The cricket season is finally here and HUW TURBERVILL, editor of "The Cricketer" magazine talks about finance in the English game. Is foreign investment required to ensure the survival of county cricket and make the white ball game competitive on the global stage?

#cricket #countycricket #thehundred #money

Victoria Polley from BBC Essex looks forward to the 2024 county cricket season and assesses the chances of a new-look Essex in the wake of Sir Alastair Cook's retirement and the departure of Dan Lawrence. Dean Elgar and Jordan Cox look like exciting replacements!

Victoria also talks about the return of her weekly cricket show "Around the Wicket" on BBC Essex, as well as the BBC's continued coverage of every ball of every game up and down the country.

Hot on the heels of "How to be a Cricket Fan", Matt Appleby's new book "Lost Cricket Stickers", all about the one year (1983) that Panini published a sticker collection album devoted to English cricket players. Jim Carter of "Downton Abbey" fame wrote the introduction and we discuss why the concept never took off and wonder whether it is worth resurrecting!

Get your copy here:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lost-Cricket-Stickers-Search-Sticker/dp/1801506914/ref=sr_1_2?crid=R6RF5YKWYBA4&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.ymfStipkPeDHY5WxAiFumcdoriIsiKNG_U4Cswfw2mRLk1aL3ViSwA9gyqqGH3i1yB7PF8C5Z0Hje1Kk5HcNsPuvx0sDqB_FZTH3MgfDJTcZyBBCv--fu7KXByipO8PhC0r1pKwBrmglha0Ds8vsAOowmBFnlV-XbNaK0BM1ij0ljksh5bjnuiJEWcrzlUIOABdiVn8qkNk0YML0x1aWsbidqboaGzdqqkJgLTBkfZUwrHVI0qE2xiIf0bjiX3UiRAFGKj36Jkeq8TF_keK_08kdfLUx_nvN0rxuf2VNaC8.3-GCyU6V9oFIuHcgdNOQKY_mEYvJqtUphrZf4GHqRNE&dib_tag=se&keywords=lost+cricket+stickers&qid=1711299542&sprefix=lost+cricket%2Caps%2C74&sr=8-2

The fallout continues as England's winter ends; a disappointing World Cup campaign, the first Test series defeat under Stokes & McCallum with a slide to #6 in the WTC rankings. The Cricketer's George Dobell has been forthright in his views of how the team has played and asks whether "Baz" is more of a mentor than a coach? Have a listen and see if you agree with what he has to say...

BBC Essex cricket commentator Dick Davies speaks about the life and times of the great Robin Hobbs, who sadly passed away at the weekend. A great leg-spinner whose career peaked in the 1960s, appearing for Essex and latterly Glamorgan, Robin also played seven Tests for England. He was a familiar face at Chelmsford after his playing days ended and also down at Hutton CC, where the Young Volunteer Award is presented every year in his name. "Hobbsy" will be greatly missed ny many.

England has slumped to a series defeat in their tour of India, the first under the Stokes/McCullum regime. It's been a tough winter for the team, with a disappointing World Cup and a white ball tour to the West Indies; Paul Newman - Chief Cricket Writer at The Daily Mail - joins us to give his verdict on England's progress and what lessons have been learned, ahead of the English season and the visits of West Indies and Sri Lanka.

Tim Brooks talks about his brand new book, "The Batmaker of Copenhagen". Set in wartime Denmark, it's a thrilling tale of how one man is determined to keep his cricket club going against the threat of Nazi occupation. Time explains the ideas and research involved and also his interest in non Test countries that play cricket. Get your copy of his book at all good bookstores now!

In this episode, Dan Haggar and I discuss the plans laid out at this week's Members Forum, where the Essex board set out their road map for the future, including plans for the ground redevelopment/relocation and moving on from recent painful events.

Don Topley is just back from South Africa, where he was watching his son Reece play in the SA20. During his time there, "Toppers" was one of the last people to spend time with Mike Procter, who sadly passed away at the weekend. Here Don reminisces about the great man and the impact he made on the game of cricket.

Derbyshire photographer David "Griff" Griffin reacts to the sad news of the death of Mike Procter, a true giant of the game of cricket, who had huge impact on both the English county and international scene, where he played for, then later managed South Africa.