The Telegraph Cricket Podcast · The Telegraph

Michael Vaughan on England staying the course as West Indies toughen up

·38 min·2 clips

Shoaib Bashir’s five for 41 at Trent Bridge decided the match.

1. The Telegraph Cricket Podcast episode focuses on England’s second Test win over West Indies at Trent Bridge and the debate around how much harder the visitors made England work. 2. Ben Wright hosts Michael Vaughan and Phil Tufnell, who comment as former England cricketers and assess tactics, batting, bowling, and selection. 3. The episode asks whether England are staying the course while West Indies toughen up, and whether the team is being built with Australia in mind. 4. Vaughan says West Indies were “toe-to-toe” with England for most of the match and that the game lasted “three days and two sessions” in practice. 5. He credits Kraigg Brathwaite’s decision to bowl first and says the visitors expected England to be bowled out for “280, 300” on day one. 6. Vaughan says West Indies batted beautifully in the first innings, then lost control after the early breakthrough of Zak Crawley and a collapse later in the match. 7. Tufnell says Kavem Hodge was “fantastic” because he absorbed pressure, left the rash shot out, and kept batting through the second and third spells. 8. Vaughan highlights Alick Athanaze as a left-handed player with a “large ceiling” who withstood Mark Wood’s pace and short-ball pressure. 9. The discussion singles out England’s field placements to Joshua De Silva and Shamar Joseph as “very, very odd” and says Joe Root was expensive after coming on to bowl. 10. Vaughan and Tufnell argue that Ben Stokes would usually be more aggressive than the spread field England used at the end of the West Indies innings. 11. Vaughan praises Harry Brook’s 360-degree stroke play and says his short-ball method is the main area he would target. 12. Tufnell compares Brook and Joe Root at the crease and says Brook’s power made him almost impossible to separate from Root on the day. 13. The episode gives Joe Root a long discussion as England’s batting “key,” with Vaughan saying Root should keep playing the “Joe Root way” rather than changing for Bazball. 14. Vaughan cites Root’s record, including his position in Test run scoring and the possibility of closing on Sachin Tendulkar if he stays fit for several more years. 15. Phil Tufnell says Shoaib Bashir has “massive hands,” a high release, a short delivery stride, and a quick arm that help him bowl on flat pitches and still threaten once the surface turns. 16. Vaughan says Bashir now has three five-wicket hauls in five Tests and should be considered a serious prospect, though Sri Lanka and Australia will be tougher tests. 17. The tone is conversational and analytic, with frequent cross-talk, back-and-forth agreement, and player-by-player judgments in the “Cricket Club scoreboard” section. 18. The format mixes match review, selection debate, a sponsor read for Laithwaite’s Wine, and a final “what’s stumped you” segment on cricket business and Nottingham’s roundabout. 19. Listeners interested in England cricket tactics, Test match bowling, and Joe Root’s form will get the most from it. 20. Listeners wanting only a short match result and no sponsor chat may skip it.

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from The Telegraph Cricket Podcast