BazBall Continues? McCullum to Stay & England’s Big Decision | Stick to Cricket EP 38

0:00Michael Vaughan: Before we get started, I'd like to thank our partners, Betfair. Hit subscribe so you don't miss an episode. Enjoy the show. Hi friends, Sean Linda from Two Black Guys With Good Credit here. Whether you're running a non-profit, a school or a small business, Walmart Business is here to support your mission. They make it easy to order what you need, from tech and cleaning supplies to everyday essentials, all at low prices and with helpful tools like spend, tracking and tax-exempt purchasing for eligible organizations. because when your operations are smooth, your impact can be bigger. Visit business.walmart.com to get started.

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1:50Visit justthrivehealth.com slash podcast. Take control today with Just Thrive.

2:23Michael Vaughan: He works at the driving range, don't you? I do. And I work at the golf club itself. All right, style. Keep your voice on. Hang on, Mr. Tacks. Mr. Fix-It. Yeah, don't say anything. Yeah, Tacks. Yeah, you know what I mean?

2:35Sir Alastair Cook: Mr.

2:36Michael Vaughan: Fix-It. Yeah, he's coming in to watch today. Lovely. We watched the match. Did anyone watch the match, City? Oh. What happened to your mob? They didn't show up.

2:44Sir Alastair Cook: I know.

2:44Michael Vaughan: Just dope yourself, Graham. Thank you. Whatever you need.

2:46Sir Alastair Cook: The staff, we were all right. We're just attacking-wise. I think we might have frozen. Oh, yeah. Did you go?

2:51Michael Vaughan: Did you go? No, no, no. What do you reckon, G?

2:54Sir Alastair Cook: I thought it was poor. I thought Arsenal let himself down. Yeah? I mean, I saw... I didn't think Rice touched the ball a great deal, although he was rated Arsenal's best player. Who? Declan Rice. Oh, wait.

3:06Michael Vaughan: Yeah. Why didn't he not bring Downing on? Yeah. No, you're 2-0 down. Actually, Downing. Yeah, you're right. I think they might have had a bit of a freeze on the day. I think so. I don't know. Why wouldn't you play your best keeper? Your goalkeeper. Why wouldn't you play your best keeper? Well, James Shrafford played for City, didn't he? James Shrapin, former Accrington Stanley. All right. Made a great trip, lads, early on. Lads, I've got us a trophy. What have we done? 100 ,000 followers, subscribers on YouTube. Is that good? I think it's good.

3:34Sir Alastair Cook: 101 now. Oh, well done. We're on the march. That's ours. That's all right. Have you not got a chair?

3:42Michael Vaughan: No. Have a seat if you want. Get him a chair, Phil. You can sit down. It's like the land of the giants. Come on. Come on, have a seat. That's all right? 100 ,000 good? I'm not really... 100 ,000's good. I don't know what we have to get to get a gold one. Is that a play button?

3:54Sir Alastair Cook: Is that meant to be a... Oh, it's a nice mirror as well. Oh, my hair's not.

3:58Michael Vaughan: When was the last time you had your hair done?

3:59Sir Alastair Cook: Oh, I need to go and get it fed.

4:02Michael Vaughan: I don't want to be speaking out of shot, but I will. I think a recently retired Quickish Bowl might have had some more. Go on. Jimmy. Go other one. Brody. Brody. I reckon he might have just... I'm not surprised. Listen, there's nothing wrong with it. Nice little gilet you've got there, Dan. I got this from Sidmouth. Did you? Sidmouth. What, the coast? Yeah, we're good at it to Sidmouth, a fair bit. Nice. Lovely Sidmouth. Oh, yeah. Fishing. I don't go fishing down there, no, but... Sea fishing? I like sea fishing, but I haven't been for quite a while. No. I keep looking, excuse me, at Whitby, I think it's called Sea Goddess.

4:44and that lad he gets five star reviews going out catching some big cod cod

4:50Sir Alastair Cook: well off England card oh yeah winter I thought it was all Iceland and stuff no

4:55Michael Vaughan: god your fishing man I bought some fish off the other day Matt magnificent had a smoked haddock in the morning fleet will four minutes in the microwave with a bit of come straight off the salt and pepper magnificent I love smoked had

5:08Sir Alastair Cook: it for breakfast beautiful yeah Warnie always used to look at me because I'd I love a kipper in the morning. I love a kipper. Yeah, you do. Where's that place that we used to go? I don't know.

5:17Michael Vaughan: Ivy on St John's Wood High Street.

5:20Sir Alastair Cook: Yeah, beautiful, beautiful. Warnie always used to look at me and go, fish, fish for breakfast. Did you have eels at Lord's? Tommy Banks' restaurant. Love eel as well. Jellyed eels. Jellyed eels or smoked eels. Beautiful smoked fish, gorgeous, lovely. I mean, Mrs won't allow it in the house. It's going to be ejected straight away. Mine's the same. Open all the windows. That is disgusting. I mean, Whitstable. My wife, she used to live in Whitstable. What, Kent? Yeah, we should never have sold that. All those lovely smokehouses. Beautiful.

5:56Michael Vaughan: Happy birthday, Dave. Happy birthday, Carl. Happy birthday. Happy birthday, Dave. Happy birthday, Dave.

6:01Sir Alastair Cook: What's there?

6:03Michael Vaughan: What did you do, Dave? Did you celebrate? Massive? I went down to B &Q. Yeah. I got some Amorite, got a bit of Amorite, smooth, direct to rust. I looked for some acrylic glass, but it was a bit complicated, so I've ordered that online and a new door. Thank you. What, you've ordered a door online? No, I'm going to go down to B &Q and pick one because I've measured it and it's just a standard door that would go in. I got this derelict building in one of the fields. It's derelict. And I'm going to do it up. It's tiny, tiny, tiny little pump. It used to be a pumping station. A what? A pumping station for the local, what were they called?

6:51A local knocking shop.

6:55Michael Vaughan: Here we go in there, Greg. Yeah, yeah. Put me on. Oh, is that what he can sort out? It's a pumping station, pumping clean water in and dirty water out. And it's in my bit of land. I'm going to just do it. It's going to be a hide. What about birdwatching? That sort of thing. And anything else. Badges, foxes.

7:16Sir Alastair Cook: Well, you can kind of just go and find a bit of zen there, can't you? Just a little bit of blood, man. Would you get socks, underpants? I've got some nice chocolate biscuits. Chocolate cakes. Little chocolate cakes with chocolate in the middle. And a new wallet. A new wallet? Yeah. One of them wallets that you can't get your details.

7:44Michael Vaughan: What do you mean? With your card. You know, your card's in it. You can't walk past. You can't walk past. Oh, what's it made of?

7:51Sir Alastair Cook: Titanium. I don't know what it is. She knows about them, doesn't she?

7:54Michael Vaughan: Straight away.

7:55Sir Alastair Cook: Cavalier.

7:56Michael Vaughan: Cavalier. Everybody's got one. Can I ask how old are you? No. Not really, no. I'm probably about 45. 55, something like that. 57. Just had a hard life. Does your graham get you a present? No. No. In fact, none of them did. He'll be back giving his finger. We'll get you some cake in a minute, Dave. We'll celebrate your birthday. Tell you to carry on, Phil. Who watched the 100 auction?

8:29Sir Alastair Cook: Yeah.

8:30Michael Vaughan: Big money. Yeah.

8:32Sir Alastair Cook: Salty.

8:33Michael Vaughan: Went for... Salty had gone before the auction. No, but... James Coles was the best. 390. 390, yeah. Big coin, that. What about the... Who is the kid who... Was it the younger Roo? Went for 80 grand. Thomas, 80. When he was in a chemistry lesson. Yeah, yeah, yeah. With his mates.

8:50Sir Alastair Cook: Just got 80 grand done. Well, he went out... Double chemistry or whatever. Sorry, teachers are going to watch this. I've just earned myself 80 grand in four weeks. That's a lot of money, isn't it? 390 is a lot of brass. I mean, Coles, he blows a bit of left arm and gives it a slap. He's a good bat. He's a good bat. He started when he was 16 for Sussies. He's a proper batterer. He's got a thousand right. He's got a left-handed spin. Yeah, he's got a left-handed spin. Darts, he's got a little lefty. Yeah, a little sort of skin.

9:15Michael Vaughan: Heavily tipped to potentially make his England debut this year. Heavily tipped.

9:19Sir Alastair Cook: Well, he seems perfect for it. As a what?

9:22Michael Vaughan: I don't know which form. He did well in... SA. Where have you just been? SA. SA. SA 20 and then he went to Abu Dhabi with the Lions and did well. So, he's got... There's always a... Ace of tribes the same, isn't it? Glamorgan. Good player. he's been talked of of potentially opening the batting who else did well Jordan Cox went for a few quid didn't he yeah down to Welsh Fire Rudy went 260 Welsh Fire Welsh Fire I've had a go I have to say right I like the 100 but I don't like when I see Sunrise's leads have only got Harry Brook as a local player you see Joe playing in Wales Johnny's London yeah Adil Rashid went Adil went brave reunited with so we've got Harry Brookham and Leeds and that's it of the local players didn't sign any of the young Yorkshire lads either Georgie Hill Revis none of them how'd you do that though Mike well they didn't bid in the auction

10:18Sir Alastair Cook: didn't want them I think there does have to be I'll make you right it is handy if there's a few local lads it's a bit like when you watch the football it is in Yorkshire

10:28Michael Vaughan: correct it is in Yorkshire the Yorkies like the Lankies they like to see a few of their own And they know the world's changing. IPL, though? Do they do that? Most of the IPL team, if you look, there's a core of a few from that region. To be fair, why the, whatever they're called now, but the Oval Invincibles have won a lot. Yeah. Because they had a good core. Well, they seem to keep that core Surrey connection. Yeah, part of their championship contract, isn't it? Is that right? Allegedly. What are you trying to say, Alistair? Nothing. No?

10:59Sir Alastair Cook: Did we get where Sam was going? I thought he'd go. Showing Rockets? Yeah, I think you said Trent Rockets. At the end, I said Trent Rockets. You say all seven other ones. I mentioned the elephants. No, we said the elephants. We said it comes with the elephants.

11:11Michael Vaughan: With Tom. With Tom and Langer. Tom Langer. Before we get started, I'd like to thank our partners, Betfair. So just hit subscribe so you don't miss an episode. Enjoy the show.

11:28Sir Alastair Cook: You opened, he opened, you opened. Ooh. Come on, who do you want to open? Three, four, five, six, seven are blocked off. They're blocked off.

11:38Michael Vaughan: Don't call me old school to suggest it. If you're not your number one keeper in your county, I don't think you should be the keeper for England. The problem with Liam's comments, he's been dropped and he's not playing. So he's got a grievance of it. But sometimes a grievance of a player gives you a few home truths at times. Who's going to be this selector? That Luke Wright has been chief selector. There are obviously other people. It almost feels to me if Rob Key went, Faz has got to go as well. Why have I been pointed at? He's an establishment type. What does that mean?

12:05Sir Alastair Cook: Well, you're anti-establishment type. I probably am, yeah. Sorry, not concerned about the talent. I'm just concerned about the roles of the guy. Who's your spinner?

12:13Michael Vaughan: In whiteboard cricket, strike rates are absolutely important. I'm sorry, test match cricket, it's about your end number. I want to go and see how good this Coles is. Did you see what he said there, Phil? Yes, he did. I want to go and see him. I heard that. I want to go and... Who's the first one from? This one's from Rob in Kent. He says, what do I do now?

12:45Michael Vaughan: What else has been happening at Liam Livingstone? Let's discuss. Liam's come out with a few comments. He's banged on, hasn't he? Yeah, he's... I reason he's sugar, mate. Thank you. His strong comments have been, he cared too much. rang Rob Kearup and Rob said something I've got a hundred other things to sort out yeah where do you sit on comments like that listen

13:10Sir Alastair Cook: I know that you should have the conversation with the player of course you should you should put him where he wants to be and you know this is what you need to work on this is what you've got to do and everything but at the end of the day you're not in simple as that it doesn't matter it's a bit like when you know you have a relationship and it falls apart, you know what I mean? There's no point in keep phoning up your girlfriend going, well, why did you dump me? Why did you dump me? Talking to an expert. No, why did you dump me? Why did you dump me? What are you trying to get from that? Of course you've got to have your still in, you know, what can you do to get back in?

13:47Sir Alastair Cook: But then sometimes, you know, okay, you've got to get back and get on with it.

13:52Michael Vaughan: But there has been, in this last few years, there's been a few mentions of this England set-up. When he said, you know, he got told that he cared too much, there has been a few others that have kind of said similar things. He cares too much. He cares too much. Cares too much about what? I would think about his performance and I'm guessing, you know, practising hard to get that performance better. And again, it's alleged that in this culture, you know, they don't like players that do that. What, they care too much? Well, that's a topic that's come out of this England set-up.

14:31Sir Alastair Cook: When I used to get, you know, you've been bowling well or something and, you know, you get, oh, we're only playing one spinner or we're not playing a spinner, you know, you can sit there till you're blue in the face talking to the coach, you know, and he can try and let you down gently and say you're thinking of you, but at the end of the day, you're not bloody picked, mate. So you go, right, OK, and that's when I sometimes think... There's a couple of things for me on it. I haven't listened to the whole interview. So a lot of it, I've seen the headlines and I've read the articles, but it's very different when you actually speak to the whole thing, don't you?

15:03I don't know exactly how much in context of it. There's not many players, I will say, though, that when they aren't playing and haven't played for a while, have good things to say about the existing set-up because they feel like their nose has been put out of place. So they're thinking, and Liam is one of those players who thinks, I'd imagine would think, I should be playing in that team. I get picked up all the other franchises I should be in that team I'm not in that team and he's kind of had this interview probably not really thought about what he was going to say because obviously now it's unlikely he's going to play under this regime once he's slagged it off like that so there's an element of me going well that's kind of what's happened but ultimately when he did play he didn't achieve what actually I would say his talent would have what bags of talent right and that's There's different combinations.

15:53You need loads of reasons. Anyone can give to it. But the bottom line is, runs are currency. And as a batter or as a bowler, wickets are. He didn't really deliver consistently for England, did he? And it looked like they've just moved on. His argument will be,

16:05Michael Vaughan: but others have not delivered either. But they're still in the team. He played 100 games. I always say this. On your watch as a captain and a coach, you get to pick who you want. And you're judged on results. That's what you're judged on. and you're always going to upset a few. Because you can only take, what, 16 on tour, you can only pick 11. There's probably 30, 40 players that think they should be playing realistically in the county game. So you're always going to have relationships that aren't quite right. And if Liam had scored a lot more runs, he wouldn't be having this conversation because he'd be guaranteed big.

16:39Michael Vaughan: Any time you don't, unless it's the harsh reality. I think it was a common cookie where he said, it was a Champions Trophy last year, he said it's the worst experience he's ever had. and he was trying to find form and he hit a couple out of the middle in practice and they said, all right, you've hit a couple out of the middle, we can go now. Now, I'm just reading his comments, you're kind of going, well, maybe not everyone feels they're ready to play by just hitting a couple out of the middle. If that's exactly true, then it seems a strange thing, especially when you give, what I would look into that environment, that it's player-led a lot, you do what makes you happy.

17:16Absolutely. That's what I read, when I look at this England team, if you don't want to turn up the day before, it's optional practice, go and play golf, as long as you're ready for the test match, it's fine. But I've been here, you know, you go to Australia and you hear that Ruti grabbed the coaches and did a three-hour session or two hours on his own on a day off because that's... So I'm a little bit uncertain about that just because from what I heard, it's like player led, you do what you want to get yourself ready. Absolutely. Jamie Smith on debut, sorry. Jamie Smith on debut didn't train the day before because he was like, no, I'm ready.

17:45And they let him do that. So, again, those comments. Until we've heard every side of the story and it's come out totally. Lancashire should benefit, shouldn't they? Lancashire will benefit. Well, they'll come back at the end of May, won't they? IPL first. And I hope he'll play red ball cricket. I think he's a fine player. If he could slot into Lancashire's team at five, Harris will be four, Bahannon at three. Who? The opening pair. At three? Bahannon. Yeah. Josh Barnum, Wells and Jennings at the top. He gives them a bowling option as well, does Livingston. Well, he's a really good cricket. I saw him in 2030.

18:25I think he came on a New Zealand Red Bull tour. Fieldswell. And I thought he was, you know, there's something about it. But the last few years, he's only ever come in and hit about three balls because he's batting at six or seven in a T20 game. And he's trying to hit every ball to six. And he kind of made his name by hitting massive sixes. He's a better player. He's a better player.

18:44Sir Alastair Cook: Quite a better player. So was he having a go at he wasn't sort of helped by the situation and by the sort of coaching and what have you? You're saying that it didn't work for him. But Vornie's right. There's always people who fall by the wave side and have grievances with it. There's not many people who finish England careers or even Lancashire careers or Essex careers or whatever. And at the end of it go, totally satisfied. Because you normally get dropped.

19:22Michael Vaughan: What's up? It's Sean Linda from Two Black Guys of Good Credit. If managed supply runs is still on your to-do list, here's your sign to upgrade. Walmart Business has the tech, tools, and services that make it ridiculously easy to stock up for your office or team. Think scheduled deliveries, multi-user accounts, and even IT setup. Bonus, with a Walmart Business Plus membership, you get free shipping, spend analytics, and 2 % rewards. Join the smart way to shop at business.walmart.com. Terms apply. The Bleacher Report app is your destination for sports. Right now, the NBA is heating up, March Madness is here, and MLB is almost back.

20:01Every day there's a new headline, a new highlight, a new moment you've got to see for yourself. That's why I stay locked in with the Bleacher Report app.

20:09Michael Vaughan: For me, it's about staying connected to my sports. I can follow the teams I care about, get real-time scores, breaking news, and highlights all in one place. Download the Bleacher Report app today so you never miss a moment. There aren't many guarantees in life. Your energy won't always show up. Your genes won't always fit. But I promise you this. If Just Thrive Probiotic doesn't work for you, I'll refund every penny. Hi, I'm Tina, Just Thrive co-founder. And while most probiotics die in your stomach acid, Just Thrive is clinically proven to arrive 100 % alive for gut health results you could feel.

20:43Better digestion, less bloat, healthy immunity, improved sleep and clear skin. Take the Just Thrive probiotic challenge today. Visit justthrivehealth.com slash podcast. Take control today with Just Thrive.

20:59Michael Vaughan: This episode of Stick to Cricket is brought to you by South African Tourism. Mike, you made your test debut in Joburg, didn't you? I did 99, yeah. We were two for two. And I was at the non-strikers then. Before I faced the ball, we were two for four.

21:14Sir Alastair Cook: Yeah, that's right, that's right. I can remember Pollock and Donald. Pollock and Donald seaming it and swinging it round corners and everyone was scrabbling around in the dressing room. Great, though. I mean, great memories of South Africa. Huge support.

21:26Michael Vaughan: Oh, yeah, absolutely. Huge support. It's a great place to travel to.

21:29Sir Alastair Cook: Yeah, it is. Wine.

21:30Michael Vaughan: We didn't last very long, so they were at the vineyards and on the golf course is too early, as we were, by the way.

21:35Sir Alastair Cook: Well, absolutely.

21:36Michael Vaughan: I can remember us going to Stellenbosch. Oh, what a place.

21:40Sir Alastair Cook: Well, there's all the animals there. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, the wine, the food. You used to go down to Camps Bay. Blues. Blues. Blues. Seafood platter.

21:48Michael Vaughan: Platter. Growning with lump. 16 pounds.

21:51Sir Alastair Cook: Never seen so many fishes on a plate. Lobsters and crabs and everything. And as you say, perhaps a little bit of white wine.

22:00Michael Vaughan: Yes. What about the golf? Golf was great. It really is. It's the ultimate trip. You've got the golf, you've got the wine, you've got the seafood, you've got the safari. There's a bit of cricket too. Yeah, just on top. Whether you're there for the bounce at Centurion or the views from Table Mountain, South Africa delivers every single time. Stick to Cricket is brought to you by Betfair. This England regime, I mean... You know, they're all staying together, so no one's lost their position from a poor winter. For them to move forward and improve, they're not going to take everything that Liam said on the chin.

22:39Michael Vaughan: They're not going to like it. But I think behind the scenes, they've got to accept that they haven't quite delivered this high-performance environment that you're required to win major trophies. They get close, but they don't win and haven't done yet. Now, to change that, all the discussions have been that Richard Gould, the CEO, Rob Key, the director, I've got together. I mean, I heard something from someone close to them that they wanted 30, 40 conditions of change moving forward. Now, when you start looking...

23:08Sir Alastair Cook: 30 or 40. 30 or 40 conditions.

23:10Michael Vaughan: Now, I'm not too sure what those 30 or 40 things are, but clearly for this England team, and I look at the talent within this England side, you go, there's a lot there. Cool. Some cricketers and some cricketers coming through. You know, they should be winning more trophies than they are. They're also against some very other good sides in the world as well. Yeah, but we were years ago. India have gone to another level. Yeah, but we lost to Nash's series 4-1 when they had half a team. On the back of poor preparation. So I'm looking at this, you know, as I said, if they want to move forward with the same group, which they are, no problem.

23:41Michael Vaughan: But you have to learn. I think we'll find out. We'll find out, won't we? Would you have kept them all in their position?

23:49Sir Alastair Cook: Yes, I think I would have done. I think I would have done, yes. And the reason why for that, From the player's perspective, all I keep hearing is how fantastic all the set-up is and everything. Now, I just want to quickly, when you ever hear a current player in the side, in a squad, is about to go, do you know what, I'm not agreeing with Brendan Coogan. That's why you have to take Liam's comments. But then you also take, the problem with Liam's comments, he's been dropped, he's not playing.

24:17Michael Vaughan: Yeah, but that's... He's got a grievance with him. But sometimes a grievance of a player almost gives you a few home truths at times. I'm not saying everything you're saying. Do you not think Ben Stokes has come out and said it?

24:28Sir Alastair Cook: Listen, I think they went to Australia with a philosophy, didn't they? They went there with a philosophy, which I then are back. This is how we're going to do it. We're strong in that. A bit like Man City. We're not going to change the way we play just because we come into the Premiership or something like that. That then hasn't worked, has it? But then I'm just a little bit, I'm starting to get a little bit sick and tired of just throwing the baby out with the bathwater. You know what I mean? And then that doesn't allow the coaches who have then, you know, as a batsman during your career, you grow, don't you?

25:02Sir Alastair Cook: You play, you grow, you have experiences and you get better and better because you know the situation. And I think that that can still work out for a coach as well. You know, so long as the main sort of, you know, the dressing room's with you.

25:13Michael Vaughan: But do you think this England coach will, well, publicly, probably say we need to change one or two things, but deep down do you think he wants to change his philosophy

25:21Sir Alastair Cook: in the way that he plays?

25:23Michael Vaughan: Well, I think he's going to have to.

25:24Sir Alastair Cook: I think he's going to have to, just because, you know, you do have to evolve. Everyone can evolve, you know. But when before, and it was like four-year cycle, right, didn't win that, throw him out. I'm actually with tough as the fact that every time, at the end of an Ashes, there's always been, unless we've won it, there's always been something like, there's always been a full guy, a review and a full guy. And that doesn't really change. It just means it's a new cycle. You just start. So this one, they've challenged the trend and they've backed it. For me, there's a couple of issues with me. It's like, Brendan and Ben were united for the first 18 months, I'll say, two years.

25:58And the last year, you know, it's been different. And certainly in the Ashes Tour, we had talk about how we wanted, they're going to play bads ball. Not the word bads ball, we're going to use bads ball just for ease. And then suddenly you've got Ben Stokes scoring the slowest, ever 50 that you scored and saying people have worked out how to play against us and a coach saying well I don't think we went hard enough so at the minute I'm looking at the test team going those two need to get realigned and decide how they want to play because if those two aren't together then they've got no chance That's been in the media hasn't it?

26:27This last week they've reconciled the position the coach and the captain which I was shocked by that and it would be moving forward that we will need to see what changes have been made Is it a bit more disciplined? Is it a bit more playing the situation during a game? We're in a tight situation. We've got to get through this, suck it up a bit, and then we start attacking again, which we've not really done. And my next thing will be down to selection. Who's going to be this new selector?

26:54Michael Vaughan: Can I just get Graham's opinion before he goes and sits in the stand? Should Robert Key and Baz McCullum have stayed in their position after the winter?

27:05Yeah, I think there needs to be a change. is the way they've attacked it. I think that Bazbourne needs to be dialed down a little bit or diluted, I don't know. But, yeah, I'd say I don't know who else is out there.

27:17Michael Vaughan: Right. Cheers, Graeme. Cheers, Graeme. You've got to understand now. My last one is... Here we go. Let me just say, with the England set-up, is there an opportunity for people to get into that England set-up? Well, I think that's why Alistair's come on to selection. You can do it if you want, but now my next thing will be, like, the selection is the next stage of whether we're going to see this side change their ways. Because someone like, for me, Zach Crawley, and I keep going back to him, if he's guaranteed to play that first game, which he's been guaranteed, and Stokes and McCullum have come out for the last two years saying he is our owner in Australia.

27:53Australia's been, I'm like, I'm not having it anymore. Like, we've got, he's averaged 30 for 60 games. Is he the person? I don't think he is. Selection will be interesting to see whether they are taking that step forward and actually looking outside of their bubble. Who's going to be the new selector? because Luke Wright has stepped back. They need a new selector. How much say does a selector?

28:12Michael Vaughan: Graham, you can go in the stands now. I'm going now. Yeah, you can go in the stands. Tea was lovely. I'll tell you what I'm going to do. I'm going to ring Will McPherson, who's been at the press conference this morning. All right. And if I can get hold of him, he can give us a bit of an indication. Is he related to Sandy McPherson, who used to... Didn't he used to have a band? Can we ask him?

28:33Sir Alastair Cook: Is that his band? One thing I will also say as well, with, I think they've been a bit... Oh, hold on. Carry on. I think they've been a little bit hard done by, you know, this whole golf thing. And we've been guilty of it as well in the meantime. Hello, mate.

28:47Michael Vaughan: Hi, Will Vaughn here. You all right? Hello. I'm all good, thank you. How are you? We're live on the show, and we thought we needed a little bit of sense of someone that's been at the press conference. We're talking about Ben and Baz, and obviously moving forward. What was the main headlines that came out of the presser? Well, you're talking to someone who's trying to pull together a piece about it now and is struggling a little bit to get the words down on paper because the headlines weren't exactly flying out. There were a lot of words, but not too many that would jump off the page at you would be the way I'd describe it.

29:24England, essentially, they've retained their whole management and coaching structure, essentially. Brendan McCollum, as widely expected, based on reporting from the last few weeks, is going to carry on as England head coach. Rob Key, who was giving the press conference alongside the chief executive, Richard Gould, is also staying in post as MD, as expected. But assistant coaches are staying as well. There's going to be a new selector because Luke Wright stepped down. But largely, they're trying to change little things around the edges. Like what? Well, they want the culture to improve. They admitted that some players were unprofessional this winter.

30:08I think that was particularly with regard to the Harry Brook incident in Wellington. But overall, they were talking about wanting to plan better, which seems like a pretty basic requirement to me of an international sports team. Rocky said there'd been no but massive bust-up between Ben Stokes and Brendan McCullum, which I don't think anyone thought there had been. You know, there hadn't been a big fallout. But I think anyone who watched the Ashes, as you guys all did very closely out in Australia, could see that those guys were kind of diverging in the messaging, not only through the media, but also the style of play on the field.

30:47Ben was blocking for Britain by about halfway through the series, wasn't he? And Baz was still pretty keen for England to play the old Baz Ball way. So apparently they've patched all this stuff up and that they're ready to move forward together. Interestingly, Richard Gould, the chief executive, said he claimed that the easy option would have been to sack McCollum, to sack others as well. He cited the example of his dad was the football manager, Bobby Gould, I think, former Wimbledon manager. And he said that he was sacked loads of times and it doesn't actually always change things. Gould has also worked in football himself as chief executive of Bristol City and he's not much of a sacker, put it that way.

31:30He didn't sack... Nigel Pearson was in charge there, I think, when Gould was at Bristol City. Fantastic central for Sheffield Wednesday,

31:36Michael Vaughan: Nigel Pearson, Will. Well, he said that it might not be popular keeping all these guys on, but they think it's the right decision. I'd sort of say it was a bit of a word salad. A word salad is the headline. That's what the press conference... Will, thanks for coming on the phone. No problem. Cheers, mate. Thank you. Cheers, mate. Word salad. Word salad.

31:59Sir Alastair Cook: With no radishes in there. Nothing a bit hot and peppery. Just needed a little bit of chicken or something. Yeah, a little bit of oomph in there. Obviously not.

32:09Michael Vaughan: Stick to Cricket is brought to you by Betfair. What strikes me is a press conference like that, what would the act worse to say that we've thought about this and these three are actually going to stay? Did it come across that way? Well, I look at this regime and they are trying to do things completely different to any other regime. And I've always said, it almost feels to me, if Rob Key went, Baza's got to go as well. And maybe, you know, Luke Wright, maybe Freddie Flintoff would have to go as well, because they've all come together as one. They're like a full management group, aren't they? And you feel that if one went, they'd all have to go.

32:50Michael Vaughan: So to wipe the floor with all of them, that's a hell of a start, I guess.

32:55Sir Alastair Cook: It is. It's like clearing out the cabinet, isn't it? But I think the selected thing is crucial, that they've now got to create... They're saying a change of culture there, aren't they? I don't think it's necessarily a little bit of the culture or a couple of boys have been out on the razz and whatever. You've got to stop that. But I think it's also then embracing county cricket again and giving people the feeling that the door's not shut. You've got to have that. But also that Rob Key, two days before the first game, which is the 3rd of April, has got all the directors together for a reset. And there's one or two critical on social media that, well, why are they doing this?

33:36It's two days before the preparation. Well, the directors of cricket won't be at practice. I can't see they'll be at practice. They've got other things to do. So it's a good time to, Rob Key, to repair any damage within county cricket. The intrigue, who's going to be this selector? That Luke Wright has been chief selector. There are obviously other people. Runners and riders. Mark Butcher. Mark Butcher. Yeah. Alistair Cupp. Why do I get pointed to every job?

34:04Sir Alastair Cook: Every job. Darren Goff. Goffy, lad. Why have I been pointed to that? Because... Have you written off his evening? You're an establishment. Drive the sheep lorry. He's an establishment type. What does that mean? Well, you're anti-establishment type. I probably am, yeah. And you're probably the same as him. Do you fancy the job? But you're both in the media doing other things, which I should think you're very content. I'll tell you what the selector does have to do. Both of you do. Go on. And Sam Billings said it in our thing, it was a disconnect. Yes. Because he's involved, he's on the front line as a county player, even not playing too much red ball cricket, but still in the dressing room.

34:45And he's saying that they feel, in the Kent boys and the 100 team, There's a big disconnect between them and the England team. So that's a prime example of something which needs to change the next six months.

34:56Michael Vaughan: Well, that April 1st chat, and I've said it and written about it, that Baz McCullum and Rob Key, they have to go and send their philosophy across the game. And they've got to explain exactly what it is, what we're looking for. You know, you don't have the same roles every single week in Test Creek. You kind of do, but you're kind of looking for it. These are the kind of players that we want. So your top four or five, these are the kind of roles that we need within the top five. Then we need an all-round that does X and Y. Keeper's going to be able to do X and Y. So at least all the county game and players within it go, all right, I absolutely know what I need to achieve.

35:28Sir Alastair Cook: Hold on then. I've got a question for you then. Why can't you? So if you're then the best that you can be in the way that you play, is that then not good enough if that doesn't fit into a role?

35:42Michael Vaughan: But it hasn't, has it? I think where we've got lost in English cricket for a few years now is that in whiteboard cricket, strike rates are absolutely important. I'm sorry, test match cricket is about your end number, your average. And if you're striking at 35, 40, but you're averaging 110, you know what, brilliant for the team. It can't all be that you're top seven. You're mixed of players. Correct, you can't just have a group of players that are all going to try and strike at 100 in test match cricket. You're playing far too riskily. Yeah, and I think what happened is they started with that because there was no other options really, was there?

36:15They lost one out of 17. Smile on your face. Like, it wasn't great. And there was quite a lot of list of players and no one was standing out whether you were striking at 100 or striking at 30 or 40. And they've kind of gone so far down that road where they kind of almost themselves kind of went into this mode where you have to be able to affect a game, have to be able to affect a game, have to be able to change the course of the game by yourself in Test Match Cricket. And fair play for them to think about it, But the ultimate thing which we've said all along we've sat on this table you sat in TMS boxes It's all about the results and the preparation of our ashes We said fine if they want to do it their way they can that's why they're paid But we'll judge their results and their results haven't been good enough So now they have to change how they do it So in County cricket if you're an opening batsman now for those first 18 months It's quite clear if you didn't strike at 100 you weren't playing that's now proven that that's not successful at world level consistency.

37:09So now it's to be down to, as Vaughan said, runs in the column.

37:12Sir Alastair Cook: Sure, so hold on then. It's your currency as a batter. So Little Ducky, Little Ducky, we love Little Ducky. So is Baz then telling Little Ducky, leave a few? I don't think he will be for Ducky, but I'll tell you what, it'll be someone in a county cricket who has scored a run, and you're going to mention his name, or someone who goes, well actually last two years I scored 1 ,000 runs. Yes, my strike rate's at 50, but I scored 1 ,000 runs a year. I should be getting a go.

37:36Michael Vaughan: I'll be like, I think Ben Duckey does need to leave a few, yeah. Yeah. You know, because this winter... Is that how then Baz is perceived

37:44Sir Alastair Cook: to have changed? How are you perceived?

37:47Michael Vaughan: But Ben, he doesn't need a coach to be able to say to him, oh, by the way, Ben, do you fancy leaving a few now? Ben should be looking at and assessing, as a player, you assess your game, don't you, over a period of time. And over the last year or so, you know, Ben has started to sneak balls this far outside of Ostrom. And, you know, many said it, you've got to Australia with that extra bit of bounce with a bit more pace, there's probably a chance that you might have to leave a few. So I'm not saying he goes out and tries to bat like yourself, Alistair, but leaving a few balls as an opening batter, it's probably wise.

38:17Michael Vaughan: Yeah, but is that then solely the coach's job? Surely the player? Correct. So Ben should be doing that. He should realise that, you know, the average in the winter was nothing compared to the talent that he has. And for him to go to that next stage and in four years' time, and I know we're a long way off, or a year and a half time when they face Australia, guess what Australia will do? The good teams to New Zealand in a month or so's time will just hang it outside off stump. So realistically, three, four, five, six, seven are blocked off. They're blocked off. They're in. Well, Bethel is three.

38:49Root is four. Brook is five. Stokes is six. Smith is seven. That's it. And Duckett's one. And Duckett's in. So now you're looking at Amid. I'm not saying that Smith is 100%. I'm not either. I think a year ago the way they said it doesn't matter what you've done the Ashes we back you I think there's got to be we're talking about accountability as players he didn't have a great series with either the gloves or the bat and he got found out you know he's had a great start to his career I'm not saying he's a bad player he's just like most players have and you have a moment in your career where you become who's your alternative Ben Foulkes Old Skull

39:26Michael Vaughan: I'll go back I'm just saying don't call me Old Skull to suggest it If you're not your number one keeper in your county, I don't think you should be the keeper for England. And that's the same with spin. If you're not your number one spinner in your county, how the hell are you going to play for England? Did we say that when he first came into the team, everybody was saying this bloke is special? As a batter? Yeah, but he could keep wicket. He's a competent wicket keeper, which I think he is. And he fits the bill. Not had a great winter. That dismissal when he just hit 4-4s and he's caught off Mitchell Stark, has probably played against him, but he's still a very good player.

40:07Absolutely. I think he's the key.

40:10Michael Vaughan: But has Rob Key got the power to go to Surrey and just say, look, he's our keeper. We need him to keep in County Creek. Jamie Smith needs to be saying, I'm Keeper Ringman, I need to keep. Yeah, exactly. So if Jamie Smith keeps in his County team, well, absolutely no problem. He's not keeping for his county.

40:26Sir Alastair Cook: There's the England wicketkeeper, he's at the fine leg. Just help me out. Blame for Surrey. Could he go out on lawn and keep wicket for a club at the beginning of the season?

40:37Michael Vaughan: I just think he needs to keep.

40:38Sir Alastair Cook: Of course he does. Get that groove of keeping. As you say, like a spinner as well. Spinners. You need to get the balls in you. Tonga and Carse will play. That's eight and nine. Well, Joffre is...

40:53Michael Vaughan: Gus. Atkinson, definitely. I would say if Joffre plays the full IPL, It'll probably be the first, when's the first test match he gets to? The first week of June, isn't it? He might get pulled out of that first test.

41:05Sir Alastair Cook: I'm not so much, I'm slightly concerned about the bowl then. Am I? Yeah. The batting, okay, little change in. I think Atkinson, in England, Atkinson. Tongue. Tongue, course. Is Archer going to be, is he around? No, I'm not concerned, sorry, not concerned about the talent. I'm just concerned about the roles of the guy. Who's your spinner?

41:31Michael Vaughan: I'd go back to Jack Leach. I think he's the best spinner in the UK by quite a distance. What about Coles? I don't know. But again, you're going for a... Well, yeah, Coles hasn't... He's a batter who bowls a bit. Do we need him to spin England? They've got Bethel doing that. Bethel does that. He bowls on the back. I just look at... If you want to be the number one team in the world, you have to get to a level. Rayan Arvid Ken he's a good cricketer really good I think he's about to let balls a bit at the minute you ought to be the best team the best time we've had as an English team when we've got to number one in the world is when we've had a world class spinner you've got to try and find a world class spinner if you haven't got a world class spinner do you know Jack Leach is not going to be Graham Swan but Jack Leach is a rock solid spinner yeah who did very very well you go back to the start of basketball look at what Jack Leach did New Zealand under Ben Stokes just have a look yeah he was good yeah and so we haven't mentioned Bashir well he's got a chance at Derby won't he he's got a Derby under Mickey Arthur well I think when this press conference there will be cultural changes but I think the selection process it will be I would think going forward a little bit more that I hope that look I'm not saying county cricket it's the be all and end all it never has been you know we've picked players that haven't quite been pulling up trees in county cricket they've been doing well at international so you've got to be careful about that but I think that that re-engagement of the whole game together is so important in the defence it must be very difficult to pick an England team when you're playing county cricket seven matches in April and early May because your conditions are ridiculous well I would argue that conditions in September are worse than they are in April if you look at the numbers in the last few years because you know from being at length your first week if the weather's fine in April the pitches are good there's loads of runs scored in April loads and loads of runs because because there's two pitches are prepared brilliantly and I'm not saying they're not down there but down the back end the director of cricket and the captain and the coach are going to need a result I understand that so guess what happens you start doing a bit to your pitch starts nibbling around Old Trafford's got 15 games 100 to go and the groundsman hasn't had time correct in April they've got four games to do and they've got four pitches next to each other.

43:54These are the best time to play. One, two, three, four. The weather's half-dissed. Against that, the argument against that is that, particularly in the north, in April and early May, the ground is freezing cold. The ground is cold. Whereas in September, the ground is actually worn. But they've run out of pitches. So they're used decks, aren't they? Yeah, they're playing on used pitches. But I don't see that as a problem. I don't. It increases your technique. Absolutely. It improves your technique. and you know what's coming. Look, we've finished up and it brings him in. He's in the game. You're not too bothered about...

44:28Barry, bring me a pen and paper. Uncovered pitch.

44:30Sir Alastair Cook: What also, I think, as well, with the re-engagement and everything, and I think then that is where the selector... Board. Yeah, the board, Barry. ...and Baz come into it. They've got to do the yards. They've got to do the miles. Who's going to be that selector? Come on, we've mentioned... Right, runners and riders.

44:49Michael Vaughan: Armisen Cook. Goff. Goff. Do you have to apply for this? Pryor. Matthew Pryor. Or do you just get like... Stephen Finn. Stephen Finn. Finny? Finny. Yeah. Yeah. Can you be a selector and a pundit? No. No. It's a full-time job. It's a full-time job.

45:08Sir Alastair Cook: You've got to go round. You've got to watch cricket. You've got to talk to people. You've got to talk to coaches. David Lloyd. Would you do it? Oh, Bumble. Well, I'm not...

45:14Michael Vaughan: You'd have to leave the show.

45:16Sir Alastair Cook: Why? No, I'm not leaving. You'd have to leave the show. Do it on Zoom.

45:21Michael Vaughan: Why would I have to leave the shore? Would he have to leave the... It was all the inside goth, couldn't it? Would he have to leave the Lancashire? Yeah, what about your position at Lancashire? I haven't got a position. Well, he might. He might do.

45:32Sir Alastair Cook: He's going to be a service electorate. He hasn't given a job application in. You wanted it, didn't you?

45:39Michael Vaughan: Phil, I'll tell you what we're going to do. We're going to pick the first test team. It's easy. It's easy. Write it down. Write it down. You write it down. I think Ace of Tribal opens. I'm left-handed. There you go. I was just going to say, can I do it this way? So that, I mean, it jettisons Amid, who's an opening batter, gets hundreds and 1 ,500 runs and captains the county champions. But I think... 1 to 11. 1 to 11. Well, I think they don't think he plays well enough at the highest level. Who? Amid. Amid, yeah. You never know that. Well, in Australia, when he went to India and then he went to Australia.

46:14Michael Vaughan: He's on two of the hardest tours of... Amid. Where's that noise? Amin is a far better player than when he first played for England, a soy sibling. Yeah, yeah. Dom Sibley. The better players. Duckett. Duckett. Duckett. I think Duckett is allowed to hit one, yeah.

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47:07Michael Vaughan: Stick to Cricket is brought to you by Betfair. Go to three, Bethel. Bethel Bigger numbers Letters Yeah Count Bethel What about Root at four Root at four Root Root, Brook Stokes

47:24Sir Alastair Cook: It's not rocket science Most of this you know No it's not

47:27Michael Vaughan: Stokes Stokes Leave out seven at the minute No I just put WK Wicket keepers WK Yeah well we know Yeah there we go WK well done 8, 8, 8 Atkinson Atkinson 8 What, definitely him? Definite. He didn't, he got dropped there. What about Will Jax? He got dropped. Oh, wait a minute, wait a minute.

47:52Sir Alastair Cook: Jax C. All right, Kars. Nine. Atkinson, nine. I'm not sure I'm having Kars as a guaranteed pick.

48:00Michael Vaughan: Atkinson, nine. I want a tone setter with the ball.

48:05Sir Alastair Cook: Yeah.

48:05Michael Vaughan: And I know he won. Tongue. Ollie Robinson would be someone that I'd look at closely, but I don't think he'll get back into the street regime, which is a problem with the regime carrying on in a way is that a few players know there's no chance. Why has Atkinson just gone straight back in at first choice when he got drops in the ashes? I'm just curious. T-O-N-G-E, isn't it? T-O-N-G-U-E. I think Tungy is about the only bowler who is a dead sir. Sorry.

48:34Michael Vaughan: Right, Will Jax, where are you going to put Will Jax? Who's 10, Kosh? I need an opening, but I'm... What about Sam Cook? Hang on, you've just been saying leech. You don't need a spinner. Well, what, are you talking about Jacks now? Yeah, so I want leeching the team. This is my team. Can we just do a little box of runners and riders on the left? Oh, for God's sake. Sam, from the right, because I'm looking... I'm not sure we can have Gus as just an automatic pick or a Kars as an automatic pick. What's he doing right? There's a big boy, don't you?

49:03Sir Alastair Cook: I know, but I'm... It's difficult. Kars. Who else have we got? Kars. I want Kars. Let's write some runners and riders down. Your boy. Cook. I'm a cook. Hamid.

49:11Michael Vaughan: Coles will be a runner. Coles, yeah. Will he? Yeah. Hamid. He will.

49:17Sir Alastair Cook: Hamid. Sibbers. Sibley.

49:22Michael Vaughan: Why are you writing it?

49:23Sir Alastair Cook: Because I'm a left hooker, okay? Tribe. Tribe. Tribe. Tribe, yeah, he's a tribe. Crawley. Yes. He needs to be in this minute. Of course he does. We need another archer. Oh, well, archer plays, doesn't he? So let's take Atkinson out and put Archer in. Oh, man. I think Atkinson plays, doesn't he? I'm just saying he got dropped in the last two games and didn't play. You want him there? He got injured.

49:52Michael Vaughan: I think Gus Atkinson, particularly at Lord's that first test, he got injured. I apologise, he got injured, didn't he? You can have him. Archer. You can have him. Apologies, Gus. I thought he got dropped. Archer will be looked at, I think, at the end of the IPR to see what he's worth.

50:05Sir Alastair Cook: Do we not want Dawson? Liam Dawson.

50:09Michael Vaughan: I think... I want the best... I personally want the best. Come on, you've got a couple of skippers. We've got three skippers here. I want the best spinner. I think you've got enough batting. There's plenty of batting. You've got to get your best bowlers. You've got to get 20 wickets. I want to go and see... There you go. I want to go and see how good this Coles is. Just want to see... I've seen a bit of him in T20 cricket, he bowls darts. Like decent, knows what the batter's trying to do, but not sure. And this is, without seeing him bowl in Red Bull cricket, whether he's got the pitch.

50:37Sir Alastair Cook: So in your new job as selector, you're going to go down there, you're going to talk to the coach. Did you see what he said there, Phil? Yes, he did. I want to go and see him. I heard that.

50:47Michael Vaughan: I want to go and... And then make my judgment on... By the way, Brighton's a lovely place to go. Get the deck chairs, don't you, on that bank. Oh, lovely. You'll see Gunnar Gould down there as well. They've got a little ex-player's bar. I was there last day. Lovely. 99. Oh, lovely. Lovely. It's lovely. I love it. I love it, Hov, I think. Lovely pub on the front. Beautiful. Go in the sea in the morning. Right, okay. Just think, if we're going to play Leach, Atkinson has to go eight. Yeah, that's fine. Archer has to go nine. That's right. Plenty of batting.

51:24Sir Alastair Cook: Tongue's not that bad a batter.

51:25Michael Vaughan: No.

51:27Sir Alastair Cook: So we've got a Stumper, we've got a two and an eight. So just knock them out and put Atkinson... no wait a minute Atkinson 8 alright I've got to come round here now

51:46Michael Vaughan: Atkinson 8 Archer 9 I personally would have Leech at 11 alright well I don't have to keep rubbing it all out do I bloody hell 10 at 11

51:58Sir Alastair Cook: Archer yeah

52:01Michael Vaughan: so you're saying chef is if you went down on your trip down to Brighton nice ice cream and you saw Coles he bowled nicely you're thinking that he could but I'd throw a question to you where's he going would his bowling be better than Jacob Bethel's I don't know I would like to

52:17Sir Alastair Cook: Beth can bowl a bit I would like to think that the fact that how much he's been spoken about Coles that his left arm isn't just a T20 he might be a little sort of yeah but he might be I just again until you see him I've seen him in white ball cricket I haven't seen him in red ball and he might just be a batter where he has to He's competing with Bethel and Brutonbrook to get in that way.

52:38Michael Vaughan: See, that number two slot, I generally think county cricket in April and May is going to be brilliant because those list of players on the right, Hamid, Sibley, Tribe, Crawley. And it's great for Zach Crawley, actually, because Zach, you know, let's be honest, England have kind of taken him out of county cricket. Didn't play last September.

52:56Sir Alastair Cook: So what you're saying, you're saying county cricket, let's have a look and see who gets the run.

53:01Michael Vaughan: It doesn't necessarily mean the player that has got the most runs, They need to have scored a decent amount. But if Tribe, who is obviously on the... He's just come in. No, he's new to the circuit in the last couple of years.

53:12Sir Alastair Cook: You're a lefty, no, but you're right properly as a lefty. It's awkward, isn't it?

53:19Sir Alastair Cook: Crawley. Tribe.

53:25Michael Vaughan: Amid. What's that?

53:29Sir Alastair Cook: Sibbers. Sibbers. The Hoover Dam.

53:33Michael Vaughan: Cox. Jordan Cox. Jordan Cox. One of them will open the batting with the duck. You know, Cox could... Will Cox keep... He's in the IPL. So he's gone to the IPL, so he's not going to play any longer format. No, very interestingly, you twice have said Tribe to open. He doesn't open. He's a good player. Yeah, that's right. But he doesn't open. I tell you, I... So what do you know? What do you know? I just... Well, like you said... You know something. I don't know anything. I just know that there's nothing available from three to six. That's right. So if I was a county player now, and I know a lot of them have avoided opening the batting because of all...

54:11Michael Vaughan: If I was James Rue at Somerset, I'd go to my coach and say, I want to open the batting.

54:16Sir Alastair Cook: Yeah.

54:16Michael Vaughan: Does Rue get into that yet? Not yet. Tribe, obviously, I want to open the batting because that's the only spot that's available. It is. And if you're batting at four and five, I'm sorry, I'm not having it. You're batting four and five in county cricket, oh, you're going to bat number two at test match level. You've got to open for your county.

54:32Sir Alastair Cook: Well, I'll tell you something then. So I'll tell you what I'd fancy. I'll tell you what I'd be looking at and I'd go and see Stuart, Surrey and everything like that. Nice glass of wine. Nice glass of wine. Not that far from your house. Sibbers. It's gone away. How many hundreds did he get for England? Two or three? He's a far better player. He is. Now, I would be really facetious at Old Trafford. I'm doing some commentary for the stream up at Old Trafford. They're playing Surrey and it was a lovely pitch and I think Jimmy played and Saki Mahmood did a good attack and I said we'll just put four or five on that leg side he'll still be with non-not out at lunchtime he got 150 played brilliantly down the ground played really well down the ground played very well two centuries he's got two centuries for England we're talking about people evolving aren't we we're talking about people getting better Hamid's a proper player or Hamid yeah I would just you know I'd think I'd think to myself right Right, OK.

55:29Sir Alastair Cook: We're all talking about playing different situations. And you just said it as well. We want an opener. I don't think a tribe is an opener. So why are we sticking him to open? OK, we want an opener. We want someone when it's nipping about at Lord's to be able to get stuck in. But then when it's flat, to then, you know... But equally, do they want... They know that Tribe's special. He is a proper player. Do they want him? We've got to get this bloke in the team, as they have done with Bethel.

55:56Michael Vaughan: Well, exactly. and I think that's where they look at him close I mean the way that Jacob played in Sydney in that second inning is the way that you're batting Test Match absolutely Wood Glamorgan they're now going to look at him and go right actually he's our best batter we don't want him in opening we want him at 4-5 because that's where more score runs

56:13Sir Alastair Cook: right no discussion who's opening first Test Match

56:18Michael Vaughan: I think it'll be Ace of Tribe

56:21Sir Alastair Cook: Ace of Tribe Bumble who will be opening yeah

56:24Michael Vaughan: that's what I think Zach Crawley I'm not telling you who's opening I'm going to go and watch I'm going to go and watch it Joe look at this I want to see get all your exes I want to can you take us with you on the exes look at this such an easy buy I'm getting a bet on this get on bet fair I'm on bet fair there we go chief selector sir

56:49Sir Alastair Cook: now listen Cookie now you two boys you three boys here I've just applied He tried for the job and he wasted the time he applied. I haven't... Save your breath. You opened, he opened, you opened. Who? Come on, do you want? I've said. Out of all your experience, who do you want to open? I don't know because I haven't seen enough of them. Like, I haven't seen... I've got Bumble telling me that Hamid has improved dramatically. Right. So, as much as I trust Bumble... He's going from driving... You're going to have to get a driver. I trust, like, you're a selector, if you're a selector. I love this.

57:28I'm just throwing... I've been driving the lorry all the time. If you're a selector, then that's when you go and you put your neck on the line when you go to the meeting with Baz and Stokesy. The next best batter, the best opener in my... What you've done is Hamid or it is Tribe. I can't comment on those. I can't compare them if I haven't seen them. No. But this is just a prediction for a show. Yeah, but I'm now... I know it's a prediction for a show. Well, I'll then say Tribe because it's exciting and I haven't seen him play. No, you may be facetious now.

57:58Michael Vaughan: You can't be facetious if you're going to be chair. You would... Does that start with a V? You'd see him in. As an opening batter. I just heard him say it. As an opening batter. As an opening batter. You must be impressed that that lad got six centuries, 1 ,500 runs and capped in the county champions. Yeah. That's impressive. You're getting a meeting, aren't you? No, I just think that they'll all play, they'll all have to play, and if Crawley scores runs, he retains his place. I think that's why I think it's going to be great for Zach Crawley. He should be made to play every game. Yeah, he must be.

58:35Michael Vaughan: We don't miss games at all. I'm an England contract. Going back to what we... Play. If I was Zach Crawley, I'd be saying, I want to play every game. I want to get some tons. Absolutely. I want to get some batting, that's what I do. Stick to Cricket is brought to you by Betfair. Right, so we've got that team sorted. Not really. We've got a few minutes to discuss your favourite league in the world. The IPL. Who's going to win the IPL? I'll throw the first name out there. Go on then. Mumbai Indians will win it this year. I'll win it for a few. They've got an incredible team. I'm going RCB. They're going back to back.

59:14Michael Vaughan: You're going back to back. I'm going untrusting Flower. Andy Flower's going to be army, yeah?

59:18Sir Alastair Cook: RCB. RCB. Sure Yeah RCB

59:22Michael Vaughan: Not the Sunrises or Rajasthan Royals No Although they've had a good trade They've got Sammy Curran and Jadija I'll tell you hold on Where's he gone Where's he gone Sanju Chennai

59:34Sir Alastair Cook: Chennai for me Donnie's still playing Chennai Chennai for me Sorry Sir Alistair I'm going to go against Chennai

59:40Michael Vaughan: Chennai Super Kings RCB RCB Do you want your elephants Look now Super Giants The elephants from Manchester Chennai for me. Super Kings. Super Kings. Ricky Ponton is coach. Super Kings. I'm going Mumbai. Denver up there, aren't they? Who's your coach, Mumbai? Mumbai, Jay Ordner. Nice. OK. Who's my coach? Who's your team? Stephen Phlegm. Still there? Is he still there? Yeah. Experience. Super Kings. Who plays for Chennai apart from Sanju Samson?

1:00:14Sir Alastair Cook: Well, I think it's going to be a huge...

1:00:16Michael Vaughan: Who's your other player? Gideja. No, no, he's gone to Rajasthan, has he?

1:00:21Sir Alastair Cook: I didn't see the draft.

1:00:23Michael Vaughan: OK, let's finish with a few community questions, gentlemen. Who's the first one from? This one's from Rob in Kent.

1:00:36Sir Alastair Cook: He says, what do I do now? Who's going to open and bat him?

1:00:41Michael Vaughan: He'll like that. He'll like that. Robin Kent asks, do you think Baz McCollum will still be in charge at the start of the next Ashes series? That's from Robin Kent. That was 18 months' time. No, no, a year. So he's got 14 months, doesn't he? No, no, about 15 months.

1:00:59Sir Alastair Cook: Yeah. I think we'll beat Pakistan, beat New Zealand.

1:01:03Michael Vaughan: I'll tell you what, I don't think this summer's an easy summer.

1:01:05Sir Alastair Cook: It's not.

1:01:06Michael Vaughan: New Zealand workmanlike, we know what they bring. Absolutely. India come for white ball, best in the world. Pakistan, probably think that England would be too strong. South Africa away is going to be a hell of a series tough

1:01:17Sir Alastair Cook: tough

1:01:17Michael Vaughan: they're vying to get in the World Test Championship final yep we're kind of under can England get anyone near that no no don't think so

1:01:25Sir Alastair Cook: South Africa will be tough

1:01:26Michael Vaughan: it'll be Australia India New Zealand or South Africa I think South Africa and when is it not this year next year it's just before the Ashes series so when is the Ashes series the question was next summer so we've got what's his contract end of at the end of 27 so at the end of the Ashley series next year he's contracted two will he make it I think he now they've carried on with it absolutely they've got to yeah definitely yeah so that's there you go Rob no one no one no one who are the players you are excited to watch in this summer's county championship Ace of Tribe yeah yeah oh this cold cold the lad at at school at Somerset

1:02:15Sir Alastair Cook: Thomas Rue Thomas Rue Kangaroo I want to see Archie Vaughan develop Archie I'd very much like to see a fit Rocky Flintoff yep the lad's still growing hasn't been fit so

1:02:29Michael Vaughan: when will he stop growing Rockstar I saw him the other day he's an absolute monster I want to see George Hill carry on progressing I like George he's a good picket those boys yeah I mean like a couple of those under 19 lads have got to the final Ali Falcon is a player. Where do they get into their county sides? Moors.

1:02:47Sir Alastair Cook: Who's the young Batu that caught all the runs? Moors. Maze.

1:02:51Michael Vaughan: Yes, Maze is a good player. Yeah, but there's plenty to look for in the county. All right, county champions, who's it going to be? Might as well do a few predictions for the county season. I think Surrey will win the county championship this year. I think they'll get back on track. Surrey will win the county championship. I'm going to go Vitality Blast T20 Somerset Sider Army are pretty strong in that Essex one day I think Surrey will be close in that Vitality as well I'm going to yeah Essex Surrey tops I'm going to have a value bet on the championship Yorkshire and the Mags well I think that's they've got Jai Richardson early season I'm going Yorkshire Van Beek's coming over they've got Code George Hill White Donbass their batting line-up I don't think any will get picked for England

1:03:45Sir Alastair Cook: What's happened to Donbass?

1:03:46Michael Vaughan: He's fine He's doing well he's got He's a good cricketer Yeah Talking of spinners I think that's a that's half a value bet that Yeah The Yorkies to win the title Yeah They won't have many call-ups How strong are Warwick's going to be? Wokes is going to play Is Wokes he playing? Alex Davis has just stepped down as captain Yeah Knowledge who do you think will win the title Nots again Nots Nots back to back winners not easy to do that I don't know thanks for that do you know what I will go Nots I'll go Nots no wonder we got the selectors I'll go Nots space is selects I'll go Nots back to back this is the last one actually before we've got a cake coming in Dave for your birthday and this question is to you Bumble do you think it's fair that York City could get over 100 points score over 100 goals and still not get promoted how can that happen Dave well it isn't fair and it needs to be at least two up two down right from division two talk us through you're obviously in the national league and it's only one up and it's just one up and then who's top then Sorry, there's...

1:05:07Two leagues, is that? It should be three up, three down. Right. And so, what it is, it's one automatic, and then there's a play-off. Are you not automatic with 100 points? No. Well, who's above you? Who's got more points? Rochdale. How many points have they got? Rochdale, 39 matches, and Rochdale are two points ahead of us. Right. Two points ahead. The last game of the season is Rochdale versus York City. Oh, boy. You'll be going to that, won't you? In the spotland. No, I think it's... I've heard already that it's sold out. Might be wrong. I'll get you a ticket. How many more games left? Seven.

1:05:42Play Gateshead tomorrow night. The big game this week, this is great. This is fantastic for what we do. Scunthorpe versus Rochdale. That is an absolute... Is it Humdinger?

1:05:55Michael Vaughan: What's Scunny in the league? Where are they? Beefy's old. Play-offs. In the play-offs. They're in the play-offs. Little bit of that grow. Come on, Scunny. Come on. So you need Scunny to beat Rochdale, then you're... Then we have every chance. You've got to beat Gateshead. Gateshead are in the relegation. Poor team. And they're part-time. They're part-timers. Get your boob of boots on. Are York full-time, are they? Big time, really? On the old... Big time. Lads, that's brilliant. Congrats on the award. Yes, well done. You can have that for the week. Well done, well done. And here we go. It's your birthday, Dave.

1:06:34Michael Vaughan: Hey, happy birthday to you.

1:06:39Sir Alastair Cook: Happy birthday to you. I always kept this colour in the caterpillar. Hey, dear Bumble. Happy birthday to you. Hip, hip. Hooray. Hip, hip. Hooray. Hip, hip. Hooray. I'm a wonderful enthusiasm. I like your cake, Dave. I've got a tear in my eye. Can I have one of these? Can I have one of these? Yeah, what do you want? Are you cooking caterpillar? Oh, the little one. Colin. There we go. Need a few more of them on there. Looks like a log, that, doesn't it? Make a wish, Bumble. I'll make him one. I hope I'll make the next one. Got a great message from Michael Holden for his birthday. Mikey, he said, we're in the departure lounge.

1:07:25Oh, come on. But the plane's not arrived.

1:07:30Michael Vaughan: Yay! Yeah! Oh, Dave! Very, very good. What up, Bumble.

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