What's He On About? Cricket Podcast · Charlie Harden

Who Is England's Best Test Spinner? County Championship Cricket Week 3

·20 min·1 clip

Shah Bashir averages 65 under Pope but 36 under Stokes—why captaincy makes or breaks a spinner.

This episode of the What's He On About Cricket Podcast, hosted by Charlie Harden, analyzes England's best Test spin bowling options by examining current County Championship performances. Harden reviews standout displays from the third round of the Championship before focusing on a detailed statistical comparison of three primary spin candidates. The episode centers on evaluating Shoaib Bashir, Rehan Ahmed, and Jack Leach to determine who merits selection for the national team. Rehan Ahmed scored a century of 149 balls for Leicestershire, showcasing batting depth that could benefit England. Cameron Green made 112 on debut for Gloucestershire, displaying a class above Division Two. Tom Haines scored 174 and 69 not out for Sussex, applying pressure to incumbent Test opener Zak Crawley. Nathan Gilchrist took a seven-wicket haul for Kent, including the wickets of Green and Cameron Bancroft. A controversial moment occurred in the Essex-Worcestershire match, where Jamie Porter claimed a disputed catch to dismiss Ethan Brookes on 88. Host Charlie Harden presents a key statistic showing Shoaib Bashir averages 36 with the ball under Ben Stokes's captaincy but 65 under Ollie Pope's leadership. Rehan Ahmed has taken 22 Test wickets at an average of 31, all in subcontinent conditions. Bashir's subcontinent Test average is 39, which is higher than Ahmed's average of 31 in similar conditions. In the 2025 County Championship, both Bashir and Ahmed rank in the bottom six for bowling figures among all wicket-takers in Division Two. Bashir has taken two wickets at an average of 152 from 72 overs for Glamorgan this season. Ahmed has taken one wicket at an average of 111 from 36 overs for Leicestershire. Jack Leach leads all Division One spinners with 10 wickets from 125 overs at an average of 32.5 for Somerset. Leach's current economy rate of 2.6 is notably lower than Bashir's 4.2 and Ahmed's 3.1. The host highlights 17-year-old Farhan Ahmed, who has bowled 74 overs in Division One with an economy of 2.9 for Nottinghamshire. Harden argues Leach's control and experience make him the best candidate for challenging upcoming tours like Australia. The episode suggests England's captaincy and faith significantly impact a spinner's performance, as seen in Bashir's divergent averages. The analysis implies that current early-season conditions in England are difficult for spinners, yet Leach's output remains strong. The tone is conversational and analytical, blending match reports with statistical deep dives to support arguments. The style is opinionated and direct, with the host clearly advocating for his preferred selection based on the presented data. Cricket fans interested in England's Test selection dilemmas and County Championship analysis would enjoy this episode. Listeners seeking purely narrative storytelling or interviews with players might find it less engaging.

As heard by us

County form and a catch dispute frame a firm Leach case.

Charlie Harden uses episode 25 to make a clean county-to-Test selection argument, opening with round three of the County Championship and then moving through Rian Ahmed's 100 for Leicestershire at Old Trafford and the Jamie Porter catch dispute involving Worcestershire and…

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County scores, spinner stats, and a stubborn Leach verdict.

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