Twist in the Tail Shourov, Brian and Abhik

Abhik brings another game that is obscure to many but well known in the right circles. Perhaps the greatest Ranji trophy final of them all. In May 1991, A star studded Bombay team looking to continue their dominance of Indian domestic cricket. Standing in their way, Kapil Dev and an upstart Haryana team looking for their first bit of silverware. After a back and forth battle over 5 days, it comes down to one final last wicket partnership, as the two old stalwarts, Dilip Vengsarkar and Kapil Dev, team-mates and protagonists over a generation, face off in the final stretch. But why did this game mean so much to these storied cricketers, who had already achieved so much in their lives ? We discuss tradition, culture and passing the torch between generations in the context of perhaps the last time when domestic first class cricket really meant something.

January 1984, at the height of the apartheid regime, a team of West Indian cricketers is in the middle of a "rebel" tour of South Africa.  Fringe players unable to break into one of the strongest test teams of all time take the opportunity to play...

Special guest Gaj brings in his list of most memorable cricketers, sparking a discussion about the value of data vs subjective impressions.

Perth 2008 - after the bitter acrimony of the "Monkey-gate" affair, two fired up teams face off on a unusually placid WACA track. Australia bring one of the fastest bowling attacks in history, but a lanky young fast bowler from Delhi turns heads by shaking up the legendary Ricky Ponting. Shourov brings a classic game full of surprises including a characteristically execrable spell from Shaun Tait and an uncharacteristic brain-fade from Rahul Dravid. But Ishant Sharma vs Ponting is the real game within a game, leading to tales of young firebrands from our lives. Today's game: 3rd Test, India tour of Australia at Perth, Jan 16-19 2008

Before Kohli and Tendulkar, there was one man who single-handedly carried India's hopes with the bat. In this week's family special, Abhik's brother Shomik comes on to discuss an uncharacteristically swashbuckling innings from the one and only Sunil Gavaskar against the mighty Windies of the eighties. The discussion soon turns to the blind hero worship that characterises Indian cricket. But are all of our heroes worthy of our adulation and what happens when our heroes don't live up to our expectations ?

1984 was a tough one by the high standards of the Australian cricket team. As well as a string of losses home and away against the West Indies, they lost their captain and were on verge of losing their dignity, and perhaps hope for the future. Enter a fiery red-headed fast bowler from Ipswich. But was Craig McDermott really the messiah or a very naughty boy ? As Brian is overwhelmed with gushing admiration and Abhik manages to offend everyone from Sri Lankan cricket fans to Rodney Hogg, Shourov keeps some sense in the discussion by asking whether waiting for a saviour really is that good for either party involved.