Podcasts for Cricket Tragics

Realising that I am fast approaching retirement age, and not fancying that idea at all, I have spent the last three years trying very hard to hang on to the good health I have been fortunate to enjoy all through my adult life. I wouldn’t go as far as to say I treat my body like a temple, but I have made a determined effort to get and stay fit so, within reason, I walk everywhere I go, and then when I get there I go out for another walk before walking home.

The problem with walking, of course, is that it is essentially boring. Which used to be a problem, but ceased to be when I discovered the myriad of podcasts that are available to keep me entertained whilst I get my daily exercise. Much of my listening pleasure is derived from listening to subjects other than cricket, but like any self-respecting cricket tragic I do listen to the occasional cricket podcast.

I have to say that I do find there is a problem with cricket podcasts generally, in part the vast number that there are, which means there are many I have not listened to even once. More important perhaps is that almost all seem to concentrate on contemporary issues. There is nothing wrong with that of course, and indeed anything that seeks to broaden the appeal of the game and attract a new audience is to be welcomed, but I’m afraid such discussions are of very limited appeal to me.

But there are three cricketing podcasts that I have discovered which I find absolutely compelling. Two are well established, and the third is a new one that to date is only four episodes old, but which shows great promise. The one feature that all three have in common is that they have a regular host(s), who interviews a variety of guests in the podcast.

So I will start with easiest, Tom Ford’s newly launched The Golden Age of Cricket. The theme is clear from the name, and accordingly unless you have an interest in the game between 1890 and 1914 this is not one for you. So far there have been four podcasts, two each on the subject of two of the giants of the era, Monty Noble and Wilfred Rhodes.

Ford’s guest for both is a recent biographer of his subject. For Noble fellow Aussie Peter Lloyd filled a huge gap in the literature of the game with his sumptuous book that was published at the end of last year. For Rhodes there had been two, or more accurately one and a half, previous biographies but they were published more than half a century ago and Patrick Ferriday’s meticulously researched book is, like Lloyd’s book, essential reading. Both authors are, unsurprisingly, completely on top of their subject and Ford’s thoughtful questions bring the best out of both.

For the future there are a myriad of subjects for Ford to cover. There are great players like Ranjitsinhji, CB Fry, Stanley Jackson and the legendary Victor Trumper, not to mention less celebrated men like Len Braund, Jack Saunders and Jack Blackham none of whom, to date, have been the subject of books. Then there are matters of history and literature, the game in Philadelphia and the early South African teams, and the writings of men like Charles Moody, Tom Horan and, of course, Neville Cardus.

Next on my list is Once Upon A Time In The Ashes. Sadly there are a finite number of podcasts that Graham Barrett can produce without tinkering with his mission statement, but I hope very much that he does, even if at that point he feels he has to change his title to ‘Twice Upon a Time in The Ashes’.

Barrett’s podcast focuses on some of the less heralded contributors to the Ashes legend, those whose careers include just a single cap. One or two have Test caps against countries other than England or Australia as well, but none are household names. For the early years Barrett engaged the assistance of no less a man than Stephen Chalke to introduce those men who fit the criteria and are no longer with us.

But, with the greatest of respect to Stephen, who we all know is an excellent story teller, the lengthy interviews with the men who are still with us are the highlights of the podcast. Barrett began with Keith Slater, whose one appearance came for Australia in the controversial 1958/59 series, and the most recent was with the Gloucestershire seamer Mike Smith who, to my surprise, I learned is actually a Yorkshireman, not that he sounds anything like one.

Barrett’s discussions with his subjects are always wide-ranging, and in each case he has clearly thoroughly researched his man, the stories of very few of whom are well known. Which are the stand outs? It is difficult to single out any of the subjects but Aussies Tony Dell and Mick Malone, and Englishmen Arnie Sidebottom and Jonathan Agnew are as memorable as any. Perhaps best of all though is the Ian Chappell special, a fascinating conversation that does immense credit to both interviewer and interviewee, and which amply demonstrates that, for Once Upon A Time In The Ashes, there should be plenty of life beyond Sam Curran, a man who in the future might well disqualify himself anyway .

There are 23 podcasts so far from Barrett and, sadly for me, I have listened to all of them, and indeed some of them more than once. For that reason alone my current favourite is Oborne and Heller on Cricket, of which there are as many as 115 editions and, only having listened to around forty of them, I have a long way to go even if, at my current rate of binge listening, I will probably have got to the end before the 2023 county season is a month old.

Peter Oborne is a renowned political journalist, but when it comes to his writing I am rather more familiar with his prize winning biography of Basil D’Oliveira and his history of cricket in Pakistan. Richard Heller is also a journalist, and is the author of two cricket novels. He also assisted his co-podcaster in the research for his history of Pakistani cricket, and co-authored another splendid book on Pakistan cricket with Oborne, White on Green.

Oborne, almost always from Wiltshire, and Heller from South East London clearly know each other very well, and there can be no doubt that both are extremely well read, generally as well as in relation to cricket. Both clearly love the game deeply and, at club level, have played a great deal themselves.

Again their strength is their guests, and they cover a huge range of topics. Those who they most frequently share their platform with are writers, and that no doubt is part of the reason I enjoy listening to them as much as I do. Guests I have so far listened to include Stephen Chalke, John Broom, Arunabha Sengupta and Mike Coward.

Any cricket podcast is also going to talk to former cricketers. There is not so much of that with Oborne and Heller on Cricket, but those players who have been guests are amongst the very finest to have played the game. Recently the great West Indian fast bowler, Wesley Hall, featured and, in the 32nd of the series Ted Dexter. Just a few months before his death Dexter was on excellent form and if it was obvious that both Oborne and Heller had always been huge fans of their interviewee they did manage to maintain their objectivity throughout a quite magical hour from which I learnt infinitely more about Dexter the man than I did from any of the not inconsiderable number of books on my shelves that are by or about him. 

Not unnaturally overseas cricket features from time to time, and I have much enjoyed hearing Pakistani commentator/writer Qamar Ahmed and the curator of the Lahore museum Najum Latif. Looking forward there are others I have yet to listen to, including an intriguing looking podcast that focuses on the game in Lebanon.

Other podcasts feature broadcasters, umpires, journalists, analysts, a bookseller and many other writer/authors. It is worth making the point, in case I have inadvertently suggested otherwise, that whilst Oborne and Heller on Cricket does spend a good deal of its time looking back, it is very much ‘of the present’ and Oborne and Heller, whilst they may be traditionalists at heart, are not afraid of looking into the future or at the game’s shortest formats.

And in the case of Oborne and Heller on Cricket I think should do two things, the first being nominate a favourite podcast, and the second to make a few suggestions as to future guests for them. The first of those tasks is actually relatively straightforward, and is the podcast that finally persuaded me to right this piece. Their most recent offering featured Australian writer Russell Jackson, a man who is currently working on a biography of that most remarkable of cricket historians, Rowland Bowen.

For the future I do hope that we might hear Oborne and Heller with David Frith, Gideon Haigh, Duncan Hamilton, Graham Barrett and Tom Ford, but not all at the same time!

Having mentioned my three favourite podcasts I will also, despite not having been invited to do an encore, mention one more that I do listen to, seasonally. Like Oborne and Heller I am a great fan of English county cricket, so during the Northern Hemisphere summer County Cricket Natters is an essential listen and, I am pleased to report, the wonderful Annie Chave has had the Oborne and Heller treatment when she assisted them in bringing up their half century.

And finally, my mentioning just the four podcasts should not be taken as criticism of the myriad of others who are out there in cyberspace and, given that for the reason I have mentioned there is likely to be a gap in my life from the beginning of June, I will await recommendations for future listening.

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A Perfect Match: The Bazball-Bingo Cricket Crossover for the Ashes 2023

It’s an Ashes year which means that cricket is going to be dominating the back pages quite a bit. Australia are of course the holders after their 2021/22 drubbing of England. But things have changed quite a bit since then.

Ben Stokes took up the England test captaincy back in April 2022 following Joe Root’s resignation. Although there was some hope about England’s prospects after a torrid run of form, nobody could have foreseen what would unfold.

Along with Brendon McCullum, Stokes introduced an enthralling brand of cricket that may very well have changed the red ball game forever. Known as Bazball, England’s approach is to take positive decisions in attack and defense. In other ways, play test cricket as you would a one day match.

The results have been resoundingly positive. Despite a recent blip in New Zealand which saw England lose by a single run, the team has been unbeaten in the last four test series. In addition to the recent 1 – 1 series draw with New Zealand they beat them 3 – 0 at the start of Stokes’ captaincy, while also whitewashing Pakistan 3 – 0 and beating South Africa 2 – 1.

So needless to say, there’s plenty of anticipation for the upcoming Ashes series which most experts agree is going to be very close.

Free and Customisable Cricket Bingo Cards

To enhance your view pleasure even further, we’ve come up with Ashes cricket bingo cards. Instead of numbers they contain sayings, commentator cliches and in-match events that will likely play out during the five days of any Ashes test match. All you’ve got to do is mark off the items as they occur.

The first person to mark all or most of them off by the time the match concludes is declared the winners. Our bingo cards are completely free to customise and print out. They’re ideal for watch parties or a solo viewing session.

How to Customise and Print Our Cricket Bingo Cards

So how do you customise and print our cricket bingo cards for a typical game? It’s all pretty straightforward.

Our cards are pre-filled with terms, many of which we think will take place during an Ashes test. However, feel free to add more terms or replace them altogether with your own. This can be done in the box provided to the left of the bingo card.

When you’re happy with them, select the grid size (5 x 5 is recommended), your font and click ‘generate bingo cards’.

At this point you choose how many cards you want to print. It’s possible here to select up to 20 or choose your own custom number.

If you’d prefer though, you can opt to invite your friends to receive their individual cards by email. Just enter their email addresses in the box provided, hit ‘invite’ and they’ll receive the bingo card in their inbox instantly.

The Three Lions certainly look up for the challenge facing them in June when they take the field against the baggy greens. Whatever the result, we recommend you try our bingo cards during what promises to be a brilliant Ashes series.

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Brian Lara: Recalling his extraordinary unbeaten 400 Test knock against England

Even if you are not a staunch cricket fan, there is a strong possibility you will have heard of Brian Lara. The West Indies legend transcended the game, and he is often held in the same regard as his peers Ricky Ponting and Sachin Tendulkar were for Australia and India respectively.

Lara was one of the most gifted batsmen of his generation, and he accumulated huge scores with the same pomp and elegance that a certain Donald Bradman did when he turned out for the Aussies in the Test arena.

There was something electrifying about the way Lara went about his business, and he was never one to shirk a challenge. He was always happy to give it to a bowler, and he was mesmerising to watch.

It is nearly 19 years ago, well April 12 to be more precise since Lara became the first man to score 400 runs in a Test match innings against England. Even some of the current crop of top players in the world don’t shine a torch to Lara.

With that in mind, we have decided to reminisce and look back on one of the finest batting performances in the Test environment.

400 not out

It almost seems unfathomable to explain how a batsman could hit 400 runs and not be defeated, but that’s what Lara managed to do at the Antigua Ground in St John’s.

Although Lara had presided over three crushing Test losses against England, a whitewash seemed like a distinct possibility. Up until that point, Lara had been struggling for runs, registering scores of 23, 0, 0, 8, 36, and 33.

However, Lara responded in the best possible way. After batting for 13 hours, Lara reached the 400-run milestone, having notched up an incredible 43 fours and four sixes.

When he reached the landmark, he whipped off his helmet, whirled his bat above his head, and knelt down before kissing the pitch. There would have of course been some relief, but it was an extraordinary relief, and he was later given a guard of honour for his efforts.

Redefining greatness

While a 400 not out score is a brilliant standalone score, Lara actually reclaimed his own Test record. With his quadruple century, Lara eclipsed Matthew Hayden’s 380 in Perth in 2003.

There have been various other notable feats in Lara’s career and he has been immortalised away from the game. This is certainly the case insofar as cricket and the convergence of video games are concerned. Brian Lara Cricket was a very well received PlayStation game that had many fans hooked and it showcased the best of his talents. And now gamblers who enjoy playing slot titles, and particularly sports-based ones, can tap into Brian Lara: Sporting Legends at some of the best UK slot sites, including Casumo.

Defining legacy

Inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame in 2012, Lara produced moments of greatness on a regular basis, and he was a joy to watch when he was in full flow.

Although it seems scarcely believable that it was virtually 19 years ago that Lara hit 400 not out, it was one of those indelible moments that staunch cricket fans won’t forget.

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The Rise and Resilience of Steve Smith

Steve Smith is a renowned Australian cricketer who has left an indelible mark on the sport of cricket. His exceptional skills as a batsman and captain have made him one of the most successful cricketers in the world. Known for his dedication on the field and ability to lead his squad, he will surely play an important role for Australia in 2023.

The current Australian team is looking to claim back the World Cup title after suffering an unexpected defeat to England in 2019. The “Three Lions” went on to lift the trophy for the first time in their history. Australia holds the best-winning record on the biggest stage of all in cricket as they have also won the tournament a staggering five times so far.

You can check the latest odds on the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup in Bovada. Moreover, the bookmaker covers all the popular markets including spreads, money-line, and Asian handicaps. The clients show an immense interest in the NFL spreads, which seem to be among the best in the betting world.

Early Career

Smith began his cricketing journey playing for the Sutherland district cricket club in Sydney. He made his first-class debut for New South Wales in 2008 and soon became a regular member of the team. In 2010, he made his international debut for the Australian cricket team in a T20 match against Pakistan. He was soon selected for the Australian ODI and Test teams and proved to be a valuable asset to the team.

Batting Skills

Steve Smith is widely recognized as one of the best batsmen in the world. He is known for his unorthodox style of batting, which has made him a nightmare for bowlers. He has a unique stance and technique, which allows him to hit the ball in unusual areas of the field. He has an impressive average of 61.80 in Test cricket, and his highest score in Tests is 239. In ODI cricket, he has an average of 43.61, and his highest score in ODIs is 164.

Steve Smith’s batting skills are the cornerstone of his success as a cricket player. He has a unique style of batting that sets him apart from other players.

The experienced Australian has an unorthodox technique, which allows him to play shots in unusual areas of the field. He is particularly adept at playing the ball on the leg-side and has a remarkable ability to score runs even when the ball is pitched outside the off-stump.

Smith’s performances in Test cricket are particularly impressive. He has an average of 61.80 in Test cricket, which is one of the highest in the history of the game.

Smith has scored 27 Test centuries, including a high score of 239. His performances in overseas conditions have been equally remarkable, which is a testament to his skills as a batsman.

Leadership Qualities

Smith was appointed the captain of the Australian Test team in 2014. Under his captaincy, the team won many matches and climbed to the top of the ICC Test rankings.

Smith’s leadership qualities were evident in his tactical decisions and his ability to inspire his team to perform at their best. He led by example and was always willing to take risks to win matches.

Smith’s captaincy skills were particularly evident in the 2017-18 Ashes series. He led the Australian team to a 4-0 victory over England and played a crucial role in the team’s success. His tactical decisions and leadership qualities were key factors in the team’s dominant performance.

Controversies during his career

Steve Smith’s career has not been without controversy. In 2018, he was involved in the infamous ball-tampering scandal during a Test match against South Africa. Smith and his teammate Cameron Bancroft were found guilty of tampering with the ball, and both were banned from international cricket for a year. Smith’s reputation took a hit, and he was criticized for his role in the incident.

A worthy Comeback

Steve Smith’s comeback in 2019 was highly anticipated by cricket fans around the world. He was welcomed back to the Australian team with open arms and was given the opportunity to play in the 2019 World Cup.

Smith had a slow start to the tournament, but he soon found his form and contributed significantly to Australia’s success in the competition. He scored 379 runs in 10 matches, including two half-centuries.

After the World Cup, Smith returned to Test cricket and played in the Ashes series against England. He had a remarkable series, scoring 774 runs in just seven innings, including three centuries. His performances were crucial to Australia’s success in the series, and he was awarded the Compton-Miller Medal for his contributions.

Conclusion

Steve Smith’s career as a cricket player has been nothing short of remarkable. He is a world-class batsman and an exceptional leader. His unorthodox style of batting has made him a difficult opponent for bowlers.

Although he was involved in a controversy, he made a strong comeback and continues to be a valuable player for the Australian cricket team. Smith’s contribution to the sport of cricket will be remembered for years to come.

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What Poker Skills can you Apply to Cricket?

You might assume that these two vastly different games involve completely different skill sets. And while at face value that might be true, there are more skills that both games have – perhaps more than you might realise! 

We know that poker is a sit-down game, and while it is tense and there is a lot of money riding on it – people might not consider it to be highly stressful or take a toll on the body at all. At the same time, cricket players are running from all over the field, batting, catching and a lot more. A more physical game. 

In countries where cricket is popular, like the UK and India, poker seems to rank highly as one of the casino games played too. So perhaps they aren’t that different after all. 

Playing cricket and poker

We’ve covered a little bit about how poker is more of a sit-down game, while cricket players will be more physically active. 

But what might surprise many people is that professional poker players, and even amateurs who play for long hours, need to train for that too. It takes a lot of strain and stamina to make sure that they can be at the top of their game for the duration of the match. 

A lot of the decisions made by both sets of players come down to a strategy and being able to make snap judgements based on the information they have in front of them. Playing either highly aggressively or understanding that holding back slightly will give them an edge later in the game. 

Spotting signs of bluffing, fatigue, or when there is a specific play is about to happen comes down to the player’s ability to read body language. In both games, having a keen eye is of huge benefit and plays a large part in how likely it is that the opponent will make a mistake. 

Traditional games in modern times

Both poker and cricket are more traditional games with histories that date back hundreds of years. It is estimated that poke could be around a thousand years old and was first played with sticks and other trinkets. 

The first reference to cricket is somewhere in 1611, and that is when it moved from a children’s (boys) game to an adult game. Making cricket one of the oldest sports in history – or at least the one that made it into an organised team sport. 

Over the years, both games have evolved, and the rules of cricket and how people play poker have become more refined. So that no matter which of the sports you play and the style or size of the team, there is a set of rules for it. 

Where once only the locals would make it to a cricket match, it is now on live TV so cricket fans can cheer their national or local team on from wherever they are in the world. Poker has also seen a similar type of fame, big poker tournaments were put on TV, and now they are live-streamed on the internet too. 

Perhaps the biggest difference here is that while you can play cricket games on some consoles, you can play poker games online for real cash against other real players. 

What do cricket and poker players have in common?

Both cricket players and poker players have a lot of common traits. 

Endurance 

Cricket players and poker players need to have a high level of endurance. Both mental and physical endurance comes into play. Cricket players might have a string of matches over a few days or months. Poker players are often playing for hours on end every day until the end of the tournament too. 

Team

While we often think of poker players as solo players, there are plenty of examples where poker is a team sport, like the Match Indian Poker League. Teams made up of many skilled players will play as individuals, but they make up a poker team. 

It is their combined efforts that will dictate if they win or lose. 

And we know that cricket is a team sport from start to finish. 

Sportsmanship  

While on the field or sitting at the table, the players will need to be focused and act as foes. But both poker players and cricket players are known for their sportsmanship – understanding that the other team or player, if they win, is usually well deserved. The professionals at the top of the game only keep the competition on the field or at the table. 

Skill 

Most people aren’t able to tell you the rules of cricket, nor can they tell you the intricacies of playing great poker. It takes years of dedication, learning and training to be in a position to be the best cricket or poker player. 

Almost all of the skills that could be applied to great poker players could be transferred to those who wanted to excel in their cricket. In fact, playing poker could be beneficial to cricket players in more than one way.

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Who Is India’s Best Cricketer in 2023?

Currently perched atop both the men’s T20 and ODI rankings according to the International Cricket Council (ICC), India are rightly regarded as one of the best (if not the best) cricketing side in the world right now. But who stands out at an individual level among their ranks?

Given that cricket is a sport played across three different formats (T20, ODI and Test), it’s difficult to pinpoint a single player who outshines all others. Having said that, it’s definitely possible to whittle down the list of candidates. With that in mind, we’ve compiled a shortlist of the men we think are India’s best cricketers in 2023.

Suryakumar Yadav

Known informally as SKY, Suryakumar Yadav is currently the best T20 batsman on the planet. Anyone who likes to place a wager on cric live will be well aware that he is virtually unstoppable once he hits his stride, though he’s unproven on the ODI stage (having only played 20 matches to date) and has never participated in a Test game so far. A late bloomer, he was only called up to the Indian team once he had already entered his 30s, but he appears to be making up for lost time right now.

Virat Kohli

In a career spanning more than 15 years, Virat Kohli has done it all. He has 8,195 runs in 106 Test matches, 12,809 runs in 271 ODI matches and 4,008 runs in 115, giving him one of the highest batting averages of any batsman to take to the field for his country. He is also a former captain of India and has one World Cup winner’s medal with the team (from 2011), as well as coming runner-up in both the 2014 T20 World Cup and the 2019-21 Word Test Championship. At the age of 34, he still continues to be one of the leading lights of the sport domestically and internationally.

Ravichandran Ashwin

As the fastest Indian bowler to reach the milestones of 50-, 100-, 150-, 200-, 250-, 300-, 350-, 400- and 450-wickets in terms of innings bowled, Ravichandran Ashwin has a strong claim to be the best bowler the country has ever produced. Indeed, he currently sits top of the ICC’s Test rankings for bowlers; alongside that considerable achievement, he’s also a hugely accomplished all-rounder. He has scored five Test centuries and won nine Man of the Series awards for Test matches, which is the most of any Indian cricketer ever.

Jasprit Bumrah

Quite simply, Jasprit Bumrah is a fast-bowling sensation. With his unorthodox style, he can catch opponents off-guard through his short run-up, jerky elbow and incredible pace. All of these ingredients mean that he can deliver a pinpoint yorker or a torturous inswinger as the occasion demands – and it’s this diversity in his abilities which makes him perhaps the most complete bowler playing the game today. Unfortunately, his career has been ravaged by injuries, but when he’s fit and firing, he’s more than a match for anyone.

What do you think? Have we correctly identified the best Indian cricketers playing the sport today? Or is there someone we’ve inexplicably missed out? Let us know your opinion in the comments section below.

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