Test Match Special - Did Bazball work? Behind-the-scenes at The Hundred

Episode Date: July 22, 2026

Henry Moeran is at The Oval during The Hundred opener between MI London and SunRisers Leeds chatting to the Test Match Special team their thoughts on Bazball whilst not on TV.Hear from Michael Vaughan, Phil Tufnell, Ebony Rainford-Brent, Carlos Brathwaite, Katey Martin, Steven Finn, and even Tymal Mills whilst he's having his makeup done before going on air!

This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK. How did a boycott Jimmy become a billionaire from posting videos? On Good Bad Billionaire, we're going to find out how the world's most popular YouTuber, Mr Beast, made his fortune. He's buried himself in a coffin for days. Counted to 100,000 on camera. And even recreated squid games all in an attempt to go viral on the internet. But it all started when he gave a homeless man $10,000. So is he a philanthropist reshaping capitalism?

Or is he just the king of the attention economy? Find out on good bad billionaire. Listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts. You're listening to the TMS podcast from BBC Radio 5 Live. Hello and welcome to the Test Match Special podcast. I'm Henry Moran and we're behind the scenes at the Oval as the first matches of this year's 100 getting underway. Just a reminder, the BBC is going to have every ball of every match available.

for you to listen to on BBC Sounds over the course of the next month and straight after that well what has dominated the cricket conversations this year has largely been around England men's test team and we're just 29 days now away from the first day of the final tests

of the summer between England and Pakistan but the England team has no captain, no head coach and who knows whether a permanent replacement to Brendan McCollum will be in place by the time the series gets underway just over four years. Just over four years on from the birth of

Basball, we're going to ask the test match special pundits here at the Oval Did it work? You're listening to the TMS podcast from BBC Radio 5 live In between commentary stints, the busiest lady in cricket Ebony Rayne from Brent. It's a difficult

question this, and when I first posed it to you off air, I said, well, did Bazball work? And you went, hmm. Yeah, good question. I think, look, we've all watched the last four years. I think the first two were pretty impressive, weren't they? I think the team

hadn't won, like, I think it was 17 test and and won one. And England became rejuvenated, all of a sudden playing expressive, hit the ball around the ground, we saw a new lease of life, I think, from a lot of the England players. So for the first two years, I think it was pretty exciting. I think the challenge then

became England getting into winning situations and we just didn't quite see them get over the line and the ashes test for everyone was one of those moments where it just felt like we've got the skill set, we've got the talent, we've got into good positions within test matches, but not closing it out. And I think, you know, overall, you weigh it up in cycles, right? The first half was brilliant, I would say.

I think it's been so rejuvenating to watch that phase, but the second half, it felt like we wanted more from the performance, more from the team. So how do you describe that? I don't know, so it feels like a career. A lot of people, you know, come out the blocks from fire, and then at the other end, sometimes it doesn't go that as well. So did it work? I don't think you can say a definitive yes.

know. I think we saw real peaks and times where it wasn't working. Did it change test cricket forever? Good question. Maybe. I think it changed English cricket because I think prior to that, the style of English cricket was much more conservative and, you know, I don't think I've ever seen Joe Root playing a reverse sweep early on in a test before or that moment when we saw that Crawley smash one for four. So I think it changed some of the players in their mindset and it's brought in quite a wave of aggression in our cricket. I would say others have dominated. Brendan himself was that style.

You look at, you know, Justin Langer and other cricketers from around the world. They've had aggressive types. But I think as a culture, it's forced us to think about being on the front foot. And I suppose we hope to keep that as well as making sure we can adapt to different times of the game. Thank you very much. I think we've just about unpicked it all that. I don't know. We've done all right, mate.

Radio 5 Live. Well, down here on the boundary edge, I have found Michael Vaughan in the sunshine, Ash's winning captain, on this very ground a few years ago, Vorny. What about Bazbo? Test cricket's changed a lot since then, but was it a success? No. No, it wasn't because it was a success in terms of bringing entertainment. For the first two years, when you look at the chases that they had, some of their series wins, away in Pakistan, New Zealand. They played some exceptional cricket.

But when they came up against a little bit more in quality in a five-match series, India and Australia, which is what you judged on. You know, those big marquee series, Basma Cullum admitted that himself. They're the series that you get judged on as a player, a captain, a coach. The Basball method was, I wouldn't say, easier to play against,

but over a five-match series, I think the likes of Cummings and Co. Bummer and Co. They worked out that if a team's going to come all-out attack, all the time, it's near and impossible to be successful in three of the matches. And that's pretty much how it ended in terms of the result to New Zealand, that fourth afternoon at Trent Bridge. I think that was the moment that we all watched and thought,

it's been a great ride, I've enjoyed it, loved the drama that it's brought, but in terms of bringing trophies and bringing success, in a winning sense, no, it's not been successful. Did you believe the hype? Because a lot of us did, we all thought that this was going to work. at times? I always felt, you know, I believe you have to play aggressive to beat the best teams, but you can't play the same way

all the time. You can't just play in one gear, which was a gear which was pretty much fifth or six, and at times seventh. They had to find a way of working out situations, playing smarter at times.

And if they could have done that, you know, I'm a big believer in test match cricket that if you get the opportunity to be really aggressive, go for it. And if that comes on day one great, It might come on day two, it might come on day three.

You have to work out when you can be ultra-aggressive. But once you've been aggressive and you know you've got the cards and you force the opposition onto the back foot, test cricket allows you to just sit in and go, okay, we don't need to play any more cards. You don't need to risk. We don't have to go all in every single day. And that's for me what Basball was.

It was pretty much whatever cards they had on whatever given day, all in. And it's quite easy to play poker against someone that goes all in all the time because you don't always have the cards. Yeah, I've enjoyed it. I've loved watching it. Love broadcasting on it. But in terms of success and winning, I didn't ever think it was going to be ultimately successful playing that way all the time. Will you miss it?

I will miss it, yeah. I'll miss it. I'll miss drama and Basma Cullen's method. And obviously, Ben Stokes, in terms of the way that he plays the game. Rashi can't see it. I've got to go and interview him. So I can't make, Rash, how are you? You're all right?

I'm good to see you. Yes, I will miss it. Rash, will you miss Basball? Just put yes or no. Yes, I do. I do. You love it really, right? I love it. It's more like a Tijuana of Longbourn. There you go. You never know who you're going to find. Rashid Khan.

The TMS podcast from BBC Radio 5 Live. Well, here in the corridor, outside the commentary boxes, I have come across Phil Tuffnell and Tuffers. Nobody seems to be able to answer this quite definitively. Was Basbel a success? I think at the beginning, absolutely it was a success. You know, I can remember turning up and doing the commentary and you just didn't know what was going to happen. We saw some wonderful cricket when English cricket was at a bit of a low ebb.

It really did sort of reinvigorate it, and it was fantastic. And it was fantastic all the way through. But I think it just sort of ran out of steam for my money. So, yeah, it's an awkward one to answer, but I'm going to go, yes, It was a success. Why? Because I loved every minute of it. It gave, I think it was great for test cricket,

is what it needed at the time, that's for sure. Okay, big series lost. I mean, we're at the Oval here, that India chase. If they could have just got across the line there, would we have said it was a success, you know, and all these other things, all these other sort of factors come into it. But just for a pure sort of exhilaration,

and, you know, I'd never seen anything like it. I can remember myself and Alistair Cook up at Trent Bridge, with Johnny Bearstone, smashing it all round. We were sitting there at tea. Cookie and I were going, oh, well, another boring draw. And old cookie said, oh, I don't know. I think they're going to go for it.

I said, don't be so silly. And then it was the most pulsating session of play that I'd ever seen. And yeah, it was great fun while it lasted, but it just ran out of steam. Did it always have a shelf life? Yes, I think it did. I think things like that.

I think everything has a bit of a shelf life. I can remember, you know, after the Australia tour I was one for saying perhaps give them another go tweak it reset and all those kind of things but I think sometimes even like Pep Guadiola

Arson Venger Alex Ferguson I think there comes a time when yeah you kind of go a bit stale and I feel that's what happened to it will you miss it I will miss it I will miss it I mean Baz I think I think he's a great coach

I think he's a great chap as well and he just freed up that England side to go and entertain, you know, and yeah, I have some fantastic memories of it. It was fun while it lasted. It was fun while it lasted. Couldn't have put it better myself, Henry. Thank you, Doppers. Rido.

So who will we find next? The TMS podcast from BBC Radio 5 Live. One of the most surprising discoveries on my little tour is to find Carlos Brathaway in the makeup room because he just doesn't need it. Carlos, and come on then. Basball, a success, a failure, where do we view it? That says it all.

I mean, can you say it's a big success? No. I think a lot of the games that England won and series that they won, they would have won anyway. I did enjoy watching them play cricket, but then some of the communication coming out of the dressing room about saving test cricket. I think it was a little bit holier than though.

Did it rub people the wrong way around the world? Yeah, I think it did. I mean, if you just take the cricket in isolation, they played a very good brand of cricket. I think for me, the best cricket to watch was potentially Pakistan. Less brash, more clever. That spoke more to trying to, you know, evolve English cricket than, oh, we're going to score at four and a half or over.

You look back into time you had you, very in the Saywides, you're how you, Adam Gilchrist's. So you're not exactly reinventing the wheel, which was the communication. I think the more the communication came out to dressing room, the less public favour, the loss. Or the more public favour, the loss. So I think I'd separate it as an opinion

based of what they said and how it matched up to it and the results versus just the enjoyment factor. It was good to watch again. It made people talk about test cricket, whether it was to slate them for the conversations or whether it was just to see the cricket being played positively but the holier than thou I think that kind of was the first nail in the coffin as soon as results dropped

you know it's going to be a slippery slope indeed thank you Carlos thank you very much I'll let you get back to whatever it is you need doing little touch up never never the TMS podcast from BBC Radio 5 live How did a boycott Jimmy become a billionaire from posting videos? On Good Bad Billionaire, we're going to find out how the world's most popular YouTuber, Mr. Beast, made his fortune. He's buried himself in a coffin for days.

Counted to 100,000 on camera. And even recreated Squid Games, all in an attempt to go viral on the internet. But it all started when he gave a homeless man $10,000. So is he a philanthropist reshaping capitalism? Or is he just the king of the attention economy? Find out on Good Bad Billionaire. Listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts. Well, in the Green Room and me interrupting a bag of crisps is the former New Zealand international

Katie Martin, part of our team covering the 100 this year. And from a Kiwi perspective, what's your view on Basball? How's it been received? How do you think it's gone? I think New Zealand probably been a bit more defensive about the name Basbo. I think they think it's a bit unfair on Brendan. I think they've had some success and not. other success with Babsball.

I think the theory around putting pressure back on bowlers has been a good thing, but yeah, it's probably just been the mentality and the decision making around that was lacking a little bit. But as a coach, you have to commit to what your ethos is and what you want to go about. And I think knowing Brendan, he's a guy that's wholehearted and everything that he does.

And I think he'll look back maybe in a few years' time and say he's had his hand in developing a number of players within that test side. But whether it was a natural progression that, they've put that belief and mentality in a number of younger players coming through. You look like Sir Jacob Bethel and the opportunity that he got given on the back of, I guess, the approach they wanted in that test side. So look, there will be some successes through some of the players.

I think the reflection is that they didn't adapt as quickly as they would have liked and I guess the big moments and the big test series they just weren't able to get across the line. So yes, there will be some remaining factors and I think embedded in English. English cricket around how, probably when England first played in pre-Brenum's era, it was a lot more defensive. So I think they'll say that shift has been quite nice in a different approach and brought the crowds back. But you've always had to develop and they just didn't do it as quickly as probably what

they were liking. Can you understand why some people from overseas really wanted it to fail, particularly from your Antibodean neighbours just across the Tasman Sea? Well, let's say that we think Australia have been to cricket. anyway. So maybe that's a problem, that they feel like they've always played that style around putting pressure back on bowlers and they never had an opportunity to nickname. Although they have nickname, but what do they nickname it in Australia? Jim Maxwell had a nickname which is not worth repeating without us getting into all sorts of trouble.

Baz, something else, I believe. Yeah, look, I mean, Australia have always been the leading side, aren't they, in test cricket. And they've had naturally aggressive players as well. I think you think of Adam Gilchrist was probably the first. non-traditional test player at number seven and shifted the game. Yeah, Ron Ball. I think that's what it's called, isn't it? Oh, that one, okay, the Australian version. Yeah, Ronball after, what they call, nickname their coach, Andrew McDonnell, Ron.

So I remember Travis Head made some t-shirts up after that saying that Rommel was successful. So I think it goes a bit further back in Australian cricket history around how they went about their test cricket. But look, it's given a lot of talking points throughout the years, hasn't it? And we'll probably have to find new narratives in the test game. We will, and I'll let you find your bag of crisps again.

Thank you. Well, we'll give you Stephen Fleming if you want. He was a bit more traditional in his test player. Yeah, he wanted the names that could be in line to be England coach. We will find that out in due course. Katie, thank you very much indeed. Thank you, sir. The TMS podcast from BBC Radio 5 Live. Well, we're in between matches at the Oval, and Stephen Finn is eating your chocolate muffin.

Or he was about to, but now I've interrupted him. Sorry, Finney. Yeah, I was looking for to tuck it into my moist chocolate muffin, but cut short. Because I want to ask a very important question. Was basketball a success? Well, I think if you're looking for a simple answer, it's very difficult. There's more nuance to it, clearly. I think the first two years were a massive success.

I think the way they changed the sentiment around Test Match cricket in this country and took a team that had won one in 17 to them winning so many games in that. that first two-year period. It was a fantastic effort. I think clearly it will end up being defined by the fact that they didn't manage to beat India or Australia in any series. But I would say on the whole,

it was success and it gave us hope in Australia but that both then come through. So yeah, it's a shame that it's all ended as it has all ended, as it did, but I think we should remember the good times. Could it have been a success with just a little tweak? Well, I think clearly, yes, there were certainly for moments in games where had there been a modification of the way that they played,

then they probably would have won those test matches and therefore won those series. So, yeah, I think with a bit better management of situations, it could have been even more honestly. Has it changed the game forever, or are we going to see ebbs and flows over the years where sometimes you'll see the sort of Rory Burns, Dom Sibley, and sometimes we'll see the Basbaw. Yeah, I don't think it's changed the game forever, and other countries would contest that they played aggressive test match cricket well before Bazibald came together. So I think they changed the attitude towards winning games of Test Match cricket in this country.

I think now we're more willing to see teams go for a win than maybe we were before, especially when I played, we were to draw games before winning. but now it's accepted that you want to try and win the test matches. So in that sense, Tia, I say it as it has. Speaking of winning, I'm going to let you get back to the Muttland. Thank you. Appreciate it. Stephen Finn.

Thank you very much and do. The TMS podcast from BBC Radio 5 Live. Well, I'm back in the makeup room. I found Tamar Mills, fresh from bowling practice with the London spirit. And we're discussing things away from the hundred, Timal. And Basbole, it's finished. has it been a success? I guess technically, if you want to look at it,

bluntly, aren't they back to about where they started? But I think in terms of moments and entertainment, it is a resounding success. And I don't think you could argue that cricket is the same now as what it was four years ago. And you'd certainly say a large part of that was to do with Basball and players now playing a lot more aggressively. So if I had to give an answer, yes or no,

I'd say yes, it was a success. what about in terms of attitudes from those overseas that sort of wanted it to fail that's I think that's human nature isn't it we unfortunately as as humans most humans want things to fail more than they do to succeed which is a shame but I don't think the people involved in that test side of that fussed about that if I'm being completely honest they're obviously trying to win games of cricket in a certain way and sometimes it works and sometimes it didn't and yeah I'm sure they sleep okay at night either way.

What about the impact it's had long term on test cricket? Has it changed it? A little bit, yeah. Certainly, I think, like, I haven't delved into the stats, but I'm sure scoring rates will be higher now than it was back then. And teams certainly, you know, won't, or will target chases more so now, will believe it's possible to target chases. So, yeah, I think that will definitely have a lasting impact.

We shall see. Thank you very much, Tammal. your makeup's done. That was all taking place while we were chatting. I don't need much, that's why. Well, that's the thing, isn't it? So there we go, some thoughts from the great and the good of the test match special commentary team. I think we've got somewhere

as to working out where the bas-balls a success, but not necessarily quite the definitive answer that maybe we thought we'd have had when we saw the revolution starting in 2022. Well, that test series between England and Pakistan gets

underway on August 19th. You'll be able to hear it all on test match special coverage beginning at 1025 in the morning from Headingley. And there'll be coverage as well on BBC television with today at the test bringing highlights every single day. And you'll be able to watch them back at your leisure on the I player as well. It's on the I player. You'll be able to find plenty of matches in the 100, two, eight double headers across BBC television and the I player. If you miss any of the action, you can always watch it back. and there's lots of highlights on the BBC Sport website as well.

And of course, our radio coverage continues unabated. Every ball of every game of this year's tournament are available for you to listen to on BBC Sounds. Loads of podcasts. Just hit subscribe as well to the TMS podcast. And you will not miss a thing. So much cricket from BBC Sport. Such a busy summer. Thanks so much for listening.

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How did a boycott Jimmy become a billionaire From posting videos On good, bad billionaire We're going to find out how the world's most popular YouTuber, Mr. Beast, made his fortune. He's buried himself in a coffin for days. Counted to 100,000 on camera. And even recreated squid games, all in an attempt to go viral on the internet. But it all started when he gave a homeless man $10,000.

So is he a philanthropist re-shaping capitalism? Or is he just the king of the attention economy? Find out on Good Bad Billionaire. Listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts.