Test cricket's pitch politics – below the surface | The Final Word Cricket Podcast Podcast

Boom Boom boom boom, I want Shahid Afridi in my room: Season 10, Ep 6: Daniel Brettig joins the show to discuss Cricket Australia's new and old appointment as CEO, as well as Dan's own appointment at The Age. We look at a crazy year in the life of Boom Boom Afridi, the upcoming Test between England and New Zealand, the arrival home at last for Australia's players, another round of political strife in Afghanistan cricket, the county wrap and the new World Cup format. Plus another Milk Round. Your Nerd Pledge number this week: 3.65 – Nick Dempsey Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Message from anywhere on earth with your ZOLEO, at zoleo.com Check out CBUS Super at https://www.cbussuper.com.au/thefinalword Get Geoff’s new book The Comeback Summer The Final Word is part of the Bad Producer Podcast Network Title track by Urthboy Support the show: https://patreon.com/thefinalword See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy info by The Final Word Cricket Podcast

72 min listen

The Final Word with David Bumble Lloyd: Season 10, Ep 3: This week on The Final Word, a long and uplifting conversation with a man who really has done it all in the professional game across nearly six decades, known around the cricketing world by a simple moniker: Bumble. Always ready with a laugh and a story, always willing to give a kind word, and loved accordingly. Before that we look at how Australia's players are getting on in the Maldives, the county champs round, and Pakistan's fun time against Zimbabwe. Your Nerd Pledge numbers this week: 4.17 - Scott Munroe 12.19 - Shane Fagg Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at  finalwordcricket.com Get some primo gear from Woodstock Cricket with 20% off full-priced kit. Enter the code TFW20 at woodstockcricket.co.uk Check out CBUS Super at   https://www.cbussuper.com.au/thefinalword Get Geoff’s new book The Comeback Summer The Final Word is part of the  Bad Producer Podcast Network Title track by by The Final Word Cricket Podcast

124 min listen

How England won the World Cup (and lost the first Test back): Season 8, Ep 19: Exactly a year from that famous day at Lord's we're joined by Nick Hoult to discuss his new book that gives all the detail you didn't know about England’s triumph. We also, thankfully, get to talk about the first Test match of the covid era, as the West Indies rallied gloriously to knock off the hosts late on the final afternoon at Southampton. What a joy to have it back. Your Nerd Pledge numbers this week are:  3.92 – Cam Tero. 4.05 – Matthew Share.  3.31 – David Varley. Guess away. Our answers are in the episode. Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword     Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com  Check out CBUS Super at cbussuper.com.au Call in from around the world with your ZOLEO at Zoleo.com The Final Word is produced by Jay Mueller on the Bad Producer Network Title track by Urthboy Support the show: https://patreon.com/thefinalword See omnystudio.com/listener for by The Final Word Cricket Podcast

111 min listen

Steve Smith's scuff and nonsense: Season 9, Ep 16: One of the more pointless furores of our time must be about Steve Smith scraping his foot on the pitch in the Sydney Test. On this week's show we go into the detail of that one which has been mostly overlooked. We also look at Tim Paine's apology for losing his cool, racism from the SCG stands, and England's upcoming Test series in Sri Lanka. Plus some Nerd Pledge and a very unexpected Super Performer of the Week. Your Nerd Pledge numbers: 3.41 – Oliver Grünler 4.76 – Paul Cherry Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at  finalwordcricket.com Pick up The Golden Summer with a £3 discount with the code GOLDTFW Or get a discount Wisden Cricket Monthly subscription at bit.ly/wcmtfw Check out CBUS Super at   https://www.cbussuper.com.au/thefinalword Get Geoff’s new book, The Comeback Summer The Final Word is part of the  Bad Producer Podcast Network Title track by  Urthboy Support the show: ht by The Final Word Cricket Podcast

72 min listen

Into the IPL, with Ben Jones: Season 9, Ep 3: It’s the halfway point of the Indian Premier League, the time when you can start to see the trends, the patterns, the improvers, the declines. This week we get T20 analyst Ben Jones to give us the in-depth info on all of that and more. We’ll also look at the ODI winning streak from Australia’s women, the start of the Sheffield Shield, and top it off with Happy Birthday Sachin. Your Nerd Pledge numbers are: 4.29 – Peta Dowling 2.62 – Julian Russell Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword  Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Get worldwide satellite Zoleo communication at zoleo.com Check out CBUS Super at cbussuper.com.au The Final Word is produced by Jay Mueller on the Bad Producer Podcast Network Title track by Urthboy Support the show: https://patreon.com/thefinalword See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. by The Final Word Cricket Podcast

76 min listen

The Final Word with Marcus Stoinis: Season 9, Ep 17: Sometimes an interview comes along that knocks our socks off. We all think that we know Marcus Stoinis: the big smile, the big sixes, the cheekiness, the time in the gym. We expected to talk to Marcus about his career, but instead the conversation went somewhere else: cricket as the backdrop to the rest of his life, the years of trying to take care of his family while nursing and losing his father. We often don't know how a conversation will turn out, and that was never more the case than here. Also this week our reaction to India's final Test win over Australia, and England's nervous result against a determined Sri Lanka. Your Nerd Pledge numbers are: 7.53 – Satchmo Distel 4.56 – Graham Hartley Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at  finalwordcricket.com Message from anywhere on earth with your ZOLEO, at zoleo.com Check out CBUS Super at   https://www.cbussuper.com.au/thefinalword The Fina by The Final Word Cricket Podcast

106 min listen

Story Time 89 – Bradman on the job: It's Story Time, our weekly walk through cricket history via your listener quiz challenges. This time, tales of thwarted ambition, tales of brief moments in the sun, and tales of lengthy honeymoons with just a smidgen of cricket thrown in. Plus we go around at some crunchy revisits and sort them out right smart. Your Nerd Pledge numbers this week: 6.53 - Daniel Maloney 5.86 - Al Saunders & Graham 2.14 - Sami Dowd 6.66 - Edward Edgecumbe 17.86 - Jacob Norton Revisits: 5.13 - Stuart Akers 9.02 - Charlie Ryan 1.33 - Ed Simba 4.80 - Dave Brown 3.89 - Chris Beattie 11.33 - Pip Clark Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find other episodes at finalwordcricket.com 20% off primo WoodstockCricket.co.uk bats with the code TFW20 The Final Word is part of the Bad Producer Podcast Network Title track by Urthboy Support the show: https://patreon.com/thefinalword See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. by The Final Word Cricket Podcast

77 min listen

Smithy, get the guitar: Season 9, Ep 2: Steve Smith is giving out free love on the free love highway and good on him for it. Something about those Dubai hotel rooms. In the same part of the world, Ashwin is preparing himself to Mankad, we’re also with him all the way on The Final Word. Back in England, the strangest summer has come to a close – we speak with The Guardian’s Ali Martin about how it happened and what the future entails. And in Australia, Meg’s Lanning record-breaking team continue to do as they please. Your Nerd Pledge numbers are: 3.07 – Conor Prendergast 8.50 – Kris Swales Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword     Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Message from anywhere on earth with your ZOLEO, at zoleo.com Check out CBUS Super at cbussuper.com.au The Final Word is produced by Jay Mueller on the Bad Producer Network Title track by Urthboy Support the show: https://patreon.com/thefinalword See omnystudio.com/listener for priv by The Final Word Cricket Podcast

73 min listen

All triple centuries suck: Covering cricket from all angles and every corner of the globe by The Final Word Cricket Podcast

78 min listen

Cricket is back! England prepares the Bio-Dome: Season 8, Ep 17: Shout it from the rooftops! This week, England host West Indies in the first of three behind-closed-doors Tests and we couldn’t be happier on The Final Word. Vithushan Ehantharajah joins Adam and Geoff to discuss the Southampton Bio-Dome he’s about to enter and the most unusual series he’s about to cover. Back in Australia, the road ahead is a less clear after a troubling week on the Covid front. Your Nerd Pledge numbers are:  5.91 – Michael Ball 2.50 – Elliott Diamond and Scott Tutton 0.68 – Jordan Russo 4.25 (and 1.49) – Paul Batfay 5.17 – Tim Vanderpump Guess away. Our answers are in the episode. Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword     Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com  Check out CBUS Super at cbussuper.com.au To learn more about the Lord’s Taverners vital work in the community, visit www.lordstaverners.org.   The Final Word is produced by Jay Mueller on the Bad Producer by The Final Word Cricket Podcast

95 min listen

The Batmobile, Bob Willis, and summer Down Under: Season 9, Ep 1: It's a new season! Cricket starts in Australia and the dial turns. What did we do in the last week week? Geoff has been calling the Australia-NZ games in Brisbane, Adam the Bob Willis Trophy Final in London. Oh, and he also bought a Batmobile. That’s nowhere near as impressive as our guest Lloyd Scott doing the Three Peak Challenge in a deep-sea diving suit – to be filed under good cricket people doing good things. Nerd Pledge, Happy Birthday Sachin, it’s all in another week of Final Word frivolity. Your Nerd Pledge numbers are: 3.22 – Jeffrey Gabriel 5.48 – Ben Woolgar & Mick Flurry Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword     Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Support Lloyd Scott’s amazing mission for the Lord’s Taveners! Check out CBUS Super at cbussuper.com.au The Final Word is produced by Jay Mueller on the Bad Producer Podcast Network Title track by Urthboy Support the show: https by The Final Word Cricket Podcast

85 min listen

The Final Word with Megan Schutt: Adam Collins and Geoff Lemon talk to Megan Schutt on this episode of The Final Word. by The Final Word Cricket Podcast

111 min listen

Transform technology with technology transformation: Adam Collins and Geoff Lemon covering cricket from all angles and all corners of the globe. by The Final Word Cricket Podcast

82 min listen

Solving the World Test Championship: Season 10, Ep 9: WTC #1 has been run and won, done and done, New Zealand are one from one. The next instalment has the same structure, but from 2023 things could change up. So at the earliest opportunity we're going to thrash out what could be improved, in a conversation with Wisden Cricket Monthly editor Phil Walker. Also this week: Vinoo Mankad freaks, dance in the streets! After a most deserved gong. Ke$hav Maharaj gets a hat-trick, Danni Wyatt gets pushed out of England's ODI team, Eoin Morgan gets nowhere in addressing past faults, Charlotte Edwards gets an overdue honour, and England players get nervous about visiting Australia. Your Nerd Pledge number this week: 1.30 – Dannish Babar Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Message from anywhere on earth with your ZOLEO, at zoleo.com Get Geoff’s new book The Comeback Summer The Final Word is part of the Bad Producer Podcast Network by The Final Word Cricket Podcast

82 min listen

Traitors to the Sheffield Shield: TFW Weekly by The Final Word Cricket Podcast

82 min listen

Sacking South Africa, with Lungani Zama: Season 9, Ep 5: This week, the entire board at Cricket South Africa finally gave in to outside pressure and resigned. The extent of wrongdoing via a recent financial investigation remains hidden. Investigative journalist Lungani Zama joins us to analyse the developments and what comes next. In better news for South Africa, England’s tour will go ahead. India’s squads for Australia are named, the WBBL got started in the rain, the IPL heads towards finals, the Shield throws up some selection intrigue, and obnoxious former cricketers keep being obnoxious. Your Nerd Pledgenumbers are: 3.66 – Richard Bond McNally. 3.85 – Nathan Garland. Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Message from anywhere on earth with your ZOLEO, at zoleo.com Check out CBUS Super at cbussuper.com.au The Final Word is produced by Jay Mueller on the Bad Producer Podcast Network Title track by Urthboy Sup by The Final Word Cricket Podcast

96 min listen

It’s Australia, by a mile. Also: a new season arrives.: Season 11, Ep 23: With Geoff taking a break to chill out after the Pakistan trip, Daniel Norcross is back in the chair alongside Adam, recording in London as a new English season prepares to bloom. For this, they are joined by Essex recruit Matt Critchley, who we are tipping will take the nation by storm over the coming months. But before coming to what’s ahead of us, there’s the little matter of Australia’s barnstorming World Cup win with some time taken to consider the challenges for those trying to catch the world champs three years from now. Your Nerd Pledge number this week: 2.24 – Mike Dunn Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com 20% off primo WoodstockCricket.co.uk kit with the code TFW20 Check out Brick Lane Brewing on Instagram,FB and Twitter The Final Word is part of the Bad Producer Podcast Network Title track by Urthboy Support the show: https://patreon.com/ by The Final Word Cricket Podcast

115 min listen

Green Machines: Season 8, Ep 22: As Ireland, one of cricket’s green machines, prepare to leave England, the other, Pakistan are ready to start their Test series at Old Trafford. We speak to Zainab Abbas, journalist and television presenter, about Azhar Ali’s men before looking at her own remarkable rise to fame in recent years. Earlier, we look at the comings and goings at both Cricket Australia and the WBBL while thinking ahead to the likely tour of England that Australia’s men will be making in September. Your Nerd Pledge numbers this week: 2.10 – Mark Fenton 5.57 – Rob O’Neill Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword     Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com  Message from anywhere on earth with your ZOLEO, at zoleo.com The Final Word is produced by Jay Mueller on the Bad Producer Podcast Network Title track by Urthboy Support the show: https://patreon.com/thefinalword See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. by The Final Word Cricket Podcast

68 min listen

Microwave stops play: Season 9, Ep 27: Steve Smith wants back in as Australian captain. Over in New Zealand, is it Jeff Jeff or Microwave Jeff? A West Indies classic plays out in Antigua, and there's last-ball luck for the Kiwi women. Final Word fave Suwanji Madanayake needs a groundswell of support. Queensland notch a first in the WNCL. Cricket South Africa manage to screw things up again, with Karen Smithies in the shrapnel zone. Plus there's Nerd Pledge, Bannerman, and our most informative Zoleo adventure yet. Your Nerd Pledge numbers this week: 4.21 – David Crock 6.14 – Peter T. 1.49 – Ash Parajuli Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at  finalwordcricket.com Message from anywhere on earth with your ZOLEO, at zoleo.com Check out CBUS Super at   https://www.cbussuper.com.au/thefinalword Get Geoff’s new book The Comeback Summer The Final Word is part of the  Bad Producer Podcast Network Title track by  Urthboy Support the show: https://patre by The Final Word Cricket Podcast

90 min listen

The Shires, Critchley for England, Branderson and fantasy: Season 12, Ep 1: Another season premiere! We go around for the twelfth time - can't and won't stop. With Geoff away (he's back next week), Daniel Norcross will play. And what better time for it with county cricket back? We go long on that, as we do the latest on the Jimmy and Stuart saga, before doing a lap of the planet. Then later, Adam talks to Justin Smith about his lovely cricketing novel, Cooper Not Out. Your Nerd Pledge number this week: 3.46 – Keelan O’Reilly Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com 20% off primo WoodstockCricket.co.uk kit with the code TFW20 Check out Brick Lane Brewing on Instagram,FB and Twitter The Final Word is part of the Bad Producer Podcast Network Title track by Urthboy Support the show: https://patreon.com/thefinalword See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. by The Final Word Cricket Podcast

119 min listen

Story Time 21, plus Tim Wigmore’s new book: For the footy fans in our ranks, it is Grand Final weekend! Geoff can’t be in Brisbane to watch his beloved Cats play off for the flag, in Sydney instead to call the WBBL. But before he turns to that, into cricket history we go once more. The highlight? Something to do with a fragrant harbour and some barramundi. Then a discussion with Tim Wigmore whose new book studies why some sportspeople are more likely to make it to the top. Your Nerd Pledge numbers are: 3.33 – Jon Tucker 3.68 – Schmicko 1.90 – Lousie Southall 2.16 – Michael W. Fallon and Elia Andrews 2.61 – Sam Littlejohn 1.02 – Nathan Clulow Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Message from anywhere on earth with your ZOLEO, at zoleo.com Check out CBUS Super at cbussuper.com.au The Final Word is produced by Jay Mueller on the Bad Producer Podcast Network Title track by Urthboy Support the show: https://patreon. by The Final Word Cricket Podcast

91 min listen

The Final Word with Anya Shrubsole: Season 12, Ep 4: After 14 years wearing the national uniform, England's swing magician has decided to call it a day. Anya Shrubsole will be remembered for plenty of highlights, but is also the kind of person who is upfront about the low points as well. She joins The Final Word to look back on playing through an era of unprecedented change in the women's game. Your Nerd Pledge number this week: 1.33 – Ed Barr-Simm Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com 20% off primo WoodstockCricket.co.uk bats with the code TFW20 The Final Word is part of the Bad Producer Podcast Network Title track by Urthboy Support the show: https://patreon.com/thefinalword See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. by The Final Word Cricket Podcast

103 min listen

Story Time 177 – The path to the Elefant graveyard by The Final Word Cricket Podcast

102 min listen

Story Time 96 – Find the jade monkey before the next full moon by The Final Word Cricket Podcast

75 min listen

The Dhoni Touch, by the Bloodhound Gang: Season 8, Ep. 24: The great MSD has put the cue in the rack, for India at least. In the circumstances, there was nobody better to get back on the show than Bharat Sundaresan, author of The Dhoni Touch. Earlier in the show, we got our light-meters out to measure the debate after a frustrating second Test between England and Pakistan at Southampton. That's where Australia's men are heading, their white-ball squad named during the week. Unfortunately the same can't be said for South Africa's women. We also return to the summer of 1894-95. Your Nerd Pledge numbers this week: 6.14 - Jeremy Bourke 1.99 - John Leather and Cumbrian 4.75 - Cameron Manning Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword     Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Check out CBUS Super at cbussuper.com.au Message from anywhere on earth with your ZOLEO, at zoleo.com The Final Word is produced by Jay Mueller on the Bad Producer Podcast Network Title t by The Final Word Cricket Podcast

84 min listen

Story Time 48 – The hardest shot of all: It's Story Time, our weekly walk through cricket history via your listener quiz challenges. Today: the innings that even Robelinda agrees could have been the best of all. A player with the same number in a whole lot of categories. The genius behind the Doug Ring Cycle, another of the great comebacks, catching a few at the beach in Bellingen, and the Final Word's most shameful miss in the history of this show. Your Nerd Pledge numbers this week: 1.46 - Al Saunders 4.29 - Daniel O'Connell & Brook Quinn 2.28 - Harry Wojciechowski 5.40 - Jim Carnegie & Chris Prout Plus revisits and confirmations. Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com You can help the Lord's Taverners via Declan's run of the Thames here. And the Alan Igglesden campaign we mentioned is here, for Test cap #540. Get 20% off premium kit from WoodstockCricket.co.uk with the code TFW20 Check out CBUS Super at cbussuper.com.au by The Final Word Cricket Podcast

85 min listen

Story Time 171 – Many paths to Tangiwai by The Final Word Cricket Podcast

88 min listen

Story Time 84 – The weighting of dice cricket: It's Story Time, our weekly walk through cricket history via your listener quiz challenges. This week, Daniel Norcross hops in to give Adam some recovery time, and perhaps not coincidentally the show is all about leg-spinners and long-distant Caribbean cricket. Your Nerd Pledge numbers this week: 3.47 - Paul Harmer 2.70 - Daniel O'Connell 11.33 - Philippa Clark 4.80 - Dave Brown 3.44 - Cameron M 5.37 - Will Cuckson & Elliott Diamond 5.46 - Richard Bond McNally 3.03 - Eric Parnis 7.51 - Ben Woolgar Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find other episodes at finalwordcricket.com Get 20% off Woodstock Cricket kit with code TFW20 at woodstockcricket.co.uk Support the show: https://patreon.com/thefinalword See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. by The Final Word Cricket Podcast

94 min listen

The many sides of South Africa's political brawl: Season 8, Ep 16: Amidst ongoing fighting that predates the virus crisis, South African cricket writer Telford Vice joins the show to explain the conflict in South African cricket. A long investigation into the suspended CEO will soon have a result while a carload of high-ranking staff have been sacked. The divisions are deep but as ever, it's complicated. Meanwhile Covid continues to confuse matters in Australia, and England's men prepare to take on the West Indies in the first Tests since lockdown, in which West Indies players will bring the Black Lives Matter discussion to the centre of the ground. Your Nerd Pledge numbers are:  6.51 – Abhilash Singh 2.68 – Sarah Berman & Glenn Wilcox 2.75 – Mark Stein 2.86 – Alemelu 3.00 – David Jones Guess away. Our answers are in the episode. Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword     Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com  Check out CBUS Super at cbussuper.com. by The Final Word Cricket Podcast

91 min listen

Behold, the week when Chris Woakes wakes: Season 8, Ep 23: Comebacks don’t get much more stylish. England's memorable turnaround in Manchester came when Woakes and Jos Buttler produced a partnership that will be long celebrated. Sleep deprived at both ends of the show, we run a half-closed eye over the Test that was, as well as Ireland’s one-day win over England just beforehand. The Women’s World Cup has been shunted back a year for reasons that don’t stack up. Time for a bit of Nerd Pledge, check in with Sachin, and remind you that months come in sets of twelve per year. Your Nerd Pledge numbers this week: 6.43 – Sarah Berman 5.31 – Ryan Smith 2.26 – Elise Gane & Sam Ashworth Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword     Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Get your Wisden Cricket Monthly discount at bit.ly/wcmfinal The Final Word is produced by Jay Mueller on the Bad Producer Podcast Network Title track by Urthboy Support the show: https://patreon by The Final Word Cricket Podcast

91 min listen

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Test cricket's pitch politics – below the surface

Test cricket's pitch politics – below the surface

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