Wisden Cricket Weekly

Ben Gardner & Phil Walker sit down to discuss England's World Cup chances & the recently announced England Lions squad and coaches. Yas Rana then speaks to Wisden board member and cricket strategist Eddie Fitzgibbon on the future of the world game. 0:15 Intro/02:15 U-19 World Cup/04:43 England T20 team for Sri Lanka series/11:27 Harry Brook/25:12 Scotland at the World Cup/29:46 Lions squad coaches/32:29 Stokes post-Ashes/37:07 West Indies vs South Africa/39:32 South Africa World Cup team/40:51 Eddie Fitzgibbon interview/01:09:12 Outro 👀 PATREON For bonus podcasts and daily episodes after every England game, sign up to our Patreon!   / wisdencricket   👉 SUBSCRIBE:    / @wisdencricket   ✍️ LATEST NEWS: https://www.wisden.com #Cricket#IPL#EnglandCricket Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Katya & Lauren react to Sophie Molineux's surprise appointment as Australia captain, as well as Nat Sciver-Brunt's destructive ton in the WPL. 0:33 Intro/01:23 Lauren on Molineux appointment/04:05 Will Molineux make their best XI?/08:11 Could they have split the captaincies?/10:15 Do Australia have too many leaders?/12:30 Are Australia in transition?/13:45 Other squad news/16:45 WPL news & NSB ton/23:43 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 https://www.metrobankonline.co.uk/cri... to champion the future of girls’ cricket. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 👀 PATREON Sign up to our Patreon! / wisdencricket WSL EXPLAINER ARTICLE: https://www.wisden.com/series/wpl-202... 📔 WISDEN CRICKET MONTHLY: Print: https://bit.ly/WCMPrint Digital: https://bit.ly/WCMDigital#Cricket #EnglandCricket #thehundred #wsl Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ben and Butch discuss Bangladesh's last-minute exclusion from the T20 World Cup and England's impressive 2-1 ODI series win in Sri Lanka. 👀 PATREON For bonus podcasts and daily episodes after every England game, sign up to our Patreon! http://patreon.com/WisdenCricket 👉 SUBSCRIBE: https://www.youtube.com/@WisdenCricket?sub_confirmation=1 #Cricket #EnglandCricket #T20WorldCup Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A different one for you this week - Katya takes a look at what women's cricket can learn from the enormous strides made in women's football since the Euros win of 2022, speaking to Telegraph women's football reporter Kathryn Batte & Aston Villa Women Managing Director Maggie Murphy. 0:15 Intro/02:37 Kathryn Batte on evolution of the WSL/23:33 Katya reflections /25:25 Maggie Murphy on prioritising equity over equality /47:01 Katya reflections and 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 https://www.metrobankonline.co.uk/cri... to champion the future of girls’ cricket. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 👀 PATREON Sign up to our Patreon! / wisdencricket 📔 WISDEN CRICKET MONTHLY: Print: https://bit.ly/WCMPrint Digital: https://bit.ly/WCMDigital Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jonathan Trott, former England Test No.3 and now Afghanistan head coach who guided them to T20 World Cup heights. He talks about building structure and belief in Afghanistan, navigating language and culture, protecting players from politics, hopes for their World Cup, and his own coaching ambitions including a desire to lead England one day.

Yas and Butch dive into the crucial ODI series between England and Sri Lanka, emphasizing England's need for wins to secure World Cup qualification. They discuss Sri Lanka's incredible home winning streak and the challenges of adapting to Colombo's slow pitches. Player fatigue from the Ashes poses a selection dilemma, and the hosts evaluate England's spin-bowling options. With Sri Lanka's formidable batting lineup, the stakes are high, and fan reactions promise to be intense depending on the outcomes.

Mo Bobat, the Director of Cricket at London Spirit and former Performance Director for England, shares insights into the world of cricket franchise strategy. He discusses the intricacies of talent identification, using Jacob Bethell as a case study. Mo elaborates on the challenges of recruitment, balancing team dynamics, and the importance of systemic improvements within cricket. He also reflects on his tenure with the ECB and emphasizes his vision for success in short-format competitions. Get a glimpse into the mind of a cricket innovator!

Heather Knight, former captain of the England cricket team and now General Manager for London Spirit, discusses Alyssa Healy's impactful retirement, reflecting on her legacy in women's cricket. Knight shares insights into her new role, including player recruitment and advocating for salary parity. She also talks about the growth of young talents post-COVID, her strong collaboration with John Lewis, and her commitment to amplify the voices of exiled Afghan women cricketers. It's a conversation full of passion for the future of women's cricket!

In this engaging discussion, Tawhid Qureshi, a Bangladesh cricket expert, sheds light on the upheaval in Bangladeshi cricket, including the players' strike in the BPL sparked by a director's controversial remarks. He also analyzes Bangladesh's refusal to participate in the T20 World Cup in India and the potential repercussions for the cricket board. The hosts delve into the Ashes wrap-up, The Hundred's team rebrands, and their hopeful visions for cricket in 2026, blending insightful commentary with lighthearted banter.

Deteriorating relations between Bangladesh and India could disrupt the T20 World Cup schedule. The fallout could complicate logistics for fans and teams alike. Plus, South Africa's squad selection raises eyebrows with some surprising omissions. The hosts also highlight standout performers from the SA20 league. With politics influencing tournament logistics, discussions turn to racial balance and South Africa's chances of clinching an ICC trophy. Engaging stories from the tournament atmosphere reveal how fans are rallying around the sport.