England have gone early and named their XI for the opening match of the Ashes series, leaving out their fastest bowler Mark Wood. 
Australia meanwhile have been playing their cards closer to their chest, with a decision on which fast bowlers will be selected yet to be made. 
The Unplayable Podcast's Louis Cameron and Josh Schonafinger are in Birmingham and have all the latest news on the eve of the first Test. 
This episode brought to you by Qantas, Spirit of Australia. 
England XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jonny Bairstow (wk), Moeen Ali, Ollie Robinson, Stuart Broad, James Anderson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's Ashes time! England name XI for series opener

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One month until the T20 World Cup! And Australia have dropped a very interesting squad of 15... The red-hot Jake Fraser-McGurk misses out, as does veteran Steve Smith, plus no room for the likes of Matt Short, Spencer Johnson or Sean Abbott.  Josh Schonafinger and Louis Cameron break down the squad and analyse the picks from George Bailey and the selection crew.  See the full squad here: https://www.cricket.com.au/news/3990756/australia-squad-reveal-mens-t20-world-cup-2024-caribbean-usa-mitch-marsh-named-captain Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

No Rooster & no Smith! Aussies drop their T20 World Cup squad

It's a bumper Marsh Sheffield Shield final preview to round out the Unplayable Podcast for the 2023-24 summer! On this show: Listen to our Team of the Tournament debate is at 4:40, our Matthew Wade interview at 24:10, our Joel Paris interview at 36:45 and our Final tips and predictions at 50:15. This episode brought to you by Qantas, the Spirit of Australia. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

MATT WADE, JOEL PARIS - plus we name our Team of the Sheffield Shield

One final Test match to round out the summer!  Christchurch is the scene and Andrew Ramsey is there and he gives Josh Schonafinger the lowdown on what to expect at Hagley Oval.  Mitch Starc needs two poles to go past Dennis Lillee while Kane Williamson and Tim Southee will line up in their 100th matches apiece. 
TRIVIA ANSWERS
The only bowlers in Test cricket with a better strike rate than Mitch Starc’s 48.62 are: Dale Steyn (42.38), Malcolm Marshall (46.76) and … Waqar Younis (43.49)! 
In terms of players playing their 100th Tests together, it’s far more common than we assumed!  Mike Atherton and Alex Stewart did so in 2000, Shaun Pollock, Jacques Kallis and Stephen Fleming did in the same match in 2006, and Michael Clarke and Alastair Cook also reached 100 in the Perth Test of 2013-14! 
Well done if you knew any of those! This episode brought to you by Qantas, the Spirit of Australia.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Milestone-heavy match to round out Test season

Australia's No.3 Marnus Labuschagne joins the podcast! He chats to Louis Cameron from 12:07. There's also been drama days out from the first New Zealand-Australia Test match - Kiwi quick Neil Wagner has retired from the game and won't play in the two Tests against the Aussies. Beamed across the ditch from Wellington, cricket.com.au's Andrew Ramsey gives Josh Schonafinger the lowdown on NZ's windiest city and what to expect from the green pitch that's been rolled out in the middle of a roundabout. This episode brought to you by Qantas, the Spirit of Australia. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

MARNUS LABUSCHAGNE - Plus Wagner calls it quits, Basin Reserve's odd quirk

Let's go across the ditch! The Australian men's team has arrived in New Zealand and their T20 series is about to get underway! Champion fast bowler Mitch Starc joins the Unplayable Podcast team Josh Schonafinger and Louis Cameron from Wellington to preview the Aussies' next tour.  The chat with Mitch Starc begins at 18:12. Before that, Josh and Louis look at the five big questions facing the Australians ahead of the T20 World Cup in June.  This episode brought to you by Qantas, the Spirit of Australia.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's Ashes time! England name XI for series opener

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