The first instalment from our six-part video series reliving the drama of the 2005 Ashes. This extract hears from Jason Gillespie, Simon Jones, Michael Vaughan, Justin Langer and Freddie Flintoff how England took the unsuspecting Aussies by storm on the first morning at Lord's. To watch the full video series with match archive join The Cricverse on Substack at https://cricverse.substack.com/p/wakey-wakey-england?r=lo2wd Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices...
Aug 08, 2025•18 min
Five Tests, 25 days, 2000 overs, 12,000 balls, 7, 187 runs. A riveting fight from start to finish, the end always in doubt. Simon Hughes and Deep Dasgupta reflect on a classic series, highlight the stars and the turning points, declare Test cricket the winner and join all the players for a lengthy lie down. To watch our special six part series on perhaps the greatest series of all time - the 2005 Ashes - subscribe to The Cricverse - https://open.substack.com/pub/cricverse/p/oval-showstopper?r=lo...
Aug 05, 2025•48 min
A nerve-shredding final morning concluded with India seizing a dramatic six run victory - the closest in their history - to deservedly share the series 2-2. The 55 minutes of play encapsulated the match with brilliant bowling, brave hitting, tight umpires decisions, diving attempts on the boundary, unbridled tension and England's last man, Chris Woakes, coming out to bat with his arm in a sling. You couldn't make it up. Simon Hughes and Simon Mann were there to witness the dramatic end to an epi...
Aug 04, 2025•43 min
An extraordinary day's cricket as this epic series headed to a climax, with an unexpected shower leaving England needing 35 to win the match and the series with four wickets in hand. Highlight of the day was Harry Brook's flamboyant hundred, an innings speckled with genius and audacity. he and Joe Root transformed the game with a nerveless and fluent 195 run partnership which totally knocked the stuffing out of India. Their dismissals let India back into the game. Simon Hughes and Simon Mann rep...
Aug 03, 2025•33 min
A tremendous batting performance by India have set England a mountain to climb on the fourth day at the Oval. They require 374 and were shaping well with 50-0 until Mohammed Siraj yorked Zak Crawley with the last ball of the day. A tough day for England's bowlers and fielders and major work to do for England's batters if they are going to get close to securing the series 3-1. india are odds on to make it 2-2. This podcast is supported by Betfair. Do not bet if you are under 18 and please gamble ...
Aug 02, 2025•33 min
A Test match and series superbly poised at the Oval with India leading by 53 with eight wickets left in seamer-friendly conditions. Simon Hughes and Simon Mann report on an absorbing day of 340 runs and 15 wickets and plenty of confrontation that Surrey and England's Graham Thorpe, in whose memory everyone sported headbands, would have loved. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Aug 01, 2025•33 min
India possibly have the better of the first day at the Oval where England bowled waywardly and lost Chris Woakes to what looked like a dislocated shoulder towards the end of the day. With Woakes unlikely to play any further part in the match it makes India's score of 204-6 on a helpful pitch worth more like 250. Simon Hughes and Simon Mann review a day when India's batting held up resolutely against England's makeshift attack. they also discuss whether Tests in series as intense as this should b...
Jul 31, 2025•33 min
A preview of the fifth and final test at the Oval, scene also of Gilbert Jessop's fastest hundred for England in a Test match in 1902, a 76-ball record that still stands. Simon Hughes discusses the prospects of a Stokes-less England and a rebuilt bowling attack with Sunday Times cricket correspondent Simon Wilde who has written a new book - Chasing Jessop. It reveals much about the man who could be considered the original Bazballer and also makes claims that his hundred may have been even quicke...
Jul 30, 2025•43 min
Five days of stretching every sinew on the field by both sides has ended in stalemate at Old Trafford. Superb tenacious batting by india - having been 0-2 - held England at bay for over one and a half days during which they only lost two more wickets. In the end the dead pitch was the winner. Simon Hughes and Simon Mann review a match that broke many batting records and was a triumph for the warrior-like Ben Stokes and his opposite number the courageous Shubman Gill and leaves the series poised ...
Jul 27, 2025•34 min
Despite England's huge 311 run lead and two early Indian wickets, the India third wicket remained intact for the rest of the day as KL Rahul and Shubman Gill knuckled down to the job of drawing the game. The day featured Ben Stokes becoming only the fourth Englishman to score a century and take five wickets in the same Test match. Simin Hughes and Deep Dasgupta evaluate the day and where Stokes ranks in the all-rounders Hall of Fame. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adc...
Jul 26, 2025•24 min
England take inexorable control of the fourth Test at Old Trafford thanks primarily to Joe Root's faultless 38th Test hundred. In the course of it he went past Jacques Kallis, Rahul Dravid and Ricky Ponting to become the second highest run scorer in the history of Test cricket. Only the incomparable Sachin Tendulkar has more (about 2500 more.) Simon Hughes and Deep Dasgupta assess the day and India's legendary batsman Sunil Gavaskar gives his verdict on Root's monumental achievement. Learn more ...
Jul 25, 2025•29 min
Helped by the unexpected contribution of the injured Rishabh Pant India make a battling 358 on the second day at Old Trafford. But after Ben Stokes takes his first 5 wicket haul for eight years, Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley make a superb statement of their own with a 160 run opening partnership. Simon Hughes and Deep Dasgupta review a day which has left the match well poised with England 133 runs behidn with 8 wickets in hand. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices...
Jul 24, 2025•28 min
An attritional 83 overs on the first day of the Old Trafford Test as India progress to 264-4 but Rishabh Pant suffers a bad injury to his foot on 37 and may play no further part in the match. Ben Stokes was again the go to bowler for England and having now bowled more overs (119) than in any other previous Test series, he has the same number of Test wickets (226) as both Freddie Flintoff and Steve Harmison. Simon Hughes and former India player Deep Dasgupta assess the day's play and the state of...
Jul 23, 2025•27 min
Twilight of the Gods : the first episode of our six -part series on the 2005 Ashes - often regarded as the greatest Test series of all time. Twenty years on Simon Hughes and Simon Mann relive the drama of those Tests with its participants including Michael Vaughan, Freddie Flintoff, Glenn McGrath, Justin Langer, Adam Gilchrist, Andrew Strauss and Simon Jones, interspersed with the memories of Shane Warne. This first episode recalls the build up to the series, why it was so momentous and how Engl...
Jul 19, 2025•58 min
A truly melodramatic final day at Lord's featuring only 112 runs but six vital wickets to give England the narrowest of victories by 22 runs. It was on the very day six years ago when England tied the World Cup final and won the Super Over on a boundary count back, and two of England match-winners that 2019 day - Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer - were at the forefront of England's victory today. Simon Hughes and Simon Mann look back at a wonderful advert for Test cricket and the extraordinary defian...
Jul 14, 2025•39 min
Defending a meagre 193 for victory, England's Durham pair Brydon Carse and Ben Stokes offer hope of a brilliant climax to an absorbing third Test with late wickets. India now require a further 135 runs to win, with serene opener KL Rahul looking secure and the mercurial Rishabh Pant due in next. It promises to be an exciting final day as the moribund pitch gradually deteriorates. Can Ben Stokes inspire England again on the sixth anniversary of his miraculous World Cup final performance at Lords ...
Jul 13, 2025•35 min
England and India finish on exactly the same score in their first innings at Lord's. Simon Hughes and Simon Mann discuss a day of attrition with the odd memorable highlight and a juicy confrontation between Shubman Gill and Zak Crawley at the end of the day as the England openers manage to make one Bumrah over last eight minutes before stumps were drawn. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jul 12, 2025•32 min
A day of attrition at Lord's, as England battle to 387 all out - despite Bumrah's five wickets - and hold india to 145-3. Jofra Archer bowled a sensational first over after on his Test match return after four years in rehab, and England dismissed the prolific Shubman Gill for only 16. On a fiercely hot day at Lord's 15 overs were left unbowled and Simon Hughes and Simon Mann discuss what can be done about the interminable delays and talk to the managing director of Dukes' balls, Dilip Jajodia, a...
Jul 11, 2025•35 min
Led by the indefatigable Joe Root England ground out a solid base on the first day of the 3rd Test at Lord's. On a slow pitch England elected to bat first and only allowed India four wickets in the day for 251 runs. There is more hard work tomorrow once Root has got the one run to record his 37th Test hundred. But Simon Hughes and Simon Mann are concerned by an apparent muscle twinge suffered by his fifth wicket partner Ben Stokes. This podcast is supported by Betfair. You must be 18 or over to ...
Jul 10, 2025•34 min
Simon Hughes and Simon Mann review the 2nd Test at Edgbaston which ended in a thumping win for India. They assess how England will respond and who they will pick for Lord's starting on Thursday. Will the returning Jofra Archer significantly bolster their ailing attack and can they find a solution to the prolific Shubman Gill who has amassed 585 runs in the first two Tests. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices...
Jul 08, 2025•39 min
India grind England's bowlers into the Edgbaston dust to notch up 1014 runs in the match and set England a nominal 608 to win. Even the Bazballers can't make that especially after losing three early wickets. Simon Hughes and Simon Mann report on a record breaking, bat throwing day for India's batsmen led by the remorseless Shubman Gill Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jul 05, 2025•37 min
A day of extremes at Edgbaston as two England batsmen - Harry Brook and Jamie Smith - make over 150 and six are out for ducks. Despite Brook and Smith's magnificent partnership of 303 England still are coming comfortably second in this game and will need a miracle spell on Saturday morning to have any chance of winning the match. Simon Hughes and Simon Mann report from England's spiritual home on a noisy Friday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices...
Jul 04, 2025•32 min
A majestic 269 from Shubman Gill shattered records and broke England bowlers' hearts to put India in an indomitable position at Edgbaston. Simon Hughes and Simon Mann report on a debilitating day for England as the India batters piled up the highest total registered against Ben Stokes' England. Having lost three top order players for 25 England have a Herculean task now to get anything out of this game. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices...
Jul 03, 2025•31 min
Shubman Gill's sublime century is the cornerstone of India's 310-5 on the first day at Edgbaston after Ben Stokes put India in. Simon Hughes and Simon Mann assess a lively first day with England lifted by the boisterous Birmingham crowd to keep India in. check but the second new ball will be key in the morning. This podcast is supported by Betfair. Note you must be 18 or over to bet and please gamble responsibly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices...
Jul 02, 2025•36 min
In another episode of The Analyst Rewind, looking back at a great moment in cricket history, Simon Hughes talks to the author Richard Whitehead, whose new book on England's 1954/55 Ashes victory celebrates perhaps England's greatest Ashes triumph. It chronicles how Len Hutton's team came back from a disastrous first Test in Brisbane to win the series 3-1, only the second time in Ashes history that England have come from behind in Australia to win the urn. It was the series that christened the ra...
Jul 01, 2025•38 min
Wicketkeeper batter John Simpson took on the task of leading Sussex out of Division 2. Not only did he do that immediately in collaboration with coach Paul Farbrace, but now they are flying high in Division 1. and he is second top run-scorer. Simpson talks to Simon Hughes about his captaincy style, why he left Middlesex, how to manage the returning Jofra Archer and his unusual way of preparing for an innings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices...
Jun 28, 2025•27 min
Sir Clive Lloyd, hero and captain of the West Indies team that won the first (men's) World Cup in 1975, is interviewed by Simon Hughes at Lord's, fifty years on from that fantastic final against Australia. For the video version of this podcast subscribe to T he Cricverse at https://cricverse.substack.com/p/the-first-world-cup-winners?r=lo2wd or join The Analyst Plus at https://www.patreon.com/posts/clive-lloyd-on-131608534?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postsh...
Jun 27, 2025•34 min
Led by the exceptional Ben Duckett, England pull off one of their greatest-ever run-chases in the first Test against India,at a venue famous for excitement. England, emboldened by a first wicket stand of 188, overhauled their target of 371 with time and wickets to spare. It was a victory all the more remarkable because India dominated the game for most of the first four days, but came unstuck by resourceful, fearless England on the fifth. Simon Hughes and Simon Mann marvel at Duckett's bravado a...
Jun 25, 2025•42 min
The first Test of the Anderson/Tendulkar series is delicately balanced after four days - and that is the best description of the dominant innings of the day by KL Rahul. Perfectly executed, deliciously poised. The Simons assess a lively fourth day and examine the likely outcomes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jun 23, 2025•38 min
England draw level with India thanks mainly to a scintillating innings from Harry Brook, setting Headingley alight until squandering a deserved century on 99. Simon Hughes and Simon Mann reflect on a pulsating third day at Headingley which began with a poignant tribute to the life of David 'Syd' Lawrence, and continued with bat mostly dominating ball except when the brilliant Jasprit Bumrah has it in his hands. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices...
Jun 22, 2025•38 min
