98 Not Out - The Cricket Podcast

We have reached the penultimate round of fixtures in the 2026 County Championship and it is STILL all to play for at the top and the bottom of Division One, but is a late points deduction going to set a cat among the pigeons? Oliver Hawke, Dan Haggar, Barrie Funnell, David Wright and Alex Gates describe a frantic dash for the finish line.

Teams are jostling for position at both ends of the County Championship Division One table, with the spots for champions and relegation still all to play for. Games are coming thick and fast and many outcomes are pivoting on a particularly good or bad session. As always, plenty to talk about and our panel of Harry Everett, David Wright, Barrie Funnell, Dan Haggar, Oliver Hawke and Alex Gates are here to report on all the latest goings on at their counties.

The blistering English Summer has come to an end with heavy - but much needed - rain coming to disrupt the cricketing calendar. Nonetheless, our intrepid panel members were out and about, braving the weather to catch whatever county matches they could. This week: Dan Haggar and David Wright on Essex v Surrey Oliver Hawke on Yorkshire v Leicestershire Harry Everett on Sussex v Somerset Alex Gates on Derbyshire v Middlesex, Durham v Gloucestershire and the Test match at Lord's between England and Pakistan. ..and Craig Tranter on Worcestershire v Lancashire.

Red ball cricket is back and our panel is here to report on the games they have been watching: Harry Everett and Dan Haggar on Somerset v Essex David Wright and Barrie Funnell on Surrey v Notts Oliver Hawke on Leicestershire v Glamorgan Craig Tranter on Lancashire v Northants ...and Craig also tells us what he is REALLY up to in Worcester this week?!?!

Leicestershire and Middlesex will battle it out in the Metro Bank One Day Cup Final at Trent Bridge on the 21st of September. We hear from Oliver Hawke and David Wright, who were at Grace Road and Radlett respectively. Also at Radlett was Alex Gates who gives his thoughts, not only on Middlesex, but England's prospects under new leadership, as the series against Pakistan gets underway. And finally Craig Tranter returns with all the latest goings on at Lancashire, where life is rarely dull!

Essex Cricket has elected Rachel Lewis as the new Chair at the club, the first woman to hold the position in the club's 150 year history. Here she tells us about how she plans a future that is shaped on the past. The Metro Bank One Day Cup is heading towards a climax and we hear from Dan Haggar, Oliver Hawke, Harry Everett, Barrie Funnell and David Wright about how their clubs have fared. Spoiler - only one of them is happy!?!?!

As the heatwave continues, so does interest in the Metro Bank One Day Cup, with some great outground cricket being played under sunny skies in front of sizeable crowds. In this episode, Dan Haggar talks about an eventful trip to Arundel Castle and a meeting with the new Essex Chair Rachel Lewis. Oliver Hawke reports on a couple of good wins for Leicestershire which saw them top the table. Harry Everett is equally cock-a-hoop about Somerset and David Wright enjoys attending some neutral games alongside his beloved Surrey.

This week Oliver Hawke, Barrie Funnell and Dan Haggar join me to discuss the Metro Bank One Day Cup and the delights of watching cricket at beautiful out grounds under sunny skies. We also look at a poignant Test match just completed in Trinidad, where the West Indies beat Pakistan against the backdrop of Sir Garfield Sobers' death. And how could we not talk about the controversy surrounding Saltburn CC and "Click Bait" ?!?!

The cricketing world was rocked with the sad news of the death of a true legend of the game, Sir Garfield Sobers. His dear friend Roland Butcher speaks about the life and times of one of the greatest names to play the game. Closer to home, we get reports on the T20 Blast Finals Days; Dan Haggar was at Edgbaston for the Men's version and David Wright at The Oval for the Women. And Oliver Hawke takes a look at Leicestershire's T20 campaign and looks forward to better luck in the One Day Cup. If you are interested in Roland Butcher's excellent book "Breaking Barriers: From Barbados to England...and Back!", you can get your copy here (or wherever you buy your books): https://fairfieldbooks.co.uk/shop/breaking-barriers/

Maiden Cricket is a company specialising in kit and equipment designed especially for women and girls who play cricket. Here Mia Rogers and Cat Black explain the story of how it all came about and where they hope to take the brand over the next few years. www.maiden-cricket.co.uk

As the T20 Blast reaches the quarter final stage, our regular panel of supporters give their views on the progress of their counties. Dan Haggar wonders if Essex can do it, Craig Tranter predicts who will lift the trophy at Edgbaston, David Wright spots a possible problem, Barrie Funnell looks at non-host county finances and Oliver Hawke reviews Betty's Tea Rooms in Harrogate!

The games are coming thick and fast in the T20 Blast. Our panel of county cricket supporters are here to keep us up to speed! Barrie Funnell and David Wright on Surrey Oliver Hawke on Leicestershire Foxes Harry Everett on Somerset and Craig Tranter on Lancashire Lightning

Ben Stokes has retired from international cricket with immediate effect. The announcement was made mid-way through the afternoon session on day 4 of the third and deciding Test at Trent Bridge against New Zealand. It triggered an astonishing sequence of events. Phil Walker , Editor-in-Chief on Wisden Cricket Monthly joins me to discuss the fall out.

Here's a catchup with Derbyshire stalwart David Griffin aka "Griff". We talk about Derbyshire's fortunes, a look back to the summer of '76 and Michael Holding's arrival on the cricketing world stage plus a look at where county cricket is headed and is demutualisation the answer to its problems?

There's a pattern this season of teams going top of the table Div 1 to be soundly beaten the next game. The latest example being leaders Essex getting thumped by Nottinghamshire, the current champions. Our panel of county cricket supporters take a look at the latest action, before attention returns to The Blast, then the One Day Cup. No red ball games now until August 20th. Oliver Hawke on Leicestershire v Yorkshire Dan Haggar on Essex v Nottinghamshire David Wight & Barrie Funnell on Glamorgan v Surrey Harry Everett on Somerset v Warwickshire Alex Gates on Kent v Middlesex And remember, if you'd like to take part, just get in touch via the 98 Not Out social media messaging functions. All welcome!

We have reached the halfway point in the County Championship and Essex has assumed top spot after a superb win, featuring a double-ton from Jordan Cox, which earning him a call up to the England test team. Somerset also pulled off a stunning win, thrashing current champions Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge. In Division 2, Middlesexpulled off a rare win and Kent look to be the side to watch. Our panel of supporters take a look at the action from around the country: Oliver Hawke on Leicestershire Dan Haggar on Essex Harry Everett on Somerset Alex Gates on Middlesex Craig Tranter on Lancashire.

Rob Key has just given a press conference on the latest disciplinary transgression from the England camp. George Dobell from "The Cricketer: was there....

We cover a lot of ground this week, with an avalanche of T20 Blast games to get through, the return of the County Championship; Essex's winning streak, Somerset's woes, clouds hanging over Lancashire and Surrey rubbing Middlesex's noses in it! PLUS we ask if the in-form Dan Lawrence should have been given the nod over Jordan Cox for the Second Test at The Oval. Contributors this week: Dan Haggar Oliver Hawke Harry Everett Alex Gates Craig Tranter Barrie Funnell David Wright.

One of the show's biggest supporters Paul Newman shares his thoughts on a very eventful first Test at Lord's, where England's win over New Zealand has raised more questions than answers. The MCC is under huge attack over the state of the pitch and we also examine what - if anything - both sides have learned from the match. `And what do we think the future holds for Ben Stokes? Read Paul's excellent articles FOR FREE in "the Athletic": https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/tag/cricket/ #BenStokes #Cricket #England

So much going on! The T20 fixtures are coming thick and fast, there's an imminent - and brief - return to the County Championship and there's yet more trouble off the field at both Lancashire and Middlesex. Our regular panel of county supporters are here to dissect it all! Oliver Hawke, Craig Tranter, David Wright, Barrie Funnell, Dan Haggar and Alex Gates share their thoughts.