Radio Times
type: channel
link: https://www.radiotimes.com
date: 2024-04-23T11:44:24.000Z
update period: hourly
update frequency: 1
update base: 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00
items: Highest wicket takers in Test cricket ranked
items: Highest run scorers in Test cricket ranked
items: Best cricket players of all time
items: Best cricket players in the world 2024
items: Highest wicket takers in the Ashes all time
items: Highest run scorers in the Ashes all time
items: How long is a Test match in the Ashes?
items: Cricket fielding positions
items: Test Match Special Ashes commentators: Meet the presenters and pundits
items: Who won The Ashes last time? Ashes holders and how it works
items: Sky Sports Ashes commentators: Meet the presenters and pundits

Highest wicket takers in Test cricket ranked
type: item
date: 2024-03-05T13:17:22.000Z
creator: Sam Cox
subject: Cricket
subject: Sport
subject: TV
description: A celebration of the most prolific wicket takers in the history of cricket.
encoded: The 10 players with the most Test wickets of all-time have all played at least part of their careers in the 21st century. Three are currently active, and one retired in 2023. Being a Test match bowler is gruelling work. Injuries are inevitable, and there are times when it feels like a mountainous task against set batters or on unhelpful pitches. There are some long days running in, but part of Test match bowling is perseverance, which all of these bowlers have exhibited throughout their careers. Match-winning spells will be best remembered, but there have been countless, fruitless days putting their bodies through pain on flat pitches. Fast bowlers, in particular, have to be incredibly durable to make this list. Each of the top eight have played 124 or more Test matches. After all of that, who comes out on top? RadioTimes.com brings you the full round-up of the top 10 wicket-takers of all time. Check out latest deals to watch cricket live on Sky Sports 10. Dale Steyn – 439 wickets Dale Steyn has the best strike rate of any bowler with over 300 Test match wickets, and the ninth-lowest average of players in that exclusive club. Injuries curtailed the South African’s prime in the mid-2010s, following a period where Steyn set an all-time record for the most consecutive weeks as the number one ranked Test bowler. A ferocious competitor with an intimidating glare, Steyn paired tearaway pace with control and considerable movement through the air. He was the greatest out-and-out fast bowler of his generation. 9. Ravichandran Ashwin – 507 wickets Ravichandran Ashwin claimed his 500th wicket during the series against England at the start of 2024. Ashwin will play in his 100th Test in the final match of that series – only Muttiah Muralitharan had more wickets through his first 99 matches. While not the biggest spinner of the ball, Ashwin works his magic with flight and variations. His three-delivery armoury, featuring a standard off-break, arm ball and the carrom ball, has bam…

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Highest run scorers in Test cricket ranked
type: item
date: 2024-03-05T13:14:42.000Z
creator: Sam Cox
subject: Cricket
subject: Sport
subject: TV
subject: Evergreen
description: Your guide to the players with the most runs scored in the history of Test cricket.
encoded: With so much more Test cricket being played in the 21st century than in previous eras, the list of the players with the most Test runs is skewed towards modern greats. All of the top 10 have played at least part of their career since the turn of the century. Three have debuted in 2000 or later, with the most recent addition to the top 10 only starting his Test career in 2012. To put up over 10,000 Test runs, batters need exceptional technique, temperament, and the skill to adapt to different conditions. Of course, longevity is a must, which means maintaining production throughout their careers and avoiding career-altering injuries. We run the rule over the greatest batters the sport has ever seen. RadioTimes.com brings you the top run scorers in Test cricket history. Read more: Best cricket players in the world 2024 | Best cricket players of all time | Highest wicket takers in Test cricket Most Test runs in history 10. Joe Root – 11,626 runs After passing Sunil Gavaskar and Steve Waugh, Joe Root dislodged Allan Border to move into the top 10. Root only celebrated his 33rd birthday at the end of 2023, and remains at the very top of his game. With a Test average a shade under 50 after a run of low scores, Root is one of the greatest players of his generation. He’s far clear of the rest of the Fab Four in this category. Getting into the top five of all-time is well within reach. Catching Sachin Tendulkar is certainly possible if he plays into his late thirties. 9. Mahela Jayawardene – 11,814 runs Debuting in 1997 and playing his final Test in 2014, Mahela Jayawardene is a great of the modern game. An average of 49.84 in Test matches tells just part of the story of how the 5’6 right-hander became a universally admired player. Arriving on the international scene with plenty of hype, Jayawardene lived up to and exceeded all expectations with his quiet, steely determination and faultless hand-eye coordination. The Sri Lankan, though, had substance to accompany his elegance…

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Best cricket players of all time
type: item
date: 2024-03-05T13:10:33.000Z
creator: Sam Cox
subject: Cricket
subject: Sport
subject: TV
subject: Evergreen
description: We run the rule over the finest cricket players in the history of the game to determine the greatest of them all.
encoded: Cricket has changed considerably in its 100-plus years of existence. New formats, law changes and technological advancements have altered how the game is played and made it challenging to compare players from different eras. There is so much to consider when pitting the best cricketers of all-time against one another. Some iconic modern players have pursued the riches of T20 cricket, which wasn’t an option for past generations. Others never even played in a 50-over World Cup. Test cricket has become less of a priority for some nations in recent years. Statistics can inform decisions for these rankings. After all, a lack of footage means the eye test is not an option for many players. Still, even with numbers at our disposal, it’s never going to be straightforward weighing up the ‘greatness’ of AB De Villiers and W.G. Grace. RadioTimes.com has taken in legacy, records and a variety of other factors to identify the best cricket players of all time. Check out latest deals to watch cricket live on Sky Sports 10. Kapil Dev Kapil Dev’s 434 Test wickets was the most of all-time until Courtney Walsh caught him in 2000. Some of Dev’s other records have held, however, as he remains the only player in Test history with 400 wickets and 5,000 runs. Plus, he is still the youngest player to captain his country to a World Cup win. Averages alone do not tell the full story with Dev. His impact was far greater than his unspectacular statistics might suggest, which is the case with so many hard-hitting all-rounders. 9. Imran Khan The 1980s was a golden period for all-rounders, with Dev, Ian Botham, Richard Hadlee and Imran Khan all in their respective pomps. Imran was the pick of the quartet, both for how he accelerated Pakistan’s love affair with the sport, and excelled as a revolutionary fast bowler, talented batter and influential skipper. Imran capped off his incomparable career with a triumph at the 1992 World Cup - a fitting end for a player who aged like fine wine. In his last …

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Best cricket players in the world 2024
type: item
date: 2024-03-05T13:05:58.000Z
creator: Sam Cox
subject: Cricket
subject: Sport
subject: TV
description: Our round-up of the best cricket players in the world right now.
encoded: There is so much to consider when evaluating the best cricketers in the world. How does a five-wicket Test haul compare with an IPL-winning 70? How much value is placed in being an all-format cricketer? Compiling these rankings meant balancing form with track record. We don’t want to succumb to recency bias, but if we're looking at the best cricketers right now, there had to be a weighting to performances over the last 12 months. All-rounders seemingly have an advantage. If you can influence the game in multiple ways, that surely puts you ahead of a specialist batter or bowler. Yet there is still huge value in the best players in their discipline, whether that's a T20 finisher with the willow in hand or a new-ball genius in Test cricket. Statistics are more accessible than ever, but a list of this nature will always be subjective and there are going to be players left out that many fans would want included. RadioTimes.com brings you our ranking of the 10 best cricketers in the world at the moment. Check out latest deals to watch cricket live on Sky Sports Best cricketers in the world 2024 10. Shakib Al Hasan The ICC rankings aren't everything. Shakib Al Hasan ranking in the top three among all-rounders in Tests, ODIs and T20Is is significant, though, particularly for a player who has maintained this standard over such a long period. His batting average is higher than his bowling average in all three formats. Shakib might be into his mid-thirties, and his career hasn't been short of controversy, but he remains one of the best players in the world. 9. Kagiso Rabada Kagiso Rabada made his international debut back in 2014. Since then, he has established himself as an incredibly effective, all-format, fast bowler. Rabada's control, pace and bounce make him an asset even on unhelpful surfaces. He averages just 22 with the ball in Test cricket, and has become a fixture on the franchise T20 circuit. Boasting the best Test match strike rate of bowlers to play more than 18 Te…

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Highest wicket takers in the Ashes all time
type: item
date: 2023-11-19T14:20:24.000Z
creator: Ned Holmes
subject: Cricket
subject: Sport
subject: TV
subject: Evergreen
subject: The Ashes
description: Which superstar bowlers have taken more wickets in the Ashes than anyone else?
encoded: For an Englishman or Australian, no wicket means more than one taken in the Ashes. To become one of the most successful bowlers in cricket's greatest rivalry requires immense skill, steely determination and prolonged success. The players who top the list of Ashes wicket takers are greats of the game. They have bowled their sides to Ashes wins, turned series, and helped to deliver the urn. Not only that, they have also consistently contributed even when others are taking the headlines No current England or Australia bowler makes the top five list but both Mitchell Starc (97) and Pat Cummins (91) will hope to reach 100 Ashes wickets this winter. RadioTimes.com brings you the five bowlers with the most Ashes wickets taken. <a id="menur5r7" class="fui-Link ___1q1shib f2hkw1w f3rmtva f1ewtqcl fyind8e f1k6fduh f1w7gpdv fk6fouc fjoy568 figsok6 f1s184ao f1mk8lai fnbmjn9 f1o700av f13mvf36 f1cmlufx f9n3di6 f1ids18y f1tx3yz7 f1deo86v f1eh06m1 f1iescvh fhgqx19 f1olyrje f1p93eir f1nev41a f1h8hb77 f1lqvz6u f10aw75t fsle3fq f17ae5zn" title="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/video/channel/d944a714-1f03-4662-8cf0-ca3aefb2f0ea?tag=radtim0b-21&ascsubtag=radiotimes-2344812" href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/video/channel/d944a714-1f03-4662-8cf0-ca3aefb2f0ea?tag=radtim0b-21&ascsubtag=radiotimes-2344812" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Link Watch the Ashes on TNT Sports via discovery+ on Amazon Prime Video">Watch the Ashes on TNT Sports via discovery+ on Amazon Prime Video Most wickets taken in the Ashes 5. Dennis Lillee – 128 wickets Half of cricket’s most fearsome bowling duo, Dennis Lillee is one of the all-time greats. The open shirt, trademark moustache and gigantic delivery stride were a terrifying combination for batters around the world, and English batters in the Ashes were no exception. Lillee was a tearaway pre-injury. Hostile, quick and always aggressive, he made a habit of torturing England’s batters to the tune of a 22.32 average in the Ashes. By the time of…

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Highest run scorers in the Ashes all time
type: item
date: 2023-11-19T14:00:50.000Z
creator: Ned Holmes
subject: Cricket
subject: Sport
subject: TV
subject: Evergreen
subject: The Ashes
description: The Ashes is a crucible that makes or breaks legends, but who are the finest run-scorers in the greatest series of all?
encoded: First played in the 1880s, Ashes records are some of the oldest in sport. The players with the most Ashes runs have enjoyed considerable success across multiple series in varying conditions. Inevitably, these players have been part of victorious teams, often enjoying periods of dominance in Test cricket’s most historic rivalry. The top five is dominated by Aussies, with one of their current greats aiming to climb higher in the 2025/26 series down under. No current England player makes the list but should Joe Root pile on the runs in Australia – we're talking 700+ – he could force his way onto it. RadioTimes.com brings you the five leading run scorers in Ashes history – as of the start of the 2025/26 series. <a id="menur5r7" class="fui-Link ___1q1shib f2hkw1w f3rmtva f1ewtqcl fyind8e f1k6fduh f1w7gpdv fk6fouc fjoy568 figsok6 f1s184ao f1mk8lai fnbmjn9 f1o700av f13mvf36 f1cmlufx f9n3di6 f1ids18y f1tx3yz7 f1deo86v f1eh06m1 f1iescvh fhgqx19 f1olyrje f1p93eir f1nev41a f1h8hb77 f1lqvz6u f10aw75t fsle3fq f17ae5zn" title="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/video/channel/d944a714-1f03-4662-8cf0-ca3aefb2f0ea?tag=radtim0b-21&ascsubtag=radiotimes-2344812" href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/video/channel/d944a714-1f03-4662-8cf0-ca3aefb2f0ea?tag=radtim0b-21&ascsubtag=radiotimes-2344812" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Link Watch the Ashes on TNT Sports via discovery+ on Amazon Prime Video">Watch the Ashes on TNT Sports via discovery+ on Amazon Prime Video Most runs scored in the Ashes 5. Steve Waugh – 3,143 runs Only Syd Gregory played in more Ashes Tests than Steve Waugh. Talismanic and ruthless as a captain, Waugh is the most successful skipper in modern Test history, leading two Ashes series wins, and claiming eight victories from nine Ashes matches as captain. As a batter, Waugh was very aggressive in his early days, but became more effective later in his career. A long-term back issue restricted the shots available to him at times, yet he remained incredibly imp…

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How long is a Test match in the Ashes?
type: item
date: 2023-11-19T12:00:44.000Z
creator: Ned Holmes
subject: Cricket
subject: Sport
subject: TV
description: How many days?!
encoded: Test cricket is the pinnacle, the sport's ultimate challenge. An examination of a cricketer's technical, physical, and mental ability. Conditions change, the physical workload can be immense, and there is time, time, time for numerous ebbs and flows. <a id="menur5r7" class="fui-Link ___1q1shib f2hkw1w f3rmtva f1ewtqcl fyind8e f1k6fduh f1w7gpdv fk6fouc fjoy568 figsok6 f1s184ao f1mk8lai fnbmjn9 f1o700av f13mvf36 f1cmlufx f9n3di6 f1ids18y f1tx3yz7 f1deo86v f1eh06m1 f1iescvh fhgqx19 f1olyrje f1p93eir f1nev41a f1h8hb77 f1lqvz6u f10aw75t fsle3fq f17ae5zn" title="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/video/channel/d944a714-1f03-4662-8cf0-ca3aefb2f0ea?tag=radtim0b-21&ascsubtag=radiotimes-2344812" href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/video/channel/d944a714-1f03-4662-8cf0-ca3aefb2f0ea?tag=radtim0b-21&ascsubtag=radiotimes-2344812" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Link Watch the Ashes on TNT Sports via discovery+ on Amazon Prime Video">Watch the Ashes on TNT Sports via discovery+ on Amazon Prime Video While the all-action nature of the white-ball game has brought money into the sport and attracts massive crowds, Tests remain the pinnacle for many players and fans. The format presents unique challenges rarely seen in mainstream sport. And always, always, the clock marches on, ball after ball, session after session, day after day, in sunshine or rain. RadioTimes.com brings you a simplified explainer of how long a Test match lasts, how it all works and what happens if the dreaded R-word pours from the sky. How long is a Test match? Ashes Test matches last for five days. There are three sessions per day, each scheduled to be around two hours apiece, and there is a target of 90 overs completed per day of play. Unlike in England, where session timings are uniform between grounds, the timings for Ashes Tests in Australia vary depending on the venue. Ashes Tests in Australia start between 10am and 10:30am, with players coming off for lunch, which lasts for 40 minutes, between 1…

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Cricket fielding positions
type: item
date: 2023-06-16T07:00:56.000Z
creator: Sam Cox
subject: Cricket
subject: Sport
subject: TV
description: Your simplified guide to the complex world of cricket fielding positions.
encoded: Getting to grips with fielding positions is important for cricket fans and players alike. Understanding the terminology for field placings will make it much easier to understand when the commentators and pundits on Sky Sports or Test Match Special are debating strategy, tactics or, generally, what is going on! Positions have developed over time, names and titles have changed and evolved and roles continue to be refined as this glorious game will never be truly perfected. Watch The Ashes live on Sky Sports Navigating your way through the complex maze of positions and terminology can be daunting, but we're on hand with a simplified guide to help you work it all out. Even better news, we have a wonderful handwritten drawing of the field by cricket broadcaster Alison Mitchell to help you visualise the positions as we describe them. RadioTimes.com brings you a rough guide to explain how cricket fielding positions work, including some of the key principles to remember while you watch The Ashes. Read more: Best cricket players in the world 2023 | Best cricket players of all time | Highest wicket takers in Test cricket Cricket fielding positions The basics The majority of fielding positions are described using: A) the side of the pitch the fielder is standing in, B) the distance from the batter, and C) the angle of the fielder from the batter. First up, the field is divided into two sides: leg side and off side. This is a foundational principle to build up from. Leg – the side of the field the batter’s legs are on. (This can also be referred to as the on side.) Off – the opposite side of the field to leg side. Second, distances from the batter are generally described using five words: silly, short, mid, long and deep. Silly – very close, often requiring fielders to wear protective equipment Short – close, but further from the batter than silly Mid – roughly halfway between the wicket and the boundary Long/deep – close to the boundary rope, used interchangeably Third, angles…

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Test Match Special Ashes commentators: Meet the presenters and pundits
type: item
date: 2023-06-15T08:00:19.000Z
creator: Sam Cox
subject: Cricket
subject: Sport
subject: TV
description: The Test Match Special team will be on hand to guide us through the summer months with full radio coverage of The Ashes.
encoded: Test Match Special is a sporting institution. The team have provided commentary on numerous iconic cricketing moments. Amid the jargon and technical talk of Test cricket, the TMS team weave in humour and anecdotes as the match meanders in the background. There are TMS staples, including long-time commentator Jonathan Agnew, but they also have guests during each series. The Ashes, of course, is no exception, with TMS rolling out a bumper list of commentators and presenters for cricket’s oldest rivalry. The excitement is palpable for this summer’s series, as the Bazball revolution meets its latest era-defining challenge in the shape of the World Test Champions. England are looking to regain the urn after a brutal time down under a couple of years ago. RadioTimes.com brings you the full Test Match Special team set to guide you through The Ashes. More from The Ashes: Ashes TV coverage | Ashes radio coverage | Ashes schedule | Ashes squads | Ashes predictions | Ashes highlights | Sky Sports Ashes commentators | Test Match Special Ashes commentators Test Match Special commentators and presenters Jonathan Agnew Alastair Cook Alex Hartley Isa Guha Simon Mann Alison Mitchell Jim Maxwell Daniel Norcross Michael Vaughan Phil Tufnell Glenn McGrath Jason Gillespie Ebony Rainford-Brent Vic Marks Now it's time to get to know the key names a little better... Jonathan Agnew A part of Test Match Special since 1991, Jonathan Agnew’s voice is synonymous with cricket coverage in the UK. Agnew primarily provides ball-by-ball commentary on TMS, and will often lead interviews and discussions during lunch and tea. Alastair Cook Alastair Cook is England’s all-time leading run scorer, and joined TMS in 2019 as a summariser. A former England skipper, Cook still has a close relationship with many of the current England squad. In 2019, he claimed Ben Stokes’ 135 not out at Headingley was the "greatest innings ever played by an Englishman". Alex Hartley Alex Hartley broke onto the scene through h…

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Who won The Ashes last time? Ashes holders and how it works
type: item
date: 2023-06-14T13:09:16.000Z
creator: Sam Cox
subject: Cricket
subject: Sport
subject: TV
description: What happened last time England and Australia duelled for The Ashes?
encoded: The Ashes takes centre stage this summer for a hugely-anticipated duel between a resurgent England, fuelled by the pursuit of relentless entertainment thanks to 'Bazball', and World Test Champions Australia. One of sport’s oldest rivalries will be competed across five Tests starting on Friday 16th June at Edgbaston, the first day of up to 25 glorious days of action this summer. England have been exceptional since coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes took the reins, playing scintillating cricket last summer before making history with a 3-0 series victory in Pakistan. Australia are fresh from dominating India at The Oval in the WTC Final. Watch The Ashes live on Sky Sports Cricket from £15 per month (limited time offer) But how did each side fare in the last Ashes series? We're here to round up the 2021/22 series. England fans, we forgive you if the events of that series Down Under evade your memory. RadioTimes.com rounds up the state of play ahead of The Ashes 2023, including who currently holds the urn and what happened in the last series. More from The Ashes: Ashes TV coverage | Ashes radio coverage | Ashes schedule | Ashes squads | Ashes predictions | Ashes highlights | Sky Sports Ashes commentators | Test Match Special Ashes commentators Who won The Ashes last time? Australia currently hold the Ashes. It is England’s task this summer to regain the urn. England have not held the Ashes since 2017. Australia are aiming to make it four consecutive series as Ashes holders, a feat which has not been achieved by either team since England broke the Aussies’ streak in 2005. What happened in the last Ashes series? Australia thumped England 4-0 in the last Ashes series. England were thoroughly outplayed throughout Down Under, with the final scoreline matching their disappointing performance four years prior. England’s batting was a mess. They failed to reach the 300 mark during the series. Australia scored 400+ on three occasions. Joe Root, who was still skipper at…

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Sky Sports Ashes commentators: Meet the presenters and pundits
type: item
date: 2023-06-14T08:00:08.000Z
creator: Sam Cox
subject: Cricket
subject: Sport
subject: TV
description: Sky Sports boast wall-to-wall coverage of the men's and women's Ashes in 2023, so it's time to get to know the voices who will guide us through it all.
encoded: Sky Sports have shaken up their broadcasting team over the last few years, waving goodbye to huge names such as Ian Botham, David Gower and David Lloyd in favour of a new generation line-up. Rob Key also departed Sky when he took the job of Managing Director with the ECB but the broadcaster is back with a full line-up they hope to delight fans at home with. The decision to move on from Botham, Gower and Lloyd has split opinion among fans, but Sky’s product remains popular with its blend of in-depth analysis, humour and lively debate. Watch The Ashes live on Sky Sports Cricket from £15 per month (limited time offer) As well as a stellar cast of former England stars, Ricky Ponting, Mel Jones and Mark Taylor provide Australian representation, while the late Shane Warne's presence will be sorely missed by all – on each side of the divide. Sky Sports is the only place to watch this summer’s Ashes live in the UK, and these are the faces and voices you'll see and hear more than most over the course of the series'. RadioTimes.com brings you the full Sky Sports team set to guide you through The Ashes. More from The Ashes: Ashes TV coverage | Ashes radio coverage | Ashes schedule | Ashes squads | Ashes predictions | Ashes highlights | Sky Sports Ashes commentators | Test Match Special Ashes commentators Sky Sports commentators and presenters Ian Ward Nasser Hussain Ricky Ponting Mel Jones Mark Taylor Michael Atherton Eoin Morgan Kevin Pietersen Kumar Sangakkara Mark Butcher Dinesh Karthik Andrew Strauss Nick Knight Isa Guha Simon Doull Charlotte Edwards Lydia Greenway Lauren Winfield-Hill Charles Dagnall Now it's time to get to know the team a little better... Ian Ward First involved with Sky in 2001, Ian Ward became a big part of the broadcaster’s coverage after his retirement. Ward gradually took on more responsibilities, including regularly presenting international white-ball matches. He was at the forefront of the 2019 Cricket World Cup as a presenter and commentator befo…

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