This is the home of The Desert Vipers, the Twenty20 franchise side competing in the ILT20, the shortform tournament in the United Arab Emirates with its fourth edition in December 2025 and January 2026. For exclusive interviews and insight from the Desert Vipers camp, this is the place to be. This is Vipers Voices...
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Brian Murgatroyd Podcasts
The history of cricket is full of great players, great teams, great matches, great series and great seasons and those stories have been told countless times. But what about the tales of players who did not scale the heights of the legends of the game, players who scaled their own personal Everest by being picked for Test cricket, only to never be selected again? That is the subject of One Test Wonders, a cricketing podcast that features episodes with players who played just one Test.
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Sam Curran and Dan Lawrence on a super over win against the Gulf Giants!
13:59
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13:59Send us a text This time we reflect on a great result for the Vipers, who made it three wins from three starts in thrilling fashion against the Gulf Giants at the Dubai International Stadium. The Vipers, set 180 to win by the Giants, reached 179 for nine to set up a super over, the first in the history of the tournament, and after Dan Lawrence and …
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Analyst Freddie Wilde on his role with the Vipers!
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23:55Send us a text This time we speak with the Vipers Analyst Freddie Wilde, who gives us a peak behind the curtain at what his job entails. It really is a fascinating conversation about a role within teams these days that is widely acknowledged but rarely, if ever, spoken about. Our chat covers all aspects of what Freddie does – how he goes about his …
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Dan Lawrence on victory over Abu Dhabi Knight Riders!
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10:51Send us a text The Desert Vipers have made it two wins from two matches at the start of Season 4 of the DP World ILT20, this time beating the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders by two wickets with three balls in hand at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. In this episode we hear from Dan Lawrence, who made 35 from 32 balls and also took the key wicket of ex-Vipers b…
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David Payne on beating the Capitals and the challenge of the Knight Riders!
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17:10Send us a text In this episode we hear from left-arm swing and seam bowler David Payne, who was so influential with two wickets in the opening victory over the Dubai Capitals. David talks us through that win and discusses the conditions encountered in the match, he speaks about the mood within the squad and also looks ahead to the challenge of faci…
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Andries Gous, David Payne & Noor Ahmad on victory in the tournament opener against the Dubai Capitals
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14:53Send us a text The tournament is underway and the Vipers are off the mark with two points, courtesy of a four-wicket win against the Dubai Capitals at the Dubai International Stadium. The match was a repeat of February's final but this time with a different result! In this episode we hear from Andries Gous, who's 58 from 36 balls was key to the suc…
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Head Coach James Foster looks ahead to the tournament opener!
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15:28Send us a text The waiting is almost over! It's almost time for the first match of DP World ILT20 Season 4, with the Vipers set to go head-to-head with the Dubai Capitals, and ahead of that encounter, we caught up with Head Coach James Foster after the side's final practice session at the ICC Academy at Dubai Sports City. James talks us through the…
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Sam Curran - back with the Vipers for Season 4!
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21:09Send us a text This time, with the clock ticking down towards the season-opener against the Dubai Capitals on Tuesday the 2nd of December, we speak with all-rounder Sam Curran. Sam was the player of the tournament in Season 3 when the Vipers narrowly failed to lift the trophy, and coming up we have a relaxed and fascinating chat with a player who, …
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Captain Lockie Ferguson all set for Season 4!
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28:01Send us a text With the season-opener against the Dubai Capitals on Tuesday the 2nd of December racing towards us, we speak with captain Lockie Ferguson. Lockie is back in charge for a second season after taking the Vipers so close to success last time out and so he’s got plenty to reflect upon, as well as plenty to look forward to, in our chat, a …
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Fast bowling coach Azhar Mahmood returns to the Vipers!
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13:55Send us a text The episodes are coming thick and fast as the tournament draws ever nearer and this time we speak with returning fast bowling coach Azhar Mahmood. Azhar was with the franchise for the first two seasons of the tournament before switching to working with the Pakistan men’s team, but now he’s back and we caught up with him after he arri…
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Tom Moody looks ahead to Season 4 as players & staff start to gather in Dubai!
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28:17Send us a text Coming up we speak with Vipers Director of Cricket Tom Moody as players and staff start to assemble at the JA Resort in Jebel Ali ahead of the tournament. Tom was in great form when we chatted, covering off a range of topics and it really is a chat that – as ever with Tom – is well worth your time. There’s his take on the process of …
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Dan Lawrence on that 'Flamingo shot' and lots more!
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20:01Send us a text This time we speak with English batter Dan Lawrence, one of the seven players retained by the Vipers for season four of the tournament, as we get ever closer to the first ball of the next edition. Dan was one of the squad’s earliest overseas arrivals into the UAE as he opted to play in the Abu Dhabi T10 beforehand, and he took a brea…
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Khuzaima Bin Tanveer & CEO Phil Oliver look ahead to season four!
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50:53Send us a text With season four just two weeks away, we’ve got a bumper episode for you. We hear from Khuzaima bin Tanveer, the UAE fast bowler who made such a sensational start to life with the Vipers in the previous edition of the tournament. And we also catch up with Phil Oliver, the Desert Vipers CEO, who talks us through off-field preparations…
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Max Holden - ready to go one better in season four!
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26:06Send us a text This time we speak with English batter Max Holden, one of the breakout stars of the DP World ILT20 in season three. Max had to be patient at the start of his first season with the Vipers and wasn’t initially able to break into the line-up in the first half of the last campaign. But rather than sulk, he used his time to work on his ga…
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Tom Bruce - looking forward to playing with rather than against Lockie Ferguson!
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29:57Send us a text This time we hear from Tom Bruce, the New Zealand-born batter who’s now qualified to play for the country of his father’s birth, Scotland. Like Vriitya Aravind, the subject of our previous show, he’s a Vipers new boy and so, coming up, you’ll get the chance to hear all about a player who is sure to be a terrific addition to the franc…
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Send us a text Coming up we hear from one of the Vipers’ new boys, UAE wicketkeeper-batter Vriitya Aravind. Vriitya was the first player to be picked up at the recent auction and we hear all about his reaction to that, plus plenty more. Vriitya is no stranger to the DP World ILT20, having been on the books of two franchises already, spending time a…
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The Vipers launch their Talent Pathway Programme in the UAE!
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23:30Send us a text This time it’s a step away from the elite level to something the Vipers are doing at community level. The Vipers have set up their own Talent Pathway Programme for boys and girls aged 13 to 19 within the UAE powered by Balqis Capital, and in this episode we hear from coaches and players at one of the first sessions of the new initiat…
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Andries Gous interview, RAW Coffee Company links up with the Vipers!
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38:25Send us a text It’s another busy episode for you. We hear from Vipers new signing Andries Gous, the USA wicketkeeper-batter who has been drafted in after previously impressing with the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders. Andries talks us through his journey to this point in his career, his ambitions for this season’s DP World ILT20, what the future holds for …
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Tom Moody on the auction, Shimron Hetmyer on joining the Vipers
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18:46Send us a text This time we’ve got a bumper episode for you. We hear from Tom Moody, the Desert Vipers Director of Cricket, about the franchise’s new players, acquired at the DP World ILT20’s first-ever player auction, which took place in Dubai on Wednesday October the 1st. Tom runs the rule over the 12 players the Vipers picked up at that auction …
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Desert Vipers CEO Phil Oliver reacts to the inaugural DP World ILT20 auction
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13:51Send us a text On this episode, we get immediate reaction from Desert Vipers CEO Phil Oliver to the inaugural DP World ILT20 auction, that took place in Dubai on Wednesday 1 October. The auction saw the Vipers complete their roster by signing 12 players, and in our chat with Phil he explains the thinking behind the picks made by the franchise. Phil…
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Send us a text Coming up in this episode is part two of our chat with Head Coach James Foster, and this time around we get James’s take on the personnel already retained and signed by the franchise for season four that gets underway at the start of December, as well as his perspective on the upcoming auction, the first in the history of the DP Worl…
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James Foster part 1 - Looking back & looking ahead
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22:36Send us a text In this episode, we have the first of a two-part chat with Vipers head coach James Foster. In part two we get James’s take on the personnel already retained and signed by the franchise for season four, that gets underway at the start of December, as well as his perspective on the upcoming auction, the first in the history of the DP W…
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ILT20 Development Tournament wrap-up with Jack Luffman
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14:31Send us a text This time we wrap up the ILT20 Development Tournament in company with Head Coach Jack Luffman after the Desert Vipers Development Team fell to an agonising four-run loss in the final to the Sharjah Warriors at the ICC Academy on Wednesday evening, the 4th of September. The Vipers team had fought its way to the final thanks to a super…
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ILT20 Development Tournament update with Tanish Suri and Khuzaima bin Tanveer
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13:58Send us a text With the ILT20 Development Tournament in full swing, we caught up with fast bowler Khuzaima bin Tanveer and wicketkeeper-batter Tanish Suri (pictured in the thumbnail for this episode), two players who are part of the Desert Vipers squad in that competition. All six DP World ILT20 franchises have teams in the Development Tournament a…
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Previewing the Development Tournament and more with Ali Nasser, Tanish Suri and Nilansh Keswani
18:21
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18:21Send us a text Coming up we hear from wicketkeeper-batter Tanish Suri, all-rounder Ali Naseer and left-arm spinner Nilansh Keswani, with the trio set to feature for the Vipers’ Development team at the ICC Academy. All six DP World ILT20 franchises have teams in the Development Tournament that is taking place in the last week of August and the first…
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Jack Luffman on the Vipers at the ILT20 Development Tournament
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24:25Send us a text As the summer heat starts to fade in the UAE, it’s time to focus on on-field action again and specifically the ILT20 Development Tournament. It’s a tournament for UAE players to put themselves in the shop window for the DP World ILT20’s first-ever auction, which is scheduled to take place in late September, and so there is a lot ridi…
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Tom Moody - the march to season four begins!
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33:16Send us a text We’re back ahead of season four, which gets underway on December the 2nd 2025, an earlier start than the three previous editions, which all took place in January and February. And in this episode that marks the start of the build-up to the new season, we speak with Vipers Director of Cricket Tom Moody, a regular on the podcast. Tom s…
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Season wrap-up part two: Director of Cricket Tom Moody
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31:30Send us a text This is the final episode for season three and in it we speak with Vipers Director of Cricket Tom Moody as part of our wrap-up of the campaign. It’s part two of that wrap, following on from our chat with Chief Executive Officer Phil Oliver. Just like our conversation with Phil, there was a lot to unpack with Tom and we covered a sign…
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Send us a text This episode is part one of a two-part wrap-up of the season. In part two we’ll chat with Director of Cricket Tom Moody, but this time we catch up with Vipers CEO Phil Oliver to paint the big picture for us on where the franchise is at after both an agonising loss in the 2025 final to the Dubai Capitals and also after three seasons o…
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Sam Curran, James Foster and Max Holden on Final heartache for the Vipers
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15:55Send us a text In this episode we reflect on heartbreak for the Vipers as the side has lost the final of the DP World ILT20 to the Dubai Capitals. In a thrilling match, the Vipers posted 189 for five after being put into bat and then reduced the Capitals to 31 for three in reply. But then Rovman Powell with 63, Shai Hope with 43 wrested back contro…
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Captain Lockie Ferguson previews the final!
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19:56Send us a text In this episode we preview the final of the tournament in the company of captain Lockie Ferguson with the Vipers preparing to face the Dubai Capitals at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday night, the 9th of February. Sadly, the hamstring injury Lockie picked up in Qualifier 1 on March the 5th means he won’t be able to play in t…
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Mohammad Amir, Max Holden and Alex Hales on victory over Sharjah Warriorz and a place in the final!
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19:06Send us a text In this episode we can reflect upon a fantastic win for the team – a seven-wicket success against the Sharjah Warriorz in Qualifier 2 that means the Vipers have booked a place in the final of the tournament, against the Dubai Capitals. Coming up we hear from Mohammad Amir, one of the stars with the ball against the Warriorz, and also…
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Coaches Simon Helmot and Carl Crowe, and UAE women's captain Esha Oza
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15:53Send us a text This is an episode with a difference. The day after the team’s last-ball defeat to the Dubai Capitals in the Qualifier, two of the coaches, bowling coach Carl Crowe and fielding coach Simon Helmot, meet up with eight players involved with the UAE women’s team for a session at the JA Resort’s dedicated cricket facility in Jebel Ali. T…
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James Foster and David Payne on last-ball heartbreak in the Qualifier against the Dubai Capitals
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17:22Send us a text This episode comes off the back of a heartbreaking loss to the Dubai Capitals in the Qualifier with the Capitals winning by five wickets off the very last ball to secure a spot in Sunday’s final. For the Vipers it means that in order to join them they have to do it the hard way, playing against the winners of the eliminator between M…
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Tom Moody and Lockie Ferguson on defeat to the Dubai Capitals and the play-offs to come!
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17:11Send us a text It’s the end of the league stage of the tournament and the Vipers have finished top of the six-team table with seven wins from 10 matches. But the regular season has ended with a whimper rather than a bang as the team went down to a nine-wicket loss with 17 balls to spare against the Dubai Capitals in Sharjah. Coming up we hear from …
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Head Coach James Foster ahead of the Dubai Capitals and the play-offs!
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14:43Send us a text In this episode we speak with Head Coach James Foster to preview the final league match of the campaign against the Dubai Capitals, in Sharjah on Monday evening, the 3rd of February. The Vipers are already assured of top spot in the six-team league table so it’s a case now of seeing if another victory can be chalked up ahead of the p…
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Luke Wood on coming back, boundary catches, Dubai Capitals and the play-offs to come!
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13:16Send us a text In this episode we begin the build-up to the Vipers’ final match of the regular season, a meeting with the Dubai Capitals at the Sharjah Stadium on Monday the 3rd of February – and we do that in the company of left-arm fast bowler Luke Wood. Luke has been absent from the side for the past five matches – and coming up he explains why.…
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Max Holden and Wanindu Hasaranga on victory over the Gulf Giants that seals a top-two finish!
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17:38Send us a text It’s happy days for the Vipers as not only have the team returned to winning ways with a five-wicket win over the Gulf Giants in Dubai, but in doing so they’ve confirmed their spot in the top two of the league stage and so guaranteed they have two chances to qualify for the final. The team impressed with the ball against the 2023 cha…
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Carl Crowe on defeat to MI Emirates and Tom Moody on Hasaranga the great!
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17:51Send us a text This time we’re looking back on a night to forget for the Vipers as the side slipped to a 154-run defeat at the hands of MI Emirates in Abu Dhabi. It was the second-heaviest loss in the history of the tournament, eclipsed only by the Vipers’ 157-run loss to the same opponents in Sharjah in 2023. The crumb of comfort is that after tha…
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Sam Curran and Khuzaima bin Tanveer after victory over the Sharjah Warriorz
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13:44Send us a text We’re reflecting on a sixth win in seven matches for the Vipers as the side secured back-to-back wins against the Sharjah Warriorz. After a ten-wicket win in Dubai, this time it was an eight wicket win with 31 balls to spare. We hear from Sam Curran, standing in as captain for Lockie Ferguson, who scored an unbeaten 54 in only 34 bal…
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James Foster on Sherfane Rutherford and Wanindu Hasaranga being named in ICC ODI Team of the Year
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16:58Send us a text This is a special episode because we’re joined by head coach James Foster to celebrate the inclusion of two Vipers players – batter Sherfane Rutherford and spin-bowling all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga – in the ICC Men’s One-Day International Team of the Year. It’s a huge achievement by both players and a source of pride for the Vipers …
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Behind the scenes with Vipers kit manufacturer PALMFIT
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13:25Send us a text This is an episode with a difference as we hear from Hanish Bhatt, the owner of PALMFIT, the company that produces the Vipers’ clothing. That might sound like a very dry topic but it’s anything but as Hanish’s company makes the kit used by the players and staff from recycled material, in keeping with the Vipers’ quest to be one of th…
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Fakhar Zaman, James Foster and Mohammad Amir on a record-breaking win versus Sharjah Warriorz
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20:43Send us a text This time we’re looking back on history as the Vipers secured the first-ever 10-wicket win in the history of the tournament, beating the Sharjah Warriorz at the Dubai International Stadium on Wednesday night. We hear from opening batter Fakhar Zaman, who blitzed an unbeaten 71 in the successful chase, Head Coach James Foster and also…
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Tom Moody on the Vipers' first loss of the campaign, against Dubai Capitals
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12:54Send us a text This time we’re reflecting on the Vipers’ first disappointing day of this year’s tournament as the side went down to a six-wicket loss to the Dubai Capitals at the Dubai International Stadium on Monday night. It was a loss that followed four wins in a row to start the DP World ILT20 and to review it we’re joined by Vipers Director of…
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Nathan Sowter, Alex Hales and CEO Phil Oliver on the Sustainability Match win versus ADKRs
19:22
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19:22Send us a text Although it’s still early days in the tournament, things keep getting better and better for the Vipers as the side made it four wins from four against the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders and we reflect on that victory in this episode. It was a convincing 53-run win at the Dubai International Stadium in the side’s annual Sustainability Match,…
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Tom Moody, Lockie Ferguson and Fakhar Zaman on the win versus MI Emirates
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24:10Send us a text It’s three games and three wins for the Vipers after an excellent five wicket success against the defending champions, MI Emirates, under the Ring of Fire lights at the Dubai International Stadium, a victory achieved with five balls to spare. Coming up we hear from Director of Cricket Tom Moody, captain Lockie Ferguson and player of …
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Ben Hardy-Jones on this season's Sustainability Match
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15:44Send us a text In this episode we do something different – it’s time to hear from the Desert Vipers’ Sustainability Lead, Ben Hardy-Jones, as we approach the annual Sustainability Match, this year against the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders at the Dubai International Stadium on Saturday the 18th of January. Ben talks us through what the day will involve fr…
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Alex Hales and Luke Wood as the Vipers make it two from two!
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13:49Send us a text It’s two from two for the Vipers as we can look back on another victory for Lockie Ferguson’s side – this time by six wickets with 14 balls to spare at the Dubai International Stadium against the Gulf Giants, the side that beat the Vipers in the inaugural final in 2023. We hear from two key contributors for the side – opening batter …
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Sam Curran on the Vipers' opening win against the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders
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15:29Send us a text We hear from Sam Curran, who was a key part of an opening match win for the Vipers against the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders in Abu Dhabi. Sam made 50 not out from 37 balls, and with Dan Lawrence making 70 in 39 deliveries, the duo added 95 in 10 overs as the side ultimately made light of a potentially tricky chase after ADKR made 166 for …
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Lockie Ferguson - the captain looks ahead to the Vipers' first match!
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20:17Send us a text It’s almost time! In this episode, recorded around 24 hours before the Vipers’ first match of season three, against the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders in Abu Dhabi, we check in with new captain Lockie Ferguson. Lockie’s had a whirlwind introduction to the Vipers having arrived from Australia, where he was playing for the Sydney Thunder in t…
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Send us a text In this edition we hear from Tom Moody, the Vipers’ Director of Cricket, two days out from the side’s opening match of season three, against the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders in Abu Dhabi on Sunday the 12th of January. We spoke with Tom to reflect upon the Vipers encouraging warm-up match against the Gulf Giants and Tom reflects on that pe…
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