
Test Match Special
BBC
Podcast insight, analysis and reaction from the Test Match Special team, including interviews with top players.
Location:
United Kingdom
Genres:
Sports & Recreation Podcasts
Networks:
BBC
Description:
Podcast insight, analysis and reaction from the Test Match Special team, including interviews with top players.
Language:
English
Episodes
No Balls: Crossy's World Cup squad reaction
8/22/2025
Alex Hartley & Kate Cross discuss Crossy's omission from England's World Cup squad for the tournament in India & Sri Lanka next month. Crossy talks about the tough call from head coach Charlotte Edwards, as well as how she's coming to terms with the decision and how she's processed it whilst being in the middle of The Hundred with the Northern Superchargers.
Duration:00:28:07
Introducing... Sonny Baker
8/20/2025
Manchester Originals and Hampshire fast bowler Sonny Baker is set for an England debut after being called up for the squads to face South Africa and Ireland in September by head coach Brendon McCullum. In an exclusive interview with the BBC, Baker discusses learning from Sir Jimmy Anderson at the Originals, his notebook full of analysis of batters he has bowled at, being a “fast-bowling nerd”, and why he’s such a big fan of bone broth.
Duration:00:35:25
Jos Buttler on white-ball captaincy, his Test career and The Hundred
8/19/2025
Steven Finn speaks to former England white-ball captain Jos Buttler, who reflects on his time in charge of the national side.
Buttler discusses the highs of winning the T20 World Cup in 2022, as well as the lows of the ODI World Cup 12 months later, and his departure after this year's Champions Trophy.
Buttler also talks about feeling "unfulfilled" in his Test career, and his hopes for the rest of his cricketing career.
Duration:00:32:39
Bethell captains & Baker eyes England debut
8/17/2025
Henry Moeran is alongside Ashes winning bowler Steven Finn and former England batter Michael Carberry to discuss the decision to make 22-year-old Jacob Bethell captain for England's T20 series in Ireland in September. Bethell gives his reaction to receiving the call from Brendon McCullum. Plus, Sonny Baker speaks to the BBC's Matt Henry about getting his first England T20 call-up for both series against South Africa and Ireland. Steven Finn tells Henry what it's like entering the side as a young fast bowler.
Duration:00:31:26
No Balls: Ellyse Perry enters the chat
8/15/2025
Alex Hartley & Kate Cross are joined by legendary Australia allrounder Ellyse Perry. She discusses getting up-to-speed as captain of Birmingham Phoenix in The Hundred, as well as her journey into cricket - which included the decision to stop playing football for Australia’s women's team. Plus, did she get sent a bill for breaking a car window during a WPL game?
Duration:00:45:26
View from the Boundary: Rory Kinnear
8/14/2025
Actor Rory Kinnear joins Jonathan Agnew to give his View from the Boundary at The Oval. They discuss how living close to The Oval has fuelled Rory's love of cricket, why Robin Smith was his favourite cricketer growing up, and the parallels between acting and cricket.
Duration:00:35:31
First week of The Hundred, Chris Woakes and Ashes Preparation
8/11/2025
Mark Chapman, Sir Alastair Cook and Southern Brave’s Tymal Mills react to a blistering opening week of The Hundred. Grace Harris and London’s Spirit’s strong start and some of the top performers in the men's competition. We also hear from Chris Woakes following his shoulder injury and one-armed batting stand against India, discuss men's Ashes preparation and England's potential bowling attack.
Duration:00:53:48
Who makes your Ashes XI?
8/11/2025
Jonathan Agnew is alongside former England captains Michael Vaughan and Sir Alastair Cook, and Test Match Special statistician Andy Zaltzman to discuss who plays for England in the first Ashes Test down under in Perth. Does the top seven pick itself, which bowlers are picked, and which players currently not in England squad could make a late charge for selection?
Duration:00:19:33
No Balls: Headingley, happiness on-field & a Hartley head injury
8/9/2025
Kate Cross & Alex Hartley convene in a hotel room the morning after Kate’s winning start in The Hundred with the Northern Superchargers. Should there be substitutes in cricket, what would Alex call a pub if she opened one, and what loud bang what Crossy up in the middle of the night?
How to get in touch: Email - noballspodcast@bbc.co.uk Text - 81111 WhatsApp - 0330 123 1826 Start your message with 'NOBALLS'
Duration:00:25:28
Richard Thompson on Test matches, the Hundred and the Olympics
8/7/2025
Jonathan Agnew speaks to the ECB chair Richard Thompson in a wide-ranging interview at The Oval.
They look at the future of Test cricket, what the investment in The Hundred franchises could mean for the sport in the UK, and how cricket will look at the next Olympics.
Duration:00:35:21
Introducing... Hansie Cronje: Fall From Grace
8/6/2025
TMS listeners, we'd like to introduce you to the new series of Sport’s Strangest Crimes called 'Hansie Cronje: Fall From Grace.'
As big Cricket fans, we want to give you the chance to listen to Episode 1 right here, right now and if you like it, search 'Sport’s Strangest Crimes' on BBC Sounds where you can listen to the rest of the series.
In the mid-90s, Hansie Cronje was South Africa’s golden boy, the God-fearing captain backed by Nelson Mandela and worshipped by a nation. More than just a cricketer, he was a symbol of hope. But were the cracks there all along?
In the first episode of Sport’s Strangest Crimes - Hansie Cronje: Fall From Grace, former England cricketer, Mark Butcher revisits the rise of a man who seemed too good to be true and maybe was. Teammates, journalists and friends paint a picture of a leader everyone trusted… until they didn’t. Because before you fall from grace, you’ve got to be on a pedestal.
Duration:00:26:59
England v India: What comes next?
8/5/2025
Henry Moeran, Jonathan Agnew, Steven Finn and Deep Dasgupta analyse England and India’s thrilling series, which ended in a 2-2 draw after a tense climax at The Oval. Do the panel think it was the best Test series since the 2005 Ashes? And should England have won the deciding Test? They also discussion Chris Woakes’ extraordinary one-armed effort, coming out to bat at the end of England’s second innings. We also hear from Ben Stokes, Brendon McCullum, Shubman Gill and Harry Brook on the series. And with the Ashes next up, there’s a look at the shape England are in ahead of the series this Winter against Australia.
Duration:00:53:22
No Balls: The Hundred, The Oval Test, and Oasis
8/5/2025
Alex Hartley and Kate Cross look ahead to The Hundred starting, with Crossy entering her third year at Northern Superchargers. They react to the dramatic finale to England’s Test series against India at The Oval and Chris Woakes putting his body on the line for his side. Plus, Alex & Crossy go to see Oasis!
Duration:00:35:15
England v India: India triumph in classic at The Oval
8/4/2025
Jonathan Agnew presents reaction from India’s thrilling final day victory over England, as a pulsating series finishes in a 2-2 draw.
He’s joined by Michael Vaughan, Sir Alastair Cook, and Deep Dasgupta to look back on where India won the Test, and where this series leaves each side.
We hear from captains Ben Stokes and Shubman Gill, as well as Mohammed Siraj and Harry Brook.
England’s next Test series will be the Ashes, and Australian opener David Warner gives his views on the series.
Duration:00:42:09
England v India: Late Indian wickets set up thrilling finale
8/3/2025
On an action-packed day at the Oval, Jonathan Agnew, Michael Vaughan, Sir Alastair Cook and Deep Dasgupta review the penultimate day’s events.
We hear from Joe Root after centuries from him and Harry Brook helped bring England to within 35 runs of another unlikely victory.
But late Indian wickets mean they need a maximum of four more to win – could we see Chris Woakes bat despite injuring his left shoulder?
And the journalist panel of Stephan Shemilt, Will MacPherson and Nagraj Gollapudi review the series as whole.
Duration:00:47:27
England v India: Late Crawley wicket gives India advantage
8/2/2025
Jonathan Agnew presents a look back at Day Three at the Oval, as Yashasvi Jaiswal’s century and the late wicket of Zak Crawley put India in a strong position to win the final Test.
Michael Vaughan, Sir Alastair Cook and Deep Dasgupta assess the state of the game, and we hear from Jaiswal, as well as England’s Josh Tongue.
There’s also a discussion on whether Harry Brook is a better option as stand-in captain than Ollie Pope.
And we’re joined by actress Nina Wadia and chef, restauranteur and campaigner Asma Khan, who share their love of cricket.
Duration:00:40:51
England v India: Visitors fight back on action-packed day
8/1/2025
Jonathan Agnew presents reaction to a day where 15 wickets fell, leaving the final Test between England and India finely poised at The Oval.
Michael Vaughan, Sir Alastair Cook and Deep Dasgupta analyse an, at times, heated second day with yet more needle between the sides.
Prasidh Krishna tells us why he tried to disrupt Joe Root in a heated exchange, and we also hear from England's batting coach Marcus Trescothick.
And on a Day for Thorpey, friends and family of the late Graham Thorpe celebrate the former England batter's life.
Duration:00:37:46
A day for Thorpey
8/1/2025
Test Match Special reflects the tributes to Graham Thorpe at The Oval on Day Two of the final Test, on what would have been his 56th birthday. We hear from his former teammate Alec Stewart, Graham's wife Amanda and the chief executive of MIND, Sarah Hughes. If you are affected by the issues discussed in this podcast, please go to the BBC Action line.
Duration:00:38:05
England v India: Woakes' injury and rain delays hamper England
7/31/2025
Jonathan Agnew, Michael Vaughan and Deep Dasgupta reflect on a rain-interrupted first day at the Oval, with India closing on 204-6.
They assess the impact Chris Woakes’ injury could have on the rest of the Test, after he damaged his shoulder diving to prevent a boundary.
We also hear from Gus Atkinson, who took two wickets on his return to the side.
And journalist Simon Wilde gives us the story of Gilbert Jessop, who still holds the record for the fastest Test century for England.
Duration:00:37:11
England v India: Stokes misses series finale
7/30/2025
With the news England captain Ben Stokes will miss the series deciding Test against India at the Oval, Henry Moeran is joined by chief cricket commentator Jonathan Agnew and former India wicketkeeper Deep Dasgupta to look at the impact Stokes’ absence could have.
We hear from Stokes, who explains the injury and his team selection, with Jacob Bethell returning to the Test side and multiple changes to the bowling unit.
And after the row between Gautam Gambhir and The Oval groundsman Lee Fortis, the panel look at the latest round of needle in this series.
Duration:00:42:59