The Cow Corner Cricket Podcast · Prashant Phatak

E33: The Associates are saying, “Make us Partner!”

·38 min·3 clips

Only 12 full members and more than 94 associate members set up cricket's power imbalance.

Prashant opens by noting that Jatin is away handling something important, and Siddharth is alongside him for episode 33. As promised in the previous episode, the show turns to associate and affiliate teams rather than the full-member game. From there, the hosts go back into cricket history. They talk about cricket’s early roots, note that MCC was formed in 1787, and point to 1864 as another important year, when W.G. Grace enters the story. The tone stays conversational and easy; the history is more of a doorway into the modern associate game than a lecture. Once that frame is set, the hosts move into an Associate World 11. The list includes players from a range of countries. Michael Lesk of Scotland makes the cut, and Christian Kulagamage of Italy is also selected, giving the XI strong representation from associate cricket. Gerhard Erasmus is named as the 12th man. The hosts note that he was not especially impressive with the bat, but that his seven wickets, including four against India, still matter. Harmeet Singh from the United States comes up as another strong option. Prashant is especially taken with his bowling and remembers him as crafty and economical, especially in powerplay overs. Monank Patel becomes part of the captaincy discussion. The question is whether his experience and wicketkeeping make him a better fit than Scott Edwards. The hosts do not settle too quickly; they work through the tradeoffs out loud. The middle order gets a lot of approval. Bastilleid, Ben Manente, Dipendra Singh, and Scott Edwards are all treated as solid tournament players. The bowlers also draw praise, and Van Skalquik is singled out as especially formidable. By contrast, the openers are described as a weak link. That tension gives the selection talk some shape. It is not just a best-of list; it is a discussion about how a team actually holds together. The hosts keep adjusting the XI as they talk, and that is part of the fun. The episode ends by looking outward again. The IPL comes up, along with future tours. India’s tour of England is mentioned, and the 2027 ODI World Cup starts to loom in the hosts’ thinking. There is even a passing idea of a Southern Hemisphere trip to catch some of that action. The show closes with the usual easy sign-off and a note that Jatin will be back next time.

As heard by us

Associate cricket is treated as a real selection debate, not a side note.

The Cow Corner Cricket Podcast uses associate teams as a path into cricket history and then settles into a sharp squad debate. Prashant and Siddharth begin with the game’s background before moving into an Associate World 11, so the episode feels like a conversation rather than a…

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