The Final Word Cricket Podcast

Only Test, Lord's, Day 1: A huge week for women's cricket in England continued at Lord's, with the first women's Test at the venue. It was, to some extent, the last major first for the women's game in the UK. And it was a big day with a big workload for England's spinners, after a ropy start for their quicks and a breezy session for India with the bat. Runs, wickets, and plenty of action for a big...

It's Story Time, our weekly walk through cricket history. This week, a scenic backdrop as Adam dials in from another London cricket club, before we wind all the way back to the beginning of the 1900s, and a bowler who perhaps deserved better recognition than he got. Also this week, was Kane Williamson's twin brother mad good on the Playstation, and how do we assess Kane's Test career. Your Nerd Pl...

England v India, 4th T20, Trent Bridge: A chastened India team limped to Bristol after 4 demoralising defeats and produced another limp display to be blasted away at the hands of Harry Brook and Phil Salt, but not before Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue wreaked havoc amongst their much-vaunted batters, with only Shreyas Iyer preventing another calamity. Matt Roller joins Yas Rana. Could you suppo...

England v India, 3rd T20, Trent Bridge:  An angry Gautam Gambhir has faced the press after a winless start to a tour that held untold promise for India’s T20 dominance. With a record-breaking loss condemning them to a fourth straight defeat at the hands of Ireland and now England. All eyes were on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, and just as at Old Trafford, there was promise with two breathtaking sixes...

Season 20, Episode 20: The morning after the night before, Adam and Geoff discuss a clinical Australian victory over England in a final that was a great event, but circumstances conspired to keep in the back of public consciousness. Jay Shah gave his heartfelt thanks to his old friends in the press box, Pakistan keep surprising us, more Big Bash wrangling, and more. Support the show with a Nerd Pl...

Women's T20 World Cup 2026 final: England v Australia: A new record crowd for women's cricket in England came down to Lord's, beating the 2017 mark on a perfect sunny afternoon. For Australia, the final test after a brief period without trophies. For England, the final challenge after revitalising their team. Of course, only one could win... Adam and Geoff get together at Lord's. Could you support...

England v India, 2nd T20, Old Trafford: The day has finally come! Vaibhav Sooryavanshi made his full international debut for India, becoming their youngest player to do so. And what did he do? Walked out and started hitting sixes. Naturally. England's own young gun Jacob Bethell had his say in the chase, but that's not the story. Could you support the show? You can send us a Nerd Pledge or become...

It's Story Time, our weekly walk through cricket history. This week, there will be plenty of centenaries and sesquicentenaries coming up over the next few years, but we have found a rather more niche one than the first Test or Bodyline or Bradman's debut. Find out about a bloke called Piccolo Jim. Also this week, the drag-flickers who swapped sports, and a lovely left-armer. Adam and Geoff are bac...

Women's T20 World Cup 2026, 2nd Semi-Final: England v South Africa: Another huge crowd, with 21,000 in at The Oval leaning strongly towards the home team, and South Africa gave them plenty to worry about. A rollicking Powerplay with the ball, Marizanne Kapp and Shabnim Ismail with duelling death stares, from where it took all the experience of Heather Knight and the returning Nat Sciver-Brunt to b...

Season 20, Episode 19: It's been a mad old week in cricket. We took a beat to consider the weekend exit of Ben Stokes from international cricket, at least for now, but the time that has passed hasn't made it make any more sense. The England men's team right now is a mess of self-justification and self-interest, and who knows where it will land. All we know is that the current direction cannot be m...

Women's T20 World Cup 2026, 1st Semi-Final: Australia v West Indies: A start like no other, where West Indies batter Deandra Dottin appeared to faint during the national anthems, seemed to galvanise superstar Hayley Matthews. Spin put the brakes on for the Aussies before their batters put on a show. But this will be the third showpiece with an injured Ellyse Perry. Will she battle through like 201...

It's Story Time, our weekly walk through cricket history. This week, Adam and Geoff catch up in London to look at a special but ill-fated career, a slow build from a difficult beginning, and the greatest first day of them all. Your Nerd Pledge numbers this week: 2.04 - Bala Sivaraman 16.00 - Graeme Innes 7.75 - Alex Linsley Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

Eng v NZ Daily 2026, 3rd Test, Trent Bridge Day 5: There was a collective weariness at Trent Bridge on Day 5 from all apart from the impressive New Zealand team. A sparse, quiet crowd saw the Kiwis' depleted attack take out the Test and series, and they look good value to get some big results out of the next 12 months. The 160-run win was inspired by their Day 1 run-fest and a bloody-minded 2nd in...

Eng v NZ Daily 2026, 3rd Test, Trent Bridge Day 4: News of Ben Stokes’ retirement at the end of this Test was released in the middle of an over just prior to the tea break. In an amazing, Stokesian piece of theatre, the next ball was a wicket… to Ben Stokes. The Test turned truly bizarre, with the skipper's wild innings as an opener and a shuffled batting order that mimicked his approach, raising...

Women's T20 World Cup 2026, Day 15, Australia v India, South Africa v Bangladesh: Two matches to decide one semi-final spot, with so many permutations depending on each of the possible results. India needed to beat the champs, South Africa had to hope and worry, and Australia didn't have to do anything but hone their game. We ended up with one of the best matches of the tournament. Firdose Moonda...

Women's T20 World Cup 2026, Day 14, England v New Zealand: Already qualified, against a team motivated by not just a place in the semi-finals but by extending the careers of three legends, you could forgive England for taking their foot off the gas for a brief moment. A record crowd for a group game witnessed a red-letter evening. Firdose Moonda joins Geoff Lemon. Could you support the show? You c...

Eng v NZ Daily 2026, 3rd Test, Trent Bridge Day 3: A Test that continues to confound expectations swung violently in New Zealand’s direction on an engrossing third day. A Test and a series that was England’s to win in the morning is now well and truly in the crosshairs of the Kiwis. Ben Jones joins Daniel Norcross to try to make sense of it. Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

Women's T20 World Cup 2026, Day 13, Sri Lanka v Scotland: It was the battle of Final Word faves: our fascination with Sri Lanka's improvement versus the heart with which the Scots have tackled big tasks at this World Cup. And for the entire duration, this one was evenly matched. Toe to toe, pressure versus pressure, and it came down to the final couple of balls with one of the more dramatic finish...

Eng v NZ Daily 2026, 3rd Test, Trent Bridge Day 2: The headline may be recency bias, but England will be delighted with their day’s work. Considering the match situation, the conditions, and weary legs from one of their toughest days yesterday, England have turned the Test, the series, and possibly even the future employment of Brendan McCullum on their heads. An early blast from Stokes and Bashir...

Eng v NZ Daily 2026, 3rd Test, Trent Bridge Day 1: Another UK scorcher saw England toil under blue skies. A day that was meant to be triumphant for the returns of Stokes and Atkinson saw the unheralded duo of Latham and Conway put on 317 before England took a wicket. But, like Nottingham buses, you wait for one, and then four come along unexpectedly and quickly. Ben Jones joins Daniel Norcross to...

Women's T20 World Cup 2026, Day 12, India v Bangladesh: India got the result they needed to keep their hopes of back-to-back ICC trophies alive, but the manner of it will concern the team, and their legion of fans. Melissa Story joins Adam Collins. Could you support the show? You can send us a Nerd Pledge or become a member at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

Women's T20 World Cup 2026, Day 10, England v West Indies: A record June day of heat in England, and a crowd of 14,000 at Lord’s: the thermostat was up, and Heather Knight was cooking. But hottest of all was Hayley Matthews’ temper, which might have the West Indies skipper in hot water. Could you support the show? You can send us a Nerd Pledge or become a member at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

Eng v NZ Daily 2026, 3rd Test, Trent Bridge, Preview: A wild series comes to its unmissable conclusion this week at Trent Bridge. For New Zealand, dependable all-rounder Mitch Santner will come in for the rested Kyle Jamieson, but the bigger focus will be on England’s changes. A huge chance for Shoaib Bashir to prove his worth on a hot week, of course, but there’ll be no greater focus this year th...

Women's T20 World Cup 2026, Day 10, Australia v Pakistan, Sri Lanka v Ireland, Scotland v New Zealand: Australia are locked in at the top of Group A, after a performance where Pakistan had their moments but their moments were brief. Group B, however, remains a totally open race, after Chamari Atapattu reprised her Bristol special, and New Zealand finally got their act together with the return of t...

Season 20, Episode 18: Coming to you from the absurd penthouse terrace with a clear view of the Lord's pitch, Adam and Geoff are back together. England have been thumped by New Zealand, and Ben Stokes is coming back for the third Test, but his relationship with Brendon McCullum might be strained after the strange Baz comments "worrying" about his team's captain. Also this week, Sooryavanshi destro...