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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.