Where has it all gone wrong for West Indies? Charu Sharma, Jim Maxwell and Nikesh Rughani discuss the decline of a once-great cricketing nation as they failed to reach the World Cup in India later this year. The two-time champions were beaten by Scotland, Netherlands and Zimbabwe in qualifying matches and won’t appear at a men’s 50-over World Cup for the first time ever.  The third Ashes Test between England and Australia is under way at Headlingley but the controversy of Jonny Bairstow’s dismissal in the second Test at Lord’s continues to linger. Jim gives his view on UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s claim that the visitors went against the spirit of cricket. Plus, we pay tribute to Steve Smith as the Australian plays his 100th Test match having just become one of the quickest batters to reach 9000 Test runs. Image: HARARE, ZIMBABWE - JULY 01: Shamarh Brooks of West Indies makes their way off after being dismissed during the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Qualifier Zimbabwe 2023 Super 6 match between Scotland and West Indies at Harare Sports Club on July 01, 2023 in Harare, Zimbabwe. (Photo by Alex Davidson-ICC/ICC via Getty Images)

The fall of West Indies

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With all 20 teams heading to the men’s T20 World Cup announcing their provisional squads, Alison Mitchell, Jim Maxwell and Charu Sharma debate the surprise selections and noticeable omissions.  We are joined by the Chief Executive of Vanuatu Cricket, Tim Cutler who is currently in Dubai where the women’s team are playing in the ICC T20 Qualifiers. They made history by beating Zimbabwe who are ranked 18 places above them in the ICC rankings. Tim tells us how the women's team are Vanuatu's highest ranked sporting team... even better than their men's national football team! Plus we head to the theatre. We hear from Diane Page who has directed a play called Testmatch which centres around cricket, colonialism and corruption.  Photo: Vanuatu women's team bat against Uganda in a friendly match in Abu Dhabi. (Credit: Vanuatu Cricket Association)

The biggest sporting result in Vanuatu's history

Alison Mitchell, Jim Maxwell and Charu Sharma debate who should be India's wicketkeeper for the Men's T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and America. India have potentially seven options who could take the gloves. Rishabh Pant is the frontrunner after having a stellar season so far in the Indian Premier League for the Delhi Capitals, but he has not played for India since being involved in a car accident in December 2022, where he injured his knee. Other names to consider are KL Rahul, Sanju Samson and Dinesh Karthik. 
 
Plus, we speak to Adelaide Oval Head Curator Damian Hough who has been tasked with creating the pitches that will be used in America at the World Cup including the highly anticipated match between India and Pakistan. He shares his experiences of starting the process in Adelaide and details the plans transporting the pitches 2,000 kilometres from Florida to New York. And after Freddie Flintoff's sons are hitting the headlines in England for their cricketing skills, we look at cricketing families around the world and look at the pressure that brings.  Photo: Adelaide Oval Head Curator Damian Hough (Credit: Adelaide Oval Turf Solutions via Phil Martin)

From Australia to New York: The World Cup pitches travelling 17,000 kilometres

With less than fifty days to go until the Men's T20 World Cup, Alison Mitchell, Jim Maxwell and Charu Sharma look at how some of the twenty teams are shaping up and ask what is the best way for players to prepare for a major international tournament? Is it game time in a league like the Indian Premier League? Is it a competitive series with your international team? Or should players have a break to make sure that they are fresh? We look at how some players are planning for the tournament.  Plus the 161st Wisden Almanack has been released and we speak to the editor Lawrence Booth. The five Cricketers of the Year are chosen by the Wisden editor, a tradition that dates back to 1889. Performances in the English summer are the major factor and no player can win the award more than once. He tells us about his selections and the reasoning behind them.  And we debate if the use of the Kookaburra ball in the English County Championship has been a success and discuss how the different balls compare around the world. Photo: Pandya celebrates after taking the wicket of Afghanistan's Azmatullah Omarzai during the 2023 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup one-day international (ODI) match between India and Afghanistan at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on October 11, 2023. (Photo by MONEY SHARMA/AFP via Getty Images)

What is the best way to prepare for a Cricket World Cup?

Charu Sharma, Jim Maxwell and Nikesh Rughani are joined by Richard Sydenham who has written a book exploring what makes a cricketer tough and the physical and psychological aspects of it. He shares the stories from former players and what helped inform his 22 player list. Plus the Stumped team devise their own list.  21 year old Mayank Yadav won the player of the match award on his IPL debut for Lucknow Super Giants. Charu and Nikesh debate if he should be picked in the India T20 World Cup squad and the pressures surrounding the young player.  Photo: Australian cricketer Steve Waugh during the 4th Test Match between the West Indies and Australia in Jamaica, May 1995. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)

Who is the toughest player in men's cricket?

Alison Mitchell, Jim Maxwell and Charu Sharma are joined by globetrotter and franchise cricket extraordinaire David Wiese. He has played in no fewer than ten different franchise cricket tournaments around the world and tells us how the different leagues compare. He also shares his thoughts on the future of leagues around the world and what it is really like playing in the Indian Premier League.  Plus Wiese speaks about playing cricket in America which prompts the team to lookahead to the T20 World Cup being hosted in the country and debate whether it will catapult the sport to new heights. And we hear from a Stumped listener in Austria!  Photo: David Wiese of Saint Lucia Kings celebrates the dismissal of Jason Holder of Barbados Royals during the 2021 Hero Caribbean Premier League match 25 between Saint Lucia Kings and Barbados Royals at Warner Park Sporting Complex on September 11, 2021 in Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis. (Credit: CPL T20/Getty Images)

The fall of West Indies

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