Vipers Voices

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In this episode we speak with one of the heartbeats of the Vipers line-up last season, wicketkeeper-batter Vriitya Aravind.

We speak about his recollections from that title-winning campaign, his reaction to being picked up by the Vipers again, alongside fellow UAE players Matiullah Khan and Sanjay Pahal, for the ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League and what he is expecting from conditions in Guyana.

Vriitya also tells us what he’s been up to since the DP World ILT20 wrapped up in January, what his build-up to the GSL looks like, playing for Stourbridge in the Birmingham League in the UK, how close he feels to an international recall, and who’s he’s especially excited to be lining up alongside at Providence Stadium.

It's a terrific chat and well worth your time.

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In this episode we’ve got double the usual content for you. First-up, we’ve got a chat with USA wicketkeeper-batter Andries Gous, one of the heroes of the side’s success in season 4 and a player who’s back with the Vipers for the ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League.

And then once we’ve wrapped up with Andries, we hear from Ben Hardy-Jones, the Vipers’ Sustainability Lead, who tells us all about how the franchise will be looking to promote its green agenda during the tournament on the South American mainland in late July and early August.

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It’s time for the second installment of our two-part chat with Chris Green, the Australian off-spinning all-rounder who’s captaining the team in the upcoming ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League in late July and early August.

The crux of our conversation this time centred around the tournament to come.

We discussed how many of the Vipers squad for the Global Super League Chris knew ahead of the team assembling in Guyana and he told us about his vast experience of playing in the Caribbean Premier League and how that could be a huge asset for the Vipers.

Chris explained all about the playing surface at Providence Stadium, conditions, and he gave us his thoughts on the teams the Vipers will face in the tournament – the Lahore Qalanders from the Pakistan Super League, hosts and defending champions the Guyana Amazon Warriors, Big Bash League side the Perth Scorchers and the San Francisco Unicorns from Major League Cricket in the United States of America.

Chris also reflected on linking up with Azhar Mahmood, the Vipers’ Head Coach for the tournament, as well as Shane Dowrich, the former West Indies wicketkeeper-batter who’ll be the team’s Assistant Coach. He told us what his preparation will look like to ensure he hits the ground running for the Global Super League.

And finally, Chris got his crystal ball out to give us a prediction for the tournament. It’s a short, sharp event running for less than two weeks, so how optimistic should Vipers fans be?

That’s all coming up with Desert Vipers captain Chris Green so let’s get into it…

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This episode features the first part of our two-part chat with Chris Green, the Australian off-spinning all-rounder who's been named as Vipers captain for the upcoming ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League, the Twenty20 tournament at Providence Stadium from 23 July to 1 August.

Chris spoke with us during a break in the ongoing Pakistan Super League, where he is playing with the Islamabad franchise, and we covered a wide range of subjects, including the Vipers captaincy and how the job offer to him came about; Chris’s captaincy mentors and what he thinks his captaincy style is; and his bowling partnership with leg-spinning all-rounder Shadab Khan, who he’s currently alongside at Islamabad, with the pair set to link up again for the Vipers in Guyana.

He gives us the low-down on his background including coming from a family of sports professionals – and how he had to decide on whether to concentrate on tennis or cricket; he reflects on the fact that he really is Australia’s globetrotting Mr T20; he tells us how he’s developed as a cricketer as a batter and bowler; and he speaks about his international aspirations, having previously played T20Is for Australia in 2023.

During the chat Chris references Sam Charnley, the Desert Vipers operations manager and Simon Helmot, the Desert Vipers Assistant Coach during the recent season four of the DP World ILT20.

There’s plenty to get your teeth into as a listener and remember it’s just the first part of two episodes with Chris so after this there’ll be plenty more to come from the man in charge on the field for the Vipers in the Global Super League.

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In this episode we hear from the franchise’s CEO Phil Oliver.

Phil talks to us about what it means to invited to take part in the ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League in Guyana in July and August – both from a prestige and a commercial perspective – he walks us through the challenges of putting together a squad at a time of year when the Vipers are not normally in action and he also looks ahead to Season 5 of the DP World ILT20, including discussing the dates of that tournament, which will differ from previous years.

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We are back for a new season of the podcast a little earlier than in past years and the reason for that is simple: the Vipers have been invited to play in the ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League, a T20 tournament in Guyana at the end of July.

It’s meant Tom Moody, the Desert Vipers Director of Cricket, Phil Oliver, the CEO, and others behind the scenes have had to swing into action to put together a squad for that tournament, and in this episode we hear from Tom about what was involved in that task, as well as getting his assessment of the players that have been contracted.

As ever with Tom it’s a terrific listen and well worth your time.

Not only do we hear from Tom but we also reveal the Vipers squad that will take part in the tournament that will also feature the reigning Big Bash League winners from Australia, the Perth Scorchers.

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In this episode we present the second installment  of our Season 4 review. Desert Vipers Director of Cricket Tom Moody reflects on all the highlights and challenges faced during an action-packed tournament which saw the Vipers winning the trophy in their third final in four seasons. 

Tom has confirmed his commitment to the Vipers in Season 5 and he is eager to start laying the groundwork for another successful year, and keeping the winning momentum going.

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In this episode we have the first part of our Season 4 wrap-up. Desert Vipers CEO Phil Oliver reflects on the team’s maiden DP World ILT20 title, talking us through the work that went on behind the scenes to help ensure the ultimate success of the franchise.

Phil also looks ahead to Season 5 - the planning starts now for the team to try and become the first to retain the title!

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In this episode we celebrate the Desert Vipers winning the DP World ILT20 for the first time!

After two runners-up finishes, the Vipers won this time with an emphatic 46-run success against MI Emirates.

We hear from Head Coach James Foster, bowlers Khuzaima bin Tanveer, Usman Tariq and David Payne, batter Max Holden and CEO Phil Oliver as all of them reflect on what this triumph means to them and to the team.

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In this episode we hear from Vipers captain Sam Curran ahead of the final of the DP World ILT20, against MI Emirates at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday the 4th of January.

Sam gives us his thoughts on the threat that MI Emirates pose, talks us through his captaincy style and what he expects from the big game as the Vipers, having reached their third final in four seasons, look to secure a maiden title.

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