Test Match Special - A double ton from the captain as England dominate

Episode Date: February 6, 2021

Jonathan Agnew is joined by Michael Vaughan and Prakash Wakankar to discuss an excellent day for England after Joe Root scored 218 leaving England in a fine position after two days of the first Test. We hear from Ben Stokes on the performance, plus listen out for a preview of the BBL.

This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK. Bring more gear, carry more passengers, face greater challenges. Welcome to the world of Defender, with seating up to eight, ample cargo space and legendary off-road capability. It's built to make the most of every adventure. Learn more at landrover.ca. BBC Sounds, music, radio, podcasts. You're listening to the TMS. podcast from BBC Radio 5 Live. I'm Jonathan Agnew. Welcome to the Test Match Special podcast, looking back on another

excellent day for England and the Captain Joe Root in the first test against India in Chennai. We'll hear from Michael Vaughn. We'll get reaction from Ben Stokes, who played a brilliant innings as well. We'll get an Indian view from Prak Ashwarkanker and Andy Zaltzman will put the events of the day into a statistical context. We'll also have news of more Englishmen in the runs, James Vince and Liam Livingston, starring in the BBL final. and we'll hear about the time Phil Tufnal dismissed Satchin Tendulka. You're listening to the TMS podcast from BBC Radio 5 Live. Close the play the second day of the first test between India and England in Chennai, dominated again by England,

who closed on 55 for 8. So in the day they lost three wickets while adding 292 runs on a pitch that is slowly but surely decaying. Joe Root, of course, led the way with 200. and 18. He's the first bats from playing in his hundreds of tests to score a double century, having his extraordinary run, three innings now, the three test matches, consecutive tests on this tour, which is past 150. Brilliant innings from Ben Stokes, I must say, who scored 82, and he was the dominant force in the morning, a stand of 114 with Roots. But Stokes playing particularly well, hitting the ball, when it was spitting out of the rough and so on. He was caught in the deep eventually, juggling catch by Pajara, who all almost. almost managed to drop it.

Olly Pope, a little bit slow, rusty to get going. And Root helped him along. He got to 34, partially with 86, before he was Elbaudly to a straight honour from Ashwin. That was a beautiful piece of bowling. Root was then elbow to Nadine for that 218, from 377 balls. Really terrific innings, that was for sure.

Butler, 30, played nose stroke. Sharma, a nice little bit of reverse swing there. Hit his off stump. That was 527 per 7. Joffar Archer completely missed his first ball which is the next So Sharma's on a hat trick Archer are bowled for a golden duck 525 for 8 But a useful stand of 30 between Bess who was horribly dropped on 19 by Ashama

But who ends the day on 28 and Jack Leach is six not out Those 30 runs really valuable They're pushing and on beyond that 550 that I think we think would be a really dominating score in this match So 555 for 8 The bowling figures well they've been really tough for India's bowlers two have blown through the 100 barrier

Ashwin who's bowed 50 overs mind you 2 for 132 Shabaz Nadim 2 for 167 Washington Sunder is teetering there nought for 98 from his 26 overs but a big shout out for Ishant Sharma 27 overs, 7 maidens 2 for 52 he's built absolutely beautifully

and boomer 2 for 81 from his 31 so Michael Vaughn is up there is going to join us for his look back on the day and I guess from an England perspective Michael that really couldn't have gone any better yeah great day I'm sure there's many England fans

out there going oh why didn't they get on with it why haven't they declared given India 8 to 10 overs tonight in Indian conditions I believe that when you get the opportunity to bat first you bat as long as you possibly can at this time days one and two you know the first session of day three it's the best time to bat so you might as well do all your bat

in now and it just allows you that hopeful kind of position that you find yourself in later on in day three or day four that you might be able to enforce the follow on. Probably not, but you might also be able to say, okay, we'll get a quick 150 runs and have a go at India on that last

day. So I think they've given themselves a great chance and also as an ex-batter I kind of think when you're taking guard and Roit Sharma and Shubmer and Gil tomorrow will take guard, realistically knowing that to win the game it's almost impossible from this position because England have got so many runs in the first inning.

So you're batting already for the best chance of, you know, to get a draw. The wind's gone out of the equation. I can't see with the time left in the game how India go and get 700 quickly and then bowl that England out so cheaply with them getting so many first innings run. So that's a difficult mindset as a batter in the first innings of your game that you really can't win the game. So mentally that's a challenge. India have wonderful batters and they're used to these conditions.

It's not going to be easy for England. and Joe Rue will have to manoeuvre that attack very cleverly. He's got good options. Jimmy Anderson, I've just mentioned on the social. I think he's going to be the key. He's that good at reverse swing, and he's that good on these kind of wickets now, that the old stall that's going to be required once again

to knock a couple over early, and then that reverse swing will be so important for him. And obviously the spinners and Joffra. Joffre used in short, sharp bursts. You'd say to Joffa, come on three or four over bursts, that's what we need from you. And Stokesy will produce all sorts of tricks out of his hands. So I think England are in a great position.

It's been two high-class test-match days from the England team. Yeah, it's one of those work-hard wins. If they do get there, isn't it? It's going to be hard work in the field. It's going to be hot and everything else. But it's one of those situations now. You've really got to dig deep and do it if you're going to win this match. Yeah, and let's be honest, in the course of four matches in Indy,

you generally don't have it all your own way all the time. And England now have got themselves in such a strong position that you feel, go on, you've got to win this game. You know, you've got to take this opportunity. You've won the first two days. Go and win the next three days, and you go Wanderlop in the series, knowing that with three test matches to go in India, it's not easy. India will have their time.

We know that. And they probably will prepare wickets that suit them more over the course of the series than potentially this one's been a bit placid, a bit too flat in a way. It's not really allowed the bumbers and the Ishant Sharmas. Even though Ishant Sharma's ball brilliantly, it's not really giving them that much hope. So I think England have to take this opportunity. they'll have to take all the chances in the field.

They can't be like Roeich Sharma, that drop catchaggers. That was one of mine. Pure collector's item from Roeich Sharma. I love that. So they will have to take the chances, but they put themselves in a fantastic position. Real quality test match cricket. Well, you and I can talk about Ben Stokes in a second,

but we've got to talk about stats-wise with Andy Zaltzman about Joe Root because, I mean, well, you take it away, Andy. I mean, it's extraordinary what he's been up to, isn't it? It is genuinely extraordinary. He's only the second player in test history to score 180 or more innings in three consecutive test matches. Only Kumar Sanghaara had done that before. 644 runs in the three tests this year.

Already scored more than any England batsman managed in their entire test year in 2020 during the course of the innings. He went past Alex Stewart into the third place on England's all-time test run scorer's list behind only Graham Gooch and Alistair Cook England's score 555 for 8 is their fifth highest in Asia the highest against India in India

for almost 10 years by any team and looking at Root in Asia he's now scored 1842 runs at an average of 59 through his career an extraordinary record and looking at the players who've batted 20 or more times in Asia who are not from an Asian country

over 120 players only Stephen Fleming of New Zealand and Clive Lloyd have a better average than route in Asia. So, yes, an absolutely phenomenal performance from England's captain. And he's the, there's almost too many stats, too many stats. There's never too many stats in your life. There was one on consecutive 150s, three consecutive 150s. Only the second player to do that as captain of a team. Don Bradman was the only other one to do that.

Only the second player to get three consecutive 150s away from home. You've got to go back to Wally Hammond for that in 1928-9. And only the third player to score 150s in three consecutive first innings in tests. The other two of Pakistan, Zahir Abbas and Madasana, are in the same series against India in 1982, 83, and in all just the seventh player to make 150 plus in three consecutive test matches. When you start bringing in Bradman and Hammond, and things into the group.

You're talking pretty big time, aren't you? I mean, that's about as good as it gets. Yes. Well, Bradman is literally as good as it gets, and Hammond had some extraordinary stats. So they did have a big dip in his career, and we talked about Joe Root having declined a bit over the last couple of years, averaging high 30s, just under 40s,

so not disastrous, but down considering on the incredible numbers he had from 2014 to 2017. And one particular stat, the first innings centuries that had really dried up for it, just one in 39 test matches before this winter, now three big first innings, three figure scores in a row. Andy, thank you very much indeed. We'll catch up with you tomorrow for lots more from the stats shed, I'm sure.

Michael, I'll also talk about Ben Stokes, because for those of us who were watching this morning, in my word, it was worth it. Getting up at early out of watch that innings, it was just brilliant. This is a man who hasn't played test cricket for months, of course, and has been out of the game for a while but he sat in his hotel room for six days

as the others have done too so preparation-wise very limited but it's as if you just pick his bat up and just just carried on I mean it was incredible innings I thought yeah and again we've also got to think back to the amount of times that we've kind of criticised the England team because they've not had the preparation you know they've not played enough games and all of a sudden

the first test performance isn't quite as good as we would have expect because of the preparation. It just shows you that a lot of high-level cricket is played in the mind. You know, it really is a kind of discipline. It's a skill in itself. The most difficult skill is to get the mind right. And I think that's what these players have done incredibly well. And Ben Stokes is a freak.

He really is a wonderful cricketer. And I think if you actually look at it, Agers, we're in a period of English cricket when you've got Joe, you've just heard the names that Joe's passing and being talked about around. an incredible player. You've got Alistair Cook who's just retired, you know, an incredible play. You've got Stuart Broad, Jimmy Anderson, with more wickets than ever, an England pairing have ever had.

Incredible bowlers. And now we've got an all-rounder like Ben Stokes. We're very fortunate in England that we're looking at Josh Butler in Monday cricket. Owen, Morgan, as a captain. We've got some really high-class cricketers that we're able to watch week in week out. You know, you look at Ben Stoach, Joe Root. You know, if Ben can have the year, like, Like we know he can, and he has done for the previous two,

anything is possible this year for the test match team. If the captain continues to bat in this form and with this mindset, and then you've got Ben Stokes at number five who can play any innings. We've seen Ben play the Dom Sibley-style innings. We've seen him do that in the past. We've seen him do what he's done today, where the ball suddenly started to spin outside his off stump to the left-arm spinner, and he realised that if he was just going to be a sitting duck, he's going to get out.

So he tried the reverse sweep. Then he played the laps like. He said to the young spinner, I'm just not going to allow you to just throw the ball wide of that off stump into the fores. I'm going to ask you a few questions. That's why he's so good. Whenever there's a challenge thrown to him that's a little bit tricky and difficult, he has an answer to it, and that's what the real great players can do.

Yeah. I love the way that Stokes counterattacks, and there he was, on a bit of pressure, the ball's starting to spit out of the rough, isn't it? And left-hander, it's always awkward. And it's his ability and confidence to, rather than have a... you know, he actually takes it on. He actually, okay, that's the challenge. And to know precisely where the fielders are.

I know that sounds obvious. But he just knows where they are and where they aren't, to all the point. And he knows where he's got to hit the ball to hit himself out of trouble. And we saw it against Australia aheadingly, of course, famously. Well, we saw it a bit again today. He just knows where to hit it.

Yeah, well, that's what great players do. They know the gaps. They know the spaces. You know, when you lap slogging at a spinner, you know, the real good players can actually they choose the areas where they're lap slogging too. So even if there's a field and the deep midwicket boundary square, they'll just go straighter.

And when you put that field or a little bit straight, too, you go a bit square of the wicket. They're just so good at doing what they do. It's obviously talent. There's obviously a lot of talent that's in the body of Ben Stokes, but it's his mind as well. His mind's so strong. And also, if you go and watch England practice,

you know, there's no kind of, it's because you look at Joe Rootie, He practices harder than most. You look at Ben Stokes, he practices harder than most. That's why they're so good. It's not just luck and talent that they're allowed to go out there and play these shots under this amount of pressure against these kind of quality bowlers. It's the practice that they put in in the nets.

They're always challenging themselves in the nets to get better and improve. It's not just an easy, you know, those underarm throw-down drills where you smack it back past the coach. You know, they're saying to the coach, come on, try and hit me on the head or try and rip it past me outside edge. I'll try and come up with a solution to real good bowling in practice. And that's the key to improvement is making sure that when you practice, it's tough practice. It's not easy practice.

The best players really practice hard. We'll talk to Prakash Wakanka in a second from, I give us an Indian perspective. But just for that, let's talk about Oli Pope. It was a bit tough for him, wasn't it, today? I mean, it was obviously so. I mean, he hasn't played. But it was interesting that whereas a lot of the players we've seen have come back and have actually found a bit of rhythm,

he did struggle today but again Root just changed his game a bit. He'd happy let Stokes get on with it while Stokes is playing so brilliantly I think he recognised that Pope's rhythm wasn't quite there and he couldn't really get going so you feel Root almost like come on you just take your time I'll

take over here but he got his fluency in the end didn't they put it 86 together yeah I mean if you look back to last summer knowledge Pope struggled a little bit against it was Yassie Shah you know the leg's spinning from Pakistan down. I think against spin, he has to sit down with Joe Root.

You know, the best player I've seen in an England jersey that can play spin. He's got Graham Thorpe as a batting coach as well in that dressing room. He was an unbelievable player of spin. I think he's a bit too frantic. I think he's a little bit too frantic when he goes out there. He's a little bit trying to desperately get at the ball. He's dancing down and he's trying to cut the ball. Then he's sweeping the ball.

I think he can have a simpler game plan of being a little bit more efficient and a little bit not as high risk. you know, when you see him dancing down, his feet cross over a lot. So he actually doesn't go towards the ball. He doesn't shuffle towards the ball in a nice alignment. It kind of crosses over itself. And he always looks like he's reaching out to kind of smothered delivery. It's not smooth.

And I just think his mind just needs to calm down a little bit against spin. I think he can just be a little bit more controlled. I think he can trust his defense a bit better. You know, I think he's got a good defense, so he should be able to trust his defense. And just try that. And it's difficult to take a leaf out. of Joe Root's book because he's that good, but

I'm sure he is doing, but sit with Joe Root and just say, right, have you got anything on my game? And I bet Joe would say to him, I think we just need to calm me down a little bit. Just don't be so frantic in the way that you're maneuvering yourself to the ball all the time. You can just play, and you're a good enough player just to

relax and just bat and just kind of let the bowlers come to you. You know, in the second inning, when it's ripping and spitting, well, there's probably a chance that you have to take more of a risk to try and put the ball under a bit of pressure, but today the ball is doing nothing. And it all felt a little bit frantic. So I think he can just calm down a bit

and just slow it all down a bit and just be a little bit more simple. And finally from you, Michael, England spinners tomorrow, isn't it? I mean, we talked to a bit about Jimmy Anderson and what he might or might not do, but it's the spinners, isn't it? It's best, leech, a bit of route and see how they go.

Yeah, well, the runs are on the board. It's now about getting 20 wickets. It's 20 opportunities that they've got to create. You know, I can't see it being like Gore where Themer's take. all the wickets in one innings, the spinners in the next. I think it's going to have to be a collective. I don't see a standout bowler that's going to get

14 wickets in the match. I don't think it's going to be that kind of performance by one England bowler. It's going to be a collective. It's going to need Don Best. It's going to need Jack Leach. It's going to need Jopra to rip out a couple. It's going to need Jimmy to get a bit of reverse swing. It's probably going to need a bit of wizardry

from Ben Stokes. He always seems to produce something special. I think it will be a collective. And Joe Root himself, you different style of off-spinner, a little bit more of a round-arms, you know, faster off-spinner than Donbess. I think it will probably take for England to get 20 wickets and to go 1-0-0, all six of them just playing their part at the right time. I don't think it'll be one stand-out bowler.

Thank you, Michael, for your company. Go enjoy the rest of your day. Yeah, we'll talk to you tomorrow. Michael Vaughn, part of our commentary team, of course, and our social team and our podcast authority as well. Many thanks to him. So let's get an Indian perspective now, Shal. We, Prakash Wakanka can join us again.

Hello, Prakash. Good evening to you. Very good evening. Oh, good afternoon, I should say. Well, I was doing it your way. Yes. Now then, what are people saying over there then? Because this is not really gone according to India's plan at all, is it?

No. I mean, I think the only thing that's gone awry from the groundsman that we talked about, the businessman from Theropur, is that the wrong team from his point of view, won the toss. isn't it I mean 555 runs absolutely brilliant batting from England and what can we say about Joe Root

I don't even want to add to all the adjectives that must have been used unbelievable performance and you know when the captain leads like that I guess for me it's shades of 2012 when Alistair Cook had a similar kind of impact early on and carried it through the series

so good omens for England yes exactly if the captain shows it can be done then people follow, don't they? As they did with Cook in that case of talking about. Absolutely, absolutely. And I think you saw that. I mean, you saw that with Sibley, you saw that with Stokes, and indeed, the way Dom Bess has been batting.

I mean, you know, this inning is not over by any stretch from the way I'm seeing it, except for that little, you know, two or three overspell where Isha got those two wickets. The Indian bowlers have struggled, albeit two or three chances went down. But the 19 nobles, what do you want to say about that? I know, well, I'll come down at a second. One more thing about Root was I suspect of the many tributes that have been paid to him.

And everybody's, it's quite rightly said there. But I thought one that really stood out for me was VVS Lachman, who is such a wonderful player in that sort of situation. Someone who did bat for such a long time and was such a graceful, beautiful player. And for Vivis Lakshman to really praise that innings. He said one of the best things I think he said I've ever seen by a visitor to India. That's a big combo.

It will be. It certainly is. I mean, very, very special Lakshman. But look, I mean, I guess even someone like me who's by no stretch of imagination and authority on this stuff, he was rock solid in defence. He was decisive in his footwork. And his stroke play was a simple.

It didn't seem to hit the ball. He was sort of maneuvering it, willing it, caressing it, use what word you will. It was just unbelievably good, fabulous in him. So these no balls, because we've been talking about it obviously here, I mean, in the modern game in which they've been virtually completely eradicated from one-day cricket and, you know, T-20 and everything else, you hardly see a no-ball bowl anymore. Isn't it bizarre? They should have bowled so many? Well, it certainly is. I mean, either the technology that has now come in,

I'm sure batsman of the previous era must be re-looking at their averages and working out how many they would have probably scored if all the no-balls had been called. But that's happening down in Pakistan as well in the test match that South Africa and Pakistan are playing. There are quite a few no-balls there as well. Of course, the problem I think was one of the main problems was the umpires just didn't bother calling them anymore.

And so the bowler's naturally pushed and pushed and got closer and closer over the line. We've seen over after over bowled, haven't we, in replay of no balls being bowled. And now suddenly we've got the technology, the siren goes off, echoing around the empty Chippok Stadium, which is quite exciting. And there's no escape anymore. So they are all being found out now. Absolutely. And it's one of those things. You know, you put in the safeguard and technology is doing it.

job so there you have now Indian media let's close on that and social media and everything else it's a gog over there what are they any you know any major comments coming so far any criticisms team selections people always like a bit of a say don't they well I think the the team selection debate sort of raged on last night mainly about cool deep and we talked about that yesterday yes I think I think a lot of people are just being a little bit cautious because they don't want to sort of have egg on their face if you know what I mean Many still hoping that India will, you know, bat well and put up runs on the board once they've got England all out.

But I think the key is going to be a fair amount of criticism, I think, is going to be aimed towards the pitch. Now, whether it's just the curator or just the fact that maybe they didn't have enough time to prepare, or whatever you want to call it. But really, I mean, if you prepare roads like this, I think Wani tweeted saying, thank you, India, for making a road. I suspect that one he didn't think of it too well because Indian roads have enough potholes his didn't have that either that's also very true and cows roaming all over them

so they haven't quite got good like that but it just seems to me Praaghash that you know the amazing the Gabba wasn't long ago and they're just having a bad game here I mean on every front the dropping catches they're bowling no balls

they burned off these reviews it's just almost as if I know Coley wasn't there, obviously, in Brisbane. He would desperate to try and begin this series well, but I wonder if there is a bit of a hangover from some of the players, some of the team, and they haven't really quite picked themselves up and then they're going to have to, as of tomorrow morning.

Well, they certainly will, because otherwise they're going to be very, very embarrassed. I mean, look, with scoreboard pressure, anything can happen. Clearly, the wicket is showing signs of where today itself, though not still unplayable. And the fact is, to your point, point about whether there's just a sense of, I don't want to use the word complacency, but sort of a little bit of overconfidence maybe to say, all right, fair enough, England

had won in Sri Lanka, but that side was not quite there. I think the reality is if you look at the way England have kept India in the field, the longest ever, two full days and still counting, I think the fact is that India really will have to pick themselves up. I suspect there will be some conversations in the dressing room after the game today about what approach to take to batting and we'll have to see how well India are finally able to bat because if they don't bat really well

I think England have all the ingredients in place to go one meal up This is the TMS podcast from BBC Radio 5 Live So let's get some reaction then Ben Stokes has been speaking to Simon Mann All and all I think we're in a very strong position as a team for anyone else there was no thoughts whatsoever of a declaration tonight because that would be stupid if we won the toss and batted first. You just get as many

runs as you can out here in India. And if we can bat for another hour tomorrow, we'd be very happy about it. Is there enough in the surface? Is there enough potential reverse wing to suggest you can make it tough for India's batsmen? Yeah, I think there's actually been,

you know, there's been spin, bounce and there's been reverse. I think we've just played really well. I think you've got to give us credit there. It's not exactly been the easiest. I think we've just given ourselves a great opportunity as batsmen to get in and score runs on a pitch that is actually offering for the bowlers. There's been a lot of balls that have spat out of the rough today

and we've seen the period today when Ishan Sharma bowled with the reverse swinging ball and got two and two. You know, that can happen out here. But yeah, I think I should give us a bit of credit if we got skilled, you would have said it's doing all sorts out here. So, you know, I think we played really, really well as a batting unit.

And we've taken some big strides as a batting group out of the subcontinent in the way that we play. Are you expecting the pitch to deteriorate even more? So, I mean, do you feel you're in a tremendous position, actually, to, you know, to go on potentially win the game from here? Well, I think that generally, wickets don't get any better out here in India, you know, especially when the heat blazes on it and you put 90 overs a day onto it, you know, it's going to get, it's going to get drier, it's going to break up. to deteriorate, but, you know, just because we've gone out there and scored some big first-inning runs, that doesn't give us the right to, you know, bowl them out twice like we hope to do. You know, we know we've still got a lot of hard work to do as a bowling unit here because it is tough to take 20 wickets anywhere, but, you know, out here, you know, sometimes 20 wickets

is hard to come by, so we know we've got a big challenge ahead of us. How did you prepare for the series? I mean, it's very unusual to come into a test match without any cricket for two months and to sort of switch it on straight away. How did you make that happen? I just, I bold, batted and did a lot of running. Yeah, that's pretty much it. You know, physically, just making sure I get myself ready for the test match,

making sure I've got the workload into my body when it comes to the overs. And to be honest, now, you know, after being around and sort of understanding what is best for my game from a batting point of view, I just made sure that I, you know, felt good. I didn't really overkill too much, to be honest. If I felt good and felt like everything was going all right, then I would just come out of the nets. And, yeah, just did a lot of running as well.

Well, there were more Englishmen in the runs today. James Vince and Liam Livingston, starring in the BBL final. Our sports extra commentary team of Alex Hartley, Stefan Schemilt, and Kevin Howells round up the action. And so it's party night at the SC. The title defenders, the Sydney Sixers, with a third title in 10 years of Big Bash cricket. They've beaten their main rivals over the past 10 years as well. The Perth scorches.

The result, the winning margin, 288 runs. The scores, 188 for six, the Sixers after they were put into bat. The bat flip having been won by the Perth side. And in the end, the scorches, 160 for 9. And I have to say that at the end of it all, deserve it champions, because they've just, just had such a terrific campaign of the Sixers and to be in front of their home crowd. We mustn't forget this whole competition

whilst things might be different with COVID, just a little bit different in Australia compared with the UK. It has still been a struggle. They've still been the bio bubbles, the security bubbles, and the players have had to get through that as well and it means they haven't been able to play

in front of their home supporters at times when they would have wanted to. That certainly has been the case of the Sixers up until the night when in front of their home crowd they can cheer on yet another victory. Both of these teams now, both the Sixers and the Scorches have been crowned champions three times over the decade.

And Dan Christian lifting a ninth title of T20 domestic cricket. What a champion performer Dan Christian is, of course, his last one was with Nottingham ship back there in Birmingham only last October as well. So many congratulations to him on a personal level. Many congratulations also to Adder's.

Hales because he finishes the competition with the most run scored 543 but he was being pushed very close to the end by James Vince with that 95 which he scored off 60 deliveries in the final 10 fours and three sixes it wasn't to be the night in the end for Liam Livingston he made 45 in reply for the Perth scorches Jason Roy due to an ankle injury unable to take his place in the final 11 for the scorches it has been a competition which started a long long time ago it seems way before Christmas. Some people will say Alex Hartley, England World Cup winner alongside me.

Also we've got Stefan Shelmeltz as well. We'll talk just briefly about the competition. Some will say the competition goes on a while. However, for me personally, I've really, really enjoyed it. And I think a fitting finale to see the Sixers lift the trophy this evening. Yeah, the competition's a long one, but it always has been. And it's a fantastic competition. It's one of the best in the world for a reason.

The cricket that he's played is exciting. Yes, we saw at the start that we had a few low-scoring games, but that's purely because the Australians hadn't played cricket. We've had a COVID year. It's been difficult. But yeah, it's been a fantastic competition, and the six as well deserved. And your thoughts on the final this evening,

James Vince, following the disappointment, heartache, heartbreak, and so much anger for some people, the way they'd all finished for him. But on 98, and getting through to the final week ago, comes back and plays a magnificent. It's a blind knock again. Yeah, he's been fantastic. We hyped up the tension between him and AJ Ty.

And whether there was or there wasn't, we'll never know. But Vince came out today and he proved that he deserved that 100 in the previous game. He's gone out. And it's such a shame. He looked tired tonight. He looked like he was struggling when he was in the 90s. But yeah, he was fantastic. And he really set his team up for that win.

Your thoughts, first, Stefan, on the final itself? The best team won, the best team in the competition won. And it was just a lovely event. I agree. I totally agree. The atmosphere, the fact that, I mean, it helped a little, I suppose. Lord your respect to Perth, who was the sixers in front of the home crowd. But it felt just a little bit tingly, a little bit tingling.

Definitely. And when we talk about whether or not the competition is too long or the way that it staged or anything like that, I mean, I'm going to miss these scenes, really, in the dark winter morning scene, cricket being played in the warmth, in these wonderful nights, a ground like the Sydney cricket ground. And I just think it's been a fitting conclusion to a competition that's had its difficulties. But to see cricket back at the SCG, a sellout, not a full house, but a sellout. So many fans, their home fans, in their pink shirt, cheering on the Sydney scene,

sixers and for the sixers to be celebrating the way that they did they fully deserve to win the big bash because they have been the best team and in winning the final they've beaten the second best team I don't think we could have asked for more than that eight teams in this competition the top five qualify for that knockout chance if you like to go through to the final the scorch has made an horrific start we thought it was going to be another tough year for them I'd throw in the Brisbane heat here who almost made it somehow almost made it through to the final if you want to talk about the length of a competition that's fine but it does mean you make

a dreadful start you can come back and you can turn things around and you just wonder as well about I'm sure you'll come on to this Kevin but the innovations things like the bash boost point and things like that when you have made a poor start like that

and you haven't won in your first four games as the scorches did well later on a win is not just a win you can win and you can pick up extra points as you go or you can lose and still pick up points and I think that is one of the things that has helped certainly along the way to keep the interest in the competition as it's rumbled on as for Perth in the way the start that they made I almost liken it to European football if you get drawn away in Russia or something in a cold December night

I just wonder if teams don't like going across to the other side of Australia to make that long journey to play against Perth if they get discombobulated doing that sort of thing and for a long time the Perth scorches they did make the whacker their real fortress and it's taken them a little a couple of years to adjust to Optus Stadium they were I think they've the following two seasons after moving to Optus Stadium they were 8th and 6th now they've turned those conditions in their favour but they couldn't just get over the line in in the playoff series well the scoreboard has now changed so just confirmation was at 27 runs victory not 28 these things can be important they can be important Alex Hales most runs five

5433, the highest score of 110. England have said, we're not interested. We're just not interested. This is starting to look a bit embarrassing, isn't it, for England? Got a World T20 coming up later in the year as well. Yeah, it's a tough one, isn't it? Because there's obviously a reason. There's a fundamental reason he isn't being picked for England.

Whether or not he disrupts the dressing room so much, or he has done in the past. But he's in form. He's scoring runs. He's a leading run scoring yet another competition. No doubt it'll go off to the PSL, and he'll score more runs it'll be fantastic

so I think something's going to have to change the only thing in England's favour is they are winning they are a winning side so does Owen Morgan want to bring someone in who they don't necessarily like

he doesn't get on with the lads who knows I don't know what goes on behind the stage we don't really know do we there's been a lot of conjecture there's been a lot of innuendo and got well gossip really as to what's going and we don't know but obviously clearly something is happening there

which Owen Morgan is somehow, or others, have got to see over and above. I mean, you're very much, Stefan, of the opinion, look, whilst England, as Alex has just mentioned there, whilst England are winning and doing well, they are doing well, what's the issue? But there is an issue, surely. I can see the argument of if someone has served their time, then why not bring them back in?

And we have seen England players, in the recent past, commit various misdemeanors, Ben Stokes, Joffre Archer bought back at the earliest possible opportunity. Of course I get that. But you have got players in the England team who say that the England Limited Overs batting line-up is one of the most difficult sporting entities to get into in the world.

And England are almost looking for reasons to leave players out rather than pick them. Whatever that reason was, Alex Hales gave England a very, very good reason to leave him out. And at the moment, you can look at some of the players that can't get in. Joe Root is nowhere near the T20 side. James Vince is the second highest run score in this competition. He's not in the conversation. The man who probably has hails his place in the T20 side is David Milan. He's rated number one by the ICC as is the number

one T20 batsman in the world. Of course Alex Hales has the talent and can play for international cricket for England, but he's given them a reason to leave him out. And from there, it's a long way back. It didn't happen in terms of being in a winning team from Milan. Of course, we must forget he took part. There were a few others and many, many congratulations to Jake Ball. He didn't figure in the final, but he's taken wickets and helped hear his side of the Sydney Sixers lift the trophy this evening. A player of the match has been James Vince, of course, for his 95. A quick word about Vince, just to make sure that we've got the balance right. Whilst we're concentrating on hails in that England situation, I mean Vince, he's always there.

the frustration there is for him and us the supporters when it doesn't work for him in test cricket but with white ball yeah he's been fantastic hasn't he he's come out in this competition and proven himself again whether or not he'll get that opportunity

in England's white ball squads further down the line is not for us to say but he has put his hand up he's there saying I'm still here I'm still scoring runs and what will be will be the innovations Alex I put a call into the ECB this week not on the agenda at the moment in terms of any copying

of it for the blast the innovations being if you don't know it was the X factor I mean you know I'm talking anybody listening to us it was X factor with the subs the possibility of introducing a new player and swapping them after 10 overs in the first innings we had the bash boost point

which is who's going to get most runs after 10 overs in the two innings and we had four overs of power play but then two overs of power surge again to be taken after the 11th over on it caused all sorts of havoc in so many ways for people to try and with the tactics we all

thought I think it was fascinating. I have since watched an international T20 game being played and I have to say I miss the innovations even in the international game. I am saying although I think there's a little bit of tweaking still maybe to be done with the X-Factor

side of it and I understand that coaches won't want to be telling players that you're off after just 10 overs but what are your thoughts? Do you know what? At the start of the competition I didn't like it. It was changed and I was like this is T20 cricket. It works but I really like it. You know, it gives team something to play for at the halfway stage.

They've got that extra point to go for. I'm a fan and I really like it. Would you encourage those who have the sort of power and the influence to take a look at it that quickly to say, look, we know we've got the 100 coming up, but let's not lose focus as well on the blast ahead of it, say we could do with it. Yeah, I think each competition needs to have its own different, you know, things to make it different. so whether or not we keep the blast as T20 cricket because we've got the 100

and the Big Bash has these innovations because they don't have anything else. I think each individual set up and competition needs to have its own little things that happen. But yeah, it's definitely worth a conversation. Stefan, it does seem to be a real resistance from those I've spoken to, only a few

to the idea of subbing players in cricket matches. We're not used to it. And the point that's been made to me is the players are not used to it. and therefore it's a real hard job to try and get them to buy into it. I'll be very interested when the England lads come back over and speak within the dressing rooms, their own dressing rooms with directors of cricket and coaches

as to what they made of it, but what are your thoughts? I thought it was the only, of the three innovations, it was the one that had least impact, but I thought potentially because it could have gone further. If you're going to have that rule where you can sub one player and runner out, Why has it just got to be after 10 overs of the first innings after either one person hasn't bowled, as only bowled one over or not batted?

Why not take it that you can have one substitute and it can be used at any time in the game? How intriguing would that be if you can bring on a bowler to bowl the last over? Or you've got a batsman on the bench who can bat in the last over in the same way that the power surge has just added that little extra dimension

in the second half of an innings. If you're going to have that substitute, don't make it so restrictive and you will find innovative and interesting ways and the real thinkers about the game will come up with the perfect way to use that substitute. So I've got no problem with it. I would say take it even further.

Okay, moments of the tournament or just your overall one or two sentence round up in a moment. For me, it's going to be the catchers. There were many dropped ones. There were some howlers in the field. There's some howlers made by the umpires as well in fairness, which again might see another change next year with DRS introduced to the Big Basher.

And we keep stressing, I think the umpires will be amongst the biggest group asking for it as well because it's unfair that they have to make that decision then we straight away can see sometimes how bad it was they don't get that opportunity I'm sure they would like it that might be brought in but for me despite all the drop catches I think it was Ben Loughlin taking a fantastic one-handed diving catch to get rid of Jonathan Wells

I just thought that was that was breathtaking in the wrong hand as well we do see players diving around but it was the fact it was running it was the timing of the jump to get to the catch and everything. I just thought it was absolutely magnificent. Alex Hartley, your moment or your overall overriding thought. Mine was the Spice Man, Fletcher, from the stars, finally getting the runs that he was longing to get for. You know, we saw him take brilliant catches for the stars

and he finally got that. I think it was 80-odd in the end and he came off the field and he was hugging Glenn Maxwell and he was in tears. You could just see how much that meant to him. So for me, that was my moment of the tournament. such a good call. That was a real human moment, wasn't it, of motion? We later found out that Brian Lara had spoken

to him. He was over there. Lara for the TV coverage. He'd spoken to him on the phone the day before or something. Next thing we know, he's off playing T-10, but never mind. Stefan. Short answer would be anything that Dan Christian has done. The long answer would be just seeing crowds in cricket stadiums and join the game on warm evenings.

And it's just really whetted my appetite for what could hopefully come this summer. and make no mistake about it so many years ago when there was talk about the clamour for a new limited overs domestic competition in England it was the big bash where

the games administrators were looking it wasn't the IPL it was the big bash that was the inspiration and it may not always be a popular opinion but it really wet my appetite for the 100 don't worry about what's come before maybe the errors that have been made by those people organising that competition

just know that when the quality of those cricketers get together, it will be an excellent competition and this is the sort of thing that the English game wants to recreate. Whether or not you think it could have been done with the blast is almost irrelevant now. It's coming and hopefully it can be something

like this. And finally, you can follow the third days playing in Chennai on the BBC Sport website and the app with a cricket social available worldwide from 6.30am. Here's a sample the sort of thing you can enjoy. This is Michael Vaughn and Dan Norcross quizzing Phil Tufnal about when he dismissed Sachin Tendelka. Did Sachin get given out LBW? I got him LB. I got him LB,

Mike. I got him LB. Yes, I got him LB. Yes, on nine, I think it was. Who was the umpire? Was it an English umpire? It was no, it was a chap called Mindu-Philip Park or something. Oh, is it the Philip thing? Mindu-Philip. I can't remember. Mindu-Philip Park. It's something about it. what was quite strange actually. Was it out, Phil?

Yes, it was out, Mike. But I'd tell you, it was. It just skidded on, hit him on the back foot, lovely piece of bowling. But it was quite funny because... How many did he get, by the way? He got nine. He got nine.

Nine. You got him. I did him early, thankfully. But the chaps who gave it out, the umpire, his finger that it used to give it out with, it looked like it had been flattened in a door. It looked like a table tennis bat. It looks like.

I could shut it in the door. So you couldn't see it? No, it was like a big sort of... It had like a big lolly, big paddle, yes. His finger was like a paddle. Like I'll strictly come dancing. One point. I'm going for nine.

Yes. It looked like a massive paddle. I mean, I don't know. Obviously, you'd shut it in a door or something, but it had been flattened at the end. And when you... It's almost... I'm going to get that on YouTube.

I'm having to look for that. I want to see the paddle thing. Go on. Have a look at the paddle thing. I'm going to get it. YouTube up. I've got some Sachin's career stats up in front of me. LBW. Tuffnell in Mumbai 1993 for 78. Not 9, but you know...

It wasn't 78! It wasn't 78. How was it conveniently forgotten 69? I thought it was single figures. You're joking. I might have felt like it based on how that series went. You're kidding. It was good as a single figure score for England. It was indeed. Was it 78? How many times did you get him out, Phil? I think I only got him out the once, yeah. That's, yeah.

So I'm just, I'm just YouTubeing. Was it really? Was it really? Seventy-eight. So how the memory got, how are the memory fates? Well, Fade, it was nine away from 100. That's probably, but, oh no, it wasn't what? It wasn't even that.

No, 22 away from 100. It's hard to know where nine came in, really. How funny is that? I thought I had him out for single figures. Oh, well, not a worry. Had India teetering at 3. 368 for 3 as well. Yes, well, there you go.

We were on top that game. Maybe he'd just hit 9 off you in that over. Maybe that's what it was. Well, it felt like a success for him not to get 100. Gentlemen, I've got the clip. Go on. Have you got the clip? I've got the clip.

Let me just get to it again because it's quite difficult. I've got it. It's a very good piece of bowling, Phil. He was satchen about 12 at the time. He was about 12. He was a young man. 18, actually, I think. Yeah, he was pretty good.

at that age even then I feel like how disappointed you even if you've got ten docker out I was exhausted my he got him out for nine as well hadn't he and what was disappointing was he looked up the score he got 78 how did that happen

you're listening to the TMS podcast from BBC Radio 5 live I'm Bella Mackey and I'm Greg James we realised that we didn't pay much attention at school and so we've decided to do something about Our new podcast is called Teach Me a Lesson. Our lesson title for today is Are People Born Evil?

We've been searching for the most inspiring teachers in the UK. And each week we're going to learn something fascinating from them. What do RuPaul and Aristotle have in common? And my initial answer would be like attitude. Well, my initial answer would be bald. So come and learn some new stuff with us. Teach me a lesson with Greg James and Bella Mackey. Listen now on Bellow.

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