98 Not Out - The Cricket Podcast

BREAKING NEWS: Lancashire CCC has not offered Sir James Anderson a contract for the 2027 season; does this spell the end of a legendary career?...there's also the latest news from around all the other counties.

David Wright and Barrie Funnell examine ways for the ardent cricket fan to get his or her fix over the gloomy autumn and winter months and Nigel Jones questions the wisdom of making Dan Lawrence the captain of the England Lions.

Updates on England as they begin a globe-trotting winter and also all the latest from a thrilling Test match taking place between South Africa and Australia.

The dust has barely settled on the end of the 2026 season, but yet there is so much going on! This week our panel takes a look at the county scene and the fall out from the curtain falling on the English summer, with already players and coaches jumping on the transfer merry go round. England has announced a new batch of central contracts, totalling 39 in all! Is this good or bad from a county perspective? And we get an update on Pakistan legend Imran Khan, who turned 74 last week.

Taking part this week are Don Topley, Dan Whiting, Barrie Funnell, Asif Tanvir, Alex Gates and Harry Everett.

The English cricket season may be over (or not, if you are one Essex or Leicestershire fan), but there is always something to talk about!

This week:

Debbie Knight and "The Grumbler" on Essex.

Dan Whiting on the transfer market.

Nigel Jones previews England's winter...

and Craig Tranter on the latest goings on at Lancashire.

I also say a few words about Jeffrey Archer, whose death was announced this week.

The curtain has come down on the English cricket season. Warwickshire are Champions (as predicted by Barrie Funnell), with Durham and Kent promoted from Division 2. Hampshire are relegated from the top flight, but will an appeal against a points deduction save Leicestershire from the drop and place Essex over the trap door instead?

Controversy as yet again England pluck players out of county games to join the national squad. Lancashire cancelled their end of season awards, but Essex had theirs at Hylands House in Chelmsford, graced by some famous ex-players., including Nasser Hussain and Monty Panesar.

Our panel take a look at all these talking points and examine where their teams did well this season and what needs to be done over the winter.

This week we hear from Oliver Hawke, Dan Whiting, Nigel Jones, David Wright, Barrie Funnell, Dan Haggar and new boy James Tarry.

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We enter the final round of County Championship matches with still to be decided both at the top and the bottom of Division One, as well as finding out who will get promoted alongside durham from Division Two. There's also the small matter of the Metro Bank One Day Cup, where Middlesex lifted the trophy after a great final at Trent Bridge against Leicestershire.

Joining us this week to discuss events are newbie Dan Whiting, Oliver Hawke, Alex Gates, Dan Haggar, David Wright, Nigel Jones and Barrie Funnell.

George Dobell from "The Cricketer Magazine" talks about Stephen Fleming's appointment as the new England coach and he is impressed! A vast change from the previous regime and so far it bodes well also for the county game, which remains under huge existential pressure.

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?!?!