Stay ConnectedThe Test Match Special team bring you the very best cricket reaction, insight & analysis.
Plus the No Balls podcast with Kate Cross and Alex Hartley brings a fine balance of nonsense and cricket as they welcome some of the biggest names in the sport.
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Henry Moeran is alongside the BBC’s chief cricket commentator Jonathan Agnew and TMS statistician Andy Zaltzman to look ahead to England’s Men’s 2025. With a home Test series against India and the Ashes down under at the end of the year, it could prove to be a pivotal year for Ben Stokes as captain.
Henry Moeran is alongside commentator Dan Norcross & TMS statistician Andy Zaltzman pick their global cricketing awards for 2024 - the Full Tosscars. Which India bowler has had an incredible year? Which English batter(s) gets nominated for worst shot of the year? And which side goes home with the best win of the year?
2024 is going to be a memorable year for Joe Root. He became England’s highest ever run scorer, and overtook Sir Alastair Cook’s Test century record for England too, but how did that feel and how did he get there?
In his own words, along with England captain Ben Stokes and friend & longtime teammate Jimmy Anderson, he talks us through his incredible year, and how he came to be one of England’s greats.
Alex Hartley and Kate Cross have a festive catch up after Kate’s return from South Africa.
They discuss Kate’s back injury which meant she hardly played in South Africa and the road to recovery ahead of next month’s Ashes series in Australia. They also reflect on England’s success in all formats across the series which served as good preparation before heading down under.
Plus, what do they both want for Christmas?
It’s been 10 years since the death of former Australia player Phillip Hughes. The 25 year old passed away after being struck on the neck by a short ball during a Sheffield Shield match.
It was a tragedy which sent shock waves across the cricketing world and the anniversary is being marked with commemorations throughout Australia.
In a special tribute ABC commentator Andrew Moore speaks with Tom Cooper who was Hughes’s batting partner that fateful day, legendary fast bowler Glenn McGrath and former Australia coach Darren Lehmann who reveals Hughes was set to be told about an international recall the day he died.
Alex Hartley & Kate Cross discuss England’s dominant displays in England’s T20 series win against South Africa Women, and how the tour is great preparation ahead of the Women’s Ashes next month.
Plus, they ask you for your best cricketing look-alikes after Jacob Bethell was likened to… Pat Butcher.
noballspodcast@bbc.co.uk
Listen to every game of England's tour of South Africa on BBC Sounds, with commentary of the first ODI in Kimberley at 11:45am on Wednesday 4th December.
Alex Hartley & Kate Cross look ahead to England’s tour of South Africa with Kate in the ODI and Test squad. She discusses how she’s been preparing for the series having had six weeks away from cricket. They speak to a listener who has named their puppy after one of them, and have you named a pet after someone famous?
noballspodcast@bbc.co.uk
Alex Hartley & Kate Cross talk about how Kate’s preparation has gone as she gets ready to head to South Africa for England’s ODIs and Test. They discuss the tent which has been built at England’s High Performance Centre to help players acclimatise to pitch conditions around the world, as well as more of your stories on naming pets after sport stars. Plus, they play a game to get Kate ready for her trip.
Listen to every game of England's tour of South Africa on BBC Sounds, with the first T20 starting at 12pm on Sunday 24th November.
Jonathan Agnew speaks to former Pakistan captain Urooj Mumtaz.
Now splitting her time between cricket commentary and dentistry, Mumtaz talks about the struggles of not being allowed to play cricket as a child, the opportunities for women in cricket now compared to when she was growing up, and how she'll be straight back to her dental practice once England's tour of Pakistan is over.
Henry Moeran is joined by England bowler Tash Farrant and Daniel Norcross to look ahead to the Women's T20 World Cup Final between South Africa and New Zealand in Dubai.
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