Latest news with #SticktoCricket
Wales Online
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Phil Tufnell gives honest five-word response when asked about Question of Sport axe
Phil Tufnell gives honest five-word response when asked about Question of Sport axe EXCLUSIVE: Phil Tufnell was a staple figure on British television throughout his time on A Question of Sport up until the day the BBC shook up the show Phil Tufnell was on A Question of Sport for 13 years (Image: PA ) Phil Tufnell has admitted that he was not surprised when the BBC decided to part with himself, Sue Barker and Matt Dawson on A Question of Sport. Tufnell, 59, had been a team captain on the panel show since 2007 until he was let go by the BBC as part of a reshuffle in 2020. The England cricket legend was one of the most recognisable figures on the show, until he made way for Paddy McGuinness, hockey star Sam Quek and rugby ace Ugo Monye. When the new format of the show was shelved in 2023, ex-BBC Football Focus presenter Dan Walker suggested the Beeb may have, "alienated their core audience while searching for a new one" when they decided to axe Tufnell and his show mates. Barker was also upset with the way the decision was handled. Tufnell held no resentment when he was informed about his departure. Speaking at the launch of The Overlap and Betfair's Stick to Cricket show, Tufnell looked back on the decision and said: "You can't do things forever." He added: " They had been talking about it and what have you. I wasn't really involved in it. We'd all been doing it for a while. Well, more than a while, around 13 or 14 years I'd been captain. "You can't do things forever. They fancied a bit of a refresh. We were just sort of like, 'Okay, well, there you go. Thanks very much for the memories. I thoroughly enjoyed every single show. Loved every minute of it.' Article continues below "Now we're doing the theatre show. It's not called a Question of Sport, of course. We're all good friends, all got a very similar sense of humour. We all get on very well, so it's great to be back recreating it a little bit. Tufnell had been on the show for 13 years when he was told he would be leaving in 2020 (Image: BBC ) "Obviously, you think to yourself, 'Oh crikey' but we wished everyone the best. It was part of our lives.' In a statement released at the time, the BBC said: "We would like to thank Sue for her enormous contribution as the show's longest reigning host over the last 24 years, and Matt and Phil for their excellent team captaincy over 16 and 12 years respectively. "Together they have ensured A Question of Sport remains a firm favourite with the BBC One audience. Sue, Matt and Phil's final series will be broadcast next year." Tufnell will be a guest on the Stick to Cricket podcast, which launches very soon (Image: Betfair/Stick to Cricket podcast ) When the show was shelved in 2023, a BBC spokesman appeared to leave the door ajar for a future reboot, claiming the decision was, "not the final whistle." When asked if he thinks the show may return in the future, potentially with himself, Barker and Dawson's involvement, Tufnell added: " I hope it does come back. "It was part of my childhood. It had been going for 55 years, a long time. I loved the show when I was on it and I loved it as a boy. It was one of those little half an hours that you sat round with your family. "Hopefully, it comes back. I'd be delighted to sit down and watch it. Whether we do it again, I'm not so sure. But, we've had our time haven't we?" Article continues below Betfair are set for a big summer and winter of cricket, launching a new show with The Overlap: Stick to Cricket. Don't miss the first episode next week, where the team will be reviewing the opening test of the series between England and India.
Metro
11 hours ago
- Sport
- Metro
Alastair Cook feels answer is clear in Jacob Bethell vs Ollie Pope debate
Alastair Cook is in no doubt who should be batting at three for England against India this week, confident that Ollie Pope deserves the place over Jacob Bethell. England begin their Test series against India at Headingley on Friday, with the weather in Leeds forecast to be brilliant for the five scheduled days. Although England are not at full strength, due to Jofra Archer, Mark Wood and Gus Atkinson all struggling for fitness, the line-up is fairly straight forward to predict, other than at number three. The 21-year-old Bethell made a fantastic start to his Test career in New Zealand over the winter, scoring 260 runs over three matches and averaging 52. However, he did not play in the one-off Test against Zimbabwe in May, with Pope returning to number three and scoring 171 in a dominant England victory. Bethell was absent from that game as he was playing in the IPL, a decision from England that was criticised at the time by Michael Atherton and now Cook lays some blame at the player's feet, suggesting he should be prioritising Test cricket. 'He didn't play in the Zimbabwe Test match for whatever reason and that kind of irks me a little bit for a guy who loves Test cricket,' Cook told Metro, speaking at the launch of The Overlap and Betfair's Stick to Cricket. 'So then Ollie Pope plays. Ollie Pope gets 100, so he plays. That's how I would go about selection.' One of England's all-time greats is not down on Bethell's talent, but feels he is yet to have seen enough of him to be convinced he deserves a key position in the Test side. 'I don't think you can be fully convinced about anyone. Apart from Joe Root or Brian Lara, or somebody like that,' he said. 'We're looking at a 21-year-old. He's had a really good start to his International career and his franchise career, but without a shadow of a doubt there's questions about the guy because he's 21 years old. 'The one thing I have to take at face value is a lot of people who you respect the opinions of, including Andrew Flintoff, Brendon McCullum, Ben Stokes, Rob Key, Joe Root, say this guy's the real deal. 'I'm not that close to Jacob Bethell, I haven't seen enough of him in certain situations, so you're taking their opinion on that.' He added on Stick to Cricket: 'When I left New Zealand I thought they'll go with Jacob Bethell but if he isn't leaving the IPL to come and play a Test match, for whatever reason that it, it's not a punishment, but that's the way the cards have fallen whether it's Bethell's fault or not. 'If he's that desperate to play I would have said he would have come out and played, then he'd have guaranteed his England selection. I don't care what's going on behind the scenes on that.' Cook may have been disappointed by Bethell's decision to play at the IPL, but he has been impressed by his mentality when on the field. 'I can only admire the way Bethell's taken to international cricket,' he said. 'He's certainly one of those players where the occasion doesn't over-rule him, he looks mentally good. 'He's done well to cope with everything, because when he got selected, I thought that's a hell of a task for him. 'But he's played a handful of games. Let's judge him in two years, three years and if he flies, absolutely fantastic. But I think we're all allowed to say: 'It's very early days, he's played three Test matches, got no professional 100s. Let's just let him develop'.' England's manager director Rob Key is relaxed on the call at number three, saying that is a good selection headache to have. 'I don't see it as a problem, really. You win either way, really,' Key told the Telegraph's cricket podcast. 'You've got two brilliant players that can do that role. Ollie Pope's been fantastic in that tough spot; he played brilliantly in New Zealand, alright, he was in a different role, but we've got two brilliant options in those spots. 'A tough decision is when you've got no options, and you've got to just then try and find something from nowhere. That's when I'm sort of scratching my head. This one is: 'Which really good player are we going to pick?' It's a good position to be in.' MORE: Ben Duckett has a bit of Brian Lara about him and won't back down against Jasprit Bumrah in India Tests MORE: Ben Stokes could unleash Bazball on steroids when Zimbabwe make their overdue Test-match return to England
