

Test Match Special
BBC Radio 5 Live
The Test Match Special team bring you the very best reaction, insight & analysis of the Ashes Test series with daily episodes from down under.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Aug 9, 2020 • 26min
The World’s Fastest bowler – A Shoaib Akhtar Special
Isa Guha and Aatif Nawaz spend a lively half hour with the first man to break the 100 miles per hour barrier Shoaib Akhtar. Shoaib enjoyed a colourful 14 year international career with Pakistan and has since become an outspoken media performer. He discusses that famous fastest ball at the 2003 World Cup, shares memories of famous battles with Ricky Ponting, Sachin Tendulkar and Andrew Flintoff and he reveals how he thinks he’d be able to dismiss Virat Kohli these days.

Aug 8, 2020 • 29min
Day 4: England fight back to beat Pakistan
Jonathan Agnew presents from Old Trafford where England produced an incredible comeback to snatch victory from Pakistan. Chasing 277, England looked all but beaten at 117-5, but pushed on by a Chris Woakes and Jos Buttler partnership of 139, they claimed a thrilling win by 3 wickets. Michael Vaughan, Azhar Mahmood, Mark Ramprakash and Simon Mann look at where it was won and lost. Aggers speaks to the respective captains Joe Root and Azhar Ali, as well as England heroes Buttler and Woakes, while TMS statistician Andy Zaltzman gives a historical perspective to England's win.

Aug 7, 2020 • 45min
Day 3: England back in it?
Jonathan Agnew presents from Old Trafford where England have fought back to give themselves a glimmer of hope of winning the 1st Test against Pakistan. The home side took four wickets for 27 runs late on, including two for Ben Stokes, to leave the tourists on 137-8 - a lead of 244. Earlier Joe Root's side, who were 92-4 overnight, had managed to reach 219 in their first innings. Aggers is joined by Michael Vaughan, Azhar Mahmood and Vic Marks to review the day, while Henry Moeran interviews England batsman Ollie Pope. We also hear from film-maker and historian Anwar Akhtar about the importance of cricket in the British-Pakistani community and there's an interview with 83-year-old Old Trafford steward Stan Pritchard about his rapport with West Indies captain Jason Holder.

Aug 6, 2020 • 37min
Day 2: England in trouble
Jonathan Agnew presents from Old Trafford where Pakistan are firmly in control of the 1st Test against England. After the tourists were all out for 326, with Shan Masood scoring a superb 156, their bowlers seized the moment to leave England on 92-4 at the close. Aggers, Michael Vaughan and Azhar Mahmood look back on the day while Henry Moeran interviews Masood and England bowler Jofra Archer, who discusses England's display and how he felt to miss the 2nd Test against West Indies when he broke the bio-secure protocols. There's also an interview with PCB chairman Ehsan Mani on why he thinks England should tour in Pakistan once again and whether we could see a Test match against neighbours India soon.

Aug 5, 2020 • 47min
Day 1: A good start for Pakistan
Jonathan Agnew presents from Old Trafford where England endured a frustrating first day in the 1st Test against Pakistan. Rain interruptions and some excellent batting from Babar Azam allowed the tourists to finish the day on 139-2. Azhar Mahmood tells Aggers why he thinks it's been a good day for Pakistan while Michael Vaughan asks whether Azam could have a similar impact on this series as Steve Smith did in the 2019 Ashes. Dan Norcross gets reaction from England head coach Chris Silverwood and Pakistan opener Shan Masood and, with a new biography about the late Bob Willis being released this week, Aggers speaks to his widow Lauren and brother David about Headingley 81, Bob's style of punditry and his love of Bob Dylan.

Jul 30, 2020 • 37min
#40from40: Sue Townsend
Sue Townsend, author of the cult classic Adrian Mole series, joins Aggers for a chat in 2012.

Jul 30, 2020 • 31min
#40from40: Ken Bruce
Radio 2 presenter and host of Popmaster Ken Bruce joins Jonathan Agnew for a fascinating chat at Headingley in 2013.

Jul 28, 2020 • 30min
Richards and Botham: rivalry and friendship
England 's 2020 Test series victory against West Indies will be the last time the two countries contest the Wisden Trophy. The next time they meet in a series they will play for the Richards-Botham Trophy, named after two legends of the game: Sir Viv Richards and Sir Ian Botham. In this special TMS podcast, the two men tell Isa Guha about their friendship, their period together as team-mates at Somerset and their rivalry on the pitch when on opposite sides for their respective nations.

Jul 28, 2020 • 58min
Day 5: England win the series as Broad joins the 500 club
Jonathan Agnew presents from Old Trafford where England have won the third Test and the series against West Indies. It was a momentous day for Stuart Broad as he became only the second Englishman to take 500 Test wickets. Aggers, Michael Vaughan and Carlos Brathwaite review the series while we get reaction from Broad and the respective captains, Joe Root and Jason Holder. Broad's partner-in-crime Jimmy Anderson discusses their close relationship on and off the pitch, plus there are further tributes from former England skipper Alastair Cook and the chairman of the club where Broad played as a youngster.

Jul 27, 2020 • 1h 14min
Day 4: No play but there is Ask Carlos
Daniel Norcross presents from a wet Old Trafford on day four of the 3rd Test between England and West Indies. Play was abandoned due to the weather and will resume on the final day with the tourists on 10-2, chasing an unlikely 399 to win. Joe Root's side will need to take eight wickets to win the Test and series.
Due to the washout Simon Mann took the opportunity to chat with summariser Carlos Brathwaite and asked him to answer some of our listeners' questions. Inevitably much of the discussion surrounded the World T20 Final in 2016 when he hit four successive sixes in the final over to lead West Indies to victory against England. He reveals what was going through his mind as Ben Stokes bowled at him in that finale and what was said between the pair afterwards. Amidst all the cricket talk, we also let Carlos have a go at doing the Shipping Forecast!


