Review, Revelations and Relief

Review, Revelations and Relief

Author: BBC Radio 5 Live January 9, 2026 Duration: 1:22:43

No more sleepless nights, no more doom scrolling and no more ‘it’s the hope that kills you’, The Ashes are over and like the England team The Tailenders are limping to the end of the series.

Felix is ill and can only join us ‘down the line’ from his Doctors, so the ex England wicketkeeper Matt Prior is our 12th Man.

While Mattchin, to the dismay of the footballing world, has done his hamstring and is on crutches, yet despite this he manages one more round of his classic ‘Am I lying or am I Nathan Lyon?’.

We review the series, look to the future of English cricket and try to work out what the hell happened in Australia over the winter. Plus we have an 'exclusive'…albeit from 2007 and would Jimmy fancy being the England coach?


There's a certain rhythm to cricket, a mix of long, patient spells and sudden, explosive moments. Tailenders from BBC Radio 5 Live captures that same unpredictable energy, but from a gloriously sideways angle. Hosted by radio presenter Greg James alongside England's record-breaking cricketer Jimmy Anderson and musician Felix White, this is a show that loves the game but isn't afraid to laugh with it. The conversation meanders like a good innings, covering everything from the nuances of swing bowling to the absurdities of life on tour, often punctuated by Felix's musical interludes. It feels less like a formal analysis program and more like eavesdropping on a conversation between three friends who happen to be obsessed with cricket, each bringing a wildly different perspective. You'll hear genuine insight from one of the sport's all-time greats, filtered through the enthusiastic curiosity of a fan and the creative chaos of an artist. This podcast celebrates the characters, the camaraderie, and the occasional sheer silliness that makes cricket so compelling, offering a refreshingly human and frequently hilarious take on the sport. It’s for anyone who appreciates the game, whether you understand the finer points of a googly or you just enjoy the sound of people having a genuinely good time talking about something they love.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Tailenders
Podcast Episodes
Tennis, Tomatoes and Tay Tay [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:55
Aside from spending time in the Wimbledon Royal Box, Greg and Jimmy have had equally glamorous weeks - Greg at the wedding of the century in New York, and Jimmy tending to his tomato plants. Revealing insights are shared…
Emergency pod: Stokes! This is the last thing we wanted to happen... [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:58
Following the shock announcement of Ben Stokes’ retirement from International Cricket, Greg, Jimmy and Felix try to make sense of a dramatic week at Trent Bridge. So many questions…..Why now? Who will be the new Captain?…
Hot and Unhinged [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:47
Despite it being 200 degrees and Sharky insisting all fans and air con are turned off (it’s too noisy) the Tailenders assemble to review the Mens 2nd Test between England and New Zealand, heap praise on Matt Henry, marve…
What’s Your Favourite Curfew? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:50
The Tailenders assemble to discuss events on the pitch, off the pitch and the pitch itself following a dramatic 1st men’s Test between England and New Zealand at Lord’s. Plus who will get the nod for the 2nd Test at The…
Untenable [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:39
Is the IPL, the biggest franchise tournament in World Cricket, becoming boring, predictable, too batter friendly and in need of a shakeup?Plus a lookahead to the 1st Mens Test between England and New Zealand at Lord’s -…
The Greatest Fielder of All Time: Jonty Rhodes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:10
Jonty Rhodes, one of our favourite cricketers ever and arguably the best fielder the game has ever seen, is our very special guest this week. A whole generation of cricket fans, including us, grew up watching Jonty do th…
Left Arm Spin Special: Ashley Giles. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:43
The King of Spain, Ashley Giles, is our special guest on this week’s Tailenders. Inevitably we travel back to the 2005 Ashes series - the greatest series of all time - but also reflections on the highs and lows of profes…
Squad, Substitutes and Sponsorship Scandal [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:26
We get Jimmy’s ‘hot take’ on the Men’s Test Squad Announcement and the appointment of Marcus North as National Selector. Plus more Charisma Substitutes, Mattchin has a new challenge and has Tailenders' first Sponsorship…
Tailenders Army Bootcamp [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:47
Our very own Issy Wong has been selected for the England T20 World Cup Squad - but what was it like waiting for THAT call? Plus what happened when the T20 Squad went on an Army Bootcamp, Jimmy kicks off about the Substit…
Tymal Mills: Fast Bowling and Franchises [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:16
Fast bowler Tymal Mills is our special guest on this week’s show and is the subject of one of Mattchin’s most bizarre quizzical concepts in the history of Tailenders - and that’s saying something. Plus who should get the…