Stumped

Eleanor Oldroyd, Jim Maxwell and Charu Sharma discuss Pakistan's disappointing opening performance in the Champions Trophy and how that could impact their match on Sunday against India.Australia’s Alana King is often hailed for her spin bowling, but what about her exploits with the bat? We are joined by one of her club coaches Carl Sandri. Like King, Sandri also has roots in baseball, so he tells us how he has used their shared interest to improve her batting. He also tells us about his cricketing journey from playing cricket for Italy to coaching Papua New Guinea.We hear from India’s greatest ever female batter Mithali Raj after she was awarded the lifetime achievement award at the BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year awards. She tells us about her journey into cricket and the challenges she has faced.And we hear from South Africa men’s captain Temba Bavuma who shares his experience of being the first black African player to be appointed as permanent captain of the Proteas.Photo: Alana King of Australia reacts during day one of the Women's Ashes Test Match between Australia and England at Melbourne Cricket Ground on January 30, 2025 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)

Ahead of the third season of the Women's Premier League, Alison Mitchell, Jim Maxwell, and Charu Sharma hear from former England captain Charlotte Edwards and former India fast bowler Jhulan Goswami on what it’s like working together as coaches at Mumbai Indians after being great rivals in their playing days. Edwards, currently head coach at MI, also says she wants to ‘help’ English cricket and has urged the ECB to ‘get in touch’. It comes as the organisation conducts a review into the Ashes defeat to Australia. Following the recent success of India’s U19 side at youth level, Jhulan gives her opinion on whether she thinks that victory in Malaysia can help lead the senior team to victory at the Women’s World Cup in Autumn. Image: Jhulan Goswami and Charlotte Edwards laughing whilst talking to each other on the field. (Credit: Mumbai Indians)

Alison Mitchell, Clint Wheeldon and Charu Sharma are joined by the captain of the Afghanistan women’s XI who played an exhibition match last week in Melbourne. Nahida Sapan tells us about the day itself, whether the team have felt supported and tells us her thoughts on whether she would support a boycott of Afghanistan men's matches.In a recent statement the ICC said "The ICC remains closely engaged with the situation in Afghanistan and continues to collaborate with our members,".. The governing body added it was their intention to "support the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) in fostering cricket development and ensuring playing opportunities for both men and women in Afghanistan". An ICC working group, set up after the Taliban takeover in 2021, has met with representatives of the Afghanistan government and is keen to use its position and the sport of cricket to influence change in the country.Plus, Clint Wheeldon tells us how the Aussie triumph in the Women’s Ashes has been received in Australia and about the influence of spinner Alana King. We also hear from the Managing Director of England Women's Cricket Clare Connor on what she believes went wrong.And we ask if India coach Gautam Gambhir is beating England coach Brendon McCullum at his own game after their risky approach in the white ball series.Photo: Nahida Sapan, captain of Afghanistan Women's XI, leads out her teammates before the cricket match between Afghanistan Women's XI and Cricket Without Borders XI at Junction Oval in Melbourne on January 30, 2025. (Photo by MARTIN KEEP/AFP via Getty Images)

Alison Mitchell, Clint Wheeldon and Charu Sharma discuss what is next for the International Cricket Council after Geoff Allardice resigned as Chief Executive. He leaves after four years in the role in order to 'pursue other challenges'. Allardice was appointed as Chief Executive in 2021 of the ICC and during his tenure has been involved in major developments including bringing the Men's T20 World Cup to the USA and the creation of the World Test Championship. The decision comes less than two months after India's Jay Shah became Chair and with the Champions Trophy due to get underway next month. The Stumped team discuss his legacy and who may be appointed in the role.Hobart Hurricanes have won their first Big Bash title largely thanks to lifelong Hurricanes fan Mitchell Owen who scored 108 in the final. Clint Wheeldon tells us more about the hometown hero and what this could mean for his cricketing career.Plus history has been made at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, with a Women's Test Match taking place there for the first time since 1949. The Test celebrates the 90th anniversary of Women's Test Cricket. We are joined by David Studham who is the librarian at the Melbourne Cricket Ground to tell us about their collection.Photo: Geoff Allardice, former cricketer and ICC chief during day five of the ICC World Test Championship Final between Australia and India at The Oval on June 11, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images)

Alison Mitchell, Jim Maxwell and Charu Sharma ask where it all went wrong for England after they lost the Women's Ashes. We ask if changes need to be made after England lost the Ashes at the earliest possible opportunity and have now lost all five matches they have played in the series. Plus we are joined by South Africa Men’s Head Coach Shukri Conrad after his side made it to the World Test Championship Final. He tells us if he thinks a two-tier system is a good idea, shares his message to the Australia team and we ask him if South Africa should boycott the Champions Trophy? He also shares why he made Temba Bavuma captain and highlights the pressure that the captain faces.Photo: South Africa head coach Shukri Conrad during the day 1 of the 2nd Test match between West Indies and South Africa at Guyana National Stadium on August 15, 2024 in Georgetown, Guyana. (Photo by Daniel Prentice/Gallo Images/Getty Images)

Alison Mitchell, Jim Maxwell and Charu Sharma are joined by Zimbabwe’s first black cricketer, Henry Olonga, as we ask whether boycotts work in cricket?It’s in light of political pressure on England and South Africa to pull out of their matches against Afghanistan’s men at next month's ICC Champions Trophy. It's due to the Taliban regime's oppression of women, which includes a ban on playing sport. Olonga, alongside Andy Flower, took a stand against Robert Mugabe’s regime by wearing a black armband in the 2003 World Cup game against Namibia. It was to symbolise "the death of democracy" in the country. Henry's been living in exile from Zimbabwe ever since and told the programme the current situation has echoes of 2003 and that the International Cricket Council and international Governments should be the ones making the decision not to play, rather than the players. We also talk to Australia Ashes winner now commentator, Mel Jones, on the role she played on getting many of those women out of the country when the Taliban returned to power in 2021. Mel’s also been involved in organising the team’s exhibition match which will be played ahead of the opening day of the Women’s Ashes Test in Melbourne later this month.Photo: Groundmen hold a large national flag of Afghanistan on the eve of the 2023 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup one-day international (ODI) match between India and Afghanistan at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on October 10, 2023. Credit: (AFP via Getty Images)

Two-time Ashes winner Anya Shrubsole joins us to preview the Women’s Ashes. England will be looking to win the trophy for the first time in a decade on Australian soil. Anya tells us both teams will have a point to prove after their World Cup disappointments and she highlights the key players to look out for.The Stumped team debate whether there should there be a two-tier World Test Championship? It is being reported that the ICC are looking to make it into a two tiered competition, which would lead to the biggest nations playing each other more often. The plans could see India, Australia, England, South Africa, Sri Lanka, New Zealand and Pakistan in tier one. While the second tier would be made up of Bangladesh, West Indies, Ireland, Afghanistan and Zimbabwe - making a seven-five split across divisions.Plus, after Australia ended a ten year wait to win the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, the team discuss the significance of captain Pat Cummins and ask if India head coach Gautam Gambhir is still the right man to lead the side.Photo: Tahlia McGrath of Australia looks dejected as she leads players of Australia off the field following defeat to South Africa during the ICC Women's T20 World Cup Semi-Final between Australia and South Africa at Dubai International Stadium on October 17, 2024 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Matthew Lewis-ICC/ICC via Getty Images)

Alison Mitchell, Jim Maxwell and Charu Sharma discuss the record breaking Test Match between Australia and India in Melbourne. The teams now play each other in Sydney with the series 2-1 in favour of the Australian side who will win the trophy for the first since 2015 if they avoid defeat. We debate the apparent unrest in the India dressing room and the potential retirements of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Jim Maxwell says that the Border-Gavaskar Trophy is now bigger than the Ashes. Plus, we discuss whether South Africa deserve to be in the World Test Championship final after comments were made questioning their perceived easy route to the final.And we are joined by Ed Stoddart who is the CEO of Stuart Canvas productions. They manufacture hover covers, which are used around the world. Ed tells us about the significance of the technology and the impact of climate change. Photo: Yashasvi Jaiswal of India looks dejected after being runout by Alex Carey of Australia during day two of the Men's Fourth Test Match in the series between Australia and India at Melbourne Cricket Ground on December 27, 2024 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

We look back at the best of Stumped in 2024, which gives you a chance to listen to some of the standout moments from the last twelve months including our trip to New York. The USA co-hosted the Men’s T20 World Cup for the first time and we spoke to fans from around the world about how cricket can grow in America. Plus, we spoke to Bryan R Caine who is an umpire in the United States about his love of the game and how it can develop in the future. We also hear from one of the greatest batters of all time, the West Indies legend Brian Lara who joined Alison in the commentary box at Lord’s. He shared what it meant to him when he scored 400 not out for his country and if he believes Test Cricket is sustainable long-term. New Zealand won their first ever T20 World Cup, when they beat South Africa in the final. All-rounder Maddy Green took us back to that special day and shared the emotion she felt about finally getting that winners medal around her neck. Plus, the Stumped team debate whether reaching 100 Test caps carries the same significance it used to? And arguably England’s greatest ever bowler Jimmy Anderson finally hung up his boots this year, when he retired from international cricket. He joined the team to talk about retirement, personal loss and what is next for both himself and England.Photo: Cricket fans cheer and wave the Indian flag during the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 at Nassau County International Cricket Stadium at Eisenhower Memorial Park in East Meadow, New York on June 9, 2024(Photo by J. Conrad Williams, Jr./Newsday RM via Getty Images)

Alison Mitchell, Jim Maxwell and Charu Sharma discuss two international retirements after both Tim Southee and Ravichandran Ashwin hung up their bowling boots and ask how will they be remembered?Plus, after Ben Stokes suffers a reoccurrence of his hamstring injury, we look at the life of an international physio and how their workload is increasing. The Stumped team are joined on the show by Gloucestershire physiotherapist Kirk Russell, he was with the England team from 1998 until 2011 and also worked with Delhi in the IPL.Photo: India's Ravichandran Ashwin (C) celebrates after taking five-wicket haul during the third day of the fifth and last Test cricket match between India and England at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala on March 9, 2024. (Photo by Sajjad HUSSAIN / AFP via Getty Images)