Close of Play Podcast

Australia are Women's T20 World Cup champions once again, but what does defeat mean for England? Sanjay Murthy and Geraint Jones debate whether England should begin a transition, examine the strength of the women's pathway, answer listener questions on England's men's team, and preview the Vitality Blast run-in. Also featuring Silly Point and the latest county cricket discussion. C...

Cricket is changing fast. This week on Close of Play, Sanjay Murthy and Geraint Jones discuss the proposed privatisation of the Big Bash, the growing influence of IPL franchise owners, and whether county cricket’s traditional member-owned model can survive in the modern game. They also look back at England’s heavy defeat to New Zealand, Joe Root’s captaincy, James Rew’s Test debut, Jofra Archer’s...

Ben Stokes' nightclub incident has dominated the headlines, but what are the real consequences for England and their captain? Sanjay Murthy and Geraint Jones discuss leadership, decision-making under pressure, the challenge of replacing Ben Stokes, Joe Root's return as captain, Harry Brook's future, Jordan Cox and Harry Crocombe's England opportunities, and England's selection...

In this edition of Close of Play, Sanjay Murthy and 2005 Ashes winner Geraint Jones tackle some of cricket's biggest talking points. The pair debate the controversial Lord's Test pitch and ask whether the Home of Cricket should face consequences for producing a match that lasted little more than two days. Could drop-in pitches be the answer, and what actually makes a great Test wicket? The...

YouTube description: This week on Close of Play, Sanjay Murthy and 2005 Ashes winner Geraint Jones bring together four cricket conversations in one full episode. First, Jonesy reflects on England Lions duty and asks whether results really matter at that level — or whether the bigger value is giving young players exposure to the next step up from county cricket. Then attention turns to Vaibhav Sury...

Spotify Title Life of a Cricket Coach | Inside the England Lions Setup What does a cricket coach actually do all day? This week on Close of Play, Geraint Jones takes us inside the England Lions coaching setup and reveals the reality of modern elite cricket coaching. From selection meetings and analyst data to player management, confidence, pressure and preparation, Jonesy explains what really happ...

England have named their squad — but did they really listen to the fans after the Ashes? This week on Close of Play , Sanjay Murthy and 2005 Ashes winner Geraint Jones react to the latest England squad and ask whether county form has genuinely been rewarded. Sam Cook has been left out again, Sonny Baker brings genuine pace, Shoaib Bashir gets another chance, and Jofra Archer’s availability raises...

What happens when the cricket dream suddenly changes direction? This week on Close of Play, Sanjay Murthy and Ashes winner Geraint Jones are joined by Max Morley — a former Durham cricketer who went from sharing the changing rooms with Ben Stokes to winning Love Island. Max opens up on: being released by Durham the regrets he still carries about cricket confidence and rejection in professional spo...

Why are England resting Gus Atkinson after just one game? Sanjay and Ashes winner Geraint Jones debate the growing tension between rest and performance in the England setup. With county bowlers putting in the work, is the system fair — or is England now managing players purely for the biggest series? They also cover: County form vs England selection IPL vs red-ball development The spinner dilemma...

Alastair Cook and Kevin Pietersen disagree on Jacob Bethell — and it raises a bigger question for England: Should Bethell stay in the IPL or return to county cricket? Cook believes Bethell should be playing red-ball cricket in England. KP argues staying in the IPL will accelerate his development. We break down the debate and what it means for Bethell’s role in England’s Test side this summer. Also...

What’s it really like to run England cricket? This week on Close of Play, Ashley Giles joins Sanjay Murthy and Geraint Jones for a rare inside look at one of the toughest jobs in sport. From Ashes winner to selector, coach, county chief and Managing Director of England Men’s Cricket, Giles has seen the game from every angle. We discuss the pressure of running England, the COVID bubble era, selecti...

England’s watchlist is under pressure. After another round of county cricket, we go back to the names we picked and ask: who has actually delivered? With Charlie Harden, Geraint and Sanjay: Break down the standout county performances Debate the England opening slot Build an England XI based on current form Assess the bowlers – who takes the new ball? Review the watchlist: who’s rising, who’s drift...

We’ve picked our England XIs for the first Test — and after the opening round of the County Championship, the selection conversation is already shifting. In this episode, Geraint Jones and Sanjay Murthy reveal their England teams, build a watchlist of contenders, and start tracking the players who could force their way in before the first Test against New Zealand national cricket team on 4 June. T...

Does county cricket still matter for England selection? We discuss whether England now pick on talent over performance, the role of county cricket in developing players, and who is under pressure ahead of the summer. In this episode of Close of Play, Sanjay Murthy and Ashes winner Geraint Jones debate whether county cricket still produces England players, or whether selectors are now prioritising...

What was it really like inside the 2005 Ashes? In this episode, Geraint Jones takes us inside one of the greatest series in cricket history — from the Lord’s long room to the chaos of Edgbaston and the moment England realised they could beat Australia. We cover: The dressing room before the series When belief kicked in The truth about that Edgbaston finish How England handled Australia’s auraThe c...

BBC cricket commentator, Aatif Nawaz, tells us his story of growing up, how he started in comedy and how that led to his work on Test Match Special. Isa Guha played a major part in his transition and so she gets an honourable mention too!

Can parents afford for their children to play cricket? In this episode of Close of Play, we’re joined by former England cricketer Sajid Mahmood to unpack the real cost of playing cricket in the UK — from kit and club fees to the growing gap between state and private school pathways. We discuss why access is becoming a major issue, what’s happening at grassroots level, and what can realistically be...

India are T20 World Cup champions again — but did the final live up to the occasion? After a tournament packed with drama, the final ended in a dominant victory for India. Some fans are calling it one of the most one-sided World Cup finals ever. Others say that misses the point — great teams win big games. And should the country who provides the ICC Chair be allowed to host ICC tournaments after J...

Harry Brook was under pressure after a turbulent Ashes and off-field noise — but now he’s led England into the T20 World Cup semi-finals with a match-defining century. In this episode of Close of Play, Sanjay Murthy and former England wicketkeeper Geraint Jones break down: * Brook’s Ashes numbers vs perception * His T20 World Cup impact at No.3 * Whether England have found their balance * The Joss...

Is Jos Buttler's batting form enough to keep his place, or are the gloves the only thing saving him? Former England keeper Geraint Jones argues that without the wicket-keeping role, Buttler’s position would be untenable. In this episode of Close of Play, Sanjay Murthy, Geraint Jones, and Damian Brandy debate England’s selection dilemmas and ask the brutal question: who else could actually take...

Australia are on the brink of elimination at the T20 World Cup. In this episode of Close of Play, Sanjay Murthy and Geraint Jones break down:• Australia’s collapse against Sri Lanka• Cameron Green’s struggles• Hardik Pandya's angry reaction• England’s bowling concerns• South Africa’s quiet charge• Associate nations risingPlus: Silly Point returns. Subscribe for intelligent cricket debate — on...

Are England already under pressure at the T20 World Cup? After a defeat to West Indies and a nervy performance against Nepal, Sanjay Murthy and Geraint Jones assess England’s bowling concerns, selection decisions and whether fatigue is beginning to show. We also discuss:• South Africa v Afghanistan’s Super Over drama• Italy hammering Nepal• Australia’s comfortable start• India building momentum• P...

Can anyone stop India becoming the first team to win a home T20 World Cup? In this special T20 World Cup show, Sanjay Murthy and Geraint Jones break down every group, assess the favourites, debate England’s chances under McCullum, analyse Pakistan’s political distractions, and ask whether Australia can overcome their spin challenges. We also discuss: • Australia’s spin concerns • West Indies’ T20...

This week on Close of Play , we examine another T10 tournament that fell apart before it even started, fresh corruption charges in international cricket, and why England continue to lose the PR battle. Plus a lighter turn, with our Nature X! - think Stuart 'Norfolk' Broad(s) and Aamir SnowHail!

Another busy week in world cricket — and plenty to argue about. In this episode of Close of Play, Sanjay Murthy and former England wicketkeeper Geraint Jones look at a sport being stretched in multiple directions: World Cups without major nations, boards under pressure, players chasing franchise cricket, and a growing sense that no one is really steering the ship. There’s serious debate around the...