Podcast · Sport

The ACSCricket Podcast

by Association of Cricket Statisticians and Historians · English · Sport

Who is the oldest man to hit a Test match century? What is the most expensive bowling analysis in first-class cricket? Does a match start with the toss, the call of ‘Play’ or the first delivery? If you are intrigued by such conundrums, or if you’re interested in the origins and history of the game,

New episodes: Monthly
Typical length: 53 min
Latest: 30 Sep 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

30 Sep 2026 · 50 min

Cricket, Fiction and Nation

Rod Edmond delivers a brisk, provocative tour through cricket’s fictional afterlives – from bucolic village greens and imperial schoolyards to murder plots, post-colonial reinventions and end-of-the-world anxieties. This is the story of how writers have used cricket to imagine England, to critique empire, to stage comedy and tragedy, and to rethink the game’s future. His book is available here: https://anthempress.com/books/cricket-fiction-and-nation-pb

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Earlier episodes 22 most recent

10 Sep 2026 · 52 min
150 Years of Essex County Cricket
To mark its sesquicentenary, David Pracy’s illuminating lecture traces the journey of Essex CCC from its formative days, bringing to life the triumphs, cultural moments, and most of all the personalities that have shaped it across the generations. Whether you are a devoted follower of the county or simply intrigued by the broader sweep of cricket history, this is an unmissable opportunity to celebrate a century and a half of sporting tradition and community spirit. For background, do read Pracy’s path-breaking Gentlemen and players of Essex: the amateur and professional cricketers of Essex…
6 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 15 min
Tom Marsden, Richard Letby and early cricket in Yorkshire
Jeremy Lonsdale and Mick Pope on two forgotten geniuses.
1 Sep 2026 · 54 min
The myth of left-right batting partnerships
Johan Fourie and Krige Siebrits discuss the phenomenon of "invisible handedness."
24 Aug 2026 · 1 hr 6 min
The dumbing down of cricket
Tom Heenan and Sam Duncan on "Big Bash as mass deception."
20 Aug 2026 · 1 hr 23 min
Windrush cricket
Michael Collins on imperial culture, Caribbean migration, and the remaking of postwar England
15 Aug 2026 · 59 min
David Frith and Douglas Miller
Russ Houldin, editor of "The Cricket Statistician," house organ of the ACS, sits down for a free-wheeling chat with two legends of the association.
24 Jul 2026 · 54 min
The early history of cricket in Sri Lanka
Step back into the formative century of cricket in Sri Lanka with Dr Nimal Chandrasena’s richly detailed presentation, “The Early History of Ceylon Cricket: The First 100 Years, 1832 to 1932.” This talk traces the game’s journey from its colonial beginnings to its establishment as a cultural force, weaving together archival discoveries, forgotten matches, and the personalities who shaped the game on the island. Dr Chandrasena shows us how cricket became both a pastime and a mirror of social change.
29 May 2026 · 1 hr 4 min
Nationalism, "mediacricket," and Indian hegemony
Chris McMillan of the University of Auckland’s School of Social Sciences talks about his important paper “A mediated collision,” examining cricket’s enduring bond with place and nationhood, and how it has been unsettled by the rise of “mediacricket.”
15 Apr 2026 · 54 min
Evaluating the whole cricketer
In this seminar, Russ Houldin presents his important new paper “A Run is Run is a Run,” exploring how cricketers might be evaluated as complete players, rather than merely as batsmen or bowlers. Drawing inspiration from baseball’s sabermetrics and its influential Wins Above Replacement (WAR) model, he introduces a fresh statistical framework designed to capture cricketing quality in a holistic way.
8 Apr 2026 · 1 hr 5 min
Literary sports journalism
This event, convened by Professors Tom Bradshaw, Kasey Symons and Elizabeth Ellison, and recorded on March 14, 2026, explores the past, present and future of a burgeoning field, with a special focus on cricket and the enduring influence of Neville Cardus.
1 Apr 2026 · 50 min
Understanding Australian colonial sport
On Saturday, January 31, 2026, ACS members gathered for a special virtual lecture from Dr Steve Georgakis, Senior Professor of Pedagogy and Sports Studies at the University of Sydney. Dr Georgakis is the author of "Towards a Theoretical Understanding of Australian Colonial Sport: British Nationalism and Schools," which explores the cultural and social dimensions of colonial-era sport, particularly in the nascent education system, in shaping Australian national identity. There was, needless to say, a heavy emphasis on cricket.
22 Feb 2024 · 51 min
An audience with John Ward
The legendary Zimbabwean statistician joins us to discuss his life and times.
15 Nov 2023 · 46 min
No Picnic: The 1926/27 MCC tour of India
Jeremy Lonsdale on his award nominated book "No Picnic," available from the ACS: https://shop.acscricket.com/?product=no-picnic-the-historic-first-mcc-tour-of-india-and-ceylon-1926-27
13 Nov 2023 · 32 min
Two fine wicketkeepers
Pat Rodgers and Rodney Ulyate talk about their recent articles in The Cricket Statistician, available here: https://acscricket.com/?page_id=387
2 Oct 2023 · 53 min
An audience with our founder
We join Robert Brooke to discuss his life and times, and the history of the ACS.
26 May 2023 · 34 min
Peter Handford
Founding member Peter Handford joins us to discuss his life in cricket and the history of the ACS.
23 Feb 2023 · 26 min
Marion Collin: The Haygarth of women's cricket
Marion Collin, the great women's player, umpire and scorer, joins us to discuss her life and times.
22 Feb 2023 · 37 min
Elephant in the Stadium: The Myth and Magic of India's Epochal Win
Arunabha Sengupta joins us to discuss his latest book -- a chronicle of India's first-ever Test series triumph in England. You can buy it here: https://www.amazon.com/Elephant-Stadium-Magic-Indias-Epochal/dp/1801500940
29 Jan 2023 · 1 hr 27 min
A Game Emerging: Yorkshire cricket before the coming of the All England Eleven
Jeremy Lonsdale joins us to discuss his book on the early history of cricket in Yorkshire, available now from the ACS: https://shop.acscricket.com/?product=a-game-emerging-yorkshire-cricket-before-the-coming-of-the-all-england-eleven You can get it as part of a discounted package with A Game Taken Seriously, which covers the second half of the 19th century: https://shop.acscricket.com/?product=yorkshire-game-package-d The views expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of the Association or its committee.
8 Jan 2023 · 1 hr 32 min
Swallows and Hawke: England's Cricket Tourists, the MCC and the Making of South Africa 1888-1968
Richard Parry joins us to discuss his new book, co-authored with Andre Odendaal and available here: https://www.pitchpublishing.co.uk/shop/swallows-and-hawke
S1 · E2 · 14 Dec 2022 · 27 min
Ray Smith: Man of Essex
John Broom joins us to discuss his new book, available here: https://shop.acscricket.com/?product=ray-smith-man-of-essex The views expressed in this podcastn do not necessarily reflect those of the Association or its committee.
S1 · E1 · 14 Dec 2022 · 34 min
The ABC Tour: The South American tour to Britain 1932
An interview with Keith Walmsley about his book on the 1932 South America. You can buy his book here: https://shop.acscricket.com/?product=the-abc-tour-the-south-american-tour-to-britain-1932 "Major Feats in Minor Cricket" is available here: https://acscricket.com/?page_id=3385 Join the ACS here: https://acscricket.com/?page_id=294

About The ACSCricket Podcast

The ACSCricket Podcast is a English sport podcast from Association of Cricket Statisticians and Historians. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: Association of Cricket Statisticians and Historians
Language: English
Category: Sport
New episodes: Monthly
Typical length: 53 min
Latest episode: 30 Sep 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1659836998
Rights: Association of Cricket Statisticians and Historians

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