Sri Lanka’s unique and incredible cricket history – interview with author Nicholas Brookes

Sri Lanka’s unique and incredible cricket history – interview with author Nicholas BrookesSri Lanka’s unique and incredible cricket history – interview with author Nicholas Brookes

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In the latest episode we talk to author and journalist Nicholas Brookes about his recent book An Island’s XI: The Story of Sri Lankan Cricket. We talk about Nicholas’ journey in learning about different aspects of Sri Lankan cricket and touch upon some of the key themes in the book


‘Cricket in England is held back by its own mythology’ – interview with author Duncan Stone

‘Cricket in England is held back by its own mythology’ – interview with author Duncan Stone‘Cricket in England is held back by its own mythology’ – interview with author Duncan Stone

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In the latest episode we talk to historian and author Duncan Stone about his recent book ‘Different Class: The Untold Story of English Cricket’. The conversation delves into the nebulous ‘Spirit of the Game’ and how it is emblematic of the fetishization of English cricket – which has turned a


Talking fandom: love, loyalty, and a sense of belonging

Talking fandom: love, loyalty, and a sense of belongingTalking fandom: love, loyalty, and a sense of belonging

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In the latest episode we discuss ideas of loyalty and fandom – with respect to both teams and individual athletes – and dissect various strands of ‘belonging’ to an imagined community. Buy Cricket Beyond the Bazaar (recently republished by 81allout) India (hardback) | India (paperback, e-copy) Australia (hardback, paperback, e-copy)


Hitting v Batting: the choice that dictates the shape of a T20 contest

Hitting v Batting: the choice that dictates the shape of a T20 contestHitting v Batting: the choice that dictates the shape of a T20 contest

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In the latest episode of the podcast we discuss a fundamental question that underpins a T20 contest: does batting have a place in T20? Are elite batters like Virat Kohli, Babar Azam and Steve Smith good fits in the T20 format – and what metrics tell us how good a


‘As a captain, you don’t delegate decisions that affect winning or losing’: Ian Chappell

‘As a captain, you don’t delegate decisions that affect winning or losing’: Ian Chappell‘As a captain, you don’t delegate decisions that affect winning or losing’: Ian Chappell

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We speak to the legendary Australian captain Ian Chappell on a book he published in 1992 – Chappelli: The Cutting Edge. Chappell offers his thoughts on captaincy, coaching, cricket administration and the muddled approach of those running the game today. Having followed the game for over seven decades – and


A lifetime in cricket writing – Mike Coward interview

A lifetime in cricket writing – Mike Coward interviewA lifetime in cricket writing – Mike Coward interview

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We speak to the veteran journalist and author Mike Coward, who has watched and covered cricket over six decades. Coward rewinds the clock to various points in his illustrious career and talks about the importance of journalists and players trusting each other. He also opens up on his experience of


Sport, history, race: the complexity of cricket in South Africa

Sport, history, race: the complexity of cricket in South AfricaSport, history, race: the complexity of cricket in South Africa

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In this episode, we chat with two journalists from South Africa – Firdose Moonda and Telford Vice. We explore South Africa’s win against India as well as the political issues that have loomed over the recent series. Note: Readers in India can now buy Mike Marqusee’s classic cricket book War


India ride on an awesome foursome: England v India, Lord’s Test review

India ride on an awesome foursome: England v India, Lord’s Test reviewIndia ride on an awesome foursome: England v India, Lord’s Test review

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We review the second Test of the England v India series – with the focus on the dramatic final day. Talking Points The remarkable turnaround on the final day of the Lord’s Test How narratives around player behavior are often a TV creation Enhanced TV coverage offering us a perfect


The art of Bedi: Suresh Menon on the bowler, the man, and the biography

The art of Bedi: Suresh Menon on the bowler, the man, and the biographyThe art of Bedi: Suresh Menon on the bowler, the man, and the biography

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In this episode, we chat with the veteran cricket writer Suresh Menon on one of India’s greatest cricketers – Bishan Bedi Suresh talks about his early impressions of Bedi and the spin quartet, and explores his relationship with Bedi as a fan, a cricket writer, a biographer and a friend.


‘He made you believe the impossible’: Gideon Haigh on Shane Warne

‘He made you believe the impossible’: Gideon Haigh on Shane Warne‘He made you believe the impossible’: Gideon Haigh on Shane Warne

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We celebrate the 100th episode of the 81allout podcast with an illuminating conversation with Gideon Haigh – the gold standard when it comes to cricket writing. We could have spoken to Gideon about anything – cricket or otherwise – but we chose to focus on his brilliant book On Warne – a