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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.