The Final Word Cricket Podcast

Women's Ashes Test, Trent Bridge, Day 1: On a fast track with good bounce, the runs flowed and the wickets eventually came. Ellyse Perry made a stunning 99, Australia's next tier of all-rounders made their mark, and Sophie Ecclestone put in a huge shift. Thoroughly entertaining on Day 1. Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Visit westfield.com/united-kingdom/London to see everywhere you can eat, shop and play in Europe’s largest shopping centre. Westfield London and Westfield Stratford City – More Extra, Less Ordinary! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Season 14, Episode 20: Well, with a night and a day to think about, we can start to come to terms with what we saw in Birmingham yesterday. An extraordinary day, with some bigger themes to come out of it than what we could address in the Daily show looking more at the action on the field. Also this week, our preview of the Women's Ashes Test with Geoff at Trent Bridge in Nottingham, and we look at some remarkable results from the 2023 World Cup qualifiers. Your Nerd Pledge number for this week: 3.62 - Tim Unwin Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Title track by Urthboy Visit westfield.com/united-kingdom/London to see everywhere you can eat, shop and play in Europe’s largest shopping centre. Westfield London and Westfield Stratford City – More Extra, Less Ordinary! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ashes, 1st Test at Edgbaston, Day 5: What a finish. What a day. One of the all-time great Test matches, one of the closest results. The rhymes of history were all there, but we didn't think it could be as good. We were wrong. Don't read any more, just listen. Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Visit westfield.com/united-kingdom/London to see everywhere you can eat, shop and play in Europe’s largest shopping centre. Westfield London and Westfield Stratford City – More Extra, Less Ordinary! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ashes, 1st Test at Edgbaston, Day 4: Hooollly schmackerel. We have a blazing Test match on our hands. England went utterly wild on the fourth day, brilliantly and mad-eyed, especially Joe Root. Australia fought like hell to hold them back, especially Nathan Lyon and Pat Cummins. And then England set them 281 to win, when in 2005 this Test required 282. It's fate. There was still time for a Broad special. Don't miss the last act. Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Visit westfield.com/united-kingdom/London to see everywhere you can eat, shop and play in Europe’s largest shopping centre. Westfield London and Westfield Stratford City – More Extra, Less Ordinary! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ashes, 1st Test at Edgbaston, Day 3: There was rain, but it only added to the atmosphere in a brilliant short burst on the third afternoon. England were feeling pretty good with the ball but have early worries with the bat. Almost level on the first innings, the Test is brilliantly set up after three days. Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Visit westfield.com/united-kingdom/London to see everywhere you can eat, shop and play in Europe’s largest shopping centre. Westfield London and Westfield Stratford City – More Extra, Less Ordinary! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's Story Time, our weekly walk through cricket history via your listener quiz challenges. This week, a special episode recorded after the first day of the first Ashes Test. A little weariness makes for more contemplation, and a lot more being sidetracked. Come for the cricket, stay for the examination of historical conspiracy theories, and a journey through terrible sport team names. Your Nerd Pledge numbers this week: 1.34 - Lauren Kandasamy 4.80 - George Pearson 13.63 - Anna Collins 2.64 - Rory Seymour & Liam Jolliffe Revisits 3.43 - Stuart Akers 7.00 - Matt Gaynor Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ashes, 1st Test at Edgbaston, Day 2: Another ridiculously good day, with a Broad morning and a Khawaja afternoon. Two in two, lots of misses, and the worst hat-trick ball in history - get it all on The Final Word. Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Visit westfield.com/united-kingdom/London to see everywhere you can eat, shop and play in Europe’s largest shopping centre. Westfield London and Westfield Stratford City – More Extra, Less Ordinary! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ashes, 1st Test at Edgbaston, Day 1: And we're away. England batted first and kinda tried to Bazball, but it didn't entirely come off. Joe Root played a blinder, Jonny Bairstow made a comeback, Harry Brook had one of the strangest dismissals you'll ever see. Nathan Lyon and Scott Boland impressed again, Josh Hazlewood looked good. And there was a real twist ending to the day. Find out about it all with The Final Word. Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Visit westfield.com/united-kingdom/London to see everywhere you can eat, shop and play in Europe’s largest shopping centre. Westfield London and Westfield Stratford City – More Extra, Less Ordinary! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ashes, 1st Test at Edgbaston, Day 0: We're almost ready. The day before the action starts, Adam and Geoff get together in the Hollies Stand - quiet now, but not for long. Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Title track by Urthboy Visit westfield.com/united-kingdom/London to see everywhere you can eat, shop and play in Europe’s largest shopping centre. Westfield London and Westfield Stratford City – More Extra, Less Ordinary! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Season 14, Episode 19: It's only been 18 months since the last time the urn was played for but it feels like an eternity. For England, everything really has changed since Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes took over a broken side. Now, for the series this has all been leading up to - The Ashes. And they take this with Moeen Ali back in the team after having not touched a red ball for the better part of two years. Ali Martin, another Birmingham native, knows the England all-rounder well and joins us to piece that together. Also on the show: WTC washup, Bluey does cricket, the Lottie Cup stays put, and Heather Knight's side name their Test squad for Trent Bridge. Recorded on location at Westfield London. Your Nerd Pledge number for this week: 14.50 - Sam Davies Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Title track by Urthboy Visit westfield.com/united-kingdom/London to see everywhere you can eat, shop and play in Europe’s largest shopping centre. Westfield London and Westfield Stratford City – More Extra, Less Ordinary! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's Story Time, our weekly walk through cricket history via your listener quiz challenges. This week, a lot of different threads lead us back to a certain European autumn over a century ago. There is also a dusty week in Sydney, the 1008 names of Lord Shiva, one of the most forgotten domestic competitions ever, a pioneering slip catcher, and the biggest day in Birmingham. All recorded on a hot summer day in Adam's garden with the bumblebees bumbling about. Wholesome as, tuck in. Your Nerd Pledge numbers this week: 2.52 - Jack S 2.78 - Shounak Sarkar 7.50 - Jonathan Aspin Revisits 7.00 - Jon Lansdell 6.80 - Owen 3.39 - Pat Rodgers 5.28 - Paul Murphy 4.39 - Vanessa Collins 3.57 - Alan Simpson 4.89 - Edward Greggs Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

World Test Championship, India v Australia Day 5: It started with expectation but it ended expeditiously. Scott Boland and those short bursts of time, hey? Find out how everything came together on the last day of the WTC final. Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Title track by Urthboy Visit westfield.com/united-kingdom/London to see everywhere you can eat, shop and play in Europe’s largest shopping centre. Westfield London and Westfield Stratford City – More Extra, Less Ordinary! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

World Test Championship, India v Australia Day 4: You'll hear a lot about controversy today, so let's rip into it first. The catch that was, from Cameron Green off Shubman Gill. Also, more important work from Carey, and some fire and ice from Kohli and Rahane. Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Title track by Urthboy Visit westfield.com/united-kingdom/London to see everywhere you can eat, shop and play in Europe’s largest shopping centre. Westfield London and Westfield Stratford City – More Extra, Less Ordinary! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

World Test Championship, India v Australia Day 3: A classic day at The Oval as India came back into the contest, throwing the bat and then delivering with the ball, while Australia went blow for blow at times but lacked the polish at key moments. Compelling, even though India remain behind in the contest. Ajinkya Rahane, Shardul Thakur, Pat Cummins and Scott Boland were all prominent. Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Title track by Urthboy Visit westfield.com/united-kingdom/London to see everywhere you can eat, shop and play in Europe’s largest shopping centre. Westfield London and Westfield Stratford City – More Extra, Less Ordinary! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

World Test Championship, India v Australia Day 2: It started in a hurry with a Steve Smith hundred, but the game changed several times from there. India's bowlers did some hard work, Alex Carey combined the classy and the comical, then Australia's bowlers found something extra. Don't miss a packed day from The Oval. Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Title track by Urthboy Visit westfield.com/united-kingdom/London to see everywhere you can eat, shop and play in Europe’s largest shopping centre. Westfield London and Westfield Stratford City – More Extra, Less Ordinary! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

World Test Championship, India v Australia Day 1: It was long awaited, then it was here. A high-octane morning session from Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj, then a spectacular riposte from Travis Head, and the anticipation was deserved. Find out all about day one from London. Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Title track by Urthboy Visit westfield.com/united-kingdom/London to see everywhere you can eat, shop and play in Europe’s largest shopping centre. Westfield London and Westfield Stratford City – More Extra, Less Ordinary! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

WTC Final, India v Australia - preview: Two years after India slipped up in the decider against New Zealand they've made it again, this time up against Pat Cummins' Australians in a true heavyweight bout. The first Test Match to ever be played at The Oval in June, there's a lot to consider at the selection table, especially for Rohit Sharma's side - are they really going into this with Ashwin? Adam Collins has Bharat Sundaresan with him on the ground in South London. Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Title track by Urthboy Visit westfield.com/united-kingdom/London to see everywhere you can eat, shop and play in Europe’s largest shopping centre. Westfield London and Westfield Stratford City – More Extra, Less Ordinary! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Season 14, Episode 18: Three years after his first appearance, Cricket Ireland chief executive Warren Deutrom returns to the show for a conversation at Lord's, looking at the structural challenges as they now stand, and the possible impact of the new ICC revenue deal. Also this week, after your hosts played their own match at Alleyn Cricket Club, England's key spinner is out of the Ashes, Josh Hazlewood is out of the WTC final, and we have some very good news pertaining to a Test match that happened in 1977. Your Nerd Pledge number for this week: 3.15 - Ben Connor Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's Story Time, our weekly walk through cricket history via your listener quiz challenges. This week, a show that could also have been titled Wally Grout is Grouse. Where did that word go? Before we ponder that big question, a true sensation of a tale that we had never heard before, about a player trying to take his place in the middle against all medical sense. Plus a couple of the most extraordinary revisit solutions for stubborn unsolved numbers, including more Ramaswamy than even Ramaswamy would have expected. Of all episodes, this week you must stay through to the end. Your Nerd Pledge numbers this week: 2.50 - Chris Arkle 11.40 - Chris Dobbins 8.81 - Haylee Fuller 8.90 - Ramaswamy 2.15 - Joel Emonson 3.67 - Stephen Baxter Revisits 2.93 - Graeme Innes 5.67 - Bala Sivaraman Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

England v Ireland, Lord's Day 3: The Irish had some real fun at last. The match is over in three days but not before Mark Adair and Andy McBrine got to have one of their more enjoyable days with the bat, as the sun shone munificently on a lovely Lord's Saturday. Sometimes cricket just makes you feel good, and this was one of those days. Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

England v Ireland, Lord's Day 2: Catch your breath after that one. More than 350 runs in two sessions of batting, most of them off the blades of two players, each of whom set a record in his own way. Ollie Pope and Ben Duckett had a carnival at Lord's on day two of the Test. Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

England v Ireland, Lord's Day 1: With very little surprise, we announce that it was a Stuart Broad Day. Not that the Irish didn't show some resistance, especially at the top with McCollum v McCullum. Then it was time for a light dusting of Baz things and a Rorshach Test innings from Zak Crawley. Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Season 14, Episode 17: Running the ECB is one of the toughest gigs in cricket and one that Richard Gould signed up for when returning to the game this year. With a long history as CEO at Somerset and Surrey, he knows the terrain as well as anyone. But the challenges he's inherited - at home finding a resolution to the ongoing debate around The Hundred, or on the international stage with Indian capital dominating the sport in ways unimaginable 15 years ago - he's got his work cut out for him. We had the better part of an hour to speak with Richard at ECB headquarters at Lord's. Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Help our Edinburgh Marathon runners raise funds for the Lord's Taverners at bit.ly/eddiemarathon, or learn about other Tavs projects with bit.ly/tavssignup. Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

England v Ireland, Lord's Test 2023: It's almost upon us. The one-off Test at Lord's will repeat the fixture played before the Ashes of 2019, with Andrew Balbirnie's team ready to tackle England fresh off his interview with The Final Word a few weeks ago. We have a new sponsor, and the ground signage is getting very creepy. Eight Test matches in eight weeks begins... now. Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Season 14, Episode 16: Geoff has landed in London and he's straight to Lord's to join Adam, who has just returned from Edinburgh where The Final Word runners did a brilliant job over the long weekend - on and off the track. When the conversation moves to cricket, Bharat jumps on to explain how the Dhoni Touch keeps touching after another CSK triumph at the IPL. There's Test cricket at HQ this week with Ireland in town so we check in with a couple of their stars, and the WTC Final is just around the corner, which brings its own hype. Our biggest summer yet has officially begun. Your Nerd Pledge this week: 3.11 - Max Gillespie Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Help our Edinburgh Marathon runners raise funds for the Lord's Taverners at bit.ly/eddiemarathon, or learn about other Tavs projects with bit.ly/tavssignup. Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's Story Time, our weekly walk through cricket history via your listener quiz challenges. This week, a chance diversion takes us to Dr Erica Larson's work on insects. Adam's childhood dreams of Bob Cowper are realised, three times over, while Andy Whittall keeps bobbing up as well. Eddie Barlow pulls a cool trick, Wisden is scathing about some timid New Zealanders, and we confirm that Harold Larwood did not in fact bowl at 564 miles per hour. Your Nerd Pledge numbers this week: 210.15 - Rob O'Neill 3.07 - Martin Lawrence 7.94 - Eranda Jayawickreme 2.35 - Nick Tewson 7.00 - Matt Gaynor & John Lansdell 2.01 - Ian Wolstenhome Revisits 8.16 - Ramaswamy 4.63 - Tim Andrews 3.17 - Nick Dempsey Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Help our Edinburgh Marathon runners raise funds for the Lord's Taverners at bit.ly/eddiemarathon, or learn about other Tavs projects with bit.ly/tavssignup. Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Season 14, Episode 15: Ahead of his seventh tour to England, Gideon Haigh has been collecting his writings on the rivalry for a new book, On The Ashes. It's a good time to sit down in Melbourne with one of cricket's most respected thinkers and look over everything, from 1877 to today, and wonder where the game is going next. Gideon's book is out on June 6: pre-orders are through Allen & Unwin here. Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Help our Edinburgh Marathon runners raise funds for the Lord's Taverners at bit.ly/eddiemarathon, or learn about other Tavs projects with bit.ly/tavssignup. Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Season 14, Episode 14: Another week, another Ashes bowler in trouble: Josh Hazlewood only has "side soreness" according to CA, but we know how that has panned out for him lately. In the meantime, Michael Neser continues to do everything he could do in county cricket to fill that berth. And there's Ollie Robinson for England, in a moon boot after another bag of wickets. Will anyone be fit come June? Also this week, Dr Tom Brown joins the show to talk about his program to promote British Asian cricketers, Jodie Hicks wins a gong, CA get involved with the Voice to Parliament campaign, Mackay gets a cricket ground upgrade, and there's plenty of ridiculousness in the County Champs. Your Nerd Pledge this week: 2.10 - Hugh McNaughtan Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Help our Edinburgh Marathon runners raise funds for the Lord's Taverners at bit.ly/eddiemarathon, or learn about other Tavs projects with bit.ly/tavssignup. Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's Story Time, our weekly walk through cricket history via your listener quiz challenges. This week, Geoff and Bharat put their Serious Historian hats on to go trawling through Victorian public records from the 1800s. There's a literal giant of the sport who had a lasting influence on Association football, an Australian spinner who played at the top level with the oval ball, and a Victorian visit to Gloucestershire. And as ever, a lot of love for Clarence Victor Grimmett. Your Nerd Pledge numbers this week: 3.39 - Pat Rodgers 7.60 - Richard Jansz-Moore 10.00 - Chris Byrne 3.57 - Alan Simpson & Paul Harmer 2.16 - Matt Cuttress & Duncan Davies 2.05 - Simon Trafford Revisits 1.36 - Alex Brown 2.08 - Sam Ashworth Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Help our Edinburgh Marathon runners raise funds for the Lord's Taverners at bit.ly/eddiemarathon, or learn about other Tavs projects with bit.ly/tavssignup. Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Season 14, Episode 13: Cricket is getting rich, which means the BCCI is getting richer. Over the last week a huge yet unsurprising story broke that India's board is angling to take a huge share of ICC revenue for itself, putting one administration above everywhere else in the world. So what? Don't they bring in that cash? Well, it's never that simple. As senior editor of ESPNcricinfo, Osman Samiuddin has been on the beat for years, and is here to explain. Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Help our Edinburgh Marathon runners raise funds for the Lord's Taverners at bit.ly/eddiemarathon, or learn about other Tavs projects with bit.ly/tavssignup. Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Season 14, Episode 12: England's fast bowlers are going down. One by one, and all at once, in a familiar story ahead of the Ashes. What does Archer's future hold, four years on from his furious debut? Amidst this, England have named a squad for their Ireland Test that gestures at their plans for the five Tests beyond it - bad luck Ben Foakes - while Australia have released their next summer schedule with some changes to the recent template. Ireland and Bangladesh play two stunners, Peter Siddle gets another chapter, David White finishes up as New Zealand's cricket boss, and there's all the domestic action. Your Nerd Pledge (revisit) this week: 8.62 - Matt May Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Help our Edinburgh Marathon runners raise funds for the Lord's Taverners at bit.ly/eddiemarathon, or learn about other Tavs projects with bit.ly/tavssignup. Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's Story Time, our weekly walk through cricket history via your listener quiz challenges. This week, it's hat-tricks, the state upper house, and the Centenary Test... a couple of times. It's a true north talking about that week in March 1977, the date of which happens to be a clue in one case when digging for some iconic commentary. Is Anil Kumble sexy enough? Let's find out. To finish, a revisit that may never be solved but we're trying our best. Your Nerd Pledge numbers this week: 4.80 - Joel Emonson 8.62 - Matt May 3.53 - Michael Bell 1.10 - Vivek Arcot 3.17 - Nick Dempsey 6.80 - Rudi Voller Revisits 8.16 - Ramaswamy Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Help our Edinburgh Marathon runners raise funds for the Lord's Taverners at bit.ly/eddiemarathon, or learn about other Tavs projects with bit.ly/tavssignup. Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Season 14, Episode 11: Go back 20 years, and Irish cricket was considered a contradiction in terms. Now Ireland is one of the game's success stories, rising to Full Member status and trying to grow in all directions. Lucky then that Andy Balbirnie isn't afraid of hard work. Since taking over as men's captain in 2019 he has had plenty of it, needing to combine being a batting lynchpin with being a strategist, motivator, statesman and advocate, and keeping an eye firmly fixed on how things can improve in the future. During the final series of Ireland's World Cup qualifying stage, he tells his story with The Final Word. Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Help our Edinburgh Marathon runners raise funds for the Lord's Taverners at bit.ly/eddiemarathon, or learn about other Tavs projects with bit.ly/tavssignup. Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Season 14, Episode 10: Who needs to play tour matches before a major Test engagement, anyway? Its not like Australia's most recent tour was affected by a team taking time to adjust. Time to play other sports instead. On another note, it was a major week in the women's game with two of the game's iconic fast bowlers, Katherine Sciver-Brunt and Shabmim Ismail, retiring from international duty. India has squad changes for the World Test Championship final, a familiar voice will be the new MCC president at Lord's, Ireland take a curious attitude to their Test match at that venue, and Jofra Archer leaves the IPL still troubled by his limited injury recovery. Your Nerd Pledge number this week: 5.65 - Jake Cunliffe Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Help our Edinburgh Marathon runners raise funds for the Lord's Taverners at bit.ly/eddiemarathon, or learn about other Tavs projects with bit.ly/tavssignup. Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's Story Time, our weekly walk through cricket history via your listener quiz challenges. This week, let's begin with the apocryphal contributions of Olivia Newton-John, and work our way down to the coastal town of Warrnambool for what could and should be the greatest collaboration of all between Ben Affleck and Matt Damon. With a little more Warwick Armstrong Style for those who celebrate. Your Nerd Pledge numbers this week: 50.00 - Phillip Wing 17.17 - Alex Malin 6.35 - Thom Kelly 3.99 - Chewbacca Snuffleupagus 3.73 - Joey McGahan 7.71 - Claire Danny Daniel 10.00 - Will Day Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Help our Edinburgh Marathon runners raise funds for the Lord's Taverners at bit.ly/eddiemarathon, or learn about other Tavs projects with bit.ly/tavssignup. Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Season 14, Episode 9: When it comes to the second half of the 20th century, few figures had a bigger influence on English cricket than Dennis Amiss. But those born in recent decades might not know much of him, as a player and a personality defined by understatement even with the height of his achievements. Aggressively opening the batting when possible, resolutely defending when necessary, and going large in a way that predated Graeme Gooch's theory of 'daddy hundreds', he took on the best fast bowlers of his era - Holding, Roberts, Lillee, Thomson - and found a way against the best spin - Bedi, Prasanna, Chandrasekhar. Later he ran Warwickshire cricket, signed Brian Lara, was a national selector and held senior positions at the English board. Quite the CV for a Birmingham lad who grew up working at the family tyre shop around the corner from Edgbaston. Just after his 80th birthday, in the Midlands sunshine, Dennis is as chipper as ever. Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Help our Edinburgh Marathon runners raise funds for the Lord's Taverners at bit.ly/eddiemarathon, or learn about other Tavs projects with bit.ly/tavssignup. Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Season 14, Episode 8: Nick Hoult from the Telegraph leads this show, after a huge news week in England that includes suggestions from the top of the ECB of abandoning the new format and league that they have spent the last few years arguing for. Other stories include England players becoming likely to refuse national contracts in favour of T20 franchises, and a masterful week of needling from Stuart Broad. Also this week, Kohli squares off with Gautam Gambhir to become a Champion of the Proletariat, Sri Lanka make history against Ireland, Nepal offers a mixed bag during its Asian Premier Cup win, Steve Smith arrives in Sussex, and the Rachael Heyhoe-Flint Trophy rolls on alongside the County Championship. Your Nerd Pledge number this week: 4.63 - Tim Andrews Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Help our Edinburgh Marathon runners raise funds for the Lord's Taverners at bit.ly/eddiemarathon, or learn about other Tavs projects with bit.ly/tavssignup. Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's Story Time, our weekly walk through cricket history via your listener quiz challenges. This week, with a coronation coming up, let's go back to the last time one was necessary. In step with that, we have England's most ineffective captain, Australia's selectors trolling Wally Hammond, another rare record for Vinoo Mankad, another appearance for Henry Olonga, and the end of our search for a bowler who took 10 and none. Your Nerd Pledge numbers this week: 4.65 - Tobi Wilson 4.50 - Aravind 3.43 - Shawn Rajanayagam, Stuart Akers, Real Victor Trumper 10.20 - Matthew Davies Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Help our Edinburgh Marathon runners raise funds for the Lord's Taverners at bit.ly/eddiemarathon, or learn about other Tavs projects with bit.ly/tavssignup. Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Season 14, Episode 7: Victorian captain, back in the Test side for India, then not in the Ashes squad, Peter Handscomb's cricket career is still the proverbial rollercoaster. These days he is learning to take the ride. Now in a stint playing for Leicestershire, Handscomb sits down with The Final Word for a long and frank conversation about the hard winning of self-belief, the role of anxiety, the complications in enjoying the highs, and the process of letting go. Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Help our Edinburgh Marathon runners raise funds for the Lord's Taverners at bit.ly/eddiemarathon, or learn about other Tavs projects with bit.ly/tavssignup. Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Season 14, Episode 6: After our initial conversation last week about Saudi Arabia wanting to buy Indian cricket, it's time to talk to Daniel Brettig, who did some substantial reporting for The Age. Also this week, Ireland bat big in Sri Lanka, New Zealand level a ridiculous T20 series in Pakistan, Glenn Maxwell and David Warner roll on in the IPL, Jimmy Anderson hunts another target in the County Championship, and the Rachel Heyhoe-Flint Trophy gets underway in a flurry of sixes. Your Nerd Pledge number this week: 2.39 - Peta Dowling Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Help our Edinburgh Marathon runners raise funds for the Lord's Taverners at bit.ly/eddiemarathon, or learn about other Tavs projects with bit.ly/tavssignup. Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's Story Time, our weekly walk through cricket history via your listener quiz challenges. This week, a very unusual Story Time. It's not the weekend. It's a Monday. But it's not just any Monday, or any 24th of April. It's not just Damien Fleming's birthday. It's not just 25 years since the Sandstorm century in Sharjah. It is Sachin Tendulkar's 50th birthday. And after years of making sport with Happy Birthday Sachin segments on The Final Word, it seemed only fair to wish him one sincerely, by dedicating a whole Story Time to what was the biggest career in the game. Your reverse-engineered Nerd Pledge numbers this week: 2.66 - James Philbrook 1.67 - Slim Johns 3.83 - Not That Tim Minchin 28.70 - Michael Holden 7.00 - Terry Hogan 5.47 - Dan Walsh Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Help our Edinburgh Marathon runners raise funds for the Lord's Taverners at bit.ly/eddiemarathon, or learn about other Tavs projects with bit.ly/tavssignup. Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's Story Time, our weekly walk through cricket history via your listener quiz challenges. This week, a Story Time double is coming your way, so for the entree we have a round of revisits to finish off some answers that we previously got wrong. So many stories to breeze through here, but the only tempter you really need is to know that Andy Caddick broke the internet. Your Nerd Pledge revisits this week: 2.56 - Simon Ward 1.54 - Cameron 3.18 - Max Hanlon 2.55 - Pushkar Godbole 6.20 - Brent Simmonds 2.44 - Matt Blacker 4.47 - Rob Kingston 3.47 - Paul Harmer 12.40 - Elia Andrews 3.30 - Toby 3.66 - Erin Kane 3.20 - Gareth Cottiss 5.34 - Andy Turner 4.23 - Chris Lintott 4.89 - Richard Jones Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Help our Edinburgh Marathon runners raise funds for the Lord's Taverners at bit.ly/eddiemarathon, or learn about other Tavs projects with bit.ly/tavssignup. Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Season 14, Episode 5: Cricket farewelled someone truly special this week, Faith Thomas, who played a Test match in 1953 as Faith Coulthard when she became the first Indigenous woman to represent Australia in any sport. Her friend and biographer Tyson Baird joins the show to talk about her personality and legacy. Also this week, the Australian men's Ashes squad is announced, and a Saudi Arabia T20 league could have drastic ramifications for cricket's structure. Your Nerd Pledge number this week: 19.80 - Clint Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Help our Edinburgh Marathon runners raise funds for the Lord's Taverners at bit.ly/eddiemarathon, or learn about other Tavs projects with bit.ly/tavssignup. Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Season 14, Episode 4: Four years ago, we sat with Lawrence Booth, the editor of cricket's bible, to discuss his most recent edition on the night that Geoff won the gong as Wisden's book of the year. Four years and a pandemic later, Adam is with the same guest on the same couch in the MCC Library at Lord's to discuss edition number 160, and it's a belter. International cricket needs advocates like never before with the sport changing by the month. Lawrence articulates that in blunt terms alongside a celebration of the best of our game - not least the welcome BazBall revolution. And of course, Shane Warne is paid tribute in the best traditions of the publication. Enjoy the chat and the book. Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Donate to support our Edinburgh Marathon runners here to raise funds for the Lord's Taverners. Or learn about other Tavs projects by joining their mailing list at bit.ly/tavssignup. Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Season 14, Ep 3: We're lucky to work on a lot of cricket around the world each year and never take that for granted. But what I (Adam here) didn't have on my radar until last year was a tournament with origins dating back before the women's professional era - the FairBreak Invitational. It takes some getting your head around at first, but bringing players together from more than 30 countries is pretty special and deserves a lot of love from the cricket community at large. In this ep, six people who were instrumental to the success of the recently-completed second edition of the tournament in Hong Kong. Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Help our Edinburgh Marathon runners raise funds for the Lord's Taverners at bit.ly/eddiemarathon, or learn about other Tavs projects with bit.ly/tavssignup. Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's Story Time, our weekly walk through cricket history via your listener quiz challenges. This week, Bharat Sundaresan makes his suggestion for most iconic commentary duo, we find out about Test hat-tricks on debut and about pioneering blasters, we look at the life of a very early legend, the worst good days in the field, and the worst worst efforts second with the bat. Also, stay away from Thomas Downes and his ranch. Your Nerd Pledge numbers this week: 2.08 - Sam Ashworth 1.36 - Cameron Allen & Alex Brown 2.02 - Keiron Costello, Dorwin D'Souza & Max Heaton Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Help our Edinburgh Marathon runners raise funds for the Lord's Taverners at bit.ly/eddiemarathon, or learn about other Tavs projects with bit.ly/tavssignup. Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Season 14, Ep 2: This week, some more exciting corporate nonsense from the cash-chasing division of the ICC, making up both milestones and meanings. All that we're asking for is Michael Bevan Day to be formally recognised. The Australian national contracts are done for men and women, and there's plenty to read in those tea leaves. Bangladesh knocks off Ireland but there's a ton on debut for Lorcan Tucker, and we catch up on IPL, Fairbreak, and the early County Championship. Your Nerd Pledge number for this week: 7.43 - Shannon Blackmore Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Help our Edinburgh Marathon runners raise funds for the Lord's Taverners at bit.ly/eddiemarathon, or learn about other Tavs projects with bit.ly/tavssignup. Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's Story Time, our weekly walk through cricket history via your listener quiz challenges. This week, a couple of chunky revisits get mixed through the new numbers as we look at why so many Pakistan cricketers ended their lives in England, how Nobby became named Nobby, which 1800s Chunky Boi you would most love to cuddle, who Chappelli rated most of all, and what the difference is between the differences that were the difference. We're going down to Decimal Town, baby! Coming? Your Nerd Pledge numbers this week: 1.68 - Eric Parnis 2.45 - Matthew Jones and Big Geoff 2.71 - Richard L 5.39 - Elise Gane 5.55 - Osman Bahemia 6.29 - Andrew West 23.75 - Rob O'Neill Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Help our Edinburgh Marathon runners raise funds for the Lord's Taverners at bit.ly/eddiemarathon, or learn about other Tavs projects with bit.ly/tavssignup. Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Season 14, Ep 1: It's a new season of The Final Word. More importantly, the Australian board has a new pay deal in place with huge significance for the women's game, and the English board has finished its disciplinary investigation into racist behaviour at Yorkshire. Bharat Sundaresan joins Geoff to make an attempt at drawing conclusions. Also this week, the IPL gets underway with Old Man Dhoni still clearing fences, South Africa edge closer to a World Cup spot, and Ireland start their first ever Test series in Bangladesh. Your Nerd Pledge number for this week: 4.41 - Richard Hall Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Help our Edinburgh Marathon runners raise funds for the Lord's Taverners at bit.ly/eddiemarathon, or learn about other Tavs projects with bit.ly/tavssignup. Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's Story Time, our weekly walk through cricket history via your listener quiz challenges. This week, a time when Zimbabwe ruled the world and Henry Olonga set it alight. Which of the great players is most undervalued, and why is the answer is Zaheer Abbas? The origin stories for a moustachioed icon and for the best to ever do a certain job. And the way that we answer answers that we can't answer. Your Nerd Pledge numbers this week: 21.49 - Adam T 5.93 - Michael Edelstein 1.67 - Slim Johns 4.97 or 4.47 - Rob Kingston 53.00 - Alastair Townsend 3.41 - Basab Majumdar Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Help our Edinburgh Marathon runners raise funds for the Lord's Taverners at bit.ly/eddiemarathon, or learn about other Tavs projects with bit.ly/tavssignup. Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices