Sooryavanshi Makes History, Ben Stokes Responds & England’s Big Problem | Stick to Cricket EP 41

0:00Before we get started, I'd like to thank our partners, Betfair. Hit subscribe so you don't miss an episode. Enjoy the show. Fill her home with beauty this Mother's Day. Make gifting easy with 20 % off Pura Smart Home Fragrance Diffusers for a limited time. The perfect gift for mom, grandma, your favorite aunt, and every mother figure in your life. Create a space she'll love coming home to every day. Plus, take 20 % off curated sets. Shop now at Pura.com. Have you ever been stuck on a weight loss plateau, trying everything and anything you can to lose that extra weight and reach peak health? We've all been there, but Noom's unlocked the secret to reaching the mountaintop.

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1:24source of FDA-approved semaglutide. Not available in all 50 U.S. states. Immersing yourself in all things soccer ahead of this summer's World Cup? I'm Alex Abnos, senior sports editor from The Guardian. And whether you're a soccer beginner or you know the game inside and out, we've got you covered. Read, watch, and listen as our journalists connect the dots between the games, the cultures, and this political moment. We'll have daily newsletters throughout the tournament, reporters on the ground with all the big teams, and the legendary Football Weekly podcast, The Guardian, bringing you the whole picture on soccer.

1:54Search Guardian Soccer for more. Is it working? I think so, yeah. Is it like a body kind of health thing? Oh, you get a class. You do all your workouts. You can do strength, cardio, instructors. Where is he? Where's Cookie? He's here somewhere. here he comes there he is there he is right just leave that leave that we'll get him on that so Michael the only thing we've got here we've got a little foot fix the only way we can see your reflections from this camera behind you right okay so basically you need to be shoulder width apart legs apart yeah not quite legs of Kimbo right okay have you seen these magic mirrors before have you seen them crackers aren't they morning lads morning morning how are you morning Al how are you are you good that was awful welcome to the mad set what about this what do you think of this oh I don't like it get on here Phil just spread your legs there you can do workouts go the magic mirror come on then just look at these right just study the instructors look at all these instructors Jesse Lingard catch her off strictly oh yeah just if you keep going here keep going what about this fella Shall we go and hang out?

3:16Get yourself in. Go on. Get yourself in. Where's Cookie? I'm there, I'm there. He'll come, he'll come. What have I got to do? He'll come. He's scanning you. He's scanning you. Oh, he's scanning you, Vaughn. Tough as I'll get you looking. There you go. In the Essex kit. He looks pissed. I'm in my ethics kit, so there's every chance. Just keep your legs straight. Wash it off. I can get you.

3:47Can we get a live walk? No. Live walk? I can't do that anymore.

3:53Let's go. Three. Come on, toughers. One.

4:01Right, how do you turn it off? There you go. Hey, don't wash my mirror. This is my mirror, this. You bought one? Yeah, boys. That's all you advertised. I thought I'm having a bit. You're looking good, Trim. I thought I want to be a bit like you. I want to be like Alistair Cook. Right, sit down. Right, where am I sitting? No, you're on the end. Oh, stop it. Queen C. There you go. Queen C. Hey, this is proper set. Open it. Do you want a cup of tea or anything? I can be in my bedroom. I've got a cup of tea. You can order that. Did you? No, I won't. That's it. No. No, I have to see in that video. He could be in my bedroom.

4:32Two seconds later. No, you can't. You get a magic mirror. You and your daughter, you need one of them. There's a lot of people that have said, Cookie could be in our bedroom. Yeah, right, not the workout, just the mirror. Well, I just occasionally might put a workout in. Any sugar?

4:44Phil Tufnell: Anybody got any sugar? Anybody got any sugar? What the hell? When did you do that? A couple of years ago. You're a fit lad, though, aren't you? Yeah, he's good. That's not really my thing. Oh, he's doing a marathon. He's doing a marathon. Well, he is. Sunday. Sunday, the big day. Sunday, the big day. Are you using that to warm up? Yeah, I've used it all the time. Are you after sponsors and all that sort of thing? I would love you to sponsor me, Bumble. 50 quid? That'll do. There you go. Go on, then. Give it a plug. Well, then, if you want to sponsor me, I've got a Just Giving page for the Roost Rouse Foundation.

5:16If you make it on this podcast, I will give you 50 quid as well. There you go. And remember, we did a New Year's resolution, wasn't it? Are you still doing your Tai Chi every day? Yeah, I am, yeah, yeah. Seven minutes every morning. I've got a new thing to come. No, honestly, go Mike Holland on YouTube and lymphatic drainage reset. Yeah, I've got that. You give it all the waves, give it all the swivels, and you do this bouncing, and it's about resetting the... Apparently 100 bounces a day is really good for you. Correct. I can't be bothered putting a spot on that.

5:47Phil Tufnell: Mikey Holland's really checking the piss. Well, same as that mirror. Yeah, I mean, have we seen anything like that? It's ridiculous. How much do you get paid for that? Go on, how much? Come on, how much? You're back on. I should have taken like a percentage. How good are they? I've got... They've gone well. They've gone well. They've gone very well, yeah. How much... Anyway, going back, that's not quite a ton of magic. We said in January, I said I've got to try and do a sub three. So sub three hours is what I'm aiming for. On a bike or... No, on a... If you do... Right, okay. Here we go. If you do under three hours, I'll give you 250 quid.

6:22Oh! And if I don't do under three hours? 50 quid. If you go over four hours, nothing.

6:28Phil Tufnell: No, mine will just be 50 quid. I'm not liking it. Yeah, I'll give you 250. Where is this marathon? London. Oh, it's the London one. Yeah, the Potholes. The big one. The bloody Potholes knocking around there. I were in London this week full of Potholes. You'd be careful. Anyway. What about the Potholes around Chester? You're not doing it dressed as a piano or anything like that, are you? Dressed as a fucking banana. Where did you get that sugar? Yeah. Are you going to be in your Essex kit, like in the mirror? Before we get started, I'd like to thank our partners, Betfair. So just hit subscribe so you don't miss an episode.

7:04Enjoy the show.

7:10Phil Tufnell: The 12th might not be a bowler. Yeah, but he might be. He might be. It shouldn't be this much of a discussion. I had vertigo. I've got it. Yeah, I bet it nine. That's no ball. It's making a start. He was training Ricky Ponting's ground How do you know that? Look what Ricky Ponting told me How many injuries will it take for suddenly you go to that first test and go we'd better ring him up What's that one where you're kissing? That's a New Yorker He's left the first six One of the coaches turned around and said do you think I'm wasting my time for you to leave balls? You are categorically not right Cooked out the equation You said you wanted it Well I've always thrown my hat in the ring for most things And have you thrown it in for this ring?

7:49No, they threw it firmly down. You're all right.

7:52Phil Tufnell: We're going to have a day at the club in the point. Come and meet me and Al and Kate and Jimmy. The lot of them. I'm doing meat and greens now. Are you throwing cake? Are you throwing cake? Cake, cake, cake. Oh, cake, cross. Cake, cross. Any chance of another coffee?

8:14Phil Tufnell: Where are you from? Clitheroe. Clitheroe. Well, Reid. Reid. You know where Reid is, don't you? Northcourt Manor. I used to say Burnley, but my dad used to tell me off. No, I know Northcourt Manor. Or in Northcourt Manor, the year that Blackburn Rovers won the Premier League. Shearer Sutton. Alan Shearer was in with the full-back. Full-back? Yeah, go on. Not Ripley, not really. He played on the right. He was on the wing. Yeah, no, I'll tell you. Stuart Ripley. Went to Sunderland. So left-back or right-back? I think he was left-back. Sunderland fella. Gillespie no certainly certainly not Colin Hendry sent her off Colin Hendry lives in Accrington give us a clue give us a clue Le oh LeBlau LeSalle LeBlau LeBlau had a punch up with Gareth Batty Gareth Batty Gareth Batty David Batty Gareth Batty He's done well to coach Surrey after being beaten up by Gramblasso, hasn't he?

9:21Phil Tufnell: Who was the manager of Blackburn Rovers? Kenny Dalglish. Yeah. That question of sport. Who was the goalie? The guy with the long hair. Flowers. Yeah. Who was the guy with the long hair? Seaman. Colin Hendry. Seaman, that was the goalie at Arsenal. No, he was at Rovers as well for a bit. David Seaman, no. Yeah, he was. No, he wasn't. He was, I saw him in the library. Who keeps wicket? I don't mean he played for them. Who keeps wicket for Nairsborough Cricket Club? I've no idea England goalkeeper Oh What's he called from Leeds United? Yes Nigel Martin Correct Nigel Martin Martin, what, with the gloves on?

9:57Yeah, he's good and all I want his new flash here, he's good On a football, you went to Wembley, didn't you? What a day Yeah, Luton Won the Virtue Cup Massive Cup Big Cup It took 35 ,000 30-odd thousand Stockport were there Played well first half, good first half

10:12Phil Tufnell: Who were games? Stockport Stockport went 1-0 up early We should have had a penalty in the first minute. Who's your striker? Wells. Wells. He's been at Huddersfield. He's been around the blocks. Scored a... Good. He's come to his own. Good. And I took little Jack. Actually, all Isabel, Elsie and Jack, but Jack loved it. First time at Wembley. Who's the main man, the big centre forward, who's always taking over as caretaker man? Hartford. Mick Hartford. Who's his best mate who opened the bowling for Australia? Geoff Thompson. Geoff Thompson. They do double that, don't they? They do. Throwing all these names at me, I've got...

10:44So you've been at Wembley. Been at Wembley, been there running. Anything else happening in your life? Alex, have you been up to do? I've not worked since the World Cup, which has been fantastic. When did that finish? February. I reckon February was it. I reckon early March it finished. Yeah, whatever it was. Yeah, it was. I've done nothing since then. What's happening at your place? Lancashire? Oh. You've opened the door now. Special General Me. Special General Me. When? About what?

11:11Phil Tufnell: A couple of weeks ago. What the? Why? Governance of the club, right? Like the governance. Unconstitutional, undemocratic. Seven resolutions from the club were adjourned that they weren't fit. And so now waiting the next instalment of that. If they've any sense, the board, meet people, talk to people, have a coffee. They just say no, no, no. And there's people who are very learned in law. King's councils, queuing up. You've got KCs involved. There's umpteen KCs. I mean, the common sense is talk. They're trying so hard to keep cricket expertise off the board. So they have a special general meeting.

11:59Phil Tufnell: Out of ten people, four of the board turned up. Four. Four. So trouble at the mill. Not on cricket. Cricket, absolutely fine. Male and female, absolutely fine. 100 % confidence. So what's the trouble then? the governance of the club. You've got to be transparent. It's for the members. It's a members' club. Done by the members for the members. Is it a coup? Are you leading the coup? No, I'm not. Definitely not. You were the figureheader, aren't you? No, I'm not. No, I'm not. There's a coup at your place. I got a phone call asking if I'd sign the document you've signed. Which is what? It's a letter.

12:35I don't know. There it is. I've put it on our crew, don't we? Yeah, Mike Gatton. Wait a minute. Gatton leads group asking Middlesex chair to resign. Did you sign a letter? Including Phil Tuff? Absolutely, I think there's something very similar going on at Middlesex. Well, what is it that you've signed, Phil? A letter saying that... No confidence. Have you got no confidence in the Middlesex board, Phil? Yes, and also the opening pair. You're thinking it's results? No, I think they're playing all right. Phil, how over of this age? Do you kind of study the Middlesex board? Listen, Gat, as the club at his heart always has done.

13:17Phil Tufnell: You do, you do. You have the club at its heart. For me, 60 years at the club. There you go, there you go. They come in, these flyby nights come in. Yeah. You know, you've got to have the soul of the club. You have to. Yeah, you've got to have the ethos. Right, while we're on county cricket, we're going to skip a section or two and go straight to county cricket and substitutions. I know you've been enjoying it. You wanted substitutes. I think, yeah, substitutes are good for the game, yeah. Do you think it's been good? No, this hasn't been good. The way that they've delivered it in County Creek...

13:48No, it has been good. It's been comical. Yeah, yeah, it's funny. But, look, if someone breaks the hand or rips a hamstring, absolutely I think there should be substitutions. But if someone's got a sniffle or wakes up on a third day morning having had a dodgy prawn the night before at a barbie and a couple of them go down, no, you should not have a replacement for that. No. So there's so many grey areas with it, apparently, which is why all these comical substitutes coming in. But my favourite thing about county cricket at the minute is to see the substitutes and who's gone out and who's coming in because I'm just like, well, of course you've got some young lad coming in going to bowl 20 overs with fresh legs on day four.

14:26Well, Nott's brought in... Bowled them out. Linden James. Linden James for Fergus O 'Neill. Bowled them out. We've got four for three. Against Glamorgan. Fresh as a daisy. Yeah. Happy days. Yeah. Straight in. Lance had a funny one this week. Lance had a great one. Ajit Singdale went down, two seamers on the bench. Tom Bailey got told he wasn't like for like, more experience, not quite as quick. So they called in a young lad called Sutton, left arm seamer. So they've got a right arm seamer gone down, right arm seamer on the bench, not like for like, but the young left arm seamer came in. I didn't realise that.

15:03Who decides on... Who makes the judge? Yeah, who judge? So Bailey's slower than Singdale. Slower. More extreme. Do they have a speed gun? But do they have a speed gun in every bowler? He's got to bowl with the same hand, surely. Yeah. Surely that's like for like, isn't it? So left armour, come on for a right armour. Well, the right armour wasn't allowed... But the right armour wasn't allowed to replace the right armour because he bowls slower and he's more experienced. He's just a bowler, isn't he? He's just a right-arm bowler, isn't he? But then... It's just like Essex, Tom Wesley's a star, isn't he?

15:34Tom Wesley broke his finger. Yeah. Then Noah Thane came in for him at Essex in the first game. Still, Tom was 20-odd not out, so Thane could still bat, but wouldn't allow the ball, even though Tom Wesley-Bowles offspin as well. I remember, I'm going to go back to when I said about substitutions. Go on. I said, there's no way they should allow it because how do you govern it? How do you police it? And within four weeks, we've had an absolute shambles. It's only because the ECB have delivered it badly. Yeah, proper injuries. A simple procedure. The ones you can see. But then two lads from Yorkshire went down with a dicky tummy.

16:06But then that's the same as getting ill. I think it should be first things only. I think that's 100 % if you're going to do it. Because you can't have someone... And the other rule that I found quite... First things only, and also, when they say you can't play for eight days, it should be you can't play for the next two four-day games. Great, if you've got to buy it. So that's eight days of cricket. I thought it was. No, it's eight days. Jaya Richardson went down with a dicky tummy. They've got a week off next week. Well, they've not played this last week. He can play next week. Of course he can.

16:35So he should be. By the way, if you're missing that game for an injury, you're missing the next two four-day games. And I'm actually... No, it isn't. You're deciding to pull out of a game of cricket with a dodgy stomach. But if you do a hamstring or a shoulder, you're out for the season anyway. If you've got a proper injury, you're going to miss two four-day games anyway, aren't you? You're going to be out for four weeks. But the problem with this rule is, i.e. the Yorkshire situation, those two guys that missed the game for a dickish stomach, they now can play the next game. Because it's been eight days.

17:07But then what about the Kola Cadmall? Is it Kola Cadmall? I mean, I'm a little bit like Alex how much of Canna Crew I've been watching, but he couldn't hold the bat properly. So he was allowed to be substituted. He didn't break his thumb, did he? Or did he break his thumb? I should really know this because my son plays in the same thing. Yeah, but I swear I read that he couldn't hold the bat. Charlie, he's our man across the game. Come on, Seth, come on, Seth. Let's have a look at your shirt. Oh, nice shirt. Come on, get yourself in front of the camera. Give us a rundown. What's gone on? I think the replacement's definitely got to be, I think, maybe like a first two-day thing, where, I mean, it's an endurance game, isn't it?

17:45What happens if someone gets injured on day four? Exactly what happened with Lyndon James, came on and bowled at the end. Fresh as a day. First two days or just first innings of... Well, I seem to think in Australia, they might be thinking about two days, first two days. And I think that... We don't want to copy that. One thing... Could it not be a visible injury? One thing that I do agree with, though, is that if, you know, first over, first day, someone goes twang, you know what I mean, and does a hammy, I think that's a good footer game. Because otherwise you're just chasing it all the other side.

18:20An Ashley's test match at Esbast and Jimmy Anderson, what were you playing when he went down in the first over? But then what's that about the selection where you go, well, actually, he's 50-50 now. Well, no, he might have. That's the risk of the game. No, but I'll play him. I don't know this up. Yeah, but you can pull a hamstring if you're fully fit. Absolutely. I might do one on Sunday. Not if you've been in front of the mirror. I'll be warming up in front of the mirror. I'll be warming up. I swear I've got some warm-ups. It is a little bit part and parcel of sport now. In professional sport, no matter what it is, cricket, rugby,

18:53Phil Tufnell: and the rules come in, you're looking for a way around. No problem. You're looking for a way around. That's what's happened here. Yeah, the clubs have done nothing wrong. No. Because if it's there, you're going to make it through your varnish. I have no issue with the clubs doing it. Like Colin Cadmour, I don't know how bad his finger was, but we've all batted where he hasn't been perfect. Steve Wall's got a brilliant hundred at the oval. You can adapt. With that situation, it should be a scan. The scan shows a crack. Yep, no problem. If the scan doesn't show a crack... How quickly can you get those scans, though?

19:24Well, you can take... Well, you talk in two or three hours, and it affects that innings of the game. I just think just don't have it I'm sorry it just is what it is what about the other team gets a sub in response so you get an injury and then the opposition then can opt to take a sub in response and they can have any player any player so you well you're basically saying so therefore you're picking can we get Chris Gayle picking 14 and then go right the seam is out tough as you're coming in for innings four it's like the impact sub in the IPL almost No, I'm not.

19:59Phil Tufnell: What if you declare 12? If you declare 12 at the toss, and that 12th is your sub, no matter what happens. No matter what happens. No like for like. No, no, no. This is how we squad 12. You pick them all round, though. You pick them all round, though. Yeah, you're 12th, tactically. Yeah, but then whoever wins the toss on there, you just think, right, we'll do exactly that, get a fresh bowl of that last innings. No, the 12th might not be a bowler. Yeah, but he might be. He might be. He might be. So tactically, tactically, you're going to pick 12. It shouldn't be this much of a discussion. I'm sorry, it shouldn't be.

20:32I'm bored now. It absolutely shouldn't be. But this is why it's hilarious, because we've all been talking about it for so long.

20:37Phil Tufnell: It's bringing me vertigo on, is this? Hey, you can go to the physio to get that. It's a crystal in your ear. I know it is. And you've got to violently throw your head. Yeah, he does. He's done that, and it works for a while. I had vertigo. I've got it. Yeah, I batted nine at the overall. It's back and still on.

20:56Stick to Cricket is brought to you by Bedford.

21:03Refresh the rooms you love for spring with Pura's collection of floral, citrus, and fresh scents. Bright, airy, and made for the season. Open the door to spring in every room. Learn more at Pura.com. Immersing yourself in all things soccer ahead of this summer's World Cup? I'm Alex Abnos, senior sports editor from The Guardian. And whether you're a soccer beginner or you know the game inside and out, we've got you covered. Read, watch, and listen as our journalists connect the dots between the games, the cultures, and this political moment. We'll have daily newsletters throughout the tournament, reporters on the ground with all the big teams, and the legendary Football Weekly podcast.

21:42The Guardian, bringing you the whole picture on soccer. Search Guardian Soccer for more. Have you ever been stuck on a weight loss plateau, trying everything and anything you can to lose that extra weight and reach peak health? We've all been there. But Nooms unlocked a secret to reaching the mountaintop. Go in micro. The Noom GLP-1 microdose program starts at$79 and is delivered to your door in 7 days. Start your microdose GLP-1 journey today at Noom.com. That's N-O-O-M dot com. Noom. Microchanges. Big results. Initial 3-week subscription and 4 weeks of medication from$79 plus tax and$179 per month plus tax for 12-week subscription thereafter.

22:23Final pricing depends on program selection. Noom GLP-1RX program involves healthy diet, exercise, and support. Individual results may vary. Meds and personalization based on clinical need. Not reviewed by FDA for safety, efficacy, or quality. No affiliation with Novo Nordisk, Inc., the only U.S. source of FDA-approved semaglutide. Not available in all 50 U.S. states. All right, runners and riders. First few rounds of county cricket. Yeah. Yeah. Selector, yes or no? No. Absolutely not. Absolutely not. So you are not going to be the England selector? I will not be the England selector. Adam's favourite.

22:57Adam's favourite. I've had text messages from Skipper saying, you are. And I said, no, I'm not. Why are you lying to me? Well, I was worried about your chair. Well, yeah. I was going, he's leaving the chair. We need someone. So you are categorically not going to be the... Cooked out the equation. You said you wanted it. Well, I've always thrown my hat in the ring for most things. And have you thrown it in for this ring? No, they threw it firmly down. You're all right. Ali, you're in for this job. Because you've not been doing anything from March the 8th. I could do with it part-time. Do you know at the start of the season, before the international season starts?

23:32Just a bit of selective. Just a little bit of selective. I'll pick your openers, and then once I've done that, not my problem. So you want to work April and May? Perfect. I did have the PSL, but kind of lost that job. Don't know what happened there. I've got some cream. All right, what happened there? I don't know, I was a spin-balling coach. And you won it last year. Yeah, I was a spin-balling coach. Did they win it? You win it? No. No, we actually came second the first year and we came rock bottom last year. Oh, that's why. That's why.

23:59Phil Tufnell: Aren't they in PSL? They're just banning players. You just ban, you can't play. A bit like IPL. Because they've had loads of players in the PSL pull out to go and play in the IPL. So then they've banned them in the PSL. Zimbabwe, which is a big blessing. I have to be honest, I haven't seen much of it. Who? Pakistan Super League. I've not seen too much. I've seen much of it, Phil. No. I love it. Do you? Who's winning? Multan. Multan. Multan. Sultans, my mob. I don't know if I should support them if they've sacked me or not. Sam Billings is over there, isn't he? Yeah, he is. I think he's playing for Roald Pindy.

24:34There is one. They've not won a game yet. Bottom of the table. Dave, we've never mentioned you as chairman of selectors. No. And is there a reason why? He's too busy with Lanks.

24:45Phil Tufnell: No. Well, no, I'm not. I'm not the leader of Lanks at all. I'm very much in the background. fully enjoying it. I could do that job because I've no other commitments. I can tell a player I'm not after anybody's job. Would that then officially complete every job in cricket if you're... Well, I'm out of work worldwide. No, but I'm saying you don't... What do you mean you're out of work? Look at you. You're on the show. Has he told you? This is great fun. This is all. This is your job. It is, actually. Yeah. I do bits of other things. You would then have completed every job on the ECB, I reckon. I've got a question.

25:25Phil Tufnell: I've got an allotment. I've got an allotment, yeah. That allotment of mine, it's absolutely perfect now. I've took all the weeds out and I've scarified it all. Ready to go. When we got it, when we got that house, and it was completely and utterly overgrown with brambles and all sorts, nettles and the lot. The vicar turns up. He said, good afternoon. I said, hello, vicar. He said, isn't it wonderful what one can do with the help of the Lord? I said, you should have seen it when he had it to himself. What? What the Lord got with the bambles, did he? No, no, it was really. He came to me with big helmets on and goggles.

26:05He got his strimmer out. He got the Lord on my shoulder, here we go. So it's looking good, is it? I've got a serious question. Not about the allotment. No, not about the allotment, right. You said, can pick a player. Yeah. You said, how do you then, you know what I mean? How do you become chairman of the selector? Just because, how do you know how to pick a player? There you go, that's the...

26:29Phil Tufnell: Well, it's a nous, isn't it? It's a knowledge... Experience. Experience that comes in. Two years ago, I saw a Yorkshire player. Keep your eye on this guy. He's doing great. Whether he'll get into Yorkshire's team, I hope he does. Yeah. Do you think youngsters can do that job? Do you think youngsters then can do that job? Do you think Fedders are still sort of like, you know? What's young? Well, I don't know, just coming out. Or people who are just coming out of the game, are they in the best situation to then be able to know who's sort of coming through? Yeah, I think if you've got the right person and he's got a good knowledge of the game and they've got a passion for the game, I think that's important.

27:07Phil Tufnell: You can't have somebody give us a job. You know, give us a job. Yeah, I can do that. I think you've got to have a passion for the game. You've got to love it. You've got to love the grind as well. Yeah, yeah. You've got to be available. Do the grind. Do the hard yard. So if you're looking at the chairman selectors, what is obviously the most important skill set to spot a cricketer? But then communication. Communication to the player. You can't go down a local hockey team. To be able to give an alternative to the two main people. Who are the two main people? The coach and the captain. Yeah. I've got two captains here.

27:43Phil Tufnell: Did you ever captain? Yeah. Right. You were never going to go on to that field. I'd like to have played into that team. I was Lanx's first professional captain. Do you know, like, when women turn professional? Right. Did you ever go on the field with a team that you didn't want? No. There you go. Did you? I would have said that I would have gone on the field with a team that I'd been uncertain on at certain times because I think the hardest thing, you're talking about select clearly, being able to pick a player. But I think that role, you need to be a very good figurehead because I think actually the chairman of selectors needs to be able to speak to the media, speak to the fans very well, to explain decisions.

28:29Yes. Because that's their line of communication. I think it's a really important role, that. And I also think they've got to be able to stand up to Stokes and McCollum and give an alternative view strong enough. Yes. Because at certain times... Do it, Cookie. I'm not doing it. Certain times on this thing, you've looked at a side and gone, actually, I'm not sure that's right. But they've been able to... Stokes and McConaughey can't be able to push their way through, and sometimes you need to be able to push that. Spinner at Adelaide. I think the figurehead's the most important aspect of that person that goes on the...

29:03Whether we like it or not, the way that the selector speaks to the media, which is the public, is, I think, the most important aspect of that role.

29:10Phil Tufnell: Let me ask you, did you... As England captain, Ashes winner, did you go on the field with a team that you didn't want? No. Never. I went on the pitch with a team of one player that I didn't know. Yeah, I remember that. Who was that? James Pattinson. James Pattinson. Grimsby Roofer. Was it James? It was the Grimsby Roofer. No, James. It was his brother. Yeah, it was his brother. What was his name? Darren. Darren Pattinson. Yeah, and he was Grimsby Roofer. It was a shocking week because Ryan was playing. Oh, we're working on the game. I feel really sorry for that. And then the day before, do you remember, Brian said, oh, just a bit tired of my ham.

29:44I think he was in the showers. Was he not Hoggy? No, no. So what happened was, we then go, oh, we need a replacement. I think Kabir Ali was injured or something wasn't right with him. Bowling coach at length, Kabir Ali. Hoggy gets rung up. It was Hoggy's benefit year. And Hoggy had been on a bender on Tuesday night. He was on the barbecue.

30:04Phil Tufnell: He was doing the barbecue. Hoggy pulled up. So we couldn't bring in Hoggy because he'd been on the gas. So, me as a captain, I went, I just need someone to pitch it up. Headly, pitch up, swing, whoever. Geoff Miller comes up. Didn't think they were going to play, so I didn't take too much time over it. Darren Patterson was mentioned. Yeah, no problem. He came up, Ryan side bottom. Night before, yeah, I'll be all right, no problem. Morning of the game, runs to the net. Freddie was coming back into the side. Remember, Freddie was coming back in, and we had to drop Collie, who was doing well. And suddenly, Ryan runs from the nets at about four.

30:38I'm guessing 10, 10 o 'clock. And he went, no, I'm out. I went, what? And Darren had to play. And also, no one had seen him at breakfast. I actually felt really sorry for him. He bowled all right. He bowled fine. But he was, he was a hit. Didn't you say to him, which end will you swing it from? He goes, I don't swing it, mate. That's an Aussie as well. He was a hit-the-pitch nipper. So that is when the selectors got it wrong. And then his father did that interview at about 11.15, saying he's a third-income Aussie. And that goes erupting. I think you're spot on about the figurehead, though, because that will take everything off of McCollum.

31:13It will take everything off the skipper. And Rob Key. And Rob Key. Listen, I'm the person, as you say, if you want to know anything about why is he playing, why we've picked him, why we've picked him, why we've not picked him, I'm the man to come to. And they're going to speak it well across. And the other thing I'll have about the select, 99 % of the time, team picks itself. I do think so. You're going to have robust discussions. Robust discussions. Of course you do. But ultimately, the team, McCullum and Stokes, will get their way. But in my experience, when the selector comes into his own, it's for that 11th spot.

31:46And it happened quite a lot of the opener for me. Like when Strauss was in, we had a lot of... You had a team? Those openers. And obviously, I wasn't playing much counter cricket. So you don't see these players. You can watch all the screens you want. It's irrelevant for me. Seeing the person in flesh against other people and seeing the condition. And they're saying, well, who's a better opener? Let's say Lythe or Compton. Just pull two names out. I could not make that decision. I hadn't seen enough of them or even seen them. Yeah, so you've got to go on there. So that is when you have to go, that is when the selector, you know, 90 % of the time doesn't have to make a decision, but that one time he does, that's crucial to do it.

32:20So who's picking the opener this summer then, though, because there is no selector right now? You are, April May.

32:24Phil Tufnell: I forgot about that. No, it's not junior. You don't need that. You say you do the opener, it's April May, that's sorted, but I've got a question for you. When Derren Pattinson went back to Australia, what job did he do? You told him. You said he was a roofer. He was a roofer. No, that was before he was selected. He was doing a bit of roofing in the winter. I don't know. Carpenter. Pilot? No. He was training Ricky Ponting's dogs. Greyhands. Shut up. I'm telling you. He was training Ricky Ponting's greyhands. How do you know that? Because Ricky Ponting told me. What? And is he a good trainer? You know Ponter?

33:02Phil Tufnell: Yeah. He has greyhands. He has greyhands. Great dogs. He gets them down the beach. Go on, go on. Come on. Go on, go on. Stick to Cricket is brought to you by Betfair. Right, what about, so we're selectors now, runners and riders inside what we had, three county championship matches. Who's got Rue? All right, but where are you playing him? James Rue, he's a conversation. Everyone's talking James Rue. Can he keep with kit? I don't think. He's averaging 75. Three 79 runs, averages 75. But he's not opening, is he? No, he's not. He's batting at four for Somerset. Let's talk about the occupant. Can't get a run.

33:46Zach. No, Zach's not in the equation. He's not got a run. So we're looking for a replacement for Zach. Ace of tribes, opening the batting. And the Oge? Got 80 yards against Nots. I would say, what about this? Could Jacob Bethel open? Yes. Could he? I think that top order batting, The way he played at Sydney, against that attack and those conditions, you can never be certain. I've looked at a player there, I'm certain this bloke could open and back. If you could back three, you could open. Could we throw an elephant into a room? Could we go to Joe Root and say, Joe, can you back number three for us?

34:23We've done it before. We won't do that. Why are we all just, can you do this? What has been wrong with you? Can you do a bit of bowling? and can you bat three when you usually bat six? Can six bat one when you usually bat three? What's your top seven, then? I don't know.

34:41I'm just saying, if Joe bats three, could Harry bat four? Could James Rue bat five or Jamie Smith bat five? When's the first test?

34:49Phil Tufnell: When's the first test, man? June the 4th. June the 4th. They've got plenty of time. So Ace of Tribe will be in the mines. Amid will be in the mines. He hasn't got a run yet. Not yet. Not yet. Not yet. 1 ,500 runs last year, six centuries. I worry about his alignment. What about Emilio Gale? Can I just say something? Good shout. With your hand as straight as that. Who's the big left-hander from? McKinney. Double century against Gloucester. Big leavers. Yeah, big leavers. Second division. But what are we... Now... Does that matter? We've got two openers here. Now, you've always told me, you boys, that this opening spot is absolutely a different ball game.

35:31Well, we're just saying that to make it sound hard. Well, there you go. Were you? Or can you just get someone and go, well, go on. No, you can't take a middle-order player to do it.

35:39Phil Tufnell: No. You can't. The style of play with 12 ,000 runs exclusively as opener, he said that Jacob Bethel can open the batting. Can line it. He's never opened the batting before. He's got 100. And here he is, an accomplished, careful opener, has said Jacob Bethel can open it. Well, this is what I want to know. It's not ideal. is it? Because again, you're going back to England saying, do something you don't do. Correct. Jamie Smith not keeping for England. It doesn't make sense. Bethel shouldn't really be it because he's not opening. He's sitting on his arse in the IPL not doing anything. Ideally, he could come back and open for Warwickshire to help England.

36:22I haven't seen enough of Rue's keeping, but you're just categorically saying he's not better. I don't think he's at that level of international keeping yet. But we're still at the point where Jamie Smith's not keeping for his county. So Jamie Smith, could we go... Square pegs, isn't it? No, no, but Jamie Smith is batting three for Surrey in the first division scoring runs. Scoring loads. Average in 99, 396 runs. Could he bat at three? Could Rue keep at seven? I'm just saying because he's keeping for Somerset. Or is Rue's keeping not good enough? This is where the selects come to... Jordan Cox.

36:53He's in the IPA. With the way that Jamie Smith plays, I want him a bit lower down. OK. Older ball. But also with Bethel, it worked for him last year being at the IPL. So England are probably thinking maybe there's no point recalling him to go play for Warwickshire.

37:07Phil Tufnell: Is he playing in the IPL? No, he's not even making the wider squad. Oh, he'll get better doing that. He became a leader, didn't he? But it worked for him last year. That's what their argument will be. Jacob's kind of a... It's been proven that he... Can I just get this right? Jordan Cox is the biggest loser from the IPL. Sitting down doing fuck all gets you better. Correct. Does it? Right, correct. Jordan Cox in the IPL, he'll come back a better player. That's on the board, doesn't it? From mixing drink. You were good at that, weren't you? I was excellent at that. So come on, where are we at now?

37:45Test match stars next week, where are we going? We still don't know. You've got to make a cut, this is why you're here. Listen, I'm not the selector. No, but you're here on the panel, you are now. Call him then. Smith plays. Well, obviously he plays, but where's he playing? Seven. Right, he plays at seven. I don't like getting young kids and stick. Look at the way the Aussies. I don't like just going back to New Orleans and look how the Aussies used to go about it. But when Ponting came in, he started at six and then worked his way out. That's why I think...

38:12Phil Tufnell: Michael Clarke did exactly the same. When we had Jack Russell sat there, who did Jack Russell say should keep wicket for England? Smith. Smith. Yeah, right. So I wouldn't be against, as we speak, for next week's selection. Smith. But ring Saria up and say he's got to keep for Saria. He's got to be keeping. He's not kind of Izzy, but he's still going to keep for England. But we need him to keep and improve. I would like to see James Rue batting at number six for England. Right, OK. And do you know what? Ben Stokes would bat seven. Fine. Jamie Smith would bat five. And as we speak, we're picking a team for next week.

38:51Jacob Bethel's going to open. Who did he say is batting five? Jamie Smith. Was Harry Brook batting?

38:57Phil Tufnell: Four. Was Joe Root batting? Three. No, he isn't. I'm just saying that. This is my call. I'm allowed. What are you doing? I'm called Joe's down two. No, no, no. I'm in Joe Root at three. No, I'm not. Kevin Peterson said, you've earned the right to bat where you want. But I just think he's in so early anyway. Jacob Bethel has just got a glorious hundred batting at three at the SCG. Yes. So I'll tell you what we'll do. They'll stick him up top. What are you opening with then? I don't know, Mike.

39:30So one man banned at the top. I mean, I'm picking your team.

39:33Phil Tufnell: You select, no, June 4th is the game. No, this is for this show. We're not the real selectors. I'm backing McKinney. Right, so next week, the Test match starts against New Zealand at Lourdes. From what we've seen already and what you know, what is your team? I've picked my top seven. What's McKinney like against spin? Well, he's not going to get much spin next week. No. Not even either. Not at Lord's. Not going to get much spin against... Can you pick your top seven, please? Yes. And will you? I pick mine. Yours ain't happening. Right. What's yours? Don't know. No. I'm going... Duckett... Can I pick a couple of options?

40:10No! OK. Duckett, Emilio Gay, Bethel, Root, Brook, Stokes, Smith. And then you've got to find a spinner from somewhere. Right, OK. Well, that's your top seven. Carson, maybe. So no Roo. Oh, Roo's in... No Roo. No Roo. No Roo.

40:25Phil Tufnell: You're not going to Roo. No, that's fair enough. That's fine. I'm just saying no Roo. That's fair. I'll pick my team. Can I? Yeah. Of course you can. Of course you can. Duckett, Tribe, Bethel. I know her name. Roo. Oh. Try... You've interrupted me now. Roo. Brooke, Storks, Smith. Atkinson. Crane. Yes, Knight Crane. Crane. Legs, Bonilla. Tongue. Tongue. Ten. Who's 11? Joffre? Joffre, actually 11. Yeah. Riding cast, he's injured, isn't he? Yeah, he's out just the minute. Not a bad team. Are you bringing... All right, so... Well, we're not going to... My option to crane is, I think Leach is probably the best spinner in England.

41:09You've got Jacob... I can as well. You've got Jacob Bethel to ball a bit of orthodox. You've got Joe Root to ball you a bit of orthodox. Let's have a little bit of that, Steve. Maybe that. I want to see a bit more from... I know we're thinking about next week, but for the next few weeks, I want to see a bit more of that leg spin. Yeah, certainly. This is when the chairman of the selector's with a bit of a profile, then says, not publicly, but then if the player may see, like, now is the first time I've heard Crane in an England conversation for ages. Yeah. This hopefully gets a few views. Yeah.

41:37So suddenly the story comes out, then the selector then goes to watch Crane next week. Well, it would be disappointing. And suddenly Crane is put under a little pressure. There you go. And therefore, there's like, this is no disrespect for Luke Wright at all. like I'd never heard of where he went and all that but players play differently and it's interesting to see how they react. Emilia Gay, suddenly now he's in McGinley. Suddenly like, I always used to call it Sky Sports. You know the Sky Sports thing? Like if you weren't an England player, you only ever got mentioned on there when you scored runs.

42:08But when you then became an England player or in the frame, Crawley out for four against Surrey or whoever, Cook out for ten. Suddenly your name is up there when you fail. So it's a really interesting thing how a player learns how to deal with that. So Cray, now, the next two weeks, being out here. Well, you go to the start of the season. Hasid was mentioned. Yes. He's not got a run yet. Dom Sibley. You'll get run. Don't forget. I'm just saying, in that situation, he's been mentioned. Nothing yet. Dom Sibley. Nothing yet. James Cole's down at Sussex. Probably only played two games. Not done anything really yet.

42:42I don't think we can go Dom Sibley, Rory Burns. I don't think we can go back there, though. I know, but I'm saying, to that point of cookies making, I like the fact that you mentioned players early, so you put them under a little bit of a gap. See if they're single-class win. Well, just see what they're like with a bit of profile. Two things.

42:56Phil Tufnell: Sibley and Amid are far better players now than when they played for England. They're far better players. The other thing about Crane is look at his journey. He's a leg spinner. That is the most difficult one. He went to Australia on a journey. He's had a good journey, that lad. He's been here, he's been there. And he's now learning. He's played before. he's learnt now about leg speed. You don't learn until you're bloody... You've got it. And then we've also got another name in for you. We've also got second division. Is he second division on Glamorgan? No, they're first division. No, they're first division.

43:25He got them up there. He got them up there. He got them up there. Yeah, Ollie Robinson, is he in your team? He's roundabout. He's got to say, he has said sorry, hasn't he? For what, though? For doing what? I don't know. It was upsetting Brendan McCollum, didn't it? What did he do? I don't know. He came out and said, oh, my behaviour in India, I've not taken the wickets. whatever it was, he's come out and said sorry and he's apologised for his behaviour. I think he's grown up a little bit. Well, he had to. He was a bit of a wrong-un, wasn't he? Was he? He was a wrong-un. He was a wrong-un. He's grown up.

43:56Was he? He's got a kid on the way, he's got a wife, he's grown up. I think he now has to let his cricket do the talking. He's good enough. We've seen that he's good enough when he played for England, but since he's played, he hasn't been good enough. As soon as he starts taking wickets again, people are going to start talking. How's he gone this year? Yeah, they've won two in two on the Sussex. He's captain as well, isn't he? Yeah.

44:14Phil Tufnell: The issue with him was that he was unfit, I think. You know, coming back in Test Match cricket for his third spell, there was nothing there. I remember him bowling slower than Catherine Siverbrunt because we were all talking about it on air. If he's fit enough and he's got that zip, I'm picking him because I need a tone setter. The other bowler that's looking very handy is a young Sonny Baker. Yeah, five foot the other day. He's an England contracted player. What happened to Josh Hull? Josh Hull's played a bit. He played a game. But Wickett's one of the games, hasn't he? He did play a game. Did he play at the Oval?

44:49Phil Tufnell: You need a squad. You've got a good, strong squad of players, so you've got to pick 11. They must have learned their lesson, going you can't just have everyone bowling 90 mile an hour. No, no, no. They've learned that lesson now, surely. You need a bit of guile, which brings us to Jimmy Anderson, who has been absolute box office. By the way, all right, that's a very good point. I'm glad you brought Jimmy up. Get Jimmy back. How many injuries does it take? So you're the chairman of selectors. You know you've got to win. And by the way, Ben and Baz, we're going to get on to Ben and Baz in a minute about a comment that Stokes made in an interview last week.

45:20You know you've got to win games. How many injuries will it take for suddenly you go to that first test and go, we'd better ring him up? Oh, Jim. Oh, my God. Is he saying yes? Of course he is. Well, I'm just asking. He would say yes, though. It's never going to happen. But how many injuries would it take for you as the chairman of the selectors? Has he retired? No. No, I don't think he has. So I'm just saying, it's your job. Last time I saw him, he was necking the Guinness in the final game. I wouldn't get that past first base. Why? England need to win a game of cricket. Yeah. So how many injuries does it take for Jimmy Anderson to get a call?

46:02It'd take a lot of injuries. Six. More than six. Well, I'm sorry, Sarah, I'd say Joffre Archer comes back from the IPA. He's not injured. So, Joff injured. Brydon's injured. Wood? Let's say Josh Tong picked up in him. Not Carson. Gus is still strict. Matt Fisher. Let's get rid of those six. That's six.

46:20Phil Tufnell: Does Jimmy Anderson play? Well, he's bowling as well as anybody in diff two. They're in diff two, of course. I think we know he's good now. He's leaning the team. It's not going to happen. But the funny thing to me is, at length, well, he's not playing George Balderson, who's about 23, George, with rest and recuperation. Jim's played all the games. And he's been brilliant. Absolutely. Captain of the team. They're a good set. Good set. They're tight. I think that's important. They've got good know-how. Can you watch it on the stream? Oh, don't bring up the stream. It's actually 20 quid. 20 quid.

46:5720 quid. 20 quid. 20 quid. What's the last length? Have you paid it? He's competing with Eddie Hearn.

47:03Phil Tufnell: Is it 20 quid a game? No, 20 quid for the season. I think... 20 quid for the whole season. That's crazy. I think Lancs are the only stream... How many people have bought it? I don't know. You keep asking me. I've known it. I know one day. But if you are... Is it? If you're Lancs... Does that include the one day cup? If you're about the away team? It's good value for money. What about the away team? There's nobody else. There's no other team that you've got to pay. Yeah, that's a good point. Very good point. So, Lanks charge. No-one's listening. So, Lanks are playing Gloucester. Yeah. Well, Gloucester's feed is free, isn't it?

47:39Yes. So, I'll just go on Gloucester's feed. Yes.

47:41Phil Tufnell: So, if he can get it, yeah. Well, you do. He's gone in. Well, tell you what, ECB app also has them on. A stream? If I was Lanks. If I was at Lanks. And I think it's a fantastic vehicle. We've both worked on it. It's a fantastic vehicle. the numbers that they've got previously have been off the scale it goes into India on Geo I think there's enough time to put an advert of the people me and her, us two just sit in front of camera if you like what you're seeing why not be a member make yourself a member of the club get in touch with me and her me and Al you're fine I'd like to remember details please I think there's a great vehicle to get new members from the stream because all the people who have been watching the stream are not members.

48:36Phil Tufnell: Make yourself a member. And it could be another category, a membership, stream membership. Be a member. I worry that the numbers have been so good for so long that now you've got to pay 20 quid. It's going to go... They're going to drop straight back down. Because I'm not going to pay 20 quid. Your phones are going to be busy. No, no, no, not on the phone. Be a member. Be at the club. Can you fill out this survey for me? We can... People trying to get to David Noyden Chin, then. Just to the top of there. At the top of my head. We're going to have a day at the club. We're going to have a day at the club in the point.

49:08Phil Tufnell: Come and meet me and Al. And Kate and Jimmy. I'm doing meat and grease now. Cake. Cake. Oh, Kate Cross. Oh, Kate Cross. I didn't say cake. I didn't say cake. And he's throwing Jimmy in. Jimmy, well, Jimmy can be there to say hello 7 million Indians are going to turn Meet the players Make yourself a member Sign up, give us your money Hold on a minute I've got cake I've got cake Any chance of another coffee Have a coffee You're one of shavonels, aren't they? No, they're not We're doing fine as cricketers We're fine. The governance of the club needs to be sorted. Is that you, Maureen?

50:05Is that you, Maureen? You're going to be... If you want to become a member, push one. If you want cake, push... Kate Cross! That's what you'll have to do. You'll have to make sure you say Kate Cross, whilst people will look for cake. And then if you want to become a gym member... David Lloyd Jim's as well. He's going to be so free. If you want to meet Jim, he's plus five. Stick to Cricket is brought to you by Betfair.

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52:40Let's go. Ben Stokes and Baz McCall. Oh, sorry. Sorry. I don't know if you saw that interview he gave through, was it ECB TV? It was a bit of an odd one that, wasn't it? I don't get why they did it at that time. Felt like a... I don't get it. 95%. Well, yeah, 95%. Well, Ben, they have a slightly different way was the quote. They're going to do it a slightly different way. I'm very confident in mine and Brendan's ability to be able to work together because we've done it for such a long period of time now We agree 95 % of the time on things, but those 5 % things that we might have a different view on.

53:21We talk about it in between each other and then we end up getting to the place where we want to get to. Discuss the quotes. 95 % is quite... Quite high. It's quite high, isn't it? Quite specific. I don't agree. So out of 20 things, they agree on 19. Well, you've got to agree on everything, have you? Yeah. But then was there not a quote saying that they did disagree in the ashes on bits? Well, there was a clear disconnect of the way that they wanted to play. Yeah, so for me that quote is not what we were seeing. I think, I mean, I actually haven't seen the interview, so sometimes I think Ben...

53:57You've been doing your gyms. Gyms or lambing or running, but the... I take all that with a bit of a pinch. Me too. The interview is an interview. I don't know why he's done the interview. I don't know why they released it. He's not fit. He hasn't been fit. He's not playing. He's still got another month to it. So I find the whole time of the interview strange. I think some of the words, again, he did an interview, hasn't got his words out right. I think quite clearly, and we said it, I think we said it on our show, and one of the things that we need to see is these guys reconnecting together. For a year or so, 18 months, they were very aligned, and we definitely saw in Australia they weren't aligned.

54:33Can't have a coach saying we've got to go hard, and then the captain playing a slow head. I just don't understand the communications from the ECB perspective. I think it was last Wednesday morning. Was it sponsored by someone? Is it not to say, right, because there's been a clear disconnect between England and the counties, maybe it's something to bring them back together as well. So do it at the start of the season to inspire people to score runs and take wickets. I don't know. Yeah, I get that, but generally, if you mention anything about a relationship and a rift, well, clearly there's been a rift.

55:03There's been something, hasn't there? If you're talking about it, there's been an issue. But nobody knew about it. But last Wednesday morning... Is that a problem? But what I don't understand is the noise that that interview gave last week to people just to give a bit of oxygen for people to write a few things. I didn't get the timing of the interview. Because he's going to get asked about it at the end of the night. Were they trying to hide something else underneath it? Maybe the wisdom... But it's normal to fall out and dissection. ...dissection of the ashes. It's healthy. It's healthy. Sometimes it's healthy.

55:30It is. It's healthy to all. But Vaughan is right. Vaughan is right when it comes to what is going to be the story leading into that first game, all the media will want to know will be that. Have you recovered? What have you done to do it? Before the ball's been bowled, what's different? They've given a bit of fuel to that fire, haven't they?

55:52Phil Tufnell: I'm intrigued with this. I've got two very established England captains. Who's the main man in a cricket team? Captain. What are we talking about? What about the coach? I said that this week in an interview that I want to see Baz McCollum now coach. I want him to coach the England cricket team. Do you want to see him in the country now as well? Absolutely, he should have been here earlier. He should have been around the game, optics. But I want to see him... Jamie Smith going back to Surrey. He's clearly been technically coached better at Surrey. I know he's playing kite cricket, it's a different standard, but he's working on his technique better at Surrey than I reckon he is with the England team.

56:35So this England management and this coaching group, I want to see them coach. I want to see them improve the England... And the word technique in English cricket, I reckon it's been like a foreign body for a few years. Vibe. How dare you mention technique. Cricket is a very, very technical game. If you don't have a technique, you're not going to survive. And if you've got any kind of technical deficiencies, you need someone, a coach, to go, we just need to work on something here. Again, we don't watch every England training session, but I don't think this England team are coached as well as they can be.

57:03I'm sure they have got good coaches. I'm sure the guys can coach better. But it's almost been like a trend, oh, no, we can't coach. We can't be working in the nets on someone's technique because it's deemed a weakness. Well, we know that because in Pakistan back in 22 or whenever it was, someone's throwing balls at... Ben Foulkes. Ben Foulkes. And he's left the first six. One of the coaches turned around and said, do you think I'm wasting my time for you to leave balls? Play them. And he was like, oh, hang on a minute. I'm getting in. I'm trying to, if it's outside the off stump in a test match, I'm going to leave the ball.

57:34He's like, I ain't wasting my time. Well, this kind of vibe coaching, you know, create the vibe. Well, that's all very well and good. It hasn't worked. No, but it's all well and good. But then you do need a bit of coaching in there as well. Exactly. That's all I want. I want to see them coached a bit better.

57:47Phil Tufnell: I'm just going to check you up on a couple of things. This is the England cricket team, elite. No, there's a head coach. What he's tended to do, Rendon, is strip it back a little bit. I think you definitely need a wicket-keeping coach. Correct. Like any other sport, you have a spin bowling coach who the spin ballers respect and want to work with. You've got a fast bowling coach, you've got a batting coach. You've got specialist coaches underneath who just work with the players. You work with them. The big question is, what are you working on? This is what I'm working on, let's get to work. But you're not doing that two days before a test matchup?

58:25No, no, no.

58:25Phil Tufnell: So this is when the... Are you not topping up? So you two are opening batters, number three, whatever. You turn up and you've got a batting coach who you respect. It might be Gucci, it might be somebody else. You would say, right, I want to work on this. You would instigate that, surely. Absolutely, but the work now, Jamie Smith's doing, I'm pretty sure it's a bit connected as well. Some Trez will be talking to Stewie and they're all working. Because you don't turn up the test match and then Brendan McCollum takes over and starts looking at Harry Brook's technique and go, we need to work on this two days before a test match.

59:01It's all been done. What I want to see is McCullum, you hope he's now, he's really getting into the details of people, of players, techniques now, because what an opportunity it is. And obviously Javis Spistone... Would you have liked to have seen him here earlier? Absolutely. On the fact that Brendan McCullum turning up against Northampton versus Gloucester to look at a player has great gravitas, puts players under pressure.

59:25Phil Tufnell: You've got to be a good listener as a coach. He's got 10 ,000 flipping runs and he's selected for this next test match and I'm the batting coach. Cookie, I need a word with you. I think you're playing shit. Well, that's no good for him. He's got to say, this is what I'm working on. Coach, come on, let's do it. Did you do a lot of coaching when you were coach? No. But I had people like Bob Cotton. Well, there you go. You were like the viber. You were the... The glue to... Do you know what bad is doing? You still had an eye for coaching. You've still got to have an eye. Even though you're the lead coach.

1:00:01Right.

1:00:02Phil Tufnell: North Central Contracts, which is a big... So strengths and weaknesses of the opposition. Videos that this is how Tendulkar's going to play. This is an area that we might get him out. This is you playing brilliantly. They all had their own videos and so on. And then to support the capital... Do you have to put the tape in? To support... Yeah, put them in. Black and white, reel it up. Support the captain. I played in that. Organise chess. Organise all the prep, all the fielding skills and drills. Organise the nets. Never tell him, never tell him this is what you're doing. Ask him what do you want to do.

1:00:37Phil Tufnell: I want to bowl for 45 minutes. OK, you do that. Make sure you do some catching after. Simple. Did you miss the catching? Yeah. You and me, Bob. No, no. I got it. One day, we were over in, I can't remember, we were in West Indies somewhere. And he's doing his 45 minutes in the net. And he bowls an absolute flipping lollipop like this bloke goes, boom. He hits it out the nets and into some building. I watched him. He goes into his little bag there and gets his fags and his lighter. And I went, well, I'll go around. And he's sat there behind me. He's playing like this, just having a fag. Looking for me, Paul.

1:01:17Phil Tufnell: Looking for me, Paul. Are you all right, coach? I'll tell you the perfect example. So, Zach Kruller, have you watched him? And Zach's, in my eyes now... Front foot. Front foot. He has no energy in his legs. No pre-release. No. He's just dead static. Up tall, dead static. He's got no... You know, you talk about... Dance. Bounce. Go on, Phil. Get your back. Best players. I think I might have done this. Do Zach. Zach's dead upright and dead still. Yeah, and he's getting done here, isn't he? That's it. He's getting done all through there. Best players that I've ever bowled at were always... And I think what you just said, energy in your legs.

1:01:52they were all they were like they were bouncing you know got to keep your head still but you know they bounced you they bounced you they were like looking at you they weren't just sort of like and bowled to death you've got to dance

1:02:05Phil Tufnell: you've got to dance you're the man you're the dancing man he's the perfect example give us a samba again where does a samba go sambas were tricky yeah go on give us that samba again he samba'd me around a lobby in in Yorkshire That's a Botafogo. What's that one where you... That's a New Yorker. What about that one where you have to kick... You're kicking your leg up. Oh, yeah, they were like that one. That was on the tour. We did that on the tour.

1:02:37Right, let's get Charlie. Charlie, come back in. Charlie, let's get on to a bit of IPL. Come on, Charlie, give us the news. I've got this stumping. Remember... Oh, yeah. With Jarrell. Yeah, Jarrell. Oh, look at... Oh, that's Cameron Green dancing down. Look at that. He's taking it down the leg side. Oh, brilliant. Jack would be proud of that. When you're out of Nick, stuff like that happens, doesn't it? Yeah, that's a great bit of work. Who's that, Jamie Smith behind the storm? You don't know how to... Look at that. That's magnificent. Brilliant. Come on, Charlie, what's happening in the IPA? Hey, there's Jules.

1:03:11Go on, write you on here, look. Yeah. Who's top of the league? Top of the league is Punjab Kings. Did anyone else say? Anyone else say? Who? Anyone else say? I said Punjab. Punjab Kings What was our prediction? Now favourites Now favourites Who plays for them? With Betfair It's Ricky Pontius' team There you go Who did you say? Let's go back to the Mumbai Indians You said Mumbai Yeah they're back now They won yesterday I think I said CSK CSK Dad's army Dad's army But they're not bottom They're second to bottom Who's bottom? KKR are bottom KKR But they're on the board Can I just bring you some odds from Betfair KKR were 9-1 They're now 175 to 1 I think you said KKR.

1:03:50No, I said same as him. CSKR. No, you didn't. You said KKR.

1:03:53Phil Tufnell: Did I? Yeah. Why are the Kings top? I said same as him. Why are they doing it? So, Punjab Kings, playing very well. As a team. Exactly. As I say, no sort of standout. No massive superstars. Just a lot of good local players. Who's the coach? Punjab Kings. Ricky Ponting. Oh, Ricky. Yeah, of course. They're very good. I think Mumbai Indians are on the way back up. Tilak Varma got a 45-ball 100. Looks seriously good. They've got problems. I mean, if you look at Mumbai, they've got... Who's their coach? Well, they've got Ardic Pandja. Jawa Nair. Ardic Pandja's captain of the Mumbai Indians. Yeah. Played in the World Cup winning team.

1:04:29You've got Rohit Sharma, who's playing. He's a World Cup winning T20 captain for India. Shurikumar Yadav, who's just won the World Cup for India. Mitchell Santner, who's a New Zealand captain. There's a few chefs in that kitchen, isn't there? And now you've got Ardic. You've got Jasper Bumru, who would like to be the captain. Yeah. Then you've got Rajasthan Royals as well, who are a strong top order. Jurel with that unbelievable stumping. And then above them, you've got Suri Avanchi and Jai as well. Well, Suri Avanchi, 246 runs, average of 41, striking at 236. The young 15-year-old. Bonkers. 15.

1:05:07Shouldn't he be at school? I think he's left school. He's doing all right, I think. I think he's left school. I don't think he's at school, Dave. I think he's going to go on that T20 trip to Ireland. He's doing chemistry now. I'd have him in the squad for the England series in the summer. Why not? I absolutely would. If he was 20, he'd be in the team. But because he's 15, you've got to be careful. His first ball, Jas Bitbomber running, he just flicked him straight into the stands for six. I think he's almost like these young kids that grow up now. they've got like this lovely arrogance and they don't really feel pressure and they're just like yeah alright then I'll just go and play the game and I love it when he comes in and he's just like yeah alright Joffre Rocher bang see you later alright why would you not pick him well the new T20 opener is him you know even Giles who's been playing great at the other end he's at times made him look just okay yeah yeah and he's outstanding

1:06:10Phil Tufnell: who's England's gun under-19 player? Thomas Rue. Thomas Rue and Ben Mays. Thomas Rue and Ben Mays. Ben's playing for Hampshire, he's doing okay. He's having a couple of 20s. With Thomas Rue. Thomas Rue's doing his, he is at school, he's doing his exams. Yeah. He's doing his A-levels and then I'm pretty sure straight. He found out about the 100 auction while he was at school, didn't he? Doing chemistry, yeah. I still remember, I still remember Wayne Rooney. 16. Playing for him over David Seaman at the Arsenal and everyone going, should he be playing 16 years old? And then you just go, I was watching it on the telly.

1:06:46I'm a big... Sachin Tendulkar played against him, 92. 16, scored 190-odd or something. Really? Yeah. I'm a believer in that if you're old enough, you're good enough. Absolutely. The other way around. I know what you mean. Charlie, anything else from the IPL? Anything else you want to report in? I just think Mumbai Indians. You did mention that they're maybe not an unbelievable group of players together, but all the individuals, I just see them. I reckon they're going to skyrocket. They've done it before, Charlie. I know, but I think top four, I reckon Mumbai News could just scrape through. You mentioned RCB, didn't you?

1:07:19They're playing well. I guarantee my news. They're second, yeah. They're eight points. I like RCB, they're mighty. They're quality. Andy Flowers coach as well. There you go. Yeah, he'll get them winning. Keep an eye on Delhi Capitals as well. You just named everyone. You just named everyone. Is there anyone you haven't at KKR there? Delhi Capitals, six points after five games. Won three, lost two. Yeah, Mumbai will come up the rails. Sunrise has won the other day. So, right, it's all right. You said CSK were going to win it. Same as him. Right, but do you think Nick can still win it? No. All right, who's winning it?

1:07:48I'm going to go Mumbai still. I'm sticking to mine, original. Flower, double. Yeah, RCB. Oh, I'm an RCB fan. RCB, yeah. I'm going for the...

1:07:56Phil Tufnell: RCB. Sunrisers. RCB. You're going for the orange army. I'm going for the orange army. I like it. Are you sure? Who are you going for? RCB. RCB, all right, there you go. Charlie, thank you for that. Stick to Cricket is brought to you by Betfair. We've got a new segment on the show, Betfair, back your section. It says Michael will open an envelope, which I have done. Well done. Back your opinions at Betfair, but let's debate them here first. Let's see what we have in store this week. This one comes courtesy of Archie Henderson. Whoever Archie Henderson is. The best English XI from the county championship in 2025.

1:08:41would have beaten the England Ashes squad in a test match. Can you say that again? Right, so the best... Coming on the board. So think about... Here we go. There'll be a load of names on this board. Nice one, Eric. And we've got to pick a team. So there's the Ashes 11 on the right. Oh, OK. This is counting 11 on the left. And who wins? We can change players. We can think of some other players as well. I think Cox has to be in that counting 11. Yeah, yeah. Cox, he can come in. Cox in a... Three. No. four or four or five four or five or James Coles or four and Zeb had a great time at both times brilliant last year good 11 that you'd have him at the top wouldn't you who you'd think that's it Sonny Baker in the squad I mean I know he probably didn't do it last year he started well this year but this is from last year look I'm not having that team on the left beating that team on the left you've got Potts in there

1:09:37Phil Tufnell: he played in the Ashes yeah but it's the 11 isn't it It was Wisden's original and then the producer tweets very slightly. Just tweaked it. Just a little bit of the start of the season. Who wrote that? Whose handwriting is that? I'm not going to call it out for it, actually. Well, it's not mine. Because of G. Who's picked? The county or ever. So it was mainly Wisden. And then we've added in a couple of sort of mavericks that we thought could. Including the season. So Jimmy wasn't in the Wisden level, I don't believe. He's a skipper. I don't think Potts was either like you said, folks wasn't in.

1:10:12It was John Simpson, but we brought folks in. We could add Mason Crane into that squad as well. He can be 12. Yeah. We need 14, anyway. Sure. Well, listen, anyway, we get the idea, don't we? So is that 11? Yeah, no. No, it's not. It can't? No. Otherwise, that would have been your Ashes squad. No. Well, you could argue they didn't quite get their Ashes team. If you go through it, play of a player, who would you, if you go through it like this or that style? What, now? Yeah, who would you, would you swap any of them out? Would you change them now? Yeah.

1:10:46Phil Tufnell: James Coles or Joe Root, let me think. Saeed or Brooke? Yeah, well, I'm not sure about that. Stokes or Brooke. Zabe played well last year, really well. He's not quite Harry Brickner, is he? No, no. Not yet. No, he's a good player. Are we going to get to a stage when we're going to be playing four wicket keepers again? We're going to play folks. Roo. Roo. Roo. Smith. And the other Roo. And the other Roo. We can't have that six keepers in there again. No, he's not winning. The Oaks and Smith, but Smith is some player. Yeah, he's a player. He's a player. Who would have learnt a lot from the class.

1:11:22You can't have Matt Potts playing in both teams. He played in the Ashes. Yeah, but it's just the 11, Dave. Come on. Yeah, but he only played the back end, didn't he? Yeah. Anyway, we discussed it. No, County 11 is getting hammered. Fair enough. I'm going to actually say out of five games, I'm going five zip. Whitewash. Yeah, whitewash. There's always a bit of rain at Manchester. 4-1. What, they're going to lose a game? It doesn't rain as much at Manchester as it does in Bristol. All Sydney. They could roll for us. Yeah. 4-1. What's saying that if it's ragging? Well, if it's ragging. Yeah, they're out under the toss.

1:12:00Oh, well, yeah. I'm telling you. They've got a decent bowling attack. Craig Overton's not going to want to play. He's retired from Test Match, honey. Who? Or is that Jamie? No, it's Jamie. You're right. If they get the right end of the toss, County 11 could get... Just hit a tonne as well, Everton. Yeah. Yeah. I think it's 4-0. I think it's 4-0. Can we not put it into that... AI. Yeah, all that machine which plays the games millions of times and gives us the results. Come on, dude. Have you got that machine? I haven't got it. Does the mirror do that? You're advertising for it. Another. Thanks for that, Harry.

1:12:38Thanks for that, mate. Thank you. Thanks, but it's been dismissed. Right, come on. We'll finish with a few community questions. Yeah, come on. Is there one from Robin Kent again? Here we are, Robin Kent. Now that Alistair's ruled himself out as the England selector's job, who's it going to be? Jeez. I want someone with a bit of experience. We need your sauce from... Your sauce for you. A bit of poor sauce, aren't they?

1:13:06Phil Tufnell: Yeah, very good. I think there was one intriguing when Rabi Bapara suddenly retired. Oh, no, he's got a job though now, hasn't he? Nick Knight will be mentioned. Nick Knight maybe. Of course, Stitch. Steve James. Steve James. Steve James is a good man. Good man. Good man. Could be good. Strong. Yeah. Strong character.

1:13:28I'm firing blanks when it comes to picking names, yeah. See? Well, we haven't gone, I'm sorry. Sorry, Rob, we can't help you with that. What would you advise for a training exercise to get the bigger hits in and get those sixes? That's from Jasper, age 13, from Hollingworth. I mean, the mirror will tell you everything. I can't keep... Mirror, mirror on the wall. Yeah, but... How many sixes? Of the wall. Who hits it the furthest of all? I've got a good one. I've got a good one. No, no, no, no. I don't think it is that. All in the hips. Right, Jasper. Here you go, Jasper. Here we go. You get like a big...

1:14:10Goaxing. You know, like a weight that you put on a bar, and it's that one. Like that. Like that. Back to the middle. Like that. That looks really explosive. Cool. Well, no, no, no. We do a few of them. How's that going to help you? You get sixes. I think you need to be a bit more... I agree with the exercise. A bit more explosive. Yeah, perhaps a bit more explosive. A bit younger. Get an axe, tendu, chopping wood, that kind of stuff. Chopping wood? The mirror will tell you everything. What did Phil Mickelson do to hit the driver further? It was all this stuff, wasn't he? Hitting things in with his tummy.

1:14:45That's Bryson, isn't it? Bryson DeChambeau. There you go. Not just the guns, mate. Yeah. Here you are.

1:14:50Phil Tufnell: Here you are. If you have a cat... How old is he? 13? 13, Jasper. So if you had a catapult, you're having a catapult, there you are, you pull it, and if you just do that, it'll just drop on the floor. You've got to go. Pain. Recoil. All right, so you need to. So you've got levers. You've got to get it up there. Where does that come from? Yeah. So it's a lever, core. Core. Timing. Timing. Power. Al, one for you here. And a big arse to bolt fast. Al, I'm India, aged 11, and the first female captain my club has had. Congratulations. I'm going into the second season of being the under-11s captain.

1:15:31What's the best advice you could give me as a captain to make the team progress? Oh, I mean, I've got two brilliant captains here as well. I think women and girls is different. I think everybody at that age wants to be included and wants to be involved. And I think a lot of young girls come out of the game because they're not enjoying it, or you turn up and you run fine leg to fine leg, you don't bat or you don't bowl. And I'm not saying if you're not good enough, you should be lobbing four overs down. But I think as a girl, and I think as a boy actually at that age, you just want to play because it's fun.

1:16:09And I think keep it fun is a really good thing for kids. Like, you start playing cricket because you enjoy it. And if it's too strict and it's too, like, everybody must do well and it's all about winning, yes, you want to win games, obviously, but I would keep it fun. I would keep it joyful. I would let everybody have a go, keep everybody involved.

1:16:27Phil Tufnell: Involved. Yeah, because if you're that kid that doesn't really play, my brother was that kid, you just stop. You just don't... You just got to do something else. So I think as a young kid, my advice is to play every single sport that you possibly can, but to keep everybody involved and have fun. There you go, India. Here's one for you, Al. Will England win the T20 World Cup this summer? It's the women's team. No. Oh, no. No chance? No, they have got a chance. No, they have got a chance. Am I right? They've got a brilliant group. Have England's women's sports team won every major trophy that has been played on home turf?

1:17:05So the Lionesses have pretty much won everything. The women's cricket team have won everything. The rugby. Definitely. So they're under a bit of gas, aren't they? And a bit of pressure. Yeah, they have got a lot of pressure on them. They've definitely got a chance. The group that they're in, they should get to the semifinals. but we all know what T20 cricket is like. Someone can have a day out for India, although India have just lost to South Africa in a series, which is quite a big deal. South Africa aren't as good as India or shouldn't be. Have the others slightly caught up with us a little bit?

1:17:41Like the South Africans? Yes, yeah. Without a standard. Absolutely. England, for me, since 2017, have been disappointing. I think they should have won more. I think they should have brought another World Cup home. They've got massive pressure on them. this summer to win that World Cup. The last time it was on home soil, we won. And they haven't been quite as good as what we thought England's potential would be since then.

1:18:06Phil Tufnell: Are they fit enough? Yeah, now they are. You made the comment and got lambasted for it. You've been seeing the kind of improvement of that. Happy with it? Charlotte Edwards came in and the girls have been in the pits of misery. They've done so much fitness. They would play a game and then go and run on the running track afterwards. so they've done a lot of work on it and their fielding and I think they've improved so much on that. Time will tell. I've not seen them together as a group, obviously, since last... whenever it was. I think mobility in T20 is so important. Charlotte Edwards came out and said they're fielding really well and I trust her.

1:18:42I trust what she says, I think. She's the right person for that role, isn't she? Yeah, absolutely. That's it, team. Well done. Thanks for coming on, Al. Cheers, Al. Cheers, Al.

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