Close of Play Podcast

Cricket’s biggest problems don’t always start on the field. In the first episode of our new weekly magazine show, Sanjay Murthy and former England wicketkeeper Geraint Jones ask whether cricket is increasingly being shaped by the wrong people - from boardroom politics and individual power struggles to governance failures that risk damaging the game. There’s serious discussion on the ICC, Banglades...

The Ashes are over. England lose the series 4–1 — and now it’s time to answer your questions. In this Close of Series Q&A, Sanjay Murthy and former England wicketkeeper Geraint Jones respond to the best listener questions from across the Ashes: culture, leadership, fitness, selection, coaching, technology, county cricket, and what England actually need to change now the dust has settled. There...

The Ashes are over. England got smashed 4–1 — and now the inquest begins. After another defeat, the focus shifts away from individual moments and onto the bigger picture: preparation, selection, leadership, and whether England’s approach to Test cricket is genuinely fit for touring Australia. In this episode of Close of Play, Sanjay Murthy and former England wicketkeeper Geraint Jones conduct a ca...

England finally have something to smile about. On Day Four of the fifth Ashes Test in Sydney, Jacob Bethell produced one of the moments of the series — a maiden Test hundred that brought belief, balance, and more than a few raised eyebrows in the commentary box. In this episode of  Close of Play , Sanjay Murthy and former England wicketkeeper  Geraint Jones  break down why Bethell’s innings felt d...

England lost control again on Day Three in Sydney — and it wasn’t just with the ball. Despite moments of resistance, Australia piled on the pressure through clarity, discipline, and relentless execution, while England continued to look uncertain in their bowling plans, fielding standards, and on-field leadership. In this episode of  Close of Play , Sanjay Murthy and former England wicketkeeper  Ge...

England were taught another hard lesson on Day Two of the fifth Ashes Test. Despite moments of resistance, Australia once again controlled the tempo of the game, exposing the same tactical and technical flaws that have defined England’s tour so far. In this episode of  Close of Play , Sanjay Murthy and former England wicketkeeper  Geraint Jones  analyse why England keep losing control in key sessi...

Are fans being short-changed by modern Test cricket? On Day One of the fifth Ashes Test in Sydney, more than  45 overs were lost  despite clear skies — reigniting anger among supporters who paid, travelled, and waited to watch Test cricket unfold. In this episode of  Close of Play , Sanjay Murthy and former England wicketkeeper  Geraint Jones  debate whether the game is now too rigid, too cautious...

Does the modern game of cricket still need the West Indies? Once the most feared force in world cricket, West Indies now sit on the margins of the Test game — and this episode asks the uncomfortable question many fans are thinking but rarely say out loud. Sanjay Murthy is joined by former Leicestershire cricketer and editor  Damian Brandy  to explore what really went wrong: from administration and...

England have finally won a Test match in Australia — their first since 2011. But does this victory actually mean England have  learned  anything from this Ashes series? In this episode of  Close of Play , Sanjay Murthy and former England wicketkeeper  Geraint Jones  react to England’s win on a wildly uneven pitch, discuss Jacob Bethell’s role, the return of controlled bowling lengths, and why this...

England are under intense pressure — on the pitch, off the pitch, and under the microscope of an Ashes tour in Australia. In this Day One MCG analysis, Sanjay Murthy and former England wicketkeeper  Geraint Jones  go beyond the scorecard to discuss what a brutal Ashes tour really feels like for players when results go against you. From a 20-wicket day, to Brydon Carse’s struggles, Ben Stokes’ capt...

The Ashes are gone — not after five Tests, but after  10 days . In this Day Five analysis, Sanjay Murthy and former England wicketkeeper  Geraint Jones  break down where England’s tour unravelled, why Australia managed the series better, and how preparation, adaptability, and decision-making ultimately decided everything. From batting time and run rates, to selection, culture, and leadership, this...

For the first time this series, England showed signs of  proper Test cricket thinking . Day four brought application, patience, and smarter decision-making — even if the result now feels inevitable. Sanjay Murthy and former England wicketkeeper  Geraint Jones  break down what finally changed, why it happened too late, and what this performance tells us about England’s preparation, mentality, and f...

England’s Ashes campaign is unravelling — and the problems are deeper than one bad Test. Sanjay Murthy and former England wicketkeeper  Geraint Jones  break down  why England’s bowling has failed , how Australia are exploiting the same mistakes again and again, and what this says about selection, tactics, and leadership under Stokes and McCullum. From Travis Head’s dominance, to the Will Jacks gam...

England were given an opportunity in Australia — and it vanished in brutal fashion. This episode breaks down  why this Ashes series feels over , how Australia exposed England’s weaknesses, and whether Bazball has finally been worked out. Sanjay Murthy and former England wicketkeeper  Geraint Jones  analyse: England’s preparation failures Why Australia’s bowlers don’t miss The Ollie Pope dilemma Na...

Australia handed England early chances — but once again found a way to regain control. Sanjay Murthy and Geraint Jones break down the key moments from a pivotal Ashes day, including Alex Carey’s hundred, England’s bowling effort, and the decisions that still separate the sides. 00:00 An emotional start to the Test 02:00 England’s early bowling effort 04:30 Steve Smith out, Khawaja steps up 06:30 A...

As the Ashes reach a defining Third Test,  Close of Play  asks whether England’s Bazball philosophy has hit its limits in Australia. Sanjay Murthy and Geraint Jones are joined by former England opener  Nick Compton , who delivers a powerful critique of England’s preparation, the loss of batting time, and the growing gap between practice and real Test-match demands. The panel discuss selection dile...

ITV’s Mark Pougatch joins Sanjay Murthy for a wide-ranging conversation about cricket, football and broadcasting — from Test Match Special and Ashes Tours to the reality of live TV, the chaos of modern schedules and why he still hasn’t managed to take  Roy Keane to Lord’s . Mark reflects on Harry Brook, Kevin Pietersen, county cricket, IPL years, his dad’s cricket legacy, his TMS commentary memori...

Sanjay Murthy sits down with  Jason Warne  for a powerful, honest and often funny conversation about life growing up with Shane Warne, the competitive battles that shaped their childhood, and the emotional creation of the  Shane Warne Legacy . Jason shares incredible behind-the-scenes stories—from backyard cricket wars to the Gatting ball, to navigating fame, media scrutiny and the truth behind Au...

England lose by eight wickets and fall 2–0 behind in the Ashes — but the headlines were dominated by rare honesty from  Ben Stokes  and  Brendon McCullum , who admitted England must change both their mindset and approach. In today’s Close of Play, Sanjay Murthy and former England international  Geraint Jones  unpack a huge day for English cricket: • Stokes calling out his own dressing room • McCul...

On Close of Play, Sanjay Murthy and former England international  Geraint Jones  break down a bruising Day 3 in the second Ashes Test, where England’s tactics unravelled. Geraint gives a brutally honest assessment of: • England’s baffling tactics • Australia's excellemt reading of the maych situation • Time's up for Ollie Pope • The lack of acceptance by England of failed plans Plus Geraint’s 100%...

On Close of Play, Sanjay Murthy and former England international  Geraint Jones  dissect a tough Day 2 for England in the second Ashes Test. Australia finish  378–6 , and England’s tactics come under serious scrutiny. Geraint breaks down why England’s bowlers failed to adjust, how Stokes’ emotional leadership affects the team, why bowling pairs matter, and gives a detailed keeper’s insight into  J...

In this conversation, Sanjay Murthy and Geraint Jones discuss the recent changes in the England cricket team, particularly the selection of Will Jacks to replace Mark Wood and the implications for Shoaib Bashir. They analyse the team's strategy and the pressures on young players like Zak Crawley. The discussion then shifts to the sad news of Robin Smith's passing, reflecting on his contributions t...

After England’s two-day defeat in Perth, are the fans starting to turn? Former England wicketkeeper  Geraint Jones  joins Sanjay to dissect a bruising week for English cricket. We discuss: • Why supporters feel “hurt and disappointed” rather than furious  • Whether McCullum and Stokes have misjudged their Ashes prep • Khawaja’s three days of golf — harmless or careless? • How Travis Head’s measure...

Day Two in Perth delivered one of the wildest swings you’ll ever see in an Ashes Test. Geraint Jones and I break down how England went from total control at lunch to total chaos by stumps — and why Travis Head’s extraordinary counterattack flipped the match on its head. We get into: • The genius behind sending Travis Head in to open • England’s batting problems: flat-footed drives, hard hands, no...

An absolutely mad Day One of the Ashes — and Geraint Jones joins Sanjay to unpack the chaos. England were bowled out in 32.5 overs, Mitch Starc tore through the order, and Australia seized control inside a single session. And then Ben came to the party, We cover: How England collapsed so quickly The significance of Starc’s 7-58 Momentum moments that defined the day What England must do to push on...