The Final Word Cricket Podcast

All roads lead back to the 1909 Ashes on Story Time of late, and why wouldn’t we want to visit again via Charlie McCartney’s tweak? That man is still firing 12 years later, a series that included a Dusty Old Bastard with a tough old name. Also featured: Curtly, Finny and a cheesemonger from Baltimore. Stick around to hear from one of our Final Word faves, Vic Marks. His Calling the Shots contribution focused on ins and outs of Test Match Special, the most famous comm box cricket has known. Your Nerd Pledge numbers are: 4.61 – Clayton Lewis. 7.58 – Daniel Smith. 7.00 – Ciaran O’Kane & Renuka Satchithananthan. 2.27 – Joe Reinhard. 1.89 – Dale F. Adams. 5.16 – Anna Forsyth. Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Listen to the full Calling the Shots documentary here. Help out the Lord’s Taverners this Christmas: www.lordstaverners.org 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Season 9, Ep 9: On his birthday! This episode is in fact released on Peter Siddle's birthday, and on the 10th anniversary of that birthday hat-trick. The day is now one of sadness as well as celebration for him, as he has explained before. The conflicting ways that life unfolds. Pete has had an extraordinary life, and he takes us through it: from Gippsland to Mohali to Essex, the need to grow and the need to do what's right, the myths of woodchopping and bananas, the texts he gets in the middle of the night, the state of mind to take on the best, and the surprises on the way. As ever, he tells these stories with honesty and a broad smile. Your Nerd Pledge numbers for this week: 9.34 – Ryan Smith. 0.42 – Terry Hogan. 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.com/thefinalword See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How the Sheffield Shield came to be, Stan McCabe’s sculpture and one of the more curious Test careers. That’s where we begin on this weekend’s Story Time deep dive. Also, Marcus Trescothick’s mitts, twin tons with a difference and the night Ireland stunned the world. When that’s done, enjoy a conversation with Harsha Bhogle from Calling the Shots on the fascinating history of cricket broadcasting in India. Your Nerd Pledge numbers are: 1.50 – Sarah Vaile & Helen Maynard-Casely. 7.01 – Crispn Crunch. 1.19 – Finn opt Hoog 3.60 – Nick Miller. 4.14 – Oliver Cawley. 3.71 – Pat McKeon. Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Listen to the Calling the Shots documentary: https://omny.fm/shows/the-final-word-cricket-podcast/playlists/calling-the-shots Help out the Lord’s Taverners during lockdown: www.lordstaverners.org 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Season 9, Ep 8: Australia’s Test season faces new turmoil, with any means necessary being considered to deploy cricketers across the length and breadth of the continent. The WBBL heads towards its business end with the previously busted-arse Stars now a lean mean scoring machine, whose only weakness is the biggest battlers in the comp. England’s men head to South Africa while the remnants of Cricket South Africa’s old regime do their best to destroy the tour. Plus the not-so-new Big Bash rule changes, the Pucovski Debate (a John Grisham novel), Adam exhumes another ancient cricketer’s memory, and we consider optimal lamb chop delivery. Your Nerd Pledge numbers are: 6.73 – Dominic Chapman 1.62 – Darragh O’Donovan Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Listen to the Calling the Shots documentary: https://omny.fm/shows/the-final-word-cricket-podcast/playlists/calling-the-shots Help out the Lord’s Taverners during lockdown: www.lordstaverners.org 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The weekend means history on The Final Word, going as far back as the 1899 Ashes (a couple of times), via a couple of early Indian greats to Justin Langer’s birthday and Bill Bowes’ grandson. Also featured: Gus Fraser, Dizzy Gillespie, Simon Katich and Agit Agarkar – that’s some dinner party. Stick around for the full Calling the Shots interview with Test Match Special legend, Jonathan Agnew. Your Nerd Pledge numbers are: 1.23 – Michael Roberts 21.11 – Mark Martella 4.63 – James Philbrook & Rob 12.18 – Nick O’Connell 4.82 – Niall Duxbury 5.60 – Robert Dinsbury & Keith Williams Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Season 9, Ep 7: Final Word friend Bharat Sundaresan has spent the past month in Adelaide rocking out at the First Annual Sheffield Shield Party Carnival Fiesta. He joins us to fill in all the details we might have missed among the centuries and bags of wickets, having watched all the players in similar conditions. Who's up, who's down, who's in, who's out? Bharat and Katy Perry know. Also, Virat Kohli's paternity leave, how the WBBL teams are faring, Winnie's citizenship, IPL finals week, Zimbabwe beat Pakistan in a Super Over, Joe Denly's time ends as England name a South Africa squad, somehow Graeme Hick gets a mention again, and plenty more. Your Nerd Pledge numbers are: 3.20 – David Barlow 3.00 – Dominic Davis Join Patreon to attend our Stuart MacGill live show: patreon.com/thefinalword Message from anywhere on earth with your ZOLEO, at zoleo.com Check out CBUS Super at cbussuper.com.au Previous episodes available at finalwordcricket.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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Don't forget, this Thursday is our Final Word Live show online with Stuart MacGill. The biggest turner of the ball the game has seen, an exhilarating operator, with 208 Test wickets, the same initials as the cricket ground where he most excelled, and many more interesting facets to his life beyond cricket. If you've ever wanted to sit in on a Final Word interview, now's the time. We'll interview Stuart via video call and leave time for you to ask your questions too. Should be some laughs and a great way to pass a Thursday. The easiest way to attend is to subscribe on Patreon, and you can set your own price and whatever duration you prefer. It's easy to switch on and switch off. That all happens at patreon.com/thefinalword. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week our history wander takes in the famous 1960-61 West Indies tour of Australia, two different times that Zimbabwe finished with scores level, some very cryptic clues, the bird with the largest wingspan, Adam’s Forgotten Fifties series, Metallica, and some times that Blocker Wilson would rather forget. After that comes the Extended Edition interview from some months ago with Jarrod Kimber for the Calling The Shots doco. All of the extras that didn’t make the documentary have been polished up here for your listening enjoyment. Your Nerd Pledge numbers are: 2.21 – Cameron Allen & Christopher Byrne 1.17 – The History of the Netherlands 2.05 – Matthew Brown and Richard Turney 2.11 – Alica Daly 1.94 – Sean McGivern 6.33 – James Ryan Join Patreon to attend our Stuart MacGill live show: patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Get your Wisden Cricket Monthly discount in time for Christmas at bit.ly/wcmtfw Or get The Nightwatchman at nightwatchman.net and use the code TFW20 Oh yeah, here's that cheapo T20 World Cup merch. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Season 9, Ep 6: Our first long interview in 2020 was with Ebony Rainford-Brent, when the world looked very different. Nine months on, the former England player has been a prominent voice as cricket addresses the Black Lives Matter movement, and has received a big boost to the ACE program that she initiated to get more black English players into the game. It was another revealing conversation with one of the most dedicated people in cricket. Also this week, Shane Watson’s professional retirement, some WBBL, and one of the best Sheffield Shield rounds in modern memory. Your Nerd Pledge numbers are: 6.10 - Mel Shawley 3.92 - Abhilash Singh Get access to our Stuart MacGill online live show by subscribing at patreon.com/thefinalword If you’d rather not subscribe, get a one-off ticket here. Your Wisden Cricket Monthly discount in time for Christmas is at bit.ly/wcmtfw CBUS Super is 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Another weekend with the world in flux, another edition of Story Time to take you back to a happier time, deep within the belly of cricket history. From the Battle of the Ridge to some of Lancashire’s finest, we have you covered this weekend. Then, a conversation with the always funny Dan Liebke, who has a new book out. Your Nerd Pledge numbers are: 5.42 – Tom Stewart 5.65 – Niall Duxbury 6.06 – David WFG 5.75 – Toffee 31.94 – Iain Gordon 4.62 – Will Sandford Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Get your Wisden Cricket Monthly discount at bit.ly/wcmtfw 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Support the show: https://patreon.com/thefinalword See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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.com/thefinalword See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Season 9, Ep 4: Last week we had the positives of T20 with the IPL up and firing. This week we’re looking at the downsides of the many other leagues, a newly developed Wild West that Jarrod Kimber has explored professionally and personally and can now offer a frank appraisal. Speaking of T20, we’ve got our full preview of all the teams in the Women’s Big Bash League which starts in the coming week. Plus Shield, scheduling, and a bag of other bits and pieces. Your Nerd Pledge numbers are: 2.34 – Alexander Scott & Tom Stewart 3.64 – Chris Unwin. Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Get your Wisden Cricket Monthly discount at bit.ly/wcmtfw 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Wil Anderson has been one of our biggest supporters and our interview with him was one of our most fun. Beforehand, fill your boots with cricket history – a strong Welsh theme, as well as both Kirsten brothers featuring alongside Ireland, Froggy Thompson, the first Test match, and a mysterious zero pledge that was worth more than zero in the end. Your Nerd Pledge numbers are: 3.23 - Tim Gilkison 2.13 - Nikhil Venkatesh 2.50 - Gusey K 2.37 - Jesse G 00 - Matt Keane 4.00 - Tyson Singleton 2.77 - Jason Grice 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://patreon.com/thefinalword See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's Story Time, where we wander through the history of the game. This week, Slasher Mackay's less noted strength, the highs of cricket in Florida, why the 2010-11 Ashes didn't matter, what Emily Drum did for the Kiwis, another road back to the underarm, Fabian Allen going nuts, some 1950s Indian magic, when Tim Wall set an Australian record, and every cricketer mentioned by William McInnes. Once that's done, settle in for a long and enjoyable chat with master broadcaster Gerard Whateley from Port Elizabeth back in March 2018. Your Nerd Pledge numbers are: 6.42 - James Murray Wood 3.27 - Richard L 1.61 - Jack Gough 2.36 - Alex Brown 2.46 - Mark Sands 1.33 - Divij Sinha 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://patreon.com/thefinalword See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Gather round. It’s that time again, where we take you down the winding road of cricket history – it’s weekend Story Time on The Final Word! Check in to learn a thing or two about Jack Gregory and Warwick Armstrong, or Hugh Tayfield and Alan Border. They all make an appearance. As does Patterson Thompson, who kept his foot behind the line for us. And when that is all done, enjoy our chat with James Pattinson from Lord’s last year. Your Nerd Pledge numbers are: 6.77 – George Norman 2.12 – Ben 8.69 – Christopher Byrne 7.46 – Reg Roberts & Jon Landsell 2.98 – Richard Clark & David Short 2.03 – Greg Sykes 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 Network Title track by Urthboy Support the show: https://patreon.com/thefinalword See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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://patreon.com/thefinalword See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dean Jones has left us. The One-Day King. There is nothing we’d rather do with this episode than talk about Deano: the career, the influence, the swagger, the way he made us feel. Thanks for everything. Support the show: https://patreon.com/thefinalword See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Season 8, Ep 30: Measured, erudite, and always the best prepared in the game – Alison Mitchell has become one of the most broadly heard voices on cricket around the world. That didn’t happen by accident. Starting nearly two decades ago when she was the runner on Richie Benaud’s TV broadcast, Ali has worked her way through the county reporting circuit and assignments in distant countries all the way to Test cricket and the Olympic Games. She talks us through the trip from then to now. Your new Nerd Pledge numbers: 7.69 – Matt Wust 2.33 – Chris Lawson 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 Poodcat Network Title track by Urthboy Support the show: https://patreon.com/thefinalword See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Story Time! Many and varied they are today. Adam can't stop talking about George Headley. Geoff believes that at last, at last, he has caught up to a long-elusive quarry. What does US political analyst Nate Silver have to do with Mahendra Singh Dhoni? Why are we talking about Lionel Richie and a former host of Getaway? Who was the last player to join an exclusive club, and who was the fastest to join another one? Who inspired more love, The Freak or The Rug? And is that actually Daniel Norcross on the CBUS ad? Plus we reboot our interview from last year with Matthew Renshaw about his rollercoaster career so far, and how he's tried to keep a handle on it at what is still a tender age. Your Nerd Pledge numbers are: 10.98 – David Nicholls 5.38 – Satchmo Distel 4.64 – Anthony Radford & Jeremy Nash 3.65 – David Bek 2.23 – Liam Williams 1.43 – Wayne Holloway Thanks as always for playing this ridiculous game and letting us have this much fun on a weekend. Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Get involved with the Lord’s Taverners important Isol8 campaign. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Emergency! Maxi time! The Final Word's fave made one of the best hundreds we've seen in one-day cricket to win a ridiculous run chase and win a series decider in England. No big deal, right? We had to drop everything and record our response. Support the show: https://patreon.com/thefinalword See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Season 8, Ep 28: Two years ago the Seven Network bought TV rights to great fanfare. Now they're refusing to pay. The free-to-air broadcaster has Cricket Australia in a tough spot, by withholding the cash required to run the game unless CA agrees to rewrite the contract. And it all sounded so rosy when both parties were talking up the hundreds of millions to be spent not long ago. We have ESPNcricinfo's Daniel Brettig on to talk the details of what could turn into a legal war – or an old-fashioned stick-up job. Plus the one-day series between England and Australia, a bit of Nerd Pledge, and some dark days too for the ECB. Your Nerd Pledge numbers this show: 1.07 – David Brooks. 1.45 – Travis Clark. 2.56 – Mick Flurry Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Get your Wisden Cricket Monthly discount at bit.ly/wcmtfw CBUS Super is 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 privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Heroes and villains. Rational or fair or otherwise, we have them on Story Time. Geoff meets his nemesis, Adam explains the greatest work of the greatest, we solve a Netherlands conundrum, and try to get lateral. Afterwards is a reboot of our conversation with Universe Jos – recorded at Lord’s during last year’s World Cup – to learn about the ridiculous things he does with bat in hand. Your new Nerd Pledge numbers: 1.76 – Luke Kneebone 2.54 – Deepthi Akila 2.94 – Andy Taylor 3.10 – Ethan Morgan 1.58 – David Nathan & Jesse G 1.14 – Alex KP For your two discount Nightwatchman compilations, go to: bit.ly/nwaussie and enter the code tfw10 bit.ly/tfwbest and enter the code tfw20 Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Season 8, Ep 27: That was quite the choke. Australia's T20 series against England started with a dominant position that somehow turned into a loss. England bossed the second, and Australia got one back via Mitchell Marsh when both teams were changed up for the third. Adam came straight from the comm box to this show via a few wrong turns on the motorway with all the details. In other news this week, Dawlat Zadran lit up the Afghan T20 league with some lovely work at the non-striker's end, the last of the class of 2005 in the shape of Ian Bell said goodbye to first-class cricket, the women's Big Bash has a schedule, Yuvraj Singh is looking Australia's way, plus some overdue Happy Birthday Sachin and plenty more. Your Nerd Pledge numbers on this show: 2.04 – Simon Kozlina 19.97 – Hugh Kenney-Herbert Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com For your two discount Nightwatchman compilations, go to: bit.ly/nwaussie and enter the code tfw10 bit.ly/tfwbest and enter the code tfw20 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Pat Cummins is a special cricketer and a great fella. We had a lovely time talking with him in Derby this time last year, decked out in his skin-tight and long-sleeved Australian jumper - an image you quickly forget. En route to that, it’s a story time with a lesson: age is no barrier for tweakers with mad skills. Some sad tales from the history of the game, some fun ones too - it’s always a mixed bag when we hit record on the weekend. Your new Nerd Pledge numbers: 3.83 – Evan Willis 2.22 – Geoff Mouritz 1.16 – History of the Netherlands 4.72 – Chris Arkle 1.64 – Jake Schmidt 2.99 – Troy Smith Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.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 privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Season 8, Ep 26: Trent Woodhill is one of the most versatile people in cricket: coach, trusted mentor, adviser, ideas man. This was a good time to pick his brain, from the bubble in Southampton where he is currently on tour as one of Justin Langer’s assistant coaches. Before getting to him, with Daniel Norcross riding shotgun, we looked at the T20 internationals this week and next, reviewed the legacy of Colin Graves as ECB supremo and got Ben Horne on the phone to look at Cricket Australia’s latest brawl. Your new Nerd Pledge numbers: 2.09 – Peter Hickey & James Roder. 2.85 – James Power. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Story Time! We have a new chat with England opener Jason Roy about missing the IPL, which comes after the customary weekend wander through cricket history. In this episode, the link between ancient spinners Don Blackie and Bert Ironmonger, the record that Sachin couldn’t reach, Jenny Owens turning the ball both ways, Virat Kohli doubling up, the endless quest for 557, Curtly Ambrose cuts sick at the MCG, and one of our favourites in Bobby Peel is drunk in the shower again. Your new Nerd Pledge numbers: 4.44 – Geoff 5.18 – Dominic Richards 2.48 – Michael Pfitzner 5.55 – Daniel Hill 2.13 – Naama and Geoff Shang Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.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 privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Season 8, Ep 25: That is the sound of inevitability. No matter who didn't believe it, James Anderson's march did not stop towards the mark that only three spinners had achieved before, 600 wickets in Tests. The Final Word this weeks looks at his work on the last day of the Pakistan-England series, as well as others like Azhar, Buttler, Crawley, Babar and Rizwan. The Australian men take the first ever chartered flight from Perth to Derby direct, the Australian women prepare for New Zealand, the Australian schedule remains a game of Guess Who, the West Indies women fill the breach in England, and Ricky Ponting goes toe to toe with the Patron Saint of The Final Word, Ravi Ashwin. Righteousness will prevail. Your Nerd Pledge numbers this episode: 1.24 – Jesse G. 2.57 – Adam Hewitt & Julian Campbell. 4.69 – Rohit Ramesh. Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Check out CBUS Super at cbussuper.com.au Get your Wisden Cricket Monthly discount at bit.ly/wcmtfw 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 privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Story Time! This week let us take you through more tales of Ravi "Careless Whisper" Bopara, the human sax solo; some Sehwag madness, an Anzac connection; the 2005 end of Australian Ashes dominance for the women's teams; the least successful promotion to Test level; a reason to love the Gabba; and some excursions back to the Wills Trophy when India used to host every team that was available. Our encore interview is broadcaster Natalie Germanos in a wide-ranging conversation we had at Lord's in 2019 during the men's World Cup. Lots of revisits and correspondence, including our most special piece yet. Your Nerd Pledge numbers are: 3.19 – Gus Crouch. 8.71 – Daniel March. 4.06 – Basab Majumdar. 2.19 – Jack A & Harry Howard. 5.47 – Dan Walsh. 4.10 – Ben N. Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Check out CBUS Super at cbussuper.com.au Help out the Lord’s Taverners isol8 campaign: www.lordstaverners.org 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 privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 track by Urthboy Support the show: https://patreon.com/thefinalword See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hanif Mohammad! Brian Lara! We advance from 499 to 501 patrons and we couldn’t be happier. Your support has been quite outstanding. We celebrate in the usual way on Story Time with a long Nerd Pledge session. After that, we go back in time to Perth in December 2017 when we interviewed former England spinner, esteemed journalist and radio commentator Vic Marks. Appropriately so - he’s a man of stories. Your Nerd Pledge numbers this week: 2.90 – Sam Littlejohn & Will Day 2.91 – Satchmo Distel & Dane Hanstead 4.40 – Michael Reichstein 7.35 – Gregory Wellman 3.11 – Brook Quinn Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Help out the Lord’s Taverners isol8 campaign: www.lordstaverners.org 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 privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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.com/thefinalword See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's our new show! Or, same show, new name. STORY TIME will be the weekend wander through the weeds, where we get into some of the more obscure and less obscure corners of cricket history to find the stories therein. This weekend, boxers and communists who were not jazz saxophonists, what really happened on Adam's 21st birthday, more info on which cricketers have punched selectors, and plenty more. Our encore interview this week is with Barney Douglas, director of brilliant cricket documentary The Edge, which is on the BBC iPlayer right now if you want to watch it, and Felix White of the Maccabees who wrote the musical score. So much Nerd Pledge! Your numbers: 4.45 – Rory Denis & Jack Firth 3.71 – David Windram 1.81 – Peter Halton 6.79 – Anna Forsyth & Jono Baruch 1.35 – Owen Brasier & datGriffin Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Help out the Lord’s Taverners isol8 campaign: www.lordstaverners.org 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 privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

One of our most heartfelt interviews with the man behind the music of The Final Word, and pioneer of the Australian hip hop scene, Urthboy. Of course, being a weekend edition of the show, you better believe we have a massive round of correspondence and Nerd Pledge to get us in the mood. What should we call our second show each week? Jump into our Patreon DMs and let us know! Your Nerd Pledge numbers are: 2.07 – Jamo. 7.54 – Michael Brown. 9.41 – Mark Henderson. Guess away. Our answers are in the episode. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Season 8, Ep 21: The Irish are coming, and what better time than before their games against England to sit down with their CEO Warren Deutrom to tell us their story from St Patrick’s Day at the 2007 World Cup to the present day as a Test nation. The problems and challenges though are as steep as they have ever been. Before that, Stuart Broad takes his 500th Test wicket as England bounce back to beat West Indies 2-1, Ravi Ashwin makes himself the patron saint of this show, and Ian Botham responds to yet another gong in unimpressive style. Winnie is awake, and Adam is soon to be going into the bubble. Your Nerd Pledge numbers this week: 7.05 – Alan Edgar. 3.76 – Peter Lewis. 1.18 – Tobias and Zak. Guess away. Our answers are in the episode. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

"I certainly want to win this World Cup, but I can live with myself if we don’t," said Jimmy Neesham a few weeks before that famous final. One of the funniest and sharpest minds in cricket, he was also beautifully honest about his perfection and the unhappiness he had put himself through. "It started a downward spiral for me where my expectations were so far beyond reasonable that it wasn't possible for me to have a good day." One of the most perceptive conversations we've had on The Final Word, during a key few weeks in cricket history. Our cover image today is Boonie, who recently wrapped up a long and happy life getting on the beers. Best friend of Paul, Melsie, and Alby. Also, the weekend show is morphing into The Final Word History Hour, or whatever we end up calling it. That means lots of Nerd Pledge. 2.14 – Tamra Palmer 7.40 – Daniel Kelly & Stephen Sargeant 2.13 – Skye Raye 2.24 – Desmond Cave 2.35 – Hamish Colley 16.50 – FP Hicks Plus our Julio pledges from Graham Hartley, Alex Durie, and John Landsell. Thanks everyone, you're the best. Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Help out the Lord’s Taverners and their isol8 campaign: www.lordstaverners.org 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 privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Season 8, Ep 20: It’s 1-1 and the Wisden Trophy is the series that keeps on giving. Another last-day finish, another good fight, another fine bit of comedic timing from Stuart Broad. We go through the best and and rest. An ICC meet has finally taken place, and it’ll be WorldCuppapalooza in the next three years now the 2020 edition has been delayed. India’s women can’t get to England with travel bans, Sachin has been busy as ever, Barry Jarman left this plane of existence, the deeply crook House of Lords welcomes David Brent as a member, and there’s of course a dash of Nerdism. Your Nerd Pledge numbers are: 2.14 – Tamra Palmer 3.45 – Nicholas Gordon 2.64 – Kerry Sandhu Guess away. Our answers are in the episode. Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Get your Wisden Cricket Monthly discount at bit.ly/wcmtfw 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This time last year, we sat down with Kate Cross before a T20 International and she shared with us the details of some of the toughest moments of her sporting life. As part of our relationship with Lord’s Taverners, who are focussed squarely on mental health during this particularly challenging time, we thought this would be a good weekend to pop that conversation up again. Before coming to that, a big round of Nerd Pledge spanning 130 years of cricket history. Your Nerd Pledge numbers are: 4.90 – Phil Smith 1.32 – Bryan R. Caine 2.44 – Joel Wilson and Tom-Andre Andersen 3.51 – Jeremy Nash 1.29 – Guy Donovan Guess away. Our answers are in the episode. Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Get involved with the Lord’s Taverners important Isol8 campaign. 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 privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Season 8, Ep 18. The end of the 2019 World Cup will remain inseparable from Ian Smith's description of it. He explained in depth to the Calling the Shots documentary how he has tried to prepare for and deliver the big moments, and his interview was too good not to share. Here is the full conversation, after some cricket history at the start to get us going. Our Nerd Pledge numbers this week are: 4.33 – Liz Brant & Jack Regester 2.06 – Paul Murphy & Sam King 2.16 – Harry Howard 3.04 – Adam Jones 5.44 – Rob (from the) Rich Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com CBUS Super is at cbussuper.com.au To learn more about the Lord’s Taverners and their work in the community, visit www.lordstaverners.org. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This is Calling the Shots, a six-part documentary podcast with Adam Collins and Daniel Norcross telling the story of a century of cricket commentary. In this, our final episode, we bring you up to date as we explore how the commentary box has become a more inclusive domain over the last decade. We also investigate how advances in data capture are influencing broadcasters like never before then close the series by reflecting on what we’ve learnt from tracking cricket’s progress on the airwaves through the last three months. To help tell that story, we once again have with us four guests. Andy Zaltzman – comedian and Test Match Special statistician Isa Guha – the newly appointed presenter of BBC cricket on TV Lisa Sthalekar – World Cup winner and television broadcaster Adam Mountford – the producer of Test Match Special since 2007 Calling the Shots is produced in partnership with The Pinch Hitter, a fabulous new initiative from the same people who bring you The Nightwatchman. The digital mag comes out once a fortnight, chock-full of contributions from some of the best freelance writers in the world. It is being made on a pay-what-you-can-afford basis, with all financial contributions going back into commissioning more brilliant cricket writing. Subscribe at thenightwatchman.net. Thanks to Jay Mueller at Bad Producer Productions for making this show possible. Calling the Shots is another proud member of the Bad Producer family. For more of their shows, jump on badproducerproductions.com. And thank you to our partners. To subscribe to the Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack, visit www.wisdenalmanack.com/subscribe. The excellent 2020 edition is on sale now (including in audiobook!) at www.wisdenalmanack.com/2020. Why not buy a new bat? Visit our friends Bear Cricket and daydream of the next season, whenever it comes. Our listeners get 10% off with the code CALLINGTHESHOTS at checkout - BearCricket.co.uk To learn more about the Lord’s Taverners vital work in the community, visit www.lordstaverners.org. Support the show: https://patreon.com/thefinalword See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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.au Call in from around the world with your ZOLEO with SatPhoneShop.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 privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In February 2018, we spoke to Dave in Durban a couple of days ahead of a Test series that would prove to be fateful in so many ways. This was an interesting and positive time in his cricketing life, before the world changed in the weeks that followed. In this weekend edition, we also take a look at Kim Garth’s decision to leave Ireland for Australia and get stuck into some excellent Nerd Pledges. Your Nerd Pledge numbers are: 6.49 – Max Keleher. 2.65 – Terry. 3.55 – Dan from the Sportress & Dan Gerritsen. 3.62 – Stephen Baxter, Ethan Morgan, Aaron Roberts. 3.80 – Miranda. 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 And why not buy yourself a new bat? Pay a visit to our friends at bearcricket.co.uk and start daydreaming of the next season - whenever that day comes. And remember, our listeners receive 10% off by popping in the code FINALWORD at checkout. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Season 8, Ep 15: As promised, here it is – our chat with one of Australia’s favourite sons, William McInnes. You know him as an actor and a writer, but before that he was a cricket obsessive and remains one to this day. But our long and winding conversation went to more than simply why he cites Rick McCosker in the acknowledgement section of each book he writes - we also canvassed fatherhood, leadership, youth and grief. We hope you enjoy listening to this as much as we did recording it. Your Nerd Pledge numbers are: 6.35 – Blake Corbett 3.99 – Harrison Payne 4.34 – Peder Roberts 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 Get your Wisden Cricket Monthly discount here. The July edition of the mag is out this week. Collect the next six editions for six quid, which is about ten bucks. 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 privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This is Calling the Shots, a six-part documentary podcast with Adam Collins and Daniel Norcross telling the story of a century of cricket commentary. In previous episodes we’ve tracked cricket’s journey on TV and radio. They are stories that have been told before, albeit perhaps not quite in the same way. Today, we’re bringing you a story that has never been told about the disruptors; the men and women who wanted to live their lives in cricket and ended up doing exactly that. To help tell that tale, we have with us four guests. Geoff Lemon - poet, author and broadcaster Jarrod Kimber - writer, talker and filmmaker. Nigel Henderson - guerilla commentator. Andrew Miller - editor of ESPNcricinfo. Calling the Shots is produced in partnership with The Pinch Hitter, a fabulous new initiative from the same people who bring you The Nightwatchman. The digital mag comes out once a fortnight, chock-full of contributions from some of the best freelance writers in the world. It is being made on a pay-what-you-can-afford basis, with all financial contributions going back into commissioning more brilliant cricket writing. Subscribe at thenightwatchman.net. Thanks to Jay Mueller at Bad Producer Productions for making this show possible. Calling the Shots is another proud member of the Bad Producer family. For more of their shows, jump on badproducerproductions.com. And thank you to our partners. To subscribe to the Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack, visit www.wisdenalmanack.com/subscribe. The excellent 2020 edition is on sale now (including in audiobook!) at www.wisdenalmanack.com/2020. Why not buy a new bat? Visit our friends Bear Cricket and daydream of the next season, whenever it comes. Our listeners get 10% off with the code CALLINGTHESHOTS at checkout - BearCricket.co.uk To learn more about the Lord’s Taverners vital work in the community, visit www.lordstaverners.org. Support the show: https://patreon.com/thefinalword See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Season 8, Ep 14: That happened fast. At the start of the corona crisis, all looked rosy at Cricket Australia with the women winning the World Cup in front of a packed MCG and the men’s Test team getting back to the top of the world. But was this always destined to be the new CEO's fate given the baggage he brought to the role? And how did he misread the room so badly over the last couple of months? Chris Barrett, the senior news hound from the Sydney Morning Herald – who broke the news of the chief executive’s demise – joins The Final Word to work out what happened. On the same day, the great cricket archivist Robelinda2 was saved from an unjust copyright shutdown. Your Nerd Pledge numbers are: 11.07 – Gusey K 4.79 – Andrew Wilson 3.61 – Sean Barry & Damien McLean 2.70 – Christopher Weinberg & Matt Gaynor 3.93 – Kerry O’Brien 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 Check out the latest copy of The Pinch Hitter here. 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 privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices