Oval Showstopper

Oval Showstopper

Author: Simon Hughes August 3, 2025 Duration: 32:43
An extraordinary day's cricket as this epic series headed to a climax, with an unexpected shower leaving England needing 35 to win the match and the series with four wickets in hand. Highlight of the day was Harry Brook's flamboyant hundred, an innings speckled with genius and audacity. he and Joe Root transformed the game with a nerveless and fluent 195 run partnership which totally knocked the stuffing out of India. Their dismissals let India back into the game. Simon Hughes and Simon Mann report on a breathtaking day as England sought the second highest run-chase in their history. This podcast is supported by Betfair. It is illegal to bet if you are under 18. Please gamble responsibly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For anyone who feels the scorecard only tells half the story, The Analyst Inside Cricket offers the other half. Simon Hughes, known widely as The Analyst, teams up with the BBC's Simon Mann to pull back the curtain on the sport. This isn't just a recap of matches; it's a deep, engaging conversation that blends technical breakdown with the human narratives that define the game. You'll hear their firsthand experiences from around the world, alongside insights from the players, coaches, and personalities they've known for years. Each episode feels like sitting in on a candid chat between two experts who can explain the mechanics of a perfect seam position one moment and share a poignant, funny, or surprising anecdote from the dressing room the next. The podcast thrives on the details that get missed in the headlines-the tactical shifts, the personal journeys, and the off-field moments that truly shape cricket. If you're looking for rich context and stories that go beyond the boundary rope, this is where you'll find them.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

The Analyst Inside Cricket
Podcast Episodes
INDIA HUMBLE PAKISTAN (again) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:47
A pivotal moment in the T20 World Cup as India beat Pakistan for the umpteenth time at the halfway point in the tournament. Simon Hughes and Simon Mann ask if anyone can beat India in this format (in their own conditions…
SUPER CRICKET (except England) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:12
An incredible T20 World Cup match between South Africa and Afghanistan which goes to a second super-over is followed by England slumping to defeat at the hands of West indies excellent spinners. Simon Hughes and Simon Ma…
CURRAN SAVES ENGLAND'S BLUSHES [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:44
In the T20 World Cup England almost suffer the ignominy of losing to brave, plucky Nepal. Sam Curran holds his nerve to put out Nepal's fire and defend 10 off the last over. Also in this episode we analyse India's near m…
T20 WORLD CUP PREVIEW [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:13
After a messy build up, the ICC T20 World cup begins this weekend in India and Sri Lanka. Simon Hughes and Simon Mann are joined by former Indian player Deep Dasgupta to assess the competition and ponder who can stop Ind…
TRIUMPH AT LAST [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:06
England can finally toast a series victory this winter with a barnstorming batting performance in the final ODI in Sri Lanka. On the back of a 20th ODI century by Joe Root and a stylish 67 from Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook…
Root Can't Stop the Rot [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:46
England's woeful winter continues with a defeat in the first odi in Sri Lanka, making it 8 losses and one solitary victory in all formats since they departed for New Zealand in October. Joe Root and Ben Duckett compiled…
2005 ASHES: 5th TEST - URN REGAINED [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:11
The final episode of our specially produced series on the 2005 Ashes - when England finally regained the urn at the Oval after almost two decades without it. The epic series is still in the balance until the last day of…
2005 ASHES - 4th TEST (Trent Bridge) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:37
Continuing our recap of the epic 2005 Ashes, featuring the nerve-tingling Trent Bridge Test when England forced Australia to follow on for the first time for 20 years and then almost sacrificed themselves to the wizardly…
2005 ASHES - 3rd TEST (Old Trafford) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:29
The gripping third Test of the 2005 Ashes, the one when Simon Jones delivered one of the greatest inswingers of all time, the ground was full on the last day with 20,000 turned away, Ricky Ponting had to be dragged off a…
2005 ASHES - THE GREATEST TEST (Edgbaston) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:20
Re-running our greatest Ashes audio and video series - this is the epic 2005 Edgbaston Test which eventually after a pulsating arm wrestle England won by two runs. Features interviews with many of the participants (inclu…