Wisden Cricket

Yas Rana and Phil Walker discuss India's convincing victory against England in the first T20I, an England Lions century for Rocky Flintoff and Phil responds to Fox Sports, who took exception to WCM's Test XI of 2024. There's also Mel Farrell's brilliant interview with Will Smeed, as well as Mark Butcher on the start of the white-ball Bazball era and Pakistan's win against West Indies. 0:00 Intro / 2:13 India vs England / 20:19 Mark Butcher / 31:17 Phil responds to Fox Sports / 40:51 England Lions / 45:59 Will Smeed interview / 1:07:47 Outro Did you know 1/4 men in the UK suffer low Testosterone? That's where our partners Manual want to help! Use code WISDEN45 for 45% off your blood test kit: https://bit.ly/WisdenManual2025

England's winless run in the Women's Ashes continued, losing the second T20I by six runs on DLS. Katya and Yas discuss an entertaining but ultimately frustrating game for the tourists – one that saw proceedings brought to an early end by a downpour during the final over. Head over to our Patreon channel to listen to the full episode: https://www.patreon.com/c/WisdenCricket In association with Metro Bank: metrobankonline.co.uk/cricket Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Australia have officially retained the Women's Ashes at the earliest possible opportunity, winning all three ODIs and the first T20I. Yas Rana and Lauren Winfield-Hill chat about another dominant Australia performance, England's disappointing campaign and more. 0:00 Intro / 1:18 Australia / 7:05 England / 14:25 Sophia Dunkley / 17:50 Time for change? / 23:53 Alex Hartley / 32:24 Outro The Metro Bank Girls in Cricket Fund in collaboration with the ECB aims to triple the number of girls’ cricket teams by breaking down barriers and creating supportive and inclusive spaces. Help transform the game, head to metrobankonline.co.uk/cricket to champion the future of girls’ cricket.

England's Ashes dream is officially over after Australia won the first T20I in Sydney by 57 runs and took an unassailable 8-0 lead. Katya and Yas react to the result. Head over to our Patreon channel to listen to the full episode: https://www.patreon.com/c/WisdenCricket In association with Metro Bank. Fancy hosting a Women's Ashes watchalong at your local cricket club? Find out more and enter here: https://bit.ly/MBAshesWatchalong Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Australia are just one win away from retaining the Ashes after an 86-run win in Hobart helped them clean sweep the ODIs. Ben and Yas react to another disappointing defeat for England. Head over to our Patreon channel to listen to the full episode: https://www.patreon.com/c/WisdenCricket In association with Metro Bank. Fancy hosting a Women's Ashes watchalong at your local cricket club? Find out more and enter here: https://bit.ly/MBAshesWatchalong Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Three weeks into January 2025, it’s awards time! Yas Rana, Phil Walker and Ben Gardner reveal Wisden’s best Test innings and spells of 2024, as well as the magazine’s Test XI of the year. Mark Butcher joins to chat about James Vince’s decision to quit first-class cricket for the PSL, there’s an exclusive interview with Dan Worrall, a round-up of all the franchise T20 leagues going on at the moment and much more. 0:00 Intro 1:05 Best innings 29:43 Best spells 44:35 Best Test XI 55:47 Mark Butcher on James Vince 1:15:24 Sam Cook 1:22:29 Dan Worrall interview 1:47:59 Other news 1:50:31 T20 leagues 1:58:18 Wisden Cricket Monthly 2:01:02 Outro

Yas Rana, Ben Gardner and Katya Witney reflect on England's disappointing start to the 2025 Women's Ashes, losing the first two ODIs. 0:00 Intro / 1:01 England's approach / 12:13 Conditions / 16:13 Reasons for optimism / 27:00 Heather Knight & Jon Lewis / 30:47 Ireland vs India / 33:30 Outro The Metro Bank Girls in Cricket Fund in collaboration with the ECB aims to triple the number of girls’ cricket teams by breaking down barriers and creating supportive and inclusive spaces. Help transform the game, head to metrobankonline.co.uk/cricket to champion the future of girls’ cricket.

Australia are 4-0 up in the Ashes after successfully defending 180 in Melbourne as England fail to get over the line in a chaotic run chase. Katya and Yas react to an extremely entertaining game. Head over to our Patreon channel to listen to the full episode: https://www.patreon.com/c/WisdenCricket In association with Metro Bank. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ben and Yas react to the first ODI of the 2025 Ashes. Australia go 1-0 up in Sydney. You can listen to the full episode on the Wisden Patreon channel. In association with Metro Bank. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Yas Rana and Lauren Winfield-Hill preview the 2025 Women's Ashes – which gets underway this weekend – before Katya Witney is joined by a very special guest in Nat Sciver-Brunt, England's all-format superstar. 0:00 Intro / 1:11 Women's Ashes preview / 27:28 Nat Sciver-Brunt interview / 44:12 Outro The Metro Bank Girls in Cricket Fund in collaboration with the ECB aims to triple the number of girls’ cricket teams by breaking down barriers and creating supportive and inclusive spaces. Help transform the game, head to metrobankonline.co.uk/cricket to champion the future of girls’ cricket.

Yas Rana, Ben Gardner and Phil Walker reflect on the conclusion of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which saw Australia win the SCG Test and take the series 3-1. There's chat about both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli's struggles, Jasprit Bumrah's workload and what the triumph means for this generation of Australian players. Elsewhere in the show there's discussion about the ICC's reported plans to introduce a two-tier system for Test cricket and calls for England to boycott their Champions Trophy fixture against Afghanistan. Mark Butcher also joins Yas to chat about the role of the spinner in Australian Tests and the start of the SA20. 0:00 Intro / 2:58 Rohit Sharma / 12:31 Virat Kohli / 17:17 India / 20:46 Scott Boland / 25:23 Mark Butcher / 37:03 Two-tier Test cricket? / 52:33 Graeme Smith / 55:48 Should England boycott Afghanistan? / 1:14:37 Outro

Yas Rana and Lauren Winfield-Hill discuss the auction dynamics of the WPL compared to other franchise competitions, before Katya Witney is joined by Karunya Keshav to conduct a deep dive into the state of Indian cricket. 0:00 Intro / 1:17 WPL dynamics / 19:44 The state of Indian cricket / 50:00 Outro The Metro Bank Girls in Cricket Fund in collaboration with the ECB aims to triple the number of girls’ cricket teams by breaking down barriers and creating supportive and inclusive spaces. Help transform the game, head to metrobankonline.co.uk/cricket to champion the future of girls’ cricket.

Our final podcast of 2024, and two Boxing Day classics to review. Yas Rana, Ben Gardner and Mark Butcher react to Australia's thrilling win against India at the MCG, as well as South Africa's victory against Pakistan which saw them secure World Test Championship final qualification. There's also chat about whether the WTC is actually good, there's finally an update on the 2025 Champions Trophy and England have announced a squad for that tournament. 0:00 Intro / 1:05 Australia vs India / 7:54 Sam Konstas / 15:18 Steve Smith / 20:33 Virat Kohli / 24:52 Nitish Kumar Reddy / 30:32 Jasprit Bumrah / 38:49 South Africa vs Pakistan / 42:39 World Test Championship / 50:39 Zimbabwe vs Afghanistan / 52:53 Champions Trophy / 1:00:18 England's squad / 1:07:27 Outro

Yas Rana, Ben Gardner, Katya Witney and Lauren Winfield-Hill react to the announcement of England and Australia's Ashes squads. There's also discussion about the tour's relentless schedule, the Test being played last and whether it's time for the format of the women's Ashes to change. 0:00 Intro / 1:13 Scheduling / 12:06 Warm-up matches / 16:35 Time for a change? / 20:37 Australia / 27:57 England / 33:45 Format / 40:39 Future of women's Tests / 46:38 Outro The Metro Bank Girls in Cricket Fund in collaboration with the ECB aims to triple the number of girls’ cricket teams by breaking down barriers and creating supportive and inclusive spaces. Help transform the game, head to metrobankonline.co.uk/cricket to champion the future of girls’ cricket.

It's our Christmas special!

Yas Rana, Ben Gardner and Katya Witney react to England beating South Africa by 286 runs in Bloemfontein – their first Test win in a decade. Also on the agenda is India's white-ball series against West Indies and the Women's Premier League auction, while Lauren Winfield-Hill joins Yas to review the Test. 0:00 Intro / 1:10 Lauren Winfield-Hill / 13:40 South Africa vs England / 28:02 India vs West Indies / 33:29 Women's Premier League auction / 44:44 Outro The Metro Bank Girls in Cricket Fund in collaboration with the ECB aims to triple the number of girls’ cricket teams by breaking down barriers and creating supportive and inclusive spaces. Help transform the game, head to metrobankonline.co.uk/cricket to champion the future of girls’ cricket.

Yas Rana, Phil Walker, Ben Gardner and Mark Butcher react to England's thumping defeat to New Zealand in Hamilton, and reflect on England's 2024 as a Test side. There's also chat about the drawn Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test in Brisbane and Ravichandran Ashwin's retirement from international cricket. 0:00 Intro / 1:28 New Zealand vs England / 12:32 Why do England collapse so often? / 20:36 England's 2024 / 32:07 New Zealand / 38:53 England Lions / 40:53 Mark Butcher / 57:03 Wisden Cricket Monthly / 59:30 Patreon / 1:02:30 Australia vs India / 1:10:44 Ravichandran Ashwin / 1:25:32 Other cricket / 1:28:01 Fab Fours / 1:32:44 CRICBABY / 1:40:51 Outro

Loads to get through on this week's show. Yas Rana, Ben Gardner and Katya Witney reflect on England's 2-1 ODI series victory against South Africa and look ahead to the one-off Test, starting on Sunday. There's also chat about the WPL auction and Ireland's series in Bangladesh. Lauren Winfield-Hill joins Yas to discuss the continued pay inequality between the men's and women's Hundred, as well as the emergence of a new Australian white-ball star. 0:00 Intro / 2:08 The Hundred pay inequality / 12:46 Australia vs India / 28:06 South Africa vs England ODIs / 37:25 SAvENG Test preview / 44:53 WPL auction / 49:59 Bangladesh vs Ireland / 52:53 Outro The Metro Bank Girls in Cricket Fund in collaboration with the ECB aims to triple the number of girls’ cricket teams by breaking down barriers and creating supportive and inclusive spaces. Help transform the game, head to metrobankonline.co.uk/cricket to champion the future of girls’ cricket.

Yas Rana, Phil Walker and Katya reflect on England’s thumping of New Zealand and Australia’s dominant performance against India in Adelaide. There’s also chat about the race for the World Test Championship final and a new issue of Wisden Cricket Monthly, while Mark Butcher joins Yas to discuss Zak Crawley, Harry Brook and England’s top seven conundrum. 0:00 Intro / 1:42 Brydon Carse / 12:45 Harry Brook / 16:20 Ollie Pope / 22:49 Jacob Bethell / 30:19 England’s top seven / 41:50 Gus Atkinson / 43:12 New Zealand / 49:31 Rob Key / 55:47 Mark Butcher on NZvENG / 1:13:11 Australia vs India / 1:27:41 South Africa vs Sri Lanka / 1:31:47 Wisden Cricket Monthly / 1:38:22 Blood On The Tracks / 1:52:09 Outro ✈️ GULLIVERS SPORTS TRAVEL Experience the 2025/26 Ashes with Gullivers Sports Travel: https://bit.ly/3CIzmrp

Katya Witney and Yas Rana review England's defeat in the first match of their ODI series against South Africa and a dominant performance from Australia against India. Lauren Winfield-Hill joins the show to review the WBBL final, as well as discussing the value of inswing in women's cricket and how England can solve their batting struggles. 0:00 Intro / 1:09 SAvENG / 10:37 AUSvIND / 13:58 WBBL / 27:03 Inswing / 34:56 England's batting / 44:52 Outro The Metro Bank Girls in Cricket Fund in collaboration with the ECB aims to triple the number of girls’ cricket teams by breaking down barriers and creating supportive and inclusive spaces. Help transform the game, head to metrobankonline.co.uk/cricket to champion the future of girls’ cricket.