The Emerging Cricket Podcast

Tim joins Jarrod Kimber in a special crossover episode to discuss the problems surrounding T20 leagues in both the Associate and Full Member worlds. Tim draws on his experiences in Hong Kong and the creation of the Hong Kong T20 Blitz, a tournament lauded for its professionalism.

The show starts this week with a reflection on the life of Australian great Dean Jones, and his contributions to the emerging game (0:50). The team discuss Nepal's new male and female contract system (7:15), and Bes gives us a news roundup (15:00). 

We speak again to ICC head of global development Will Glenwright, starting with a conversation about expats, team composition and eligibility criteria (16:30). We also hear from Will about some of his favourite development stories (21:30), the ICC's role in growing cricket to non-members (27:50), the successful pitch education programme in Nigeria () as well as the place of pitches and facilities in growing the game in other areas (31:45). Will also explains the ICC's approach of prioritising the T20 format in emerging nations (36:25), then shares his favourite cricketing venues in the emerging world (38:20), and of course tells us which law he'd like to see change (43:30).

We pick up on our chat with Jonty Rhodes and Benn Harradine (13:00) to discuss Sweden's plans for cricket, the game's power for people in a new home, cricket's Olympic potential and how Full Members can help the emerging game.

Before part two, the boys discuss Ali Khan's move to the IPL, action in Malaysia, Lalit Bhandari's accident in Nepal and other news in the Associate World!

This. Is. HUGE. South African great Jonty Rhodes is moving to Sweden and bringing all his experience with him! We sit down with the man himself, as well as Swedish Cricket Federation Performance Director and Australian Discus champion, Benn Harradine, to discuss the decision in Part 1 of our exclusive.

Bes starts the show with a news wrap-up (1:00), before jumping into our chat (1:50). Jonty starts by explaining the motivations and logistics behind his relocation (4:20), then we hear from Benn as he talks about his own journey to Sweden (4:20), as well as some of his personal story as an athlete and an indigenous Australian (9:20). Benn also explains his role with the SCF and the exciting growth of club cricket in Sweden (17:46). Jonty then discusses his philosophy as a coach, and what he hopes to do on the ground in Sweden (21:29), as well as some of his background in cricket and how it shaped his interest in development work (24:40). We also look back on some of the more obscure moments in Jonty's career with South Africa (27:44), and of course the fielding brilliance which made his name (29:53). Benn then rounds out the show with a chat about SCF's task of communicating the game to Swedes (37:47), the school and club pathway (41:48), and the impact of ECL participation on the game in Sweden (46:13)

Action all over the world this week, starting with Belgium overcoming the Czechs and Luxembourg (4:30) as well as the ever-important chat around stats and status nonsense (7:45) with rants inbound! We chat PNG domestic action (13:10), Sandeep, the Bryce sisters and other emerging stars in T20 Franchise action (17:40), and a new stadium initiative in the Maldives with the assistance of the Indian Government (30:45). News wrap at 41:17 including new job postings in Nepal and Rod Lyall's Dutch wrap!

Action aplenty this week in the emerging game with Guernsey hosting Isle of Man (2:05), George Munsey and Irish talent picked up in the T20 Blast (8:10), Colin Graves' ICC funding comments (15:15) and a Kenya T20 League re-structure (21:45).

From there the boys discuss Sandeep Lamichhane and Ali Khan flourishing in the CPL (24:15), news from Nepal and player insurance (30:20), a news wrap including Nate Hays discussing Minor League Cricket (34:32) and in a SNEAK PEEK (37:08), we play a snippet of Nick's upcoming series on the Namibian 2003 World Cup team.

Women's cricket returns! The team review "Beyond the Boundary" (2:45), the ICC's retrospective on the women's T20WC earlier in the year (available on Netflix), then look at the T20I series hosted by Austria against Germany (6:50). The visitors dominated the series 5-0 with a series of records tumbling. This week also saw the unveiling of team names and owners in the USA's Minor League Cricket (12:27). Then it's a news roundup and the second half of our interview with ICC anti-corruption coordinator Steve Richardson (17:10). We dig into some big topics including their investigations process (17:30), the organisation of fixing networks (20:10), the ACU's approach to Associate cricket and the proliferation of tournaments in Associate nations (26:00), the ethics of gambling sponsorships (32:30), corruption in non-ICC members (38:05), and of course Steve's views on which law in cricket he'd like to change (43:45).

Some more movement at the ICC this week, as the team discuss the decision to switch the 2021 Men's T20 World Cup to India, push the Australian edition back to 2022, as well as shifting the 2021 Women's World Cup to 2022. Then it's news updates, and another Dutch Topklasse report from Rod Lyall. This week's interview is the first half of an informative conversation with Steve Richardson of the ICC's Anti-Corruption Unit. He answers a range of question on the ACU's work, from his personal background in joining the team, the ACU's day-to-day workings, its structures and accountability within the ICC, procedures in how they investigate unethical behaviour, as well as measures to protect players from corrupt operators. Steve also gives his thoughts on the efficacy of amnesties, and the effects of gambling's legality on ACU work

As a quarantined Ireland side celebrate another famous win over England, the boys review the ODI series (01:50), then discuss the recently-released FICA report surveying professional cricketers (06:50). We hear from Mary Maina, the programmes manager at Rwandan cricket charity Cricket Builds Hope (12:35). Finally, we hear the second half of our interview with Matt Featherstone, president at Cricket Brasil. He talks about the ICC's Criiio project and Brazil's cricket-related street sport, taco (19:05), playing numbers and structures in Brazilian cricket (23:16), facilities and pitches (29:50), as well as his role at the ICC as global representative for non-voting members (32:45). And of course we learn which laws of the game he'd like to see changed (43:47).