Cricket with an Accent Podcast

Stokes, Broad and the Wisden Trophy

In this episode of the podcast host Saqib Ali is joined by longtime English fan Kevin Framp(@bigKev67 on twitter) and freelance cricket writer Edd Oliver(@Eddoliver1 on twitter). In an informal chat the trio talks about the recently concluded Wisden trophy. Jason Holder's decision to bowl first in the last two tests gets magnified in this episode. Framp and Oliver both agree that for the West Indies to be a force again in test cricket their batting has to improve in terms of consolidating starts into big innings. They give Holder his due respect as he has made the West Indies into a respectable outfit during his leadership.

According to Oliver things are looking good at the top for England with the new opening combination of Burns and Sibley. Framp explains why Buttler's ODI record gets in the way of the fans and critics to continue to expect more from him in the longer format of the game. 

Last but the not the least the podcast focuses on Stokes and Broad on their big series. Stokes cannot seem to put a foot wrong and he is already according to some a better all rounder than Sir Ian Botham. Tune in to hear what Framp and Oliver had to say about Stokes!

The Tiger Pataudi Episode with Ayaz Memon

It is hard to imagine a more romanticized figure in Indian cricket than Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi. Cricket writer Ayaz Memon returns to the show to talk about the impact Pataudi had on Indian cricket. The conversation covers Pataudi's early days in England where he honed his cricketing education, the inescapable comparisons with his father and finally it shifts to tackle his accidental ascent to the Indian captaincy. The rest as they is history!

Pataudi's legacy goes beyond stats as he was leading a team of a newly independent country which was still trying to establish its cricket presence. Memon shares his own anecdotes and views on the great man from his numerous meetings over the years. A must listen for any student of the game.

Dilip Chavan talks about Cricket in Massachusetts

In this weeks podcast Dilip Chavan joins the show. Chavan is the president of the Massachusetts Cricket league. He has been involved in the MSCL for twenty years now and has witnessed significant growth in the popularity of the sport during this time. In this interview he shares the numerous challenges of managing and running a statewide cricket league. Cricket in America is not a foreign sport anymore but it still needs a lot of work to become a second tier sport. 

Chavan talks about the grass root work that goes into familiarizing the game at the community level, and more importantly introducing the sport at local schools. The conversation also covers the strength of the Massachusetts league in terms of the talent it attracts and how it measures up to other American states. 

Imran Nazir talks about his career, domestic cricket structure in Pakistan and PSL

Imran Nazir is the podcast guest. He is one of the biggest talents to come out of Pakistan cricket in the last two decades. Nazir looks back at all the promise and opportunities of his career with no regret. He states that structural changes are needed to recreate the magic of world class teams pakistan had produced in the past. He also talks about how the aggressive approach of the white ball cricket carried over to the test arena. The conversation also touches upon the significance of former greats coaching at the junior level where the real difference can be made. Last but not the least he explains how PSL can play a major role in reshaping the fortunes of Pakistan cricket. (The interview is in Urdu/Hindi)

Ahmer Naqvi on the complex Imran Miandad relationship and Why Pakistani fans did not see Tendulkar as a match winner

Freelance writer and blogger Ahmer Naqvi is the podcast guest this week. Naqvi known as @karachikhatmal on twitter is an established voice on Pakistan cricket. His work has appeared on Espncricinfo among other sites. In a very candid conversation he helps unpack the mythical Imran Khan - Javed Miandad relationship. He sheds light against popular wisdom on how the duo worked collectively towards the team's success despite swapping captaincy few times during their illustrious run. Naqvi addresses the age old theory - why a generation of Pakistani fans think Sachin Tendulkar was not a match winner and Virat Kohli is. Is Younus Khan a batsman of Indian mold? A lot of interesting topics rolled into one.

 

 

Daniel Gallan on Dean Elgar as the leading candidate for South African Captaincy and Nostalgia from World Cup 1999

Free lance cricket writer Daniel Gallan returns to the podcast. As a resident of London, Gallan weighs on the certain goodwill aspect between the respective boards given the English summer is about to kick off with visits from West Indies and Pakistan. Gallan believes Dean Elgar is the leading candidate for South African Captaincy. 

The podcast also takes a nostalgic turn as we recall South Africa's heart breaking WC 1999 campaign and the historic 2008 test win in Australia. Was 1999 the best chance for South Africa? Does the 2008 series win has an asterisk for the Proteas considering the depleted Aussie pace attack? A lot of these nostalgia driven questions are addressed here.

Samir Chopra revisits the India Pakistan Rivalry - Part 2

Samir Chopra is back to conclude his thoughts on the India Pakistan cricket rivalry. In an extension to the first episode this conversation revolves around the rise of Tendulkar, Azhar's captaincy, the friendship tour of 2004 and the overall change in trajectory of this rivalry where India became a stronger outfit. It is hard to cover all the players in an exercise like this - but we managed to mention Akram, Dravid, Waqar, Dhoni among other key names from both sides. The topics also include the global appeal of Virat Kohli and how his popularity has transceded over to the Pakistani fans.

 

Ayaz Memon Recalls Upon Indian Cricket's Defining Moments

Ayaz Memon has covered Indian cricket for more than four decades now. During his timeline he has seen the landscape of the game in India transform tremendously. He was one of the few journalists who has seen it all from the 1983 Prudential world cup win to Javed Miandad's last ball six to Sachin Tendulkar's debut and last match. In a candid chat Ayaz reflects on many complex topics from his coverage of the game that dates back to beginning of the 1980's.

He addresses the musical chair era of swapped captaincy between Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev to the selection of Azharuddin as the captain. The Chappell-Dravid era also gets an explained mention as well. Tune in for the chat!