The Analyst Inside Cricket

The phenomenal South African fast bowler Dale Steyn - taker of 699 international wickets - joins the podcast to talk lost World Cup semi finals, prospects for South Africa at this T20 World Cup as it reaches its climax and how to advise modern pace bowlers. 'Always take the positive option. Think wickets even if you're going at 14 an over....' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon Hughes and Simon Mann review two days of madcap T20 cricket after which Australia are eliminated from the last game, and brilliant, irresistible Afghanistan make it to their first ever World Cup semi final to face South Africa on Wednesday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After a slightly stuttery early campaign England secure their T20 World Cup semi final spot with an annihilation of the USA team. The Simons assess England's growing confidence and analyse their likely semi final opponents, and beyond the cricket report on an impressive coral reef restoration project. For more information visit https://www.emcantigua.org/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon Hughes is joined by West Indian born former Middlesex express Ricky Elcock to review England's Phil Salt-inspired defeat of the West Indies in the T20 World Cup and to discuss Elcock's later life training in the Caribbean to be Virgin Atlantic's first-ever black pilot. Ricky's fascinating autobiography Balls to Fly is available here - https://amzn.eu/d/0igB6ee0 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon Hughes and Simon Mann relive England's anxiety through a day in the T20 World Cup when rain relented to allow England just enough time to defeat Namibia, and Australia had just enough depth to overcome the plucky Scots. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon Hughes and Simon Mann admire England's demolition job on Oman and consider which teams are now odds on to make it to the Super Eights. Plus - what Freddie did and Yozzer samples a gin with a historic connection to cricket Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon Hughes and Simon Mann review the T20 World Cup so far and are joined by Australian great Matthew Hayden to assess England's chances of qualifying and why Australi are so good at tournament cricket Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon Hughes and Simon Mann review a sticky performance by Englsnd against the old enemy in the T20 World Cup, punctuated by bad decisions and inflexibility Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon Hughes and Simon Mann reflect on the first four days of the T20 World Cup, featuring dodgy weather in Barbados, a dodgy pitch in New York and a super over triumph for Namibia whose hero David Wiese talks us through his superover strategy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The T20 World Cup starts this weekend with USA v Canada in Dallas, Texas. Simon Hughes and Simon Mann preview the tournament as England hope to defend their title and the ICC seek to re-introduce cricket to the US, the world's richest sports market. Back home we also check in with the remarkable progress of the South Asian Cricket Academy and hear from its founder Tom Brown and one of its recent graduates. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon Hughes and Simon Mann review England's T20 against Pakistan at Edgbaston which saw the welcome return of Jofra Archer - fit and firing - also dip into some county cricket action and preview the IPL final. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Melissa Story (Gloucestershire & TMS) and Nikki Chaudhuri (Surrey & TMS) are back to analyse England's T20 series against Pakistan and the Charlotte Edwards Cup but get sidetracked by Nikki's obsession with the test and Melissa's recent Bridgerton binging. Aside from lots of telly the pair find time to chat with Matthew Ellis of Not Out Mental Health - a great cause highlighting the importance of speaking about mental health in cricket. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon Hughes and Simon Mann consider Jimmy Anderson's impending departure and how it was decided, and discuss with West Indies all-rounder Jason Holder the legacy he has left and some ideas to help beleaguered bowlers in the shorter formats which Jimmy has wisely avoided. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon Hughes and Simon Mann discuss the difficulty of scheduling county cricket to anyone's - never mind everyone's - satisfaction and hear about the real (10th century) origins of cricket - with fairly brutal consequences - from a most unexpected source. This podcast is sponsored by www.visitbarbados.org/cricket Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon Hughes and Simon Mann analyse this month's big talking point, the potential sale of the Hundred franchises to private investors and what it might mean for the 18 counties and MCC. PCA chief executive Daryl Mitchell and Leicestershire CEO Sean Jarvis offer their views. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Melissa Story (Gloucestershire & TMS) and Nikki Chaudhuri (Surrey & TMS) return to the massive plan to return the women's game to the counties and the impacts of this move. Reading listener concerns and speculating on the game before Surrey CC Women's Captain Amy Gordon describes the uncertainty the plans have had on her life. She also talks about how commendable work in founding teh charity "Pad Up" an organisation delivering period products to girls in Kenyan schools to keep them engaged in education and sport. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

One of England's truly great players, David Gower, joins our virtual cricket club to discuss the future of Test cricket, his most embarrassing dismissals, which modern player he'd most like to be and why he loves Icelandic cricket. Join our virtual club at worldsbestcc.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Melissa Story (Gloucestershire & TMS) and Nikki Chaudhuri (Surrey & TMS) dissect the ECB's latest plans to expand the professional women's game with 00 Child Podcast host Polly Starkie and the Independent's sports writer, Sonia Twigg, who makes her second appearance on the pod. Whether the new announcement will grow or harm women's cricket is down to natural selection but the panel left no stone unturned with a critical and passionate debate on how to develop the domestic game. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Special guest Tino Best recounts the tale of playing in the Test match when Brian Lara broke the world record Test score with his 400 not out, twenty years ago this week. Its also 30 years to the day since Lara's epic 375 not out in Antigua. Simon Hughes was there. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon Hughes and Simon Mann celebrate the life of the incomparable Derek Underwood, Kent and England's prolific spinner and hear from Rob Key, also a Kent legend, about his ethos in charge of England, why he chose Brendon McCullum as coach and what Harry Brook said to Ben Stokes . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The sportswriter Ben Bloom discusses his new book Batting for Time - the fight to keep English cricket alive - and Simon Hughes and Simon Mann assess his findings and evaluate the solutions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Melissa Story (Gloucestershire & TMS) and Nikki Chaudhuri (Surrey & TMS) celebrate Melissa's remarkable achievement in winning the Christopher Martin-Jenkins Broadcaster of the Year award before turning their attention to England's tour of New Zealand. The girls then spoke to the brilliant Estelle Vasudevan to get her insight into all things Sri Lanka Women's Cricket ranging from this year's world cup to the domestic leagues. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On the eve of the new County Championship season, Simon Mann and Simon Hughes talk to the optimistic Mark Alleyne, newly installed head coach of Gloucestershire who failed to win one first class match in 2023 and finished bottom of Division 2. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Lottie - the most decorated-ever female cricketer is in the house to talk with Melissa Story and Simon Hughes about her life in the game, both as star player and now as trophy-winning coach, her fears for (women's) international formats and what its like to win the cup bearing her own name. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon Hughes and Simon Mann talk to the former Warwickshire player and current Rajasthan Royals coach Trevor Penney about the art and science of fielding and how it has evolved from the butterfingered days of Yozzer's 20th century efforts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon Hughes and Simon Mann talk to franchise globetrotter David Wiese about life on the franchise circuit, what are the best and worst T20 leagues to play in, why the US has got it made and what is a travelling cricketer's favourite form of relaxation these days. And its not golf. David's own podcast is called Hitman for Hire Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Melissa Story (Gloucestershire & TMS) and Nikki Chaudhuri (Surrey & TMS) discuss the final stages of the 2024 WPL as RCB take home their first trophy as a franchise. Nikki makes her TMS debut, correcting some false advertising from the producer, and does brilliantly. The girls round up by looking forward to England's white-ball tour of New Zealand. Nikki is STILL doing some research on women's cricket and we need you! If you are a female player or ex-player please fill out this survey, it takes around 2 minutes and will help us immensely. Thank you https://forms.gle/Fv6FbQNPBstU3qJj6 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Melissa Story (Gloucestershire & TMS) and Nikki Chaudhuri (Surrey & TMS) return as the WPL moves towards its finale in 2024. Melissa describes a soggy weekend away before examining Sophie Ecclestone's rather brutal assessment of her teammates' fielding. Nikki is doing some research on women's cricket and we need you! If you are a female player or ex-player please fill out this survey, it takes around 2 minutes and will help us immensely. Thank you https://forms.gle/Fv6FbQNPBstU3qJj6 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Former England great Graham Gooch, who made more runs in all competitions than any player in history, tells Simon Hughes and Simon Mann some home truths about batting and offers some sage suggestions about how might England progress after their Indian ordeal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon Hughes and Simon Mann celebrate the remarkable achievement of Jimmy Anderson reaching 700 Test wickets in Dharamsala and congratulate superb India on completing an innings drubbing and a 4-1 series result. They assess where and why England's inevitable demise occurred and what's next for Ben Stokes's team. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon Hughes and Simon Mann assess a second day in Dharamshala when India's top order batters demonstrated how to construct an innings to put India in a near impregnable position. At least England never gave in, the mercurial Ben Stokes produced a moment of magic and Shoaib Bashir kept going admirably to take four excellent wickets. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

England begin well again but then, in a carbon copy of earlier matches, fluff their lines as the spinners are brought on and another middle order collapse ensues. Then Yashasvi Jaiswal again dominates the final session of the first day in Dharamshala. Simon Hughes and Simon Mann assess the day and hear from the man who is producing a new generation of brilliant Indian batsmen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Melissa Story (Gloucestershire & TMS) and Nikki Chaudhuri (Surrey & TMS) round up last week's WPL fixtures as games continue thick and fast before entering a powerful discussion on body image and the pressure on female cricketers. Nikki is doing some research on women's cricket and we need you! If you are a female player or ex-player please fill out this survey, it takes around 2 minutes and will help us immensely. Thank you https://forms.gle/Fv6FbQNPBstU3qJj6 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon Hughes and Simon Mann evaluate listeners' suggestions for the way forward for the Decision Review System and hear from the owner of the Rajasthan Royals, Manoj Badale, on the future influence of IPL franchises on Test cricket, player development and potential investment in the English game. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Melissa Story (Gloucestershire & TMS) and Nikki Chaudhuri (Surrey & TMS) deliver a comprehensive round-up of the WPL's opening fixtures with humour, analysis and a bizarre marriage metaphor for franchise tournaments. With games every day stay tuned for more episodes for the rest of this year's WPL. Nikki is doing some research on women's cricket and we need you! If you are a female player or ex-player please fill out this survey, it takes around 2 minutes and will help us immensely. Thank you https://forms.gle/Fv6FbQNPBstU3qJj6 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon Hughes and Simon Mann review a tense fourth day in Ranchi, and where the match was won and lost and India seal their 17th successive home series. And Paul Hawkins, the founder of Hawkeye, explains how the Decision Review System works and refutes ill-informed media comment that the system is flawed or susceptible to manipulation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon Hughes and Simon Mann admire the consistency and skill of England's two novice spinners Shoaib Bashir and Tom Hartley as England engineer themselves a dominant position on the second day in Ranchi, in spite of the precocious brilliance of Yashavi Jaiswal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon Hughes and Simon Mann assess a dispiriting third day for England as India add 130 for their last three wickets, and England then lose their last seven for 35. India with all second innings wickets in hand now have a golden chance to seal the series on the fourth morning in Ranchi. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon Hughes and Simon Mann review the first day of the fourth Test from Ranchi, where on a cracked pitch Joe Root reverts to type to play a classic innings, recording his 31st test Hundred and a record-breaking 91st score of over 50 in Test cricket. Watch the series live on TNT Sports Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Melissa Story (Gloucestershire & TMS) and Nikki Chaudhuri (Surrey & TMS) are back to talk winter nets, ramp shots and more. The girls discuss Project Darwin, the next evolution (geddit?!) of the domestic women's game proposed by the wisecracking ECB. They round off this episode with a WPL preview as Storylines gears up to follow the 2024 tournament. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon Hughes and Simon Mann reflect on England's colossal 434 run defeat in Rajkot - India's biggest ever Test match victory, assess what changes England may need to make before the fourth Test and also pay tribute to the great Gloucestershire and South Africa allrounder Mike Procter who passed away this weekend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon Hughes is joned by Indian commentator Prakash Wakankar to review a day's play which began with England in a position of potential dominance and ended it with India in control, thanks to some ill-judged England shots and a magnificent third Test century by the young Indian star Yashasvi Jaiswal Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon Hughes and Simon Mann eulogise about an exhilarating century by Ben Duckett, the fastest ever by an Englishmen against India, as England respond brilliantly to India's daunting first innings score on the second day in Rajkot. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After a bright start England's bowlers are tamed by a superb 202 run partnership between Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja which, along with a bright debut by Sarfaraz Khan has put India in the box seat on the first day in Rajkot. The Simons review a tough first day for England Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

During the extended break in the India v England series, Derbyshire's Anuj Dal explains how many county cricketers are spending the winter, preparing physically and in his case mentally for the forthcoming season, and we also reveal an amazing story concerning Harry Brook. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Chasing 399 in the final innings in Vishakapatnam proves beyond even this mercurial England side as India’s outcricket proves too sharp. But this is now a serious five-match contest. Simon Hughes and Simon Mann review the evidence. The third test begins on February 15 on TNT Sports get.discoveryplus.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon Mann is joined by seasoned Indian commentator Prakash Wakankar to review the pivotal third day of the second Test in Vizag which India have taken a firm hold of. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon Hughes and Simon Mann admire the genius of Jasprit Bumrah detonating England's middle order with a brilliant spell of reverse swing to pass 150 Test wickets at the astonishing average of 20.29. India on top.....watch it all live on TNT Sports Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

An intriguing first day of the second Test in Vizag starring two Gen Z players born this century - Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shoaib Bashir - who could easily be seasoned commentators' grandsons.... honours even at the end of the day? Watch it all on TNT Sports from 4am... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon Hughes and Simon Mann marvel at England's miraculous victory in the first test in India, making light of a 190 run first innings deficit to shock India into an incredible, record-breaking defeat thanks to Ollie Pope's ingenius 196 and Tom Hartley's extraordinary 7-68 in his debut Test. It must be England's most remarkable overseas performance. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices