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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

"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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Season 8, Ep 13:Geoff is back with Adam for a little bit of Nerd Pledge before hopping into the second part of the extensive Calling the Shots interview with Mark Nicholas. The discussion this time focuses on the era where Mark was the front man for Channel Four’s innovative coverage before becoming a permanent member of the Nine team. He also gives his impression of how commentary has evolved since the India’s massive television presence changed the game forever.  Your  Nerd Pledge numbers are:   2.27 – Jon Tucker.  5.13 – Liam Dalton.   2.11 – Simon McInerney & Patrick Rodgers.  2.32 – Ravine Chandrapala, Samuel Therkelsen & Sam Littlejohn.  3.36 – Jessica Currie & Dane Hansted.  Guess away. Our answers are in the episode.  Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword      Our friends at Future Talent can give you 15% off their brilliant sports cards with the code TheFinalWord at the purchase bar. You can also win $300 worth of cards for your club by visiting futuretalent.com.au/competition   Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com   Check out CBUS Super at cbussuper.com.au  Call in from around the world with SatPhoneShop.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.

Season 8, Ep 12:Daniel Norcross steps in for Geoff this week, reflecting with Adam on the Calling the Shots documentary project they have been working on through the lockdown period. As part of that research, they have recorded a number of long interviews – none more detailed than their conversation with Mark Nicholas; too good not to release in full. The extensive chat, broken over two parts, begins with Mark’s childhood fascination with commentary before moving through his own varied and celebrated career behind the microphone across the cricketing world over the last 25 years.  Your Nerd Pledge numbers are:   2.45 - David.  3.24 - Julian Campbell  6.40 - Alex Brown  2.39 - Glenn Shepherd & Byron Cooper-Fogarty  2.83 - Laura Daw  Guess away. Our answers are in the episode.  Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword      Our friends at Future Talent can give you 15% off their brilliant sports cards with the code TheFinalWord at the purchase bar. You can also win $300 worth of cards for your club by visiting futuretalent.com.au/competition   Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com   Check out CBUS Super at cbussuper.com.au  Call in from around the world with SatPhoneShop.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.