2. Glory, Relics, Phony War

Vivek and Alex rate the Ashes players and pick their Streets Don’t Forget XIAustralia player ratingsSteve Smith (8.25) Still elite… but by Smith standards this was “only” very good.Travis Head (9.75) He loves the Ashes, moved up top and ripped England’s heart out.Alex Carey (9.0) The quiet assassin: created wickets, scores runs, moved to 6.Marnus Labuschagne (6.0) Got involved everywhere, but lost scoring options and looks fallible.Mitchell Starc (10.0) Played all 5 games, won them the first three with bat and ball, always lethal.Usman Khawaja (5.0) He never arrived… and yet played 4 games and retired as an all-timer.Cameron Green (3.0) Massive disappointment with bat and ball, needs to convert potential.Jake Weatherald (5.5) Looked promising but developed clear weaknesses, worth persisting with.Josh Inglis (3.5) Two forgettable games with the bat but a good run out.Brendon Doggett (4.5) Clear drop off from Starc-Boland but misused. Something there.Michael Neser (8.0) Cult hero - did what he was asked and made you wonder why he doesn’t play more.Pat Cummins (8.0) Came in for one game as champion but docked for sitting out after as captian.Scott Boland (8.5) Relentless - England stuck in the mud with Carey up and reliable over 5 tests.Jhye Richardson (5.0) Dropped a few KPHs after his latest injury and didn’t look too threatening.Nathan Lyon (5.5) Body catching up to him and less and less used at home. Still good when fit.Beau Webster (8.5) Absolute revelation: rocked up at Sydney and proved his all-round utility.Average = 6.75England player ratingsBen Stokes (5.0) Effort always there, good with ball but poor captaincy and confusing batting.Jacob Bethell (9.0) The one shining light - played like he belonged.Joe Root (7.75) Monkey off the back and doubled it but 8 failures in 10. May not come back?Harry Brook (5.5) Stagnating approach found out, needs to fulfil generational potential.Zak Crawley (4.0) Was it ever even good in theory?Jofra Archer (6.75) Couldn’t stay fit but England’s most dangerous bowler when he played.Jamie Smith (3.25) Reckless and wasteful with the bat, mediocre with glovesOllie Pope (2.5) Lost his place for the time being, better down the order for future.Will Jacks (4.0) Looked a stranger pick as the series went on.Ben Duckett (2.0) Skittish and a brewing sense of inevitable disappointment.Gus Atkinson (4.5) Bowled better than his figures, but never looked genuinely dangerous.Brydon Carse (5.0) Tried hard and played all 5 but sprayed it and should never open the bowling.Josh Tongue (8.0) Good speeds and lengths, should have played more and will in the future.Mark Wood (1.5) May not play for England again, very unfortunate given his rehab.Matthew Potts (0.5) As close to a 0 as it comes.Average = 4.600:00: Intro + end of Ashes / World Cup next02:30: USA U19 century 04:30: Cricket politics in the subcontinent12:30: Ashes player ratings: Australia43:39: Ashes player ratings: England 01:05:15: The Streets Will Never Forget XI01:23:14: Outro

Alex and Vivek discuss the frailties of the English cricket structure following England's defeat to Australia in the 3rd Ashes test in Adelaide. Changes have to be made.Episode timestamps:0:58 - Fixing England's cricket structure15:54 - Bazball's rejection of the county pathway20:09 - 3rd Test Adelaide in focus27:55 - Defending Stuart Broad32:27 - What Alex wants to see in Melbourne36:06 - What we would do if we were in charge48:51 - Records broken in New Zealand

Alex and Vivek debrief the 2nd Ashes Test at Brisbane. England suffer another defeat under the lights as Australia show them how to play old-school, gritty test cricket. In other news, West Indies save a remarkable test match in Christchurch vs NZ, and Kohli's back with a bang in Indian colors.0:50 - Ashes 2nd test review34:45 - Nathan Lyon to retire?38:28 - West Indies save test vs NZ 44:33 - Kohli vs SA

The 1st Ashes test has come and gone with Australia rocking England in a flash. Meanwhile, India get whitewashed at home for the second season running. India are done, but England have Starc under lights looming large.Alex and Vivek need a therapy session.0:00 - Intro1:09 - India back, South Africa good18:45 - Ashes England rant (toss)22:08 - Crawley27:24 - England bowling and cult35:07 - Australia 41:34 - England batting collapse51:42 - Ashes picking nits57:52 - Question 1v1

This is it. This is the big one.Alex and Vivek enlist resident Aussie Aryan Jain for a mega Ashes preview - spicy decks, fragile batting orders, arthritic quicks, and series predictions that we already regret.0:00 - Intro2:50 - Favourite Ashes moments6:11 - Recent form13:33 - Selections, Aryan on conditions in Australia21:08 - Australian openers30:31 - Shoaib Bashir34:02 - England central contracts and Joe Root40:45 - Nathan Lyon45:05 - Mitchell Starc 48:31 - Contemporary bodyline tactics50:53 - Zak Crawley56:30 - Trigger movements59:28 - Steve Smith1:06:07 - Biggest antagonist1:08:63 - First injury1:13:51 - First player dropped1:19:19 - Player of the series1:20:56 - Listener questions1:32:18 - Outro

Alex and Vivek cover India Women’s first World Cup win, Rohit and Kohli’s swansong down under, England’s ongoing identity crisis, the enigma of Babar Azam, and the shifting fault lines of world cricket.0:00 - Intro0:57 - Women’s WC5:15 - Pak vs SA, Babar Azam13:13 - Virat-Rohit18:15 - Eng vs NZ27:12 - Ashes - England38:48 - Ashes - Australia42:41 - Chris Woakes Retirement43:43 - Global Cricket Structure 54:42 - USA Cricket56:15 - Listener Questions

Alex and Vivek cover pitches, selection, individual brilliance, and everything else India- England before looking ahead to whose strengths are pointier and whose weaknesses more acute in this winter’s Ashes.0:00 - Intro1:27 - Ind vs Eng series context3:52 - English pitches13:56 - Dropped catches18:01 - Siraj27:37 - Indian selection39:10 - Bazball 51:31 - Ashes1:11:32 - Awards & Categories1:17:42 - Outro