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Offspinner dedicates five-wicket haul to late grandfathers as he braces for fourth-innings challenge

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Feb-2024Shoaib Bashir dedicated his maiden England five-wicket haul to his late grandfathers, as he braced himself for one last big push in the fourth Test in Ranchi, after a day of Indian dominance put the hosts on course for a series-sealing victory.Bashir bowled a marathon 44 overs in India’s first innings in claiming final figures of 5 for 119. That included a 31-over unbroken spell on the second afternoon, in which he claimed the first four of his wickets, and he completed his five-for on the third morning when Akash Deep fell lbw for 9.However, India had already seized the initiative by then, thanks to a key stand of 76 between Kuldeep Yadav and Dhruv Jurel, who top-scored with 90 from 149 balls as an overnight deficit of 134 was reduced to a far more manageable 46.India’s own spinners then cemented their dominance of the day by ripping through England’s second innings to bowl them out for 145, with R Ashwin and Kuldeep Yadav sharing nine wickets between them. Bashir was back with ball in hand by the close, serving up a solitary over as Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal picked off 40 untroubled runs from their victory target of 192.Related

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Despite a tough day for his team, Bashir recognises – even at the age of 20 and in his second Test – that he will have to play another key role on the fourth day if England are to have any hope of clawing back the ascendancy, and going to Dharamsala next week with the series locked at 2-2.”Yeah, look, we would have liked to have got one or two wickets in that last period, but me and Harts [Tom Hartley] know we got a job to the tomorrow,” he told TNT at the close. “Ten opportunities to take ten wickets, and on that wicket anything is possible.””Me and Tommy are really excited for the challenge. We saw how Ashwin and [Ravindra] Jadeja bowled on that wicket and we take huge confidence from that. I used to watch these guys when I was a bit younger and they’re world-class spinners. We know us two lads are up against a world-class attack but we’ve got a chance to be heroes.”Irrespective of the result, Bashir acknowledged that his rise to prominence was “surreal”, given that he had played just six first-class fixtures in his entire professional career before his debut in Visakhapatnam, and was only recently playing national county cricket with Berkshire and club cricket in Guildford after being released by Surrey prior to his current stint with Somerset.”It was a very special moment on my journey,” he said of his fifth wicket. “Two years ago, I wouldn’t have thought anything like this [would happen] but that was really special.”I just want to dedicate this to my two late granddads who passed away a year and a bit ago,” he added. “They used to watch Test cricket all the time on TV, sitting in front of the TV on the couch. And their wish was to watch me play, and that didn’t happen. So yeah, it was quite emotional, but I’m grateful.”Despite his rapid rise, Bashir insisted he had not once felt out of place in an England dressing-room that includes one player, James Anderson, who made his Test debut before he was born, and several others – Joe Root, Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow among them – who have been fixtures of the Test side for more than a decade.”I used to see these guys when I was a little kid,” Bashir said. “So to be in that dressing-room, they give you so much confidence. Stokesy and the lads are brilliant, even if that’s to go out to bat as well. It just gets the best out of you, and it’s just a wonderful group to be a part of.”The boys were up for it and we’re really excited for tomorrow because it could bring a lot of joy. The mood is really good.”Asked if England still believed they could win, Bashir replied: “Massively. Me and Tommy are really excited for tomorrow. That pitch is deteriorating quite a bit now. We saw some pop from a good length and some roll. That’s good signs for us and we’re really excited.”We’re two tall spinners and we have tall release points. Stokesy and Baz picked us for a reason. We’ve just got to go out tomorrow and hopefully win a Test match.”

A sensational century by Ben Duckett, at 88 balls the third fastest against India in India, left the hosts shell-shocked in Rajkot

Sidharth Monga16-Feb-2024A sensational century by Ben Duckett, at 88 balls the third fastest against India in India, left the hosts shell-shocked after they once again left runs un-scored in their first innings of 445. There was none of the streakiness one might associate with a century scored at this pace. None of Duckett’s 19 fours and one six in his first 102 runs came off an edge. No bowler seemed to have an answer for his stroke-play: Duckett pounced on any width from the quicks, swept and reverse-swept the spinners to distraction, and then cashed in on the consequent shorter deliveries.He scored 133 of the 207 England made for the loss of two wickets in just 35 overs on the second day. India had batted 45 overs in the first half of the day for the addition of just 119 runs to their overnight 326 for 5. The recurring theme of India losing wickets without a build-up or a discernible plan from England’s bowlers continued.Not that plans or build-ups were working as Duckett demonstrated. India tried bowling the channel but Duckett stayed beside the line and crashed the quicks through the off side. Kuldeep Yadav tried his wristspin but Duckett swept and reverse-swept seven fours in his first four overs. R Ashwin, who got to his 500th Test wicket with the scalp of Zak Crawley, was allowed no time to celebrate as Duckett slog-swept a good length ball from the stumps and then followed it up by going back and pulling him.Related

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The only time Duckett looked in any kind of trouble was in the first four overs when he was beaten five times. He had tried to hit a four off each of those balls, and wasn’t dissuaded from doing that the next time he saw width.Ollie Pope, who scored the breathtaking 196 to steal the first Test away from India, and Crawley, who has been England’s best batter this series overall, were reduced to being mere spectators even though they batted with assuredness and comfort. Crawley scored just 15 in the first-wicket stand of 89, and Pope just 39 in the 93 added for the second wicket. However, there was still time enough for Pope to display the reverse Dilscoop that left jaws on the floor in the first Test.It was the partnership with Crawley, though, that once again set India back. This was their fourth association of 50 or more in five innings this series. Between 2018 and 2023, all visiting openers put together had put together four stands of 50 or more. By the time Ashwin came onto bowl, Duckett and Crawley had raced so far ahead he started off with a negative line outside leg to Crawley. That ended up bringing his landmark wicket as the ball bounced from the rough to take the top edge on the sweep.Jasprit Bumrah hugs R Ashwin after his 500th wicket•AFP via Getty Images

Now was the moment for India to try to build to another wicket. Pope is not that good a starter, and Kuldeep started by beating his bat on the outside edge. On 2 off 11, Pope, who might not have picked the earlier wrong’un, decided it wouldn’t matter which way it is turning if he gets to its pitch and biffs it over the infield. It heralded another wave of attack, which included the audacious slog-sweep off Ashwin for his first six.Pope then played used the pace from Ravindra Jadeja to start picking boundaries behind the wicket: a paddle-sweep followed by the outrageous reverse Dilscoop. Then the reverse-sweep. Then the orthodox one from Duckett. The closest India came to getting a wicket during this phase when Bumrah hit Duckett’s toe with a yorker, but he had got the inside half of the cue on it just as the ball landed.A particular cause for desperation for India was that they were playing their best possible attack at home, barring probably Mohammed Shami for Mohammed Siraj. And yet, England were bossing them without any trouble scoreboard pressure be damned.India then decided to slow the game down. They did what England did with Mark Wood. A field for bouncers, and keep bowing them one after the other. Not only did it slow the runs down momentarily it also slowed down the over-rate. And then when Siraj bowled one on a length, it behaved like his wobble-seam ball with the new ball does. It took such a good ball with the old ball, and then a review, for India to get some relief. Pope was trapped on the crease, but England were already 182 for 2 in just 30 overs.Even with stumps around the corner, the wicket failed to bring down Duckett’s disdain. He immediately reversed Jadeja for a flat six over what would have been point had he not switched his stance. In the last over, Ashwin came close to getting Duckett out when he defended for a change, but the offbreak had landed just outside leg.The amount of work India are having to put to get their wickets will be a good reminder to them of how easily they gave their own away. After the run-out on day one, the centurion Jadeja patted a return catch to Joe Root in the early exchanges of the day, reminiscent of how Yashasvi Jaiswal got out in the first over on day two in Hyderabad.Ashwin and debutant Dhruv Jurel then added 77 for the eighth wicket, but Ashwin too hit legspinner Rehan Ahmed straight to mid-on in a manner that left him with his hand on his head in a “what-did-I-just-do” kind of way. It is not like the spinners had built any dot-ball pressure on India as loose balls were readily available.Three stands put together 358 of India’s 445 runs. One – for the last wicket – was responsible for 30 of the remaining 87. That, though, has been the story of the series for India’s inexperienced batting line-up.

When Tottenham Hotspur announced the signing of Mathys Tel on loan last month, there was plenty of understandable excitement from their fans.

After all, the North Londoners were getting their hands on an exciting young talent who seemed to be of interest to a number of their Premier League rivals, such as Manchester United.

However, a month on, and it would be fair to describe the Frenchman’s time in the capital as disappointing thus far, and with just a couple of months left of the season, there is a real chance he’ll return to Bayern Munich as a flop.

Worse still, the Frenchman is currently being outperformed by a former Tottenham flop signed by José Mourinho and then sold by Antonio Conte.

Mourinho's worst Spurs signings

Before getting to the player in question, let’s look at some of the other poor signings the Special One made during his short stint in North London, starting with Matt Doherty.

The Irish international joined Spurs from Wolverhampton Wanderers for around £14.7m in the summer of 2020, and while it looked like a shrewd bit of business at the time, it most certainly was not.

The right-back would make 71 appearances for the club over the next two and a half years, in which he provided eight assists and scored three goals, but failed to ever really impress the fans and was let go for nothing in January 2023.

Mourinho didn’t just make poor permanent signings in N17, though, as he also welcomed Carlos Vinicius to the club from Benfica on loan with a £41m option to buy in October 2020.

The Brazilian forward had scored 24 goals and provided 13 assists in 47 games the campaign prior, so there was some hope that he’d be able to make a real difference for Tottenham.

However, while the Bom Jesus das Selvas-born ace scored six goals and provided three assists in the Europa League and bagged a hat-trick against Marine in the FA Cup, he only scored once in nine league outings and was sent back to Portugal the following summer.

The now Fulham ace wasn’t the only underwhelming attacker signed by Mourinho in 2020, as another is now outscoring and performing Tel away from the club this season.

The former Spurs dud outperforming Tel

With Mourinho not actually making all that many signings while in the Spurs hot seat, it’ll come as no surprise that the attacker in question is Steven Bergwijn.

The Dutchman joined the North Londoners for about £27m in January 2020, but aside from completing one of the Premier League’s best comebacks, the skilful winger joined Ajax just two years later for around £26m with eight goals and nine assists to his name in 83 appearances.

Over the next two and a bit years, the “big-game monster,” as dubbed by journalist John Cross, would score 29 goals and provide 11 assists in 80 games for the Amsterdam outfit before making a surprise move to Al-Ittihad in the Saudi Pro League in September.

Since moving to the Middle East, the 27-year-old has scored ten goals and provided six assists in 23 appearances this season.

When you add the one assist he picked up in his final four games for Ajax prior to his move, the former Lilywhtes star has averaged a goal involvement every 1.58 games this term.

Appearances

27

20

Goals

10

1

Assists

7

1

Goal Involvements per Match

0.62

0.10

In contrast, in 20 appearances for Bayern and Spurs this season, Tel has scored one goal and provided one assist, which is an average of a goal involvement every ten games.

Ultimately, it goes without saying that the 19-year-old is playing in a far harder league, but as he’s looking increasingly unable to impact games, we wonder if Spurs wish they had someone like Bergwijn on the bench just for the next couple of months.

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The overlap with the PSL might hit the BPL the hardest, since Pakistanis are in big demand in the league

Mohammad Isam11-Dec-2023

The schedule of the 2024 edition of the Bangladesh Premier League will clash, to varying extents, with those of five other T20 leagues in the January-February window.The BCB announced the schedule of the tournament – January 19 to March 1 – on Monday. The ILT20 in the UAE will be on from January 19 to February 17. The SA20 league in South Africa will be held from January 10 to February 10. The BBL in Australia, which started on December 7, will run till January 24. The Super Smash in New Zealand will be played from December 19 to January 28. And the PSL in Pakistan will be played from mid-February to mid-March, which might affect the BPL the most, since many of the franchises rely heavily on Pakistan for their overseas recruits.Last season, 25 Pakistani cricketers played in the BPL, including top players like Iftikhar Ahmed and Mohammad Rizwan, as well as tape-ball specialist Khawaja Nafay, who made his T20 debut in the BPL.Players from Afghanistan, England and the West Indies are also in high demand in the BPL, while the teams had recruited players from the Netherlands, Ireland, South Africa, USA and Zimbabwe last season, too.The BPL will be played at the usual venues in Dhaka, Chattogram and Sylhet, with the playoffs starting in Dhaka on February 25.

It has been a really poor season for Manchester United. The Red Devils are fighting hard to even finish in the top half of the Premier League table, and are surely set for their lowest-ever finish since its inception in the 1992/93 campaign.

Should Ruben Amorim’s side finish outside of the top ten, it will be the first time that has happened since 1988/89, when they finished 11th in the first division. Their lowest Premier League finish came last term, under Erik ten Hag, when the 13-time Premier League champions finished eighth.

They could certainly do with some inspiration this season to drag themselves up the league. Perhaps they wish some of their former players performing well in the Premier League could be on hand to help.

Former United players who are shining this season

One of the former United players who is standing out in the top flight this term is winger Anthony Elanga. He is now into his second season at Nottingham Forest and is thriving in a side managed superbly by Nuno Espirito Santo.

The Sweden international has been an assist machine in Garibaldi Red this term. In 26 appearances in the top flight this campaign, Elanga has three goals and eight assists, including three in a single game in the 7-0 thrashing of Brighton and Hove Albion.

Another player who United could have done with this season is Aaron Wan-Bissaka. They have really struggled for depth at wing-back, with the likes of Luke Shaw facing large spells on the sidelines.

Wan-Bissaka, who made the move to West Ham United over the summer, is renowned for his defensive ability, and Jamie Carragher once said no player “can get the better of him” in a one-vs-one scenario.

However, he has also scored two and assisted two for the Hammers this term, including a brilliant assist in their 1-0 win away to Arsenal last weekend.

Where Are They Now

Perhaps Amorim wishes he had the likes of Elanga and Wan-Bissaka in his squad now. However, in a team short of goals, there is a former United player who could have been incredibly useful.

The former United star who they need this season

No matter how well United are playing, there will always be plenty of pride in their academy. Well, one of the most underrated academy stars they have produced over the years is Danny Welbeck.

Now playing on the South Coast for Brighton, the Red Devils could certainly do with the goals of their former number 19. In 2024/25, Welbeck has been in impressive form.

He has scored seven goals and registered four assists in 20 Premier League games. One of those goals came against his former side on the second day of the season.

Welbeck, who hails from Manchester, was very well regarded by one of the most important people in United’s history, Sir Alex Ferguson.

Way back in 2013, the legendary Red Devils manager described his former striker as a “marvellous” player. He scored 29 goals and registered 16 assists in 142 games for his boyhood club.

Season

Games

Goals

Assists

2008/09

13

3

2

2009/10

11

2

1

2011/12

39

12

5

2012/13

40

2

5

2013/14

36

10

3

2014/15

3

0

0

Manchester Evening News journalist Samuel Luckhurst was full of praise for Welbeck’s performances this season, following his latest strike in the 2-1 win over high-flying Bournemouth.

He explained on X that the Seagulls attacker would be deserving of a spot “in Tuchel’s England squad” for the March internationals, having been “playing the best football of what has already been a great career”.

Oh, how United must wish Welbeck – who Ten Hag was reportedly keen to re-sign last summer – still donned that famous Red shirt today.

He could have made a huge difference for Amorim’s side, who are battling hard to save the club from finishing in their worst league position since the 1980s.

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ByBarney Lane Feb 26, 2025

Chelsea have endured somewhat of a drop-off in recent weeks under Enzo Maresca, failing to live up to the early standards he set for himself in the early stages of his time at Stamford Bridge.

The Italian only lost two of his first 10 Premier League matches at the helm, looking as though they could be in an unexpected title battle at one stage.

However, their form has taken a turn for the worse over the last few weeks, losing four of the last eight matches, seeing them slip to sixth place and sitting behind Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth.

Injuries have undoubtedly contributed to the recent decline, with seven first-team members currently sitting on the sidelines and unable to aid the manager in his attempts to secure Champions League football.

Maresca has still been able to rely on one player who’s been the shining light in West London since his big money to the club a couple of years ago.

Cole Palmer’s stats for Chelsea in 2024/25

After his £40m move from Manchester City in the summer of 2023, Cole Palmer had an immediate impact for the Blues, registering 25 goals and 15 assists in his debut year in West London.

Such a record has made the Englishman’s task of matching such a tally this time around that little bit harder, but he’s already produced numerous moments of magic that have taken the division by storm once again.

The 22-year-old has already scored 14 times during the ongoing campaign, whilst also registering six assists for his teammates – with his combined tally the highest in the first-team squad.

His best performance undoubtedly came in the 4-2 thrashing of Brighton and Hove Albion, with Palmer scoring all four in the first half, becoming the first player in the division’s history to achieve such a feat.

Despite his excellent form under Maresca, the club may have allowed the next version of the superstar to slip through their net – making a mistake in allowing him to depart the club.

The player who could’ve been Chelsea’s next Palmer

Living up to the high standards set by Palmer is no easy feat, something which no player currently at the Bridge has managed this season given his tally of contributions.

However, the thought of having another version of the England international is a scary prospect, but one that unfortunately won’t come to reality after letting Tyler Dibling slip through their net.

The 18-year-old, who is currently starring for Southampton in the Premier League, was brought for £1.5m by the Blues back in the summer of 2022 – but it would be a move that was short-lived.

After making just two appearances for the academy, he would return to the Saints after failing to settle, with the Blues potentially living to regret their decision not to make the teenager more at home when they had the opportunity.

He’s since developed into a key member of their first team in 2024/25, making 21 appearances in the league and scoring twice – leading to journalist Eduardo Hagn labelling the talent as “outrageous”.

Dibling possesses very similar traits to Palmer, with the pair both left-footed and operating off the right-hand side and cutting onto their stronger foot after gliding past the opposition.

Games played

21

25

Goals & assists

2

20

Shot-on-target accuracy

39%

39%

Progressive carries

3.8

3.3

Carries into final third

2.8

2.1

Pass accuracy

78%

75%

Take-ons completed

2.1

1.3

As seen by their figures from 2024/25, the Saints star has matched or bettered Palmer in numerous key areas, highlighting the quality he brings, possessing the ability to become even better given his tender age.

Whilst there was not much the club could’ve done to stand in his way at such a young age, his development away from the Bridge appears to have rubbed salt into the wounds – demonstrating what they could’ve had.

Unfortunately for the fans and Maresca, Dibling will always remain a case of what could’ve been, with the hierarchy now having to pay a fee in the region of £55m if they were to bring him back to West London in the coming months.

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Jhulan Goswami becomes second-most capped woman in ODIs, and marks the occasion with a Player-of-the-Match performance

Sampath Bandarupalli26-Sep-202126 – Consecutive wins for Australia in ODI cricket before losing to India on Sunday. It is the longest winning streak for any team, men’s or women’s, in ODIs. They went past the record held by the Australia men’s team (21) in the series against New Zealand earlier this year. The last ODI Australia had lost was against England in October 2017.1 – India’s successful chase of 265 was the first time they have pulled off a chase of 250-plus in ODIs. Their previous highest ODI chase was 248 against South Africa in 2019 in Vadodara.265 – It was also the second-highest successful chase for any team against Australia in ODIs. The best remains 276 by New Zealand in 2017, which is also the second-highest chase in women’s ODIs overall.Before this game, no team had chased down a target of 250 or more against Australia in Australia.17 – Consecutive ODIs won by Australia while defending a target before this game. The last team to chase a target successfully against Australia in ODI cricket were New Zealand in February 2017.Only once had any team won more consecutive ODIs while defending a target – the Australia women’s team again! They had 23 consecutive ODI wins while batting first between 1999 and 2004.Shafali Verma and Yastika Bhatia made half-centuries in a solid second-wicket partnership•Getty Images192 – ODIs played by Jhulan Goswami, making her the second-most capped player in women’s ODIs, topping the mark of Charlotte Edwards (191). Mithali Raj is firmly on the top with 220 appearances – she has featured in all the 192 ODIs Goswami has played. Goswami marked the occasion with the Player-of-the-Match award.1 – Woman younger than Shafali Verma to score a fifty in an ODI against Australia. West Indies’ Hayley Matthews, at the age of 16, scored fifties in each of her first three ODIs in her debut series against Australia in 2014.1531 – Runs scored by Australia and India across the three games in this series, the second-most in a three-match women’s ODI series. The highest came in 2017 when New Zealand hosted Australia, with a 1603-run aggregate.3-8 – India’s win-loss record in the ODI format in 2021. All the wins have come chasing, and all the losses while batting first.

da winzada777： Arsenal remain very active behind-the-scenes in terms of their summer recruitment plans, as manager Mikel Arteta and new sporting director Andrea Berta attempt to close the gap on Premier League champions Liverpool next season.

Arsenal set to sign Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi

da bet7： The north Londoners, after months of talks, recently sealed a deal for Spain international midfielder Martin Zubimendi, as per numerous reliable reports.

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News of Zubimendi’s potential move to London Colney was first revealed by The Mail back in January, and Berta has been working to finalise a deal for the 26-year-old ever since – coming after his predecessor Edu and ex-interim director Jason Ayto laid most of the groundwork (Ben Jacobs).

The Real Sociedad favourite is now set to become Berta’s first signing as the Gunners’ new transfer chief, but he largely has both Ayto and Edu to thank for this, as they were the “driving forces” behind Zubimendi’s switch (Ben Jacobs).

Arsenal transfer spending under Arteta (via Sky Sports)

Money on new signings

19/20 – winter

£0

20/21 – summer

£81.5m

20/21 – winter

£900k

21/22 – summer

£156.8m

21/22 – winter

£1.8m

22/23 – summer

£121.5m

22/23 – winter

£59m

23/24 – summer

£208m

23/24 – winter

£0

24/25 – summer

£101.5m

24/25 – winter

£0

Despite some concerns about Real Madrid mounting a late hijack, especially after Zubimendi’s cryptic comments regarding his future, Fabrizio Romano is among the credible media sources to share news last week that the player travelled to London and put the finishing touches on his Emirates Stadium move.

Arsenal will also pay around £55 million for Zubimendi, despite his lower release clause, as a gesture of good faith to Sociedad which also allows the club to pay the fee in installments.

With Zubimendi’s done and dusted, attention is swiftly turning to who could follow him, and that man is apparently £150,000-per-week Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.

Romano has given his ‘here we go’ to Arrizabalaga’s Arsenal move today, with the player also travelling to the club this week as he puts the finishing touches on his N5 transfer.

Kepa Arrizabalaga travelling to London this week after agreeing Arsenal move

The 30-year-old has been poised to join Arsenal for a little while now as he looks to battle David Raya for the number one spot (David Ornstein), with The Athletic’s James McNicholas sharing more on the situation.

Kepa is personally in London “this week” to finalise his move to Arsenal, so the Stamford Bridge outcast appears set to become Berta’s second signing of the summer.

The former Athletic Bilbao ace’s capture has already been widely praised, with his meagre £5 million cost coming as a potential bargain given Kepa’s extensive top-level experience.

“Arsenal do need a replacement for Neto, what a loan spell that was, it didn’t work, that is for sure,” said pundit Adrian Clarke on Inside Gooners earlier this month.

“Kepa Arrizabalaga, he’s available for just £5m, that sounds like the deal of the century, doesn’t it.”

Hampshire batsman at peace with podcasting rather than playing during England tours

Matt Roller01-Apr-2021This time last year, the prevailing emotion among county cricketers was boredom. The UK’s first lockdown caused a delay to the season that would last four months and left them unable to train, while the vast majority were furloughed by their clubs, meaning strict regulations regarding official contact with coaches and team-mates.Sam Northeast was no different. Returning from Australia following an England Lions tour, Northeast had hoped to drive Hampshire’s bid for the County Championship title from their middle order, but instead found himself doomscrolling and binge-watching his way through the ennui.A few weeks in, he came up with an idea: alongside a handful of other cricketers, he would start a podcast. He knew that Vithushan Ehantharajah of the used to co-host one alongside the ‘s Will Macpherson, so gave him a call to discuss the logistics.Northeast picks up the story. “I thought I might as well use the time to do something practical, and I’m someone who enjoys listening to podcasts anyway. So I rang Vish up and it all happened from there. There was no chat about actually doing something together as the three of us, but Vish had a discussion with Will and said they’d be quite keen to start something up again.”Twelve months on, there have been 18 full-length episodes of the self-descriptive ‘Two Hacks, One Pro’ with a stellar cast of guests, as well as close-of-play shows throughout England’s Test series in India (Northeast missed the majority of those due to pre-season training). There have been moments of candour, including Northeast’s reaction to missing out on England’s 55-man training squad last May and Darren Stevens’ account of his imbroglio in an anti-corruption trial in Bangladesh, but much of it has been “like you’re in the pub – but someone’s recording it too”, in Northeast’s words.”When you’re playing, you probably can’t go into some things that you think, but that’s why the balance is quite nice with two journalists and then a player who sees things a bit differently,” he says. “Yes, there is a bit of chat about selection or whatever it might be, but we’re generally trying to keep it as light-hearted and fun to listen to as possible.”I think we’ve probably gelled better as it’s gone on. The guests have been really good but when it’s just been the three of us, at times I’ve enjoyed that as much as anything. I thought the one we did with Jimmy Adams, reminiscing on our Kent days, was quite good value – I’ve always enjoyed just talking cricket and listening to different perspectives on the game.”There are a few guys in the Hampshire changing room who don’t like to admit they listen to it, but they’ll slip it in and I’ll think to myself ‘that’s another secret listener’. Mason [Crane] might say ‘oh, good episode’ to Will or Vish – it’s nice to hear that a few people are engaging with it, even though they wouldn’t tell me to my face.”

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