

6 Aug 2025 · 1h · 18 chapters

The episode reacts to England’s Test series vs India, focusing on the Oval match drama: Chris Woakes’ injury impact, Harry Brook’s dismissal at a key moment, and what England need to improve for the Ashes in Australia. Guests discuss “clear and obvious injury” rules after Woakes suffers a shoulder dislocation/break and England can’t use a like-for-like substitute in the first innings, arguing it cost England the series. They also criticize England’s selection of 21-year-old Jacob Bethell as a spare batter despite limited red-ball cricket, and question England’s last-day mindset (going for shots rather than building singles/partnerships). Notable examples include Brook’s catch dismissal on 19, Siraj’s bowling spell and catch, and the “two balls disappear” tradition when play ends.
Phil Tufnell (former England player/TV commentator), Mike (likely Mike Atherton, referenced as “Mike”), and Dave (county/club cricket background), plus discussion of other cricket figures like Andy Flower, Brian Lara, and Ricky Ponting.
Written by AI. May contain mistakes.
Analysis and commentary on recent cricket matches and player performances.
“Availability and coverage vary by state and insurance plan.”
Analysis and commentary on recent cricket matches and player performances.
“Sorry, I had to be a second to get that.”
Discussion on England's disappointing performance and decisions during the match.
“To throw a kid who's 21 out at the Oval in front of 27 ,000 when the series is on the line, on a pitch that's doing plenty against Siraj, I thought it was diabolical.”
Exploration of the unique drama and rules of Test cricket, particularly at The Oval.
“People just walk off when they want yeah, we will go well What's what's going on?”
A debate over Harry Brook's risky shot and its impact on the game.
“And suddenly Harry Brook's playing great, isn't he?”
Discussion on the effectiveness of vice-captains and leadership roles in cricket.
“I think it's because it's a batsman and a bowler's perspective.”
Analysis of Siraj's bowling performance and his evolution as a cricketer.
“but I think it's just a purely man-management thing.”
Debate on the need for injury substitutions in Test cricket and its implications.
“And you came in, enter stage left, and his leg appeared.”
Discussion of the injuries affecting England's performance in the series.
“but clear and obvious injuries in the first innings of the game.”
Analysis of pitch preparation and England's selection choices.
“What do we make of the pitch at the Oval?”
The hosts discuss Jamie Smith's batting performance and his fatigue during the series.
“Well, they got eight of the first two balls.”
Discussion on England's prospects for the Ashes series in Australia and key player considerations.
“You optimize your workouts, your portfolios, and that rando startup idea that hit you in the middle of the shower.”
The hosts engage in a lively debate over selecting a composite team from the series, considering various players.
“haven't I yeah I'm just swapping in I can't tell at bowlers now what about Ricky Ponting saying he's a must Bashir he's a must He's a must.”
The hosts wrap up their discussion by reflecting on the series and addressing listener questions.
“Oh, yeah He won a case deep didn't get some for it Yeah, he didn't get wicked this week on the green top.”
The hosts debate team selection and leadership roles in cricket.
“Yeah boomers in captain can't tell him no he's not vice-captain I think that's quite a good team.”
A deep dive into who deserved to win the cricket series and session statistics.
“And we should have won at Lord's, at Oval.”
The hosts share anecdotes about famous cricketers and fielding skills.
“Right here we go the most famous contacts in your phone other than cricket players.”
The hosts discuss predictions for the upcoming Ashes and past performances.
“Well, bat with it, but just don't put it on your front leg.”

Get the gist, explore an idea or ask about something said.
On Stick to Cricket, what are the key points of this episode?
Automatic transcript. May contain errors.
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. You're probably multitasking right now, right? Commuting, working out, crossing things off your list. Worth asking when check-in-on-yourself landed on it. Grow makes the booking part fast. The rest is between you and a therapist who actually gets it. Grow connects you with thousands of high-quality licensed therapists across the U.S., offering both virtual and in-person sessions, nights and weekends. There are no subscriptions, no long-term commitments. You just pay per session.
0:39Grow helps you find therapy on your time. The therapist you want takes your insurance on Grow. Grow accepts over 125 insurance plans. Sessions average$21 with insurance, and some pay as little as$0, depending on their plan. Visit growtherapy.com slash start now today to get started. That's growtherapy.com slash start now. growtherapy.com slash start now. Availability and coverage vary by state and insurance plan. Hi, I'm Jack Ravici-Kramer, host of The Best One Yet. At T-Boy, we're always talking about small decisions that can have an outsized impact. One of the simplest is staying hydrated. Whether I'm traveling, getting a workout in, or heading into a busy day, I keep Liquid IV on hand.
1:23It's clinically demonstrated to hydrate faster than water alone and contains three times the electrolytes of the leading sports drink, plus eight vitamins and nutrients. It's an easy addition to your daily routine and helps support hydration when you need it most. Shop now at liquidiv.com. Liquid IV hydration that goes wherever life takes you. Back to school is busy enough. The last thing you need is shopping that makes it harder. Whether you're moving into a dorm, your first apartment, or just getting organized for the semester, Wayfair makes it easy to get everything you need in one place. Furniture, bedding, storage, decor, study essentials, all at prices you'll love with fast shipping before move-in day.
2:05Get everything you need for back-to-school season. Shop wayfair.com today. Wayfair, every style, every home.
2:14Michael Vaughan: Maybe you won't go there.
2:15Sir Alastair Cook: Not really, why?
2:17Michael Vaughan: You look it. Morning. Morning. Morning. Morning.
2:20Sir Alastair Cook: Morning. Morning. Morning. Morning. Morning. Morning. Morning. Morning. I don't want any water. What do you want? Look at your two sugars. Look at that. My two sugars and my spoon. Ah, nice. Fish mate loving it, don't they? Horrible stuff. Oh, this is nice. Sorry, I had to be a second to get that. Will we be talking about that test match at all? Huh? Will we talk about that test match?
2:45Michael Vaughan: that one no I know we're gonna talk about the hundred we're gonna do all show on that first hundred ball men's game that london's brilliant we were there Mike
2:52Sir Alastair Cook: yeah they only got 80 we did it they got 80 yeah couldn't get did well to get that many yeah they did how many balls did they have I'm Phil you were there Phil well I was I was did they make the hundred did they finish the hundred
3:09Michael Vaughan: balls the best bit about yes this is double double header right so you know TV you've got the women's game and then you've got a fill to the men's game was about an hour and 10 minutes Yeah, so you get the running order at the start of the day And anyway the maestro. Yeah, he's got a segment on spin spin mask Rashi Khan Jaffa Cho and Liam Dawson Soto. It's like right you're gonna have to do six minutes on the pitch with Alex Hartley So and then they said oh, but it might get put put off if it offers the first game overruns anyways poor umpire Sue Redford she's umpiring the ball gets winged in smacked her on the side of the head she's down no she's fine all he's gone segments gonna go in listen oh so stay down did you have
4:01Sir Alastair Cook: a concussion test she had a great big egg on the side of the red blessing and did she carry on Yes, it's the show must go on. Yes. Well, she's what them some concussion tests. I mean, you know what they said They first up they say who are you? I'm Elvis Presley. Well, I carry on Who's the Prime Minister? Yeah, oh Neville Chamberlain. Yeah, yeah, yeah, what is it? What is it tricky? Yeah
4:28Michael Vaughan: Well, it's where Keaton Jennings he was on the microphone last night. He didn't know what day it was no And he's taking the way you're going next is what I don't know what day is what do you mean he was on the field
4:37Sir Alastair Cook: He was on the field with the mics nonsense Not too nonsense don't like it like good. I hate it now. What's it like? What's the conditions like? What's the atmosphere like? How many are you gonna get? You don't like it?
4:49Michael Vaughan: We had Grace Harrison in the afternoon. She sang as Tracy Chapman. Yeah, that's good She names her bets off the burgers. Yes, she does. She's got a Mc Crispy a wopper zinger a zinger She used the zinger yesterday for her 89 foot. She's got a whopper. She's got a whopper. She has, yeah.
5:05Sir Alastair Cook: Yeah.
5:06Michael Vaughan: She calls all her bats after burgers. Shall we call your bats? There's three up there, Phil. Oh, I don't know. Shall we call them after?
5:11Sir Alastair Cook: The Nicker. It's his Teddy's, isn't it? Yeah, mine's Teddy. Yeah, Teddy's.
5:17Michael Vaughan: Teddy.
5:17Sir Alastair Cook: Yeah, no, it was all right. It was all right. It was just, I think it was the first game. It's forced. It's forced is that when there's a player miked up. There's a game going on. He's taking a leadership course. Who? We found out. He is Keaton. Oxford, didn't he say Oxford? I think it's the one that he did at home. Oxford, he said. Oxford. Or was it Oxford? Oxford. He's a bit late though, and he's not a captain anymore. I know. Could have done with it a few years ago, Keats. Yeah. That might have gone there. Have any of you done that? A leadership course? You must have done it. No. He's just natural, wasn't he?
5:52Sir Alastair Cook: No. You kept calling me to get rid of me. Fine, never. The fox. The fox. The fox. Oh, the fox arrived, yeah. Although I don't think we spoke about this. You might remember in South Africa when we were at a bar and you ordered chips for everybody, which I thought were very generous. You ordered chips and you said to me, how are you, Bumble? How would you change this one-day site? I said, well, I'll get rid of you for the start. Do you remember that? I don't remember. You know, it was in a bar at the hotel. We were all together. It was a one-day game. Yeah, one-day international. I said, well, you shouldn't play for a kick-off.
6:29Sir Alastair Cook: I'm sure I took it really well. You did. I thought, what a really nice lad. That's not great leadership, though. Someone might have not wanted chips. I see.
6:40Michael Vaughan: You should ask around, shouldn't you? You should have asked around. Asked around, sorry.
6:43Sir Alastair Cook: Just a generous thing to do. All these lads...
6:46Michael Vaughan: Cheese sauce, mushy peas, gravy. I thought that were great leadership
6:49Sir Alastair Cook: because all these players were there. They all liked it. Get stuck into some chips, lad. The nutritionist wasn't happy. He wasn't there, that nutritionist.
6:56Michael Vaughan: I had a shocker this morning. Train up. Yeah. Get on the train. I got one of those split tickets. Right. What's that? It was London to Milton Keynes. Milton Keynes to Wilmslow. So he could have given you a lift. He lives in Milton Keynes. Why didn't you pick me up? Well, you could have driven me. You came up this morning, didn't you? I could have stayed at Nicky Beach. Nicky Beach last night. Yeah. Yeah, anyway, I get this split ticket, sit on the train, and the lady comes down. I said, oh, there's my split ticket. I get off at Milton Keynes, and she just went, yeah, all right. so I get to Milton Keynes and get off and just stand on the platform the train that I'd just got off just flies off I should have stayed on
7:34Sir Alastair Cook: I should have stayed on this lady that you asked, was she just a commuter? was she anything to do with the train? she was just going to work in Manchester
7:47Sir Alastair Cook: you missed your train 21 minutes at Milton Keynes oh it's not good I've got another game of cricket on Friday. Chance to redeem myself.
7:56Michael Vaughan: You're in good nick. Oh, yeah. Well, for Brownie's benefit, it was like old Essex versus Essex. Proper game. Proper game of chance on Friday. Who's in the old Essex team? Ravi. Oh, Ravi. He's good. He's got 100, isn't he? Ravi, Tendaskarta. He can play. Dave Masters. Wobbler. Wobbler. Now I should try to think who else is in there, but decent team. Ronnie Arani? A bit younger, I think. But anyway, I'll let you know how I get... Well, I don't know. Brian Edmonds.
8:25Sir Alastair Cook: Brian Edmonds in there. Nasser. Nasser, he wouldn't turn out there, would he? I don't know. Was he asked? I don't know. He's a bit young, anyway, so I've got a chance, and all I'm going to think about, I can't mess this one up, can I? Tonka Taylor. Tonka Taylor. Ray East.
8:40Michael Vaughan: What about the London spirit? Yeah. The tech giants. You've got CEOs from Google. I think I'm right. Microsoft. Yeah. I believe the top dog at YouTube's bought in. There's loads of other... I think Rishi Sunak's been around the team this week, so he's probably involved somewhere. I see. So they spent£295 million on that franchise and they get pulled out for£80.
9:05Sir Alastair Cook: £80? How many millions that ran? Did you see the documentary, a bit of a documentary with Justin Langer, who's the coach? Yeah. Oh, I saw it. Nets. Yeah. Oh, good shot. Great. Brilliant. Well, you're playing brilliantly. Well done. Yeah, what a shot that is. Have you seen? He's in great nick, isn't he? Well bowled, well bowled, that's the way. Got 80. 80 all out. 80 all out. I bet the mic wasn't on him in the dressing room after. What the f*** are you doing? He'll have been kicking the bins again, wouldn't he? Putting the rubbish back in. You could see him sort of trying to stop himself from babbling over a little bit.
9:39Sir Alastair Cook: They don't look like they've got much power. No, not a lot of power in that middle of the world. Do you think, seriously, do you think with all that money that you've mentioned, that them guys are going and saying, whoa? Oh, yeah. Really?
9:51Michael Vaughan: Well, next year, this year, they all take ownership. I think it's September 1st. You all know Old Trafford. What's going on there? We'll get on to that. So September 1st, I think from next year, the contract. So at the minute, if you're an England player, Jamie Overton or... Not Jamie Overton, I don't think he's a contract. Jamie Smith, central contract. England almost like pick you into the teams. And you get part of your central contract. You get an addition. I think next year, you're just contracted to the franchise. So you will be expected to play every day. Yeah, there won't be any resting there.
10:22Michael Vaughan: No, I mean they did have Pope Overton and Smith out in there Smith and Overton allowed to that. Yeah, they were powering
10:30Sir Alastair Cook: But it just goes to show sorry, but it just goes to show that the invisibles evincibles
10:39Sir Alastair Cook: maybe the London spirit should be the invisibles the invisibles should play the battery charges London invisibles they'd be better to watch but it's all about the recruitment I mean they've won it back to back haven't they they lose Zampa who do they get Rashid Khan gets three for ten you know what I mean what a replacement that is you know gets the best white ball spin bowler there is in the world you lose probably the second best and you just get another one.
11:06Michael Vaughan: That lands it on a handkerchief, doesn't he, Rashid? Yeah, it does.
11:09Sir Alastair Cook: Is that what you're going to do in your thing? I was going to do it. Mike asked me, he said, what did you used to land it on? And I said, a beach towel.
11:20Michael Vaughan: Hey Dave, what's happening at Old Trafford, Langs? Chairman's resigned.
11:23Sir Alastair Cook: Chairman's resigned or did he get the... No, he's resigned and he's got a different job and I think I'm right in saying that he's relinquished his Olympics position as well. Right. And took this other job and resigned with immediate effects. Banny little job. They've put the president as an interim chairman. Right. Chair. Right. Donald Trump? No, not Donald Trump. Not that president. The president of Lancashire Cricket Club. Oh, no. I thought you got the president. Sarah. Sarah Storey.
11:56Michael Vaughan: Oh, no, Sarah. Oh, right. So she's the interim chair. Chair. so will they will they put out an advertisement for a new chair or I hope so you can have chairs oh traffic which and it only easy man new chance here I
12:15Sir Alastair Cook: do do you cool no present Dave cool a bit of a team around what are you gonna
12:22Michael Vaughan: bring in your own same sort of manager bring down what you got your physical No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
12:30Sir Alastair Cook: Sort of a... Can't say too much at the minute. Are you going straight to president or chairman? No, I think I can make a difference to the... Which role, chairman or president? And then go to president? No, with other people who can be president. You don't want to be president? This is quite annoying to be president. So you've got it all planned, haven't you? You've got the takeover ready to go. No, but I'm interested. How many are you bringing in? If you get that position. I can't go into that sort of detail at the minute. We've got a... Three or four. We've got a... Have you got Brian Kidd? Have you got...
13:06Sir Alastair Cook: No, I know Brian. It's Collier's lad.
13:08Michael Vaughan: Yeah.
13:09Sir Alastair Cook: But we're fine. It's... Yeah. I'm very interested.
13:13Michael Vaughan: Movers and shakers? Yes. Yes. Like it. Yes. Like it. Broke from the Duggan Dug.
13:19Sir Alastair Cook: People with a cricket background for a start. I think that helps.
13:24Michael Vaughan: There's not a lot is there in the game at the minute where you look at a lot of these boards Around the county game around the ECB. There's not a lot of are you on any boards? No
13:34Sir Alastair Cook: toughest, but you you you do Advise at Yorkshire a little I'd answer the phone if they rank that's not I mean well, that's only polite Are you? If the phone rings, always answer. Do you not possibly? Well, I don't answer any questions. So, Scott, are you involved at Middlesex at all? No. Not in anywhere? No. What about you at Essex? A tiny, tiny bit, as in like, on the end of the phone call.
14:00Michael Vaughan: Yeah, OK. Have you ever been on a board, Phil? No. No. Surfboard.
14:06Sir Alastair Cook: David Warner said that about Joe Root's pads. Yeah, they're going to look to blow his surfboard up or something. Big surf, big pads. Big pads, surfboard. I'd like to be on a board. Would you? Yeah. Sit there. Have a chat about the game. Have a brew. Listen, this is like a board table, isn't it? This is what it's like. We'll have a chat. Yeah. Well, mate. That's Lancashire. It's a long drive, isn't it? It's a commitment, man.
14:34Michael Vaughan: Are we doing this programme? Did you want to start this show or what? Yeah. Yeah, right. Let's start the show. 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.
14:53Michael Vaughan: To throw a kid who's 21 out at the Oval in front of 27 ,000 when the series is on the line, on a pitch that's doing plenty against Siraj, I thought it was diabolical.
15:04Sir Alastair Cook: Harry Brook on 19, he's caught it lovely, he's gone, yes, that's the game. fans. Oh, shit. All the England fans. I think there's just too many loopholes for it.
15:15Michael Vaughan: Why are people not understanding what clear and obvious injury is? Not a little muscle tear, a grade one or a grade two, but a break and a dislocation. It's hitting.
15:26Sir Alastair Cook: This is how you play the Yorker. Oh, that's LB back there. Going down. Got another one. The crowd goes wild. Walk, see. Walk, see. In this series, I can't have him in. Let's get that right. The greatest bowler I have ever seen doesn't get in the game.
15:45Michael Vaughan: Right, who wants to kick off? The Oval. Yeah. Do you want to start on the drama, our great attest, or where did England go wrong?
15:55Sir Alastair Cook: What game can you turn up to Monday morning for 40 minutes, full house, and it deliver like that? I don't think there's another game in the world.
16:02Michael Vaughan: Well, it probably wouldn't have got to that if they'd have played the previous night when they should. But actually, thank goodness they didn't. I was critical because they should have played. But then I'd now... Because I actually said, I know, it'd be such a shame tomorrow. There'd be no one there. And then someone whistled me in my ear saying, they've sold out already. I know. They're quite the smart club because what they did on that last day, well in advance, they sell the fifth day. I think it's£25 a ticket. It's£20 for Surrey members. It's a quid for kids. So they sell it out and if the day happens, they obviously get the money.
16:33Michael Vaughan: They only want one ball on the last day. So one ball is bold are we saying they keep the cash the groundsman when that rain came over without any question? That's what happened.
16:42Sir Alastair Cook: It's an amazing game our game, you know because people just we're commentating on it People just walk off when they want yeah, we will go well What's what's going on? What's going on? Oh, we can't start until if we're not playing by 642?
16:58Not rain that heavy no and it bills in the end of turn that to a British The atmosphere on that Monday was panicked, panicked England. The atmosphere,
17:08Michael Vaughan: I can't remember anything like that. You're right about cricket, particularly Test cricket, where we walk off. There was an email in to take Test Match Special this week. A guy called Andy, I can't remember his surname. And he said, why is it the last over of the day, you get a wicket and there's two balls remaining, great drama. So you're talking Zach Crawley on that third night. Gets a Yorker from Syrah, stump splattered, great drama. and we walk off. Wouldn't the drama be someone has to come and face the last two... Why not finish the over when the drama is at its best? Where have those two balls gone?
17:43Sir Alastair Cook: He's got two balls left. Those last two balls, they just disappear. No, he balls them. They ball them in the morning. Ball them in the morning. What,
17:52Sir Alastair Cook: do you think they just lose them? They've just lost them. No, but we just always walk off. We just walk off and we go, well, we're all going off. Oh, well, you know what I mean? It's 45 minutes before tea in the sunshine and it's a Tuesday and I don't know. We've got to go. I don't understand. But it's good. That should happen, shouldn't it? Definite.
18:11Michael Vaughan: The drama of TV. Everyone in the ground. Why doesn't that happen?
18:15Sir Alastair Cook: People who've took time to go to the ground and pay big money. That's what I'm saying. They've been cheated of those two balls. But they don't fancy it. But why is that?
18:24Michael Vaughan: Men around the back. Why has that always been? Because it's been since... Who made the rules? Who made up the rules? You can tell, you know, in the commentary box, when a game's finishing, your commentary, it kind of changes, doesn't it? When you feel the game's going to end on that day, you're like, whoa, we're getting out of here. And suddenly Harry Brook's playing great, isn't he? Played a genius innings. Some of those strokes and the momentum within half an hour of batting. The partnership, the partnership. It was incredible. And then he gets out playing the way that's got him to that number.
18:56Michael Vaughan: And people say, you know, he's got 70-odd to win, just win the game. the old traditional way, just win. Well, the reason why certain people on commentary were pissed off with the shot, we might not get home.
19:07Sir Alastair Cook: No, that's not entirely true. The reason why I was pissed off with the shot, and it's a bit of a talking part, you're right, and the partnership with him and Joe Root was sublime. You know, it was like, crikey, we're absolutely walking this again. But then, will he then, you know, it's like, that's the way I play, and I have to play that way to play that kind of innings and get us back into the game and put pressure on the opposition and everything. Do you think in that situation, again, he would have learned to get us over the line?
19:39Michael Vaughan: Well, I said after, and Jonathan, I knew he was with you and York, I'm saying, why did you play that shot? And I said, well, let's see what happens at the end of the game. So they're losing, you look back and go, wow, that was a shot that he shouldn't have taken on. And I said, if we're in Sydney on January the 8th and England require 70-odd and the three down... He's on 100. Don't play that shot. Just win the game. And he will do. Because he will sit in that change room and everyone will be like, oh, he played a brilliant innings. The only person that really hurts will be him. He'll sit there going.
20:12But it was 10 balls when he scored. 28 in 10 balls playing that way, which totally changed the game. So if he'd have got out doing that then, I don't think anyone would have minded it. But I think next time he gets in that position, he'll be like, because he said something, he said, oh, I had Joe Root at the other end. And he'll go, Actually, I can't leave it to anyone else again.
20:29Sir Alastair Cook: It was a great knock. I'm not taking it away. Actually, I don't quite get that. I think it's because it's a batsman and a bowler's perspective. If I'm sitting there with my pants on like that, I don't want to get out there. I want to see my boys knock it off. Don't leave it to me because what will happen, happened. But you can't clap his shots when he went in because actually the first 10 balls is really steady and then he just went berserk for those 10 balls and scored 20. You can't then clap them with the same thing. No. That shot over extra cover, that he danced down and plays. My word. It's a natural shot for him to play.
21:02Sir Alastair Cook: What a shot. And you, I've seen your interviews and saying that he should be vice-captain and not Pope. I'm a big believer on this.
21:11Michael Vaughan: I think in cricket we don't lord. We always say about the captain, great captains or not so good captains. We don't lord how good some vice-captains are. Triscothet was the best vice-captain. Okay. I think Ollie Pope's a brilliant vice-captain. but he's not a captain and by giving him the captaincy I can see it a mile off he's not a natural leader out in the middle I saw that last year against Sri Lanka I've seen it again this week and I just think if England say you get to Perth and Ben Stokes the shoulder or you know his body's in bits anything could happen with Ben fingers crossed he's fine but just say you go to Perth and Ben can't play I can't have Ali Pope walking out as a skipper but I can have Harry Brook because I see a natural leader I think that the England They will make the switch.
21:56I generally think they will. I just don't think they could have done it in that suit. Why? Well then because I think at the beginning of series they announced Ollie Pope was captain. But if they changed it It's all about winning. It is, but if they did change it at the beginning of that fifth test match I think it just it just throws everything Well, why is Ollie Pope not doing it? You said at the beginning of series
22:14Michael Vaughan: So I just think and the easy response to that is he's our vice captain I understand your point. We realise that's what he's brilliant at. He's a great vice captain It'll just add so much story to, do they not think Olly Pope's captain? Is his place under, he was vice-captain, so he's going to captain that game. I agree with you that I don't think we want Olly Pope captain in Perth. Harry Brook's done a really good job with the one-dayers, but I think it's just a purely man-management thing. When Stokes went down, they were like, we can't swap it now. But I reckon if they'd gone to Olly Pope and said, you're carrying on as vice-captain, I bet he would have been delighted.
22:47Sir Alastair Cook: Can I mention county cricket at Lanks? Bahannon is vice-captain. Keaton Jennings steps down, they make Harris captain. Harris goes back to Australia, they make Jimmy Anderson captain, and he's still vice-captain Bahannon. And that worked. Has he captained before, though? So, like, the only thing... Olly Pope had done three or four games. They've kind of gone down there. He says it's confusing at last. He's confused by all of it. Who's captain? You're on the board. It won't be on the board straight.
23:21Michael Vaughan: Boom. I'll be on the board. It's like football. We mentioned Brian Kidd earlier. Some football managers are obviously fantastic. The assistants equally is important, but assistants don't necessarily make great managers. It's exactly the same in cricket, but we never look at it that way in cricket.
23:36Sir Alastair Cook: It's always an unwritten rule. What about India's performance? Oh, it's incredible. Siraj. Incredible. Siraj. I mean, he's one of my favourite cricketers now, Siraj. What are you doing? It's bowling action. Come on, let's have a look at it. No, I can't. I can't do the bowling. I can't do the bowling. You can. You can do his catch in there, can't you? Oh, what about his catch? Yeah. That was lucky. You definitely do his catch.
23:57Michael Vaughan: Get the boundary rope. Where's the boundary? You need a boundary rope.
24:00Sir Alastair Cook: That's the boundary. That's the boundary rope. We've got some wire. Oh, it's all right. No, we're all right. Let's take the stumps of the boundary. He's under it. He's just bowled for an hour and a half. Yeah. He's gone on for a little... He's tired. Just gone off for a little towel down. Hasn't he? Just gone off for a little towel down. And then he's under it. He's under it. Harry Brook on 19. That's the game, isn't it? There, there, there. Catches it. And I don't know, I think. Momentum. Momentum. Right leg. Yeah, right leg. So he's caught it. Lovely. Caught it. Lovely. He's gone, yes, that's the game.
24:34Sir Alastair Cook: Fantastic. Oh, shit. I've just stepped over the boundary. And then he turned round, didn't he? Turned round to the crowd. It's just gone like that. All the England fans were going. What should he have done? it's all about base cricket it's all about firm base see it coming into the hands quick lance down see where you are you know spatial awareness spatial awareness right I'm there bang well talk us through that catch that you took when coming over your shoulder and then you tried to kick it somehow do you remember that one yeah yeah that was Brian Lara Brian Lara Brian Lara yeah we did it yeah Brian Lara it's worth a reprise
25:16Sir Alastair Cook: John Cleese style. On the screen. Oh, he's up in the air. And you came in, enter stage left, and his leg appeared. His leg appeared, then two hands. The cats caught it. The cats caught it.
25:32Michael Vaughan: Mohamed Siraj is a legend. But do you think this is his lowest moment that Phil Tufnell's given him a fantastic life?
25:38Sir Alastair Cook: He comes in, doesn't he? He's a superintendent in the police. Is he? Yeah. Superintendent. Do you know him? Superintendent.
25:50Sir Alastair Cook: Superintendent Shiraz. I can't call him Shiraz all game. It's Shiraz, not Shiraz. Shiraz. And he's coming in. He's all legs and effort, isn't he? He's all legs and effort and bang. Bowled for an hour and a half that morning. Absolutely. Hour and a half. Yeah. And he comes alive with no bummer. Yeah.
26:12Michael Vaughan: 16 wickets at 19 apiece in the series without Bumbar he is one of my favorites
26:16Sir Alastair Cook: 60 with Bumbar 7 wickets at 60 so you two captains and we've talked about the vulnerability of Shubham and Gill throughout this series I thought he was spot on fantastic that last bit he was absolutely bang on you reckon yeah I thought he did really well I know where you're going to get to his ball is ball for him I mean the balls are brilliant Saraj watching someone deliver under pressure I think It's like defining character that Yorker when you know, was it how many were eight runs? I needed to get a nail a skill of that and think at the top of your mark Especially when you're the one who dropped Brooke and yeah, that's though I thought was I love watching it I love watching someone nail their skills All effort, all effort But the captaincy, they played for him.
26:59Sir Alastair Cook: That's what I'm saying. Oh, no, absolutely I mean, I mean all he had to do is say you're born and they did the only thing is that go When Wokes came out to bat, Atkinson, are we going there? I was watching it going, four balls obviously everyone on the boundary. Fifth ball I could have everyone on the boundary. Six ball he still had everyone on the boundary. And Atkinson just took one. I just couldn't, at one stage he had 16 runs to play with. He didn't want the big hit, didn't he? I know, but you've got six balls at Wokes. Or you have the run out, like you have a short leg, you have a man at short leg, you have the keeper with the glove off.
27:35The keeper with the glove off was a mistake.
27:37Sir Alastair Cook: But also short-legged. The first time he didn't take his glove off and then I think he got a word, take the bloody glove off. But it's trauma, isn't it? It was.
27:44Michael Vaughan: I mean, heroic from Wokes, but do you really want to see that in Test cricket? Someone walking out like that. Yes. Substitutes, Mike. You've got substitutes. No.
27:53Sir Alastair Cook: Wokes.
27:54Michael Vaughan: Storks has said absolutely no. Yeah, but he doesn't decide. I mean, he can have his opinion, but clear and obvious injuries in the first innings of the game. Rishabh Pamp break, a dislocation. That is a clear and obvious injury. Like for like? And I'm saying if it happens in the first innings, you have a substitution. You could even say, but the sub can't play till the second innings. So you have that bit of bad fortune. So Wokes, what have you got? One for when he dislocates his shoulder. So England don't have a like for like bowler like Wokes in the first innings. But that bowler comes back in for the second innings.
28:25Michael Vaughan: You could start by that. But look, we're a dinosaur game when we're seeing people break a foot, dislocate a shoulder and you can't have a substitute. Come on. It devalues the product for the next few days. But did it? It probably cost England the series. That's what it's done. It's cost England the series because England got to within six runs of beating India with ten players. So you could argue that it's cost England the series. Possibly. I just thought the draw. I mean, I think there's just too many loopholes for it. But it's clear and obvious. Where's the loophole in the breaker or dislocation?
28:59That one is a clear and obvious one.
29:00Michael Vaughan: Yeah, well, that's what I'm saying. Clear and obvious not muscle injuries. Cleaning tears, can't you? Does that mean you've never... So there's no muscle, no muscle, so if you pull aside then you're done in place. I'm just saying clear and obvious are a break of the bone or a dislocation. That's where we start. What about like a ligament tear of the knee? Well I'm just saying clear and obvious. If it's clear and obvious injury and someone's been stretched off and he's ruptured his ligament, of course it's clear and obvious. Why are people not understanding what clear and obvious injury is? Not a little muscle tear, a grade one or a grade two, but a break and a dislocation.
29:34Michael Vaughan: Eating.
29:35Sir Alastair Cook: Just eating. Do you mean a light for light substitute? So that means you've got to find a bowler with another dislocated shoulder.
29:45Michael Vaughan: Can we get on to it? Can we get on to Wokesy's batting? How was he going to bat?
29:51Sir Alastair Cook: I think. He did. He tried left-handed, didn't he? He did. Apparently he had a net going. He had a net? Put your hand in your... Well, I was... It's your left shoulder, Phil. Left shoulder. Put it on your top. Obviously, I bat left-handed. Just give your belly a little bit of a rub. Oh, no. So, I bat left-handed. Obviously, use my right hand. So, that's your top hand strong. Because I think you did go into the net and try that.
30:13Michael Vaughan: What are you doing? Why are you taking your pants off?
30:15Sir Alastair Cook: Well, no, because I've... What was it? Left arm?
30:18Michael Vaughan: Left arm. Put your arm, like, in your top.
30:22Sir Alastair Cook: In my sleeve?
30:23Michael Vaughan: Yeah, yeah. You've got to hide it.
30:25Sir Alastair Cook: That's it. It's a good top, this. I don't want to stretch it. So he's come out there. So you're saying he was thinking about going... He had that way. He went that way. Yeah, left-handed. Strong hand at the top. He's obviously a right-hander. He's a right-hander. Very similar to say what... So he might have just been able to... Like that.
30:42Michael Vaughan: Well, you decide. I would have fancied going to Malcolm Marshall.
30:47Sir Alastair Cook: I would have fancied going to Malcolm Marshall. You remember Malcolm Marshall? Yeah, yeah. I might have gone that way. It's good leg side. Yeah. I might have... You know, and then he can... One thing I would have done... No back lift. Right. No back lift because he's going to be bowling New Yorkers, isn't he? Yeah. So perhaps a low back lift. I mean... And just a sort of... Let's demonstrate. You've got this. You've got this. Yeah. You've got this one. There's an apple as well if you want. Try that one. Try that one. No, I've two. I mean, standing that way, though, your dislocation shoulder is right there.
31:18Sir Alastair Cook: Cut. Siraj. Okay. So I'm sitting there and I'm thinking Yorker. Yorker. I'm thinking Yorker. Right. But you're right, Cookie, the dislocation, if you're getting a bumper... In he comes with a Yorker. Yeah, Yorker. I want to go through the legs. You'd hit him through your legs. I think that was LBW. Yeah, nice. I did two bigger back legs. And then what else could he do? Yorker. No, I'm going Yorker. This is how you play the Yorker. Oh, that's LBW back leg. Oh, he's going down the leg. Going down, got another one. Oh, the crowd goes wild. We haven't got many more oranges. Walksy, walksy, walksy.
31:54Sir Alastair Cook: What about the bouncer? Bouncer.
32:00Michael Vaughan: So that's that way. What happens if you turn around and go the other way? I don't know. I reckon this is the way he would have gone.
32:06Sir Alastair Cook: It's like being in the nets. He's collecting all the balls. Give us that satsuma. Is it an easy peeler? Oh, it's gone as that. You know, some more satsuma. I reckon you might be wrong. You put that through the gauge. Put this through the umpire's ring piece. That's got to go through the umpire's ring piece. I think you're right. Just quickly, though, I think Cook is right. I think he might have gone that way because he couldn't... Did you see the pain he was in when he was running? Oh, yeah. Give us the pain. That's the one. So, he might have gone this way. Left-handed, yeah? Yeah. And he's going to try and it's a full toss.
32:40Sir Alastair Cook: Yeah. That's the way. That might have been the way. That was it. I don't know what he decided, but he definitely tried both. I think that was it. Have a word with Walksy. Have a word with that. He should have been left-handed.
32:52Michael Vaughan: Stick to Cricket is brought to you by Betfair.
33:20offering both virtual and in-person sessions, nights and weekends. There are no subscriptions, no long-term commitments. You just pay per session. Grow helps you find therapy on your time. The therapist you want takes your insurance on Grow. Grow accepts over 125 insurance plans. Sessions average$21 with insurance, and some pay as little as$0, depending on their plan. Visit growtherapy.com slash start now today to get started. That's growtherapy.com slash start now. growtherapy.com slash start now. Availability and coverage vary by state and insurance plan. Hi, I'm Jack Ravici, Kramer host of The Best One Yet.
34:03At T-Boy, we're always talking about small decisions that can have an outsized impact. One of the simplest is staying hydrated. Whether I'm traveling, getting a workout in, or heading into a busy day, I keep Liquid IV on hand. It's clinically demonstrated to hydrate faster than water alone and contains three times the electrolytes of the leading sports drink, plus eight vitamins and nutrients. It's an easy addition to your daily routine and helps support hydration when you need it most. Shop now at liquidiv.com. Liquid IV hydration that goes wherever life takes you. Back to school is busy enough.
34:36The last thing you need is shopping that makes it harder. Whether you're moving into a dorm, your first apartment, or just getting organized for the semester, Wayfair makes it easy to get everything you need in one place. Furniture, bedding, storage, decor, study essentials, all at prices you'll love. With fast shipping before move-in day. Get everything you need for back-to-school season. Shop wayfair.com today. Wayfair, every style, every home.
35:05Michael Vaughan: What do we make of the pitch at the Oval? Two one up in the series. Go down to the Oval and it's the green top. Why did they prepare that one? A result pitch when you're 2-1 up at home. Well Andy Flower wouldn't have done. I can tell you that he would have, as soon as they got Old Trafford 2-1 left there, he would have said no grass on it please.
35:26Sir Alastair Cook: Yeah. Hang on, what's it got to do with Andy Flower? I'm just saying if Andy Flower's 2-2, back in the day when he was our head coach. I know that, but Lee the groundsman, this is my pitch. You can't tell me what pitch I'm doing. And the chief executive would say you can't come and do that. He's a big lad Lee
35:44Michael Vaughan: But when you're chair of length, you can have any say on the way that the games played out in the middle And the pitch
35:56Sir Alastair Cook: Cricket yeah, well, I'm the flower nose cricket. Yeah, but it's my my ground all Trafford basically England coach I'm right I know so if I would have said England back in the day would have been more ruthless and said we're having the flattest wicket in the world and actually you'd have thought the overall would have been fine with it but they I don't know if they left it to chance or just said we'll play on whatever I find this interesting you're two England captains played for England for years as captain did you have a say in any pitch we had a say whether they could we had a say but whether they could actually produce what we wanted I was England coach We had absolutely no say at all.
36:37Sir Alastair Cook: Mickey Stewart. I wouldn't say we got everything that we would ask for. When Mickey Stewart was England coach, and there's a game at Old Trafford, Mickey used to ring me up. Can you go down and have a word with the Graysman? We'd like this. He couldn't go.
36:49Michael Vaughan: No.
36:50Sir Alastair Cook: He wouldn't have it.
36:51Michael Vaughan: I just thought you're going down to... Mate, don't give him a try. ...playing a pitch with a... And you look at the selection of the England side. Oh. So they go Jamie Overton. Oh. He's a hit the pitch bowler, isn't he? You want to kiss her? Well, surely someone like Sam Cooke, who's a perfect English-style scene-bobber for that kind of wicket. Whether England have seen him in the test against him, I've been thought, we've seen him. Or did they think with Chris Wokes... I thought this week on that pitch, it was like a horse for a course, wasn't it? But then with Chris Wokes playing those four games, playing those, sorry, the four scenes, you've got Wokes, he can do that job.
37:23Michael Vaughan: But it's ironic, isn't it, that our eldest player plays all five. Plays all five. I agree. Bethel, Bethel's selection.
37:33Michael Vaughan: I felt sorry for him. I mean, he's 21 years of age. I don't care who you are, and Cookie was 21. You'd have got probably four or five first-class 100s by then, maybe. Well, you've probably got your first Test 100 by then. But you've played a lot of cricket. So when you came into the England side, I know you got called into Nagpur and you kind of went out there straight away and did well, but you'd played a lot of cricket. So in your body, in your mind, you knew how to bat. You knew your game. Jacob Bethel this summer he's faced 67 balls in red ball cricket he scored 32 runs all summer and I know they have to have players there for concussion these days so you need a spare batter at the ground in case someone gets it on the head but surely if you're trying to develop a young cricketer you've got to give him time to go and play cricket so if it does come that he has to play at least he's had a bit of game time to throw a kid who's 21 out at the Oval in in front of 27 ,000 when the series is on the line, on a pitch that's doing plenty against Sirad, I thought it was diabolical.
38:33Michael Vaughan: I thought it was unfair on the player. If you go back a year ago against Sri Lanka at the Oval, they picked Josh Hull from nowhere. It threw him out of county cricket, Leicestershire, to play for England. The week before, Potts had bowled great against Sri Lanka at Lourdes. Didn't play at the Oval. So they do get some tactical things wrong. Who would you play instead of Bethel? Well, I'd go two ways. I'd have gone either Rayan Ahmed, who's in great form for Leicestershire, or you could easily have played Liam Dawson. Liam Dawson's got 18 first-class centuries, and Jamie Smith could have batted six.
39:06Michael Vaughan: So you had two options there, but you throw a kid in who just doesn't play cricket. I just think it was unreasonable to expect a player to perform under that pressure with no cricket.
39:16Sir Alastair Cook: Doesn't he play cricket?
39:18Michael Vaughan: He hasn't.
39:19Sir Alastair Cook: He just hasn't. I just feel sorry for him. He's a victim of the system. He's a victim of the system. the lad he's just been carted around carrying drinks and so on he should be playing 20 well i mean the shot he played to get out oh you know he was a 25 balls for one route at the other end which over the other end just block it but he's blocking it all right just try yeah get a single not get a single because you can't just get singles but he looked like he didn't know how to
39:44Michael Vaughan: build in innings at all well his two boundaries were dans down in both innings so kind of two one day shots yeah you know he's been playing a bit of one day cricket i look at him now if he's going to be the spare batter for the Ashes. If you actually look at England's programme, we've got the 100, then there's some white ball cricket against South Africa, there's a little bit against Ireland, then there's a torture New Zealand white ball and then there's a three-day warm-up game amongst themselves before the Ashes. If they are realistically considering Jacob Bethel to be the spare batter, wouldn't it be best for him in September to miss the white ball series and play a bit of red ball cricket?
40:15Michael Vaughan: Just play a bit of cricket.
40:16Sir Alastair Cook: He's not got a first-class 100. Can I just throw another name out which you might be interested? I've seen a bit of cricket this last week, and Dan Lawrence. Good player. Dan Lawrence played beautifully up at Durham. Yeah, not opening. But he was number six. Yeah, he was number six. And he bowled some tidy off. There you go, there you go. And he looked, in that particular game at Durham, against a decent attack with Matt Potts leading that attack, he was a cut above, this lad. And he was England's spare batter.
40:46Michael Vaughan: Well, he was their engine room spare batter, wasn't he? and then they threw him when Zach got injured, rather than turning to a Hamid or a Keaton. Hamid's a good player now.
40:55Sir Alastair Cook: He's a good player now. What did Brodie make me laugh? We were sitting there, we were all sort of at the back of the box watching it like that. Jacob Beffel's come running down the track, middle pole out the ground, Baldi's turned around and me and went, anyone can get a good one.
41:11Michael Vaughan: Well, the problem I have is, this England side, if you look at their record in five-match series against India and Australia, They've played 16 games, they've lost eight. They've won six. They've not won a five-match series since 2018. And when the crunch came to it this week, they had a bit of bad fortune with Chris Wokes. But they got a little bit wrong in selection and they did panic on the last day. They did. They panicked.
41:37Sir Alastair Cook: I mean, we used to say about South Africa, the C word, didn't they? Oh, I quite liked them. They chalk.
41:47Sir Alastair Cook: That's a bit harsh.
41:50Michael Vaughan: And chokers. Oh, the chokers. Well, their mindset in that chase on the last day, 35 required, four wickets or three. That's not true. Chris was going to be a wicket. And they went out to hit, didn't they? Well, they got eight of the first two balls. First two ball, but it was clear hit, hit, hit.
42:06Sir Alastair Cook: Great bowling. Fantastic ball. Yeah, but hold on a minute. Jamie Smith. Jamie Smith is your boy left, isn't he? He's your main batter there. First three balls, it's just... Nick that. Just tacking at it outside off stump. Why didn't you just leave them? Leave them, you know, let them bolt on me, knock it away, ones and twos, little bit of a partnership, it's done. Now, listen, I know it's all pressurised and everything like that, but they were three poor shots.
42:31Michael Vaughan: Any concern about Jamie Smith down the back end of the series? He looked tired. He looked tired. He did look tired.
42:36Sir Alastair Cook: I'm not surprised. Five test matches in six weeks to be wicket-keeping. I don't know anything about wicket-keeping. Terrible for files. Yeah. Well, I'm just looking. I've got some numbers here.
42:48Michael Vaughan: Pitches were flat. Record most runs in a five-match series for India, 3 ,807. And how many overs? But I've no issue with Jamie Smith. It's just that is him just learning test cricket. Five tests. I'm worried, though, going to Australia. Five matches in the heat. Well, he'll experience it. He'll be aware of it, I think. And also how he prepares. He doesn't keep, has he? That's the first time he'd have kept five test matches. As in, he doesn't keep much for Surry.
43:13Sir Alastair Cook: Little Jack used to put all his kits on before going to the West Indies and sit in a sauna for an hour With his gloves on hats on short sleeve jumper sit in the sauna and did that help for an hour? Well in a posh health club you walk in the sauna Jack Russell's
43:34Sir Alastair Cook: Virgin active you just stroll in with your budge smuggler on and Jack's there. Jack was there with his hat on. He'd sit in there for an hour. He said, I'm getting used to the heat, Cat. I'm getting used to the heat. I'm not having that. It's true. Then we had that meeting in West Indies where we had to have that corporate image from Lord McLaren that you have to wear a cap. Yeah. Jack's not allowed to wear his hat, so he's going home. Yeah. He's going home. He wasn't allowed to wear his cap. What, his brimmer that he used to trim? Yeah. And put bits on. He doesn't... He's not the corporate image that we want to...
44:07Sir Alastair Cook: So the hierarchy said he wasn't allowed. Right, the last minute he's going home, I can't play without my hat. So he had to compromise, he had to patch it up and make it more presentable than it was. And he did. Put the old whitener on it and everything. Yeah, but whitened his hat. Because he said it was a tool of his trade because when he went down, the back brim was sort of beautifully sort of, you know, in a line with his neck and everything. Wow. Lunatic. No, he was a lovely man, Jack. Top man, Jack. Hell of a keeper.
44:42Michael Vaughan: Stick to Cricket is brought to you by Betfair.
44:49You're probably multitasking right now, right? Commuting, working out, crossing things off your list. Worth asking when Check In On Yourself landed on it. Grow makes the booking part fast. The rest is between you and a therapist who actually gets it. Grow connects you with thousands of high-quality licensed therapists across the U.S., offering both virtual and in-person sessions, nights and weekends. There are no subscriptions, no long-term commitments. You just pay per session. Grow helps you find therapy on your time. The therapist you want takes your insurance on Grow. Grow accepts over 125 insurance plans.
45:28Sessions average$21 with insurance, and some pay as little as$0, depending on their plan. Visit growtherapy.com slash start now today to get started. That's growtherapy.com slash start now. Growtherapy.com slash start now. Availability and coverage vary by state and insurance plan. Hi, I'm Nick, co-host of The Best One Yet. You optimize your workouts, your portfolios, and that rando startup idea that hit you in the middle of the shower. But if you're not hydrated, you're already playing catch-up. So we keep a stash of liquid IV in our studio. One stick mixed into 16 ounces of water is clinically demonstrated to hydrate faster than water alone with three times the electrolytes of the leading sports drink, plus eight vitamins and nutrients.
46:11Whether you're traveling, exercising, or podcasting, the best business news ever, Liquid IV makes it easy to stay hydrated wherever life takes you. So shop now at liquidiv.com. Liquid IV hydration that goes wherever life takes you. Hey, this is Paige from Giggly Squad. And let me just say, Abercrombie's active brand YPB is made for my summer workout routine. Their active sets are so easy to move in and even easier to match. I've been especially loving the double layered look in active wear right now. It's so much more put together than your basic sports bra, especially in the YPB Studio Flex Collection.
46:45Because it's so lightweight and buttery soft, it keeps your summer workouts easy. So shop YPB by Abercrombie in the app online and in stores.
46:58Michael Vaughan: Where does this leave England? Great series, two all. Brilliant series. Go on, brilliant series.
47:04Sir Alastair Cook: Well played India.
47:05Michael Vaughan: Well played.
47:06Sir Alastair Cook: And well played England. Well played England.
47:08Michael Vaughan: Do you think England, from the start of the summer to now, do you think they've got a better chance of winning in Australia than they did at the start of the summer? I personally think they have. If Ben Stokes is fit.
47:18Sir Alastair Cook: If Ben Stokes is fit. And, you know, you take them on. I mean, they've started already out in Australia. The sort of war of words, which is great. We all love it. We know what's coming. It's great. I mean, the two unfinished teams, I would say, would be good. Good battle. I think they've, their top seven, we know what their top seven are going to be. The bowlers, I think we're like, those bowlers are going to go. They're just how they can rotate Archer, Wood, Atkinson, whoever, whoever, just to fit each game and they've got to be really bold. Even if, say, I look like Gus in that game, he is back to bowling 87, 80 mile an hour, how effective he looked.
47:57so now if he has one really good game in Australia you say right don't back him up we'll swap him in we've got to be brave to do it because him bowling 83 miles an hour he isn't the same bowler at the end of last summer he was down at 83 because he'd played every game I think they've got to be really brave and almost I don't want to say formulaic because you've got you know you've got to ride with your hunches a little bit but say right we are going to even if Archer gets five I can't tell at bowlers haven't I yeah I'm just swapping in I can't tell at bowlers now
48:23Sir Alastair Cook: what about Ricky Ponting saying he's a must Bashir he's a must He's a must. Ricky Ponte. A must. Definitely player Bashir.
48:31Michael Vaughan: Well, he's obviously trying to get him in then. You've got to remember, he's Ricky Ponte from Australia.
48:36Sir Alastair Cook: I know that, but Ricky's a good ball. He'll get a bit of bounce. He's a good ball. How about the leggy? You just mentioned his name. Rayan Armand. Definitely. He's got six centuries. He's a wonderful batter. Fabulous. Bit of mystery. Bit of pace against genuine pace. He'd be fine. But in that middle, he'd be all right. He's got some... I think he's fine. I've had to do this week. What's your team for the... He's in my team. Right, where's he batting? Seven or eight. Seven or eight. Eight. Eight, yeah. Six. So he's your spinner, is he? Top seven, but then again, I had Amid at three. So getting rid of Oli Pope.
49:10Sir Alastair Cook: Yeah, so he's gone. Well, they asked me, what's your team? And so I think Amid's a really good player. You feel a lot of it. There's so many times that we've played three openers in the top three. I don't think that's a problem. I think Amid's got enough up here to bat three. and he's expanded his game as a mate so I mean it's all opinions we will do that in one of our overlaps so we stick to cricket we're going to pick our team we might have a chairman yeah yeah and we'll pick our your chairman you're the chairman and we're going to pick our Ashes 11 I want you in a suit inside though no I don't want to be chairman no no not if I've got a wear of suits a modern way I'll tell you what
49:54Michael Vaughan: we're going to do we're going to pit We're going to pit our composite team of the series. So you've got to have... Shubman Gill, you've got to have... Well, we'll start... Chairman, we'll start with the opening. OK, order, order. That's generally what you start. Order. Order.
50:07Sir Alastair Cook: We need a pen and paper to write it down. We should not prepare, don't we? Ciarán, we've got a pen. What's it called? Minutes? Minutes? Yeah. Welcome to the meeting. Welcome to the meeting. Mike, are you taking minutes? I'm taking minutes. Why is it called minutes? I don't know. Why is it called minutes? Is it because you record everything minute by minute? I guess it's probably.
50:29Michael Vaughan: Thanks, Kieran. Right, here we go.
50:31Sir Alastair Cook: We'll start with the opening batters. This is a composite team. Yeah, composite. Little Ducky is my favourite. Duck it and roll. Yes. No, Duck it and roll for me. No, I'm having Little Ducky. Yeah, I'm having Little Ducky. Just for the punch-up. He's always there. He's always there, isn't he, Little Ducky? Ducky, who are we having? I do like Duck. He's always there. No, Ducky's definitely in. Do we want, depends if we want two, like, smashing, like, as in, like, attacking left-hand or go one and one. Come on.
51:00Michael Vaughan: Well, can we? Can we have Yassi Sui at number three? You've just mentioned three openers. Can we have, if not, who's going to back three? Well, hold on a minute. We've got to get Shugman, Gill, Root and Brook in there. They're bankers. Yeah. And Stokes. And Stokes at six. Well, we can't have them all. We can't have them all. No, Gill can back three, can't he? Let's go Gill at three. Root four. Brook five. No, Yassi Sui.
51:21Sir Alastair Cook: Well, let's just get them down and we can slot them in afterwards. All right, so we'll go... They don't get in, sorry, mate. Well, right, Shubman, Gillen, Root, four and five, yeah? Yeah, three and four. I don't know how else you get them in. I don't know how else you get them all in.
51:33Michael Vaughan: Well, Stokes at six. Stokes at six. Panty. Stokes captain, yeah, or do you want Shubman captain? Stokes. Stokes captain. Stokes captain. Panty. Panty at seven. Panty's kippy. Rishabh Pant at seven. Yeah.
51:46Sir Alastair Cook: All right, that's the keeper. Jaday to eight. Jaday's your eight. Who do you reckon? I'm just thinking.
51:53Michael Vaughan: What about Washington Sundar's offspin with his drift?
51:56Sir Alastair Cook: Simit. We've got eight. Are you going Jaday's yet? He's got six wickets, 150, didn't he?
52:03Michael Vaughan: Well, Siraj 11, yeah. Siraj.
52:06Sir Alastair Cook: Let's go Siraj. Atkinson. Won one game. I'm going to throw one in there as a bowler. Go on.
52:12Michael Vaughan: Tongue. 19 wickets. Only played three matches. Big fella, the Hoover. Hoover's up the tail. I'm just trying to think who else. Are we having Boomer? Oh, I forgot that. Well, I have him as the greatest I've seen, but... In this series, I can't have him in. Well, they don't win a game when he plays.
52:33Sir Alastair Cook: Because he's played two games and they haven't won. Let's get that right. The greatest bowler I have ever seen doesn't get him in the game. And Siraj bowls better without him?
52:42Michael Vaughan: Well, he just hasn't... He hasn't done it, then.
52:45Sir Alastair Cook: Give him a call. Give him a call. No. Jasper. I'm sorry. Ring Jasper and tell him. Jasper, I'm terribly sorry. You're binned. Yeah. I know you are. I know you're the greatest bowler winner. Yes, I know that. I'm sorry. Just get rid of him. Get rid of him. Sorry, mate. He's gone. He's gone. Right.
53:05Michael Vaughan: See you, Jasper. You're not in. So, right. Siraj, we need... Can we lose three, four and five? Stokes? No, he's there six. Brook's at five. Gilman Gil.
53:15Sir Alastair Cook: All right. Shubman Gil. At three. Root and Brought. Yeah, there you go. Root. Have we missed anyone there? No.
53:21Michael Vaughan: Well, just Yassif, please. He's concussion replacement. Yeah. Judasia or Washington Sundar? Sundar. Cool. Have a look at the records, boys. I know, but look at the records. 300 wickets. You've got four for 20. He's got three triple hundreds, Judasia. Not in this series. Not in this series, yeah. I mean, we've still got Mickey's. Do you want Cabal Dev?
53:44Sir Alastair Cook: Of course. Are you Sundar? I'm going Washington. In England.
53:49Michael Vaughan: I think that's just a left arm's union. I just think he's bowling. We've got to get 20 wickets. Chairman, think about it.
53:58Sir Alastair Cook: What do we need now? We need two seamers. We do have Rooty. We have Rooty, though. Yeah, we have Rooty. Do we need... No, Washington. Go on, then. We need to rest, Joe.
54:06Michael Vaughan: And then we've got two seamers. Right, so the runners and riders for our last... Bummer's gone, we've decided. Oh, he's steep. What?
54:15Sir Alastair Cook: He's hardly got a wicket. He got 10 for it on a flat. I think Boomer's got to play. He's got to play Boomer. Boomer's got to play. He's got to be in there. Bring him back. Wrong number. I'm sorry, I've got to play. Hello, Boomer. I'm sorry about that. I thought I was phoning Aki. Sorry, I've got the wrong number. I've got the wrong number. No, no, you are the best bowler in the world. Can you please come along and play for us? Sorry about that. Thanks very much. Did he take it all right? It took it all right good give him the vice captain's Hello, yeah, yeah cat again. Yeah, yeah, and also Yeah, can you do vice vice captain lovely?
54:55Sir Alastair Cook: Thanks mate mate So we're one sure I think so I can sit at Josh Tom. I like big tongue II. Oh, yeah He won a case deep didn't get some for it Yeah, he didn't get wicked this week on the green top. No, we didn't oh he got a night watcher What's the news that was? Well, it won a game, didn't it? How can you do that as a night one? It's either Atkinson... Or Tongue. Or Tongue. But do we need a bowler who bowls a lot of overs? Because Boomba can only bowl... I'm ringing back saying, please bomb one five over this. Bomb one five. No, no, he won't answer this time. I'm going... Well, Siraj can bowl a lot.
55:30Sir Alastair Cook: Atkinson bats as well. Atkinson. He was that four and I'll ring the ****. Just put Reidar. Reidar. Reidar. His number's in there. All right, Jasper. Yeah. I don't around you're in at number 11 and don't be too precious number 10 number 10 sorry 10 You want 11? Told you you 10. That's the end of it right. He's in see you
55:55Michael Vaughan: I'll put VC next to him there. What about Shubham and Gillis vice-captain now? Well, he's captain is he it now he's gonna be the captain if Stokes goes down any Gilly We've told for a good record.
56:06Sir Alastair Cook: Yeah boomers in captain can't tell him no he's not vice-captain
56:09Michael Vaughan: I think that's quite a good team. KL Rahul, Little Ducky, Little Ducky, Shubman Gill, Joe Root, how good, Harry Brook, Stokes, Pant, Washington, Atkinson, Jasprit, Sir Archer, that big trust right now. What about Joffre Archer?
56:25Sir Alastair Cook: Oh my God. I forgot Joffre. Shall we have him in the squad? Get him to touch with Bumrah again.
56:35Michael Vaughan: Stick to Cricket is brought to you by Betfair. right well we'll finish with a few work community questions we've got some good ones here finished I've we started oh can I just can I just wait till I've got
56:51Sir Alastair Cook: me shoes off can I just ask one really quick for the question who do you think
56:55Michael Vaughan: deserved to win that series oh good question film I honestly think it was it was right that it was two or if you actually go through you know they have these pie charts don't they session by session who's won yeah it's India won a lot more sessions yeah but England when they won the session won it a lot better right okay you go through that again yes you know the chart the pies pies no you know I'll draw one here you know I'll have to draw it on this plate no I think India won more sessions but we won better sessions one in there like that it was okay yeah so this is like the morning morning and the band of bombs yeah and they split it into two hours so if England win the first hour they kind of color it in and then if India win the second hour they leave it like that and throughout the series it's what they do
57:49Sir Alastair Cook: do well India should have won in India should have won Italy well they didn't well no but let's just think of should have England should have won it Eddney yeah who should have won
57:59Michael Vaughan: So wait a minute, India should have won at Edinburgh 1-0. Yeah. They won at Esbrichton 2-0. Yeah, we should have won at Lord's 3-0. No, we should have won at Lord's. But they're chasing 190.
58:09Sir Alastair Cook: At 190, you'll chase. Oh, shit, yeah. No, they should have knocked them off. So that's 3-0. Yeah. We should have won at Old Trafford. We should have won at Old Trafford. And we should have won at Lord's, at Oval. Somebody hit me again, I can still hear them.
58:21Michael Vaughan: Go on. Two always fair. Two always fair. Two always fair. Yeah, good.
58:25Sir Alastair Cook: Great, great series.
58:26Michael Vaughan: Yeah, that's the best I've seen for many many years. Cricket was the winner. It was. Right here we go the most famous contacts in your phone other than cricket players. Who have you got?
58:39Sir Alastair Cook: Barack Obama. Oh you have? Yeah. Dead off. No there is. He drinks down the Kingswood Armours. His name's Barack Obama. Who down the Kings Armours? He's a bloke. His surname's Obama so we call him Barack. all right so it's not the real one it's not the real one he loves you love Jeremy Clarkson haha have you yeah must have said he bought the sheep didn't he in the first episode first series he bought what's the wrong you know why do you wrong me she he knows all the select he saw look Yeah, go on. Who've you got? No, I don't know. Ray Winston. You'll have Winston. Yeah, played a game of golf with Ray.
59:27Sir Alastair Cook: Have you got his number? No. I haven't got anyone. No, not really. Sorry. No one special. No one special, is that it? Well, no, everyone's special. I don't think I have any. Oh, you'll have one or two, Dave. I haven't. Any of the stones? No. I've got Bernard, who's the publicity manager. But, yeah. don't say don't hear too many burners nowadays yeah great name in it yeah oh
59:54Michael Vaughan: this is a good one from Daniel Roach who is the worst fielder you've ever played with it's a close one between me and you Phil you reckon chef Dave what about in your era not worse fielder
1:00:11Sir Alastair Cook: One Monty when I feel it was better than Monty. Oh no chance Long fingers The worst thing does can say finish Danish canary wasn't it? Yeah, why is it all spinners not great? It's not a Monty. Yeah, yeah We are that's a good debate we buy right way way back in we had Harry Pilling Who was a tiny little chap, but so he had tiny little arms and he were less than 50 50 but he'd have he'd have rocket throw so he's not he couldn't catch Tom Wesley wasn't very good wasn't he no everyone thought he was a good fielder he dropped him did he no he just couldn't move in the field I was over 50-50 actually what about Stats Holt said I dropped 70 catches in my England career apparently you did apparently you're up there then yeah but I'm thinking that I'm going to I reckon if they hit your body they're counting as a catch apparently so I did do a lost at short legs so where they whacked goes down that's my only excuse right here we go one
1:01:13Michael Vaughan: from beat 1403 if Joe Root doesn't score a century in Australia in the upcoming ashes can he be considered the greatest ever for England does he need that son in Australia I don't think he does but he because he is England's greatest batsman so well already he's already there but it will just it would help be nice wouldn't it would be nice and also be nice this series and also just stop everyone talking about it. Yeah. Just got to not pat that surfboard.
1:01:39Sir Alastair Cook: Surfboard. Don't take the surfboard. Yeah, don't go out to bat with it. Well, bat with it, but just don't put it on your front leg. I think he'll get one, won't he? He'll get one or two. I think that. I do. I think all that's computed in his mind now after all these years, and I think he's at the top of his game.
1:01:55Michael Vaughan: Right, we're going to finish with heated exchange. Carry on. Dead easy one. England or Australia? Who's winning?
1:02:04Sir Alastair Cook: Well, you said 3-1. For England India I said 4-0 Because I'm like that Glen McGrath I always say nil they ain't winning any two apiece Two all two all I think I'd take that two all I would say that now Would that be considered a good result then yes? Yeah, and would be happy yes, yeah, I just haven't won a game England won a game in Australia since 2010 No
1:02:30Michael Vaughan: We haven't won a match.
1:02:32Sir Alastair Cook: We haven't even got close to winning a match. Hang on, they're 3-0 Australia. Two apiece. Come on, make it two apiece. We've just had a two apiece. Let's have another two apiece.
1:02:39Michael Vaughan: Well, the last two Ashes series in the UK, two all. The last two Indian series in the UK, two apiece. So it's a common kind of score. Yeah. What are you going for, Cap?
1:02:50Sir Alastair Cook: I am going for...
1:02:52Michael Vaughan: That's an apple.
1:02:55Sir Alastair Cook: Clinton Baptiste. Clinton Baptiste. Have a look on your four. I'm going to Google it. Maestro, what are you going for? Feel the word. It's hard to bet against Australia, but I'm going to go... Do you know what? I'll do the 3-2 England. 3-2 England. Joy of Clinton Banting.
1:03:20Sir Alastair Cook: I'll tell you what, get him on here. Sit him at that end, Clinton Banting, box office. Will he tell us the result of the Ashes? He does his stage show, Can I Do Clinton Baptiste? Who is he? Producers, Can I Do Clinton Baptiste? He's a stage show, he's a clairvolunt, clairvoyant. And he goes into the audience, you can see, I can feel a word, I can feel a word, it's coming, it's coming to me, it's coming.
1:03:56Sir Alastair Cook: It's a shame that's not going to hit the head. Clinton Baptiste's short is unreal. Absolutely unreal. When we get in our green room with all the posh bits and a cup of tea, put it on and just listen to what he has to say. I went to watch The Brothers last week at Wembley. No.
1:04:15Michael Vaughan: I did, I went to see...
1:04:16Sir Alastair Cook: Do you know them? No, not really. I met Noel a couple of times. I met him once in British Airways Lounge. Do you know him? Well, I tell you who was there, the other brothers, Jedward. Jedward were in the crowd.
1:04:28Michael Vaughan: I've got a picture.
1:04:30Sir Alastair Cook: Jedward were there. England. Go on. Two. Australia. Three. Two. Two each. Yeah. Can't go. Can't go the same. Yeah, he can. Oh, no, he can't. I'm going to all I think it's good. I've gone three to England three to my degree at some stage England have to win Who's who's winning the night match that it's on the tosses it? Oh, yeah, I mean stocks right there. They are under wickets.
1:04:59Michael Vaughan: They are Jedwood
1:05:04Oasis I'm slightly worried you got them on your phone.
1:05:06Michael Vaughan: Well, they were just down in front of me
1:05:07Sir Alastair Cook: I thought you were those do you think hello the selfies do you think they like cricket the brothers the Gallagher? What's Edward? I've met Noel. Yeah, Noel likes his cricket. Yeah, he does. He's come up to me and went, all right, tough, does he say?
1:05:19Michael Vaughan: Get off. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, he does, yeah. In Perth in 2006. Not a bad shot.
1:05:25Sir Alastair Cook: Get in there. Come on. Oh, come on, mate. Local. Burnage lad. Yeah. Burnage lad. Burnage? Burnage, where is it from? It comes from Burnage. Oh, Burnage lad. Burnage. Burnage.
1:05:35Michael Vaughan: Right, so you're going 2-0. Yeah. I'm going 3-2. 3-2 England. I'm going with a coach. I'm going to go 3-1 Australia. I think they're going to be too strong. OK. Right. I think they'll be too strong. No-one got any prediction right 2-2 last time they did in England. What did you say for India? We were close.
1:05:51Sir Alastair Cook: We were close. Well, 3-1 could have been 2-1. We always. I've got absolutely nailed on social media. They put me picture up. 4-0, he said. Nice.
1:06:01Michael Vaughan: Leave me alone. Brilliant, lads. Well done. Well done, boys. Enjoy your week.
1:06:31Hi, I'm Jack Ravici, Kramer, host of The Best One Yet. At T-Boy, we're always talking about small decisions that can have an outsized impact. One of the simplest is staying hydrated. Whether I'm traveling, getting a workout in, or heading into a busy day, I keep Liquid IV on hand. It's clinically demonstrated to hydrate faster than water alone and contains three times the electrolytes of the leading sports drink, plus eight vitamins and nutrients. It's an easy addition to your daily routine and helps support hydration when you need it most. Shop now at liquidiv.com. Liquid IV hydration that goes wherever life takes you.
1:07:05Back to school is busy enough. The last thing you need is shopping that makes it harder. Whether you're moving into a dorm, your first apartment, or just getting organized for the semester, Wayfair makes it easy to get everything you need in one place. Furniture, bedding, storage, decor, study essentials, all at prices you'll love. With fast shipping before move-in day. Get everything you need for back-to-school season. Shop Wayfair.com today. Wayfair, every style, every home. Guessing is for game shows, not your business. Workday is the enterprise AI platform for HR, finance and IT, with AI grounded in your context to get work done and done right.
1:07:46It's a new Workday.
1:07:51Michael Vaughan: Thanks for listening and thanks to our partners, Betfair. You can subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and you won't miss an episode. And if you want to support the show, please leave us a five-star review and help others find it too. See you next time. Thank you.
Join Phil Tufnell, Sir Alastair Cook, David "Bumble" Lloyd and Michael Vaughan for another unmissable episode of Stick to Cricket – brought to you by Betfair! 🏏🔥
The panel reacts to England's latest Test against India, Chris Woakes batting whilst injured, questions around the vice-captaincy and Harry Brook’s regret after a great innings. 🤔
Cook and Vaughan discuss how this performance sets England up for the Ashes and how England would fare if Ben Stokes is injured. Mohammed Siraj’s spell gets high praise, while Tuffers and Bumble weigh in on the pressure moments that turned the match. 👀
There’s plenty of insight, a few laughs and the usual chaos as the team break down this week’s cricket action. 🙌🔥
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.



