Daily analysis, opinion and great stories from the Ashes in Australia. Presented by Simon Hughes, aka The Analyst and the BBC's Simon Mann. This is the place where you really find out what happened on the field, and off it, with the two Simons worldwide experiences and their famous guests. Find us on the Sport Social website: https://podcast.sport-social.co.uk/podcast/the-analyst-inside-cricket/
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Bodyline Podcasts
A podcast dedicated to the Brisbane Lions, Brisbane Bears and Fitzroy Football Club in AFL, AFLW and VFL. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Unearth sport's greatest moments with broadcaster Mark Pougatch and journalist Paul Hayward, as they unravel the drama behind defining moments in sporting history - from triumphs and controversies to the twists that changed the game forever. With expert insight and a sharp eye for the untold detail, this is the inside track on sport’s biggest stories. New episodes drop every Tuesday, with bonus episodes each Thursday diving into the bizarre and brilliant forgotten corners of sport - from gol ...
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Mick Molloy and Titus O’Reily are always on the lookout for a bizarre story. The harder to believe, the better. Yet all these stories are true, even if many of them shouldn’t be. Every Monday they delve into the world of sport with Sports Bizarre, and every Wednesday they turn their eye to the Animal Kingdom in Animal Bizarre. From teammates who swapped wives to a crypto-investing hamster, one thing we guarantee if they are all bizarre. You can also become a member of Bizarre Plus and receiv ...
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Australia's champion women's cricket team stands on the shoulders of some of the most talented, bold, and daring women of preceding generations. And pivotal to that modern success is the first Australia and England women's test series held here in the aftermath of the brutal 'Bodyline' Ashes series in 1932/33. It was a moment in time when the crowds turned up in their thousands to watch the women's Tests, the newspapers devoted column inches to the contests, and our women's cricketers looked ...
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It’s more than just a sporting contest. It’s the pride of two nations, where victory couldn’t be sweeter, but defeat is the bitterest taste of all. It’s a rivalry that transcends sport and creates true heroes and villains. This is Legends of the Ashes, hosted by lifelong cricket fan and current Marylebone Cricket Club President, Stephen Fry. This podcast series will delve deep into the stories that make the England versus Australia rivalry one of the greatest there is. Relive incredible matc ...
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About Hall of Teams The Hall of Teams is where history’s greatest sports teams are remembered, honored, and brought to life — across sport, across time, and across the world. Legendary teams have shaped not only the games we love, but also the cultures and communities that surround them. Through our cinematic visual and audio podcasts, we go beyond the scores and trophies. We uncover the origins of crests, the meaning of colors, the voices of songs, and the legacies that endure. Each episode ...
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Australian Baggy Greens – Ashes, Bodyline, and a Team Feared With Respect
25:35
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25:35The Baggy Greens: A Legacy of Pressure and Pride With Australia securing the 2025–26 Ashes through a dominant start to the series, the story of the Baggy Greens entered its next chapter. In this episode of Hall of Teams, we explore how Australia’s national cricket team built a standard that became both feared and respected across the cricketing wor…
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In Part 3 of the Bodyline series, Titus and Mick cover the explosive Adelaide Test, where Bodyline peaked in controversy, leaving Woodfull and Oldfield battered and the crowd near riot. They also explore the series’ fallout - political tensions, media scandals, and the MCC’s response that changed cricket laws forever. If you’d like more Sports Biza…
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Weird World of Cricket - Episode Two | Bodyline
19:03
19:03
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19:03G’day cricket tragics — Ash is back with Episode Two of Weird World of Cricket, and this week we’re diving into one of the most infamous chapters in the game’s history: the Bodyline series. After kicking things off last episode with an Aussies-and-Poms XI built entirely from blokes who provided top-tier unintentional comedy (plus the compulsory inc…
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G’day Lions fans — Ash here, back (barely) from a busted shoulder. But enough about the injury report — let’s talk footy. 🦁 In this season finale, I wrap up everything that’s happened across the Lions’ men’s and women’s programs since I was last on air. From draft hauls and list changes to big contract calls, AFLW trade moves, and a history-making …
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Despite a plucky seventh wicket stand between Will Jacks and Jamie Smith, the Aussies clinched their coveted prize in mid afternoon and celebrated in appropriate style. Simon Hughes and Simon Mann analyse waht went right for Australia and wrong for England and hear Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum offer their explanations too. And we hear what our l…
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Chasing a virtually impossible 435 for victory to keep the series alive, England inevitably lost more than half their side to a combination of the superb Pat Cummins and wizardly Nathan Lyon as the dusty fourth day pitch played a few tricks. Simon Hughes and Simon Mann review a day of intense competition as Australia draw within four wickets of ret…
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After courageous resistance from Ben Stokes gets England close to a barely adequate 300, England's bowlers suffer at the hands of the brilliant South Australian Travis Head. Simon Hughes and Simon Mann analyse the third day of the third Test when England's Ashes hopes are slowly and almost sadistically extinguished by Australia's batsmen. Their for…
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Simon Hughes reviews the second day from Adelaide when the outstanding Australian attack gave the England batters a good roasting in the Adelaide heat. Justin Langer also gives his view on England's batting frailities which have left them clinging on to their Ashes hopes by a gossamer thin thread. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoi…
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Cricket Tales with Adam Collins & Geoff Lemon - Sports Bizarre
47:12
47:12
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47:12Titus sits down with cricket commentators Adam Collins and Geoff Lemon from The Final Word podcast to talk all things cricket and chaos. Fresh off the release of their new book Bedtime Tales for Cricket Tragics, the pair share stories, insights, and plenty of laughs for fans of the game. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre…
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Simon Hughes and Simon Wilde of the Sunday Times review the first day of the Adelaide Test when both teams gifted presents of runs and wickets to each other. There was also controversy when Alex Carey was given not out by umpire and DRS but admitted afterwards that he did get an edge. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adcho…
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Simon Hughes and Simon Mann preview the 3rd Test in Adelaide which is of course make or break for England. After England's break in Noosa, Brendon McCullum speaks and declares that England will keep the same top seven, and also explains more about what he meant by England overtraining before the Brisbane Test. He is clear though that if they play m…
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Graeme Swann was one of the stars of England's triumphant Ashes campaign of 2010/11. In this interview he recounts how England prepared for that series - with a graphic account of the infamous boot camp in Germany - the difficult start to the series in the Gabba, how they recovered and then went on to produce almost the perfect performance at the A…
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Was Stokes right to suggest that some of his players are mentally weak? Should there be major changes if England lose the Ashes? Should they be going to Noosa for a 'mid-series break' or be practising in the nets? Do they need a psychologist or a shrink? Your Ashes questions answered with Simon Hughes and Simon Mann Learn more about your ad choices…
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The Bodyline saga heats up as England’s short-pitched assault intensifies and Australia reels from controversy on and off the field. This episode explores the moments that pushed players, officials, and nations to breaking point. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A …
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Determined batting by Ben Stokes and Will Jacks at least took this 2nd Test into the final session of the 4th day at the Gabba. But from the moment England dropped five catches to allow Australia to make over 500 the barbequing of the English torso on the Brisbane coals was underway. Simon Hughes and Simon Mann hear from a sombre Ben Stokes and an …
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England laboured to dismiss Australia's last four wickets in the heat of the Brisbane day and then collapsed to the Australia's willing seamers as darkness fell. Simon Hughes and Simon Mann are joined by Matt Hayden to analyse a dispiriting yet predictable third day at the Gabba which leaves England's Ashes hopes hanging by a thread. #ashes #englan…
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England lose the plot with the ball and in the field on the second day at the Gabba, gifting Australia the initiative with poor bowling and dropped catches. But this Australian side are not as ruthless as some of their predecessors and at times handed the initiative back. But, as Simon Hughes, Simon Mann and Steven Finn report, Australia still have…
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WEIRD WORLD OF CRICKET | One Test Wonders XI
14:26
14:26
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14:26🏏 G’day cricket degenerates — Ash here, welcoming you to Episode Three of Weird World of Cricket, where we rummage through cricket’s dusty attic, pull out the strangest relics imaginable, and proudly wave them around like a kid showing off a frog from the backyard. 🏏 This week, we unveil the One-Test Wonders XI — a full team of blokes who played on…
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Joe Root has finally got the monkey of his back with an irrepressible hundred at the Gabba, his first in Australia and his 40th overall. It was the centrepiece of a compelling first day in Brisbane which England looked like squandering at several points, but was saved by Root's dedication and skill and an unexpected unbroken last wicket stand betwe…
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WWOC Special Episode | A Tribute To Robin Smith
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6:04🏏 G’day cricket tragics, Ash here. Today’s special episode hits a little differently - we’re pausing the banter to honour a genuine cult hero of the game — the incomparable Robin “The Judge” Smith. 🏏 We pay tribute to a cricketer who wasn’t polished, wasn’t pretty, — but was pure theatre. A bloke who could look out of form in county cricket, then w…
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The cricket world has been stunned with the sudden death of the brilliant Hampshire and England batsman Robin Smith at the age of 62. Smith, known as The Judge for his wig-like hairstyle, possessed the most ferocious cut shot in the game and was fearless against fast bowling during a highly successful England career. This belied inner self-doubts a…
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Simon Hughes and Simon Mann preview the second Ashes Test at the Gabba which England must win to have any chance of regaining the Ashes. This is a day-night pink ball test and they discuss the difficulties that presents, the way teams approach it and the changes in personel. There are rumours that Pat Cummins might return as captain. But whatever h…
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Botoxed Camels on the Catwalk - Animal Bizarre
28:19
28:19
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28:19Mick and Titus tackle the burning issues of our time: camels cheating in beauty pageants with Botox, and investigate if pig milk is actually thing. If you’d like more Animal Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes acces…
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FC Barcelona – A Journey of Faith, Defiance and Glory
22:42
22:42
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22:42Més que un club. This authentic football documentary explores the weight of identity and history carried by FC Barcelona, a club that became a symbol of culture and pride for supporters across Catalonia and around the world. Built by a community that believed the sport could represent something greater than the game itself, Barcelona’s legacy refle…
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Simon Hughes an Simon Mann consider the state of the England team ahead of the second Ashes Test. And Simon Hughes then joins in a local radio show in Denmark, Western Australia to hear what the real Okkers think of the Poms. (Apologies for the slightly low sound levels on the second half.) #ashes #england #australia Learn more about your ad choice…
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In Part 1 of the Bodyline series, Titus and Mick reveal how Bradman’s unstoppable rise and Douglas Jardine’s growing hatred lit the fuse for cricket’s most explosive controversy. By the end, Jardine thinks he’s cracked Bradman - and starts plotting a plan that will shake the sport to its core. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of B…
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An in-depth interview with Simon Jones, one of the stars of England's 2005 Ashes triumph but who sadly never played for England again. He talks about his upbringing as the son of an England bowler, idolizing other great fast bowlers, the devastation of rupturing knee ligaments on his Ashes debut, the exhilaration of the 2005 Ashes success and the v…
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Sausage Dog Turns Celebrity - Animal Bizarre
29:39
29:39
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29:39Mick and Titus give us an update on Valerie the dachshund, who’s now juggling VIP appearances, book plans and even her own beer. Meanwhile, rodeo bulls run wild through the streets of Pakenham as cowboys on horseback scramble to chase them down. If you’d like more Animal Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member…
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Lowdown W Edition #15 - The Ruby Show Has Arrived
9:20
9:20
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9:20G’day Lions fans — Ash here, and if your heart rate hasn’t come down yet, don’t worry… neither has mine. In this episode, we’re breaking down the night OUR girls unleashed a third-quarter firestorm so fierce it sent us roaring into a FOURTH straight Grand Final. Brighton Homes Arena was heaving — 6511 in, November air thick enough to slice — and af…
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An interview with Lord Botham, great all-rounder, hero of the Ashes and scourge of Australia, to commemorate his 70th birthday. He talks with Simon Hughes about his lifelong association with the Ashes, why he loves Australians, and loves to beat them even more, and how to save Test cricket. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com…
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Still trying to comprehend not only what happened on the 2nd day of the first Ashes Test in Perth, but also how quickly it all unfolded, Simon Hughes and Simon Mann try to rationalise how the balance of power shifted so dramatically. Plus - fans reactions, what England should do next and a special birthday. STOP PRESS - BETHELL, POTTS AND TONGUE TO…
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The Birth of the Ashes: Part 2 - Sports Bizarre
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40:35Titus and Mick continue to explore the fiery birth of The Ashes on this episode of Sports Bizarre. Discover how Fred Spofforth’s legendary bowling, a cheeky obituary, and a few unexpected twists sparked a cricket rivalry that still burns today. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member,…
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A remarkable hundred by Travis Head - one of the greatest innings ever played in an Ashes Test - savaged England's hopes and seized Australia an unlikely win in the first Test in Perth. Head's century, the second fastest in Ashes history - shot Australia to victory inside two days leaving England, leading by 100 just after lunch with nine wickets i…
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Nineteen wickets fall on the first da of the Ashes in Perth, and England, have been tamely bowled out for 172 seem likely now to take a decent lead. Simon Hughes and Simon Mann praise the skill of the fast bowlers on both sides while bemoaning the lack of application of the batsmen on a bouncy pitch with some lateral movement. England's bowlers cer…
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Undie Smuggled Parakeets - Animal Bizarre
29:19
29:19
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29:19It's a canine flavoured chaos fest as Mick and Titus tackle parakeets smuggled in jocks and a dog who accidental pulled the trigger. If you’d like more Animal Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access Access to the…
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REPLAY - Bodyline: the Ashes that sparked a global crisis
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37:41"If we don't beat you, we'll knock your bloody blocks off" In one of the most bitter and controversial Ashes series ever played, England set their sights on taking down Australian cricketing legend Don Bradman. Their method? A brutal, calculated strategy known as Bodyline - a tactic so aggressive it sparked outrage, strained diplomatic ties, and fo…
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The huge build up to the 2025/6 Ashes is almost over. The talk is nearly done. Time to walk the walk. Simon Hughes and Simon Mann survey the stage at the Perth stadium and assess where the balance of power is now, and where it might be in six weeks time. Ben Stokes explains the philosophies behind his and the team's preparation and how he has empha…
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The longest wait: 2005 Ashes, McIlroy's Masters & the most unlucky horse
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34:23Some of the most iconic victories have come after the longest waits. England's historic Ashes victory in 2005 came after an 18-year drought. They famously secured the urn with a 2–1 series victory by drawing the final Test at The Oval. 2025 saw Crystal Palace end a 119-year wait for a major trophy, Newcastle United end a 56-year wait by winning the…
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The climax to the greatest Test series of all time - the Oval Test of 2005. England, who hadn't held the Ashes for 18 years, went into this final Test 2-1 up, knowing that if the Australians managed to sneak a victory they would retain the Ashes urn again. The last Test to be broadcast live on terrestrial TV in the UK (on Channel 4) it was regarded…
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The Club We Hold So Dear — The Extraordinary Life of Chris Brent
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6:22In this episode, Ash digs into one of the most remarkable — and least-known — stories in Fitzroy history. Back in the mid-’90s, a pub yarn in rainy Burnie led him to the incredible tale of Chris Brent: a brilliant young Fitzroy forward who kicked 91 goals in a season… and just happened to be the son of a notorious crook. But this isn’t a crime stor…
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G’day cricket lovers — Ash here, welcoming you to the debut episode of Weird World of Cricket, the off-season passion project where the gentleman’s game meets deeply questionable humour. Each episode, I pick an XI based on a theme — the oddballs, the controversies, the moments that made you spit your beer — all delivered with the same energy I brin…
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The Birth of the Ashes: Part 1 - Sports Bizarre
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36:38Titus and Mick take you back to the birth of the Ashes, where beers, betting and angry crowds shaped cricket more than talent ever did. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access Access to …
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The Trent Bridge Test of 2005 was the first time England had taken a significant lead in the Ashes for 18 years. It was only achieved in a tense finale in fading light by two players - Ashley Giles and Matthew Hoggard - not renowned for their batting. They managed to collect the final 13 runs for victory with Shane Warne wreaking havoc, only two ne…
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The dramatic tale of the third Ashes Test of 2005, told through the players eyes - featuring Michael Vaughan, Freddie Flintoff, Andrew Strauss, Simon Jones, Glenn McGrath, Justin Langer and Adam Gilchrist. A gripping, tense encounter which built to such a climax that the Old Trafford ground was full by 9am on the fifth day with 20,000 people locked…
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G’day Lions fans — Ash here! Still buzzing from our history-making win over Melbourne… 🦁 For the first time ever in AFLW, we’ve beaten the Dees in a final — on their borrowed dung heap — booking a home Prelim and a deserved week off. After a shaky start, the belief kicked in, the pressure rose, and a goal blitz flipped the entire match on its head.…
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Ashes Countdown 5: When Clooney Came Out to Play
1:01:33
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1:01:33Ashley Giles is the guest on this podcast. One of the heroes of the 2005 Ashes looks back on his exploits in that series during which a partnership with Kevin Pietersen at the Oval earned him the nickname 'George' - simpler than King of Spain which he was also ironically known as. Giles also reflects on darker times when he was England's director o…
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The story of the most gripping Ashes Test ever played, the Edgbaston white-knuckle ride of 2005, which went literally to the wire, England eventually winning it by two runs. It featured so much drama - Glenn McGrath slipping on a ball before play, Ricky Ponting putting England in, England walloping 407 in a day, Freddie Flintoff hitting 10 sixes in…
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How did a 'rebel circus' transform The Ashes?
35:09
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35:09In the last episode of Season 2, as we gear up for the Ashes, Mark Pougatch and Paul Hayward bring you the story of Australian media magnate Kerry Packer, who all the current players should be thanking. Packer turned the gentile game of Test cricket upside down as he signed the captains of England, Australia and the West Indies to what some called …
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How did a 'rebel circus' transform The Ashes? - How It All Played Out
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35:09In the last episode of Season 2, as we gear up for the Ashes, Mark Pougatch and Paul Hayward bring you the story of Australian media magnate Kerry Packer, who all the current players should be thanking. Packer turned the gentile game of Test cricket upside down as he signed the captains of England, Australia and the West Indies to what some called …
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This week, lab monkeys go rogue after a truck crash, one’s still on the run, and a bloke with a few pints too many mistakes a tiger for a slightly larger house cat. Just another normal week in the animal kingdom - and on Animal Bizarre! If you’d like more Animal Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll …
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