".For all the latest Cricket news, head to skysports.com/cricketFor advertising opportunities or to get in touch with the pod email: skysportspodcasts@sky.uk