The Final Word Cricket Podcast

It's Story Time, our walk through cricket history via your listener quiz challenges. This week, we go from Peggy Antonio on episode 200 to another pioneer from the other side of the world. There's some love for a very early Final Word fave who also knew his way around some tunes, a return to one of the nights of Adam's formative (absence of) memory, and a cameo from our favourite four-year-old. Wh...

The 2024 England Sri Lanka Daily, Lord's Day 4: There wasn't much chance for Sri Lanka, and despite some effort to make a scrap of things, the margin was a big one. It did however give Gus Atkinson another chance at the honours boards at Lord's. Daniel Norcross joins Cameron Ponsonby. Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Check out Westfield London and Stratford City. Dow...

The 2024 England Sri Lanka Daily, Lord's Day 3: A day that went just as we all predicted needed something special, and Joe Root provided it by backing up his day one ton with another, breaking a host of records in the process - he is some cricketer. Adam Collins watched it all at Lord's, and he has Daniel Norcross for company. Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Check o...

The 2024 England Sri Lanka Daily, Lord's Day 2: Gus Atkinson's staggering Test summer continues, crushing a run-a-ball maiden ton to get on the Lord's boards for a third time. From there, once the hosts got the ball, Sri Lanka never looked like it and are a mile behind after two days. On the pod tonight, TMS stats wizard Andy Zaltzman returns, joining a very happy Cam Ponsonby (he played club cric...

The 2024 England Sri Lanka Daily, Lord's Day 1: Joe Root, ton machine. Lord's day one, England need someone to stand up, and there he is with a 33rd Test century to his name. It defined an opening day that got away from Sri Lanka at the end with fast bowler Gus Atkinson 74 not by the close of play. There's nobody better to talk all things Gus than his old club teammate Cam Ponsonby, and he's with...

Season 16, Episode 35: In a dramatic twist that nobody saw coming, the most powerful man in cricket continues to be the most powerful man in cricket. The only thing being that he is leaving his job at the BCCI to do much the same job at the ICC. See ya, Greg Barclay. But there is some encouragement in recent comments from the new boss about supporting Test cricket outside the Big Three, even if th...

Season 16, Episode 34: August has been a great run for interviews on the pod. And today, to end this busy month, we bring you an hour with a man who has been making a contribution to the game in many varied and interesting ways for the better part of half a century, Mark Nicholas. As a player, captain, journalist and one of the most well-regarded television commentators to ever do it, our guest ha...

It's Story Time, our walk through cricket history via your listener quiz challenges. This week, we go to Adelaide all the time for cricket, but let's have the story of a different trip for a different reason, one that in time circles all the way back to the MCG. A meditation on the nature of musical enjoyment and parasocial relationships on a cricket show? Why not, it's Story Time, and this show a...

The 2024 England Sri Lanka Daily, Manchester Day 4: England get the job done, going one-nil up at Old Trafford. But that doesn't tell the full story of the most competitive Test this summer, Sri Lanka hanging in there all the way. For that, we welcome Andy Zaltzman back to the pod, who is back co-hosting in Manchester alongside his radio colleague Daniel Norcross. Support the show with a Nerd Pled...

The 2024 England Sri Lanka Daily, Manchester Day 3: A clinical England took advantage of a curiously sleepy Sri Lanka, with Jamie Smith easing himself to a near-faultless maiden hundred. A spirited fightback saved the visitors from complete humiliation, with England’s bowlers made to tough it out. Daniel Norcross has Henry Moeran with him at Old Trafford. Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at pat...

The 2024 England Sri Lanka Daily, Manchester Day 2: On a wet day in Manchester, Sri Lanka were just about on top when Joe Root was dismissed. But then Harry Brook and Jamie Smith, with some help from Chris Woakes, steadied the ship to guide the hosts into a lead. For the story of the day, here's Cam Ponsonby with Daniel Norcross at Old Trafford. Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/t...

The 2024 England Sri Lanka Daily, Manchester Day 1: Sri Lanka were cruising for a bruising after an early collapse on the opening day of the series but were saved by their captain (and Final Word Fave) Dhananjaya De Silva along with number nine Milan Rathnayake. Nevertheless, England still claimed the honours. Cam Ponsonby has Daniel Norcross with him, who is coming to you from the ground at Old T...

Season 16, Episode 33: Sesquicentenary - such a satisfying word to say, and satisfying news this week with confirmation that the 150th anniversary of Test cricket will be celebrated in Melbourne come March 2027. It leads plenty of news about scheduling and international cricket as we look ahead to what a post-Stokes England team will look like, with a preview coming in their series against Sri Lan...

It's Story Time, our walk through cricket history via your listener quiz challenges. This week, the full story of England's most underrated batting star, as we finally go past the many peripheral mentions he has had along the way. Also, a South African who got the lack of attention he deserved, a childhood favourite who had his moment, and the most unhinged dream sequence yet tendered by a listene...

Season 16, Episode 32: Amanda Wellington! We've loved her work since we first saw her rip a cricket ball from leg to off in 2015. We've also loved the bubble and fizz of her personality. Now a long way into that career, but still being a young player with a lot further to go, it's a good time to sit down for a proper Final Word conversation with the bowler who made Adam Gilchrist see echoes of Sha...

Season 16, Episode 31: It's Adam's birthday, and another decade approaches. So too do the 2028 Olympic Games, with cricket's moment coming up. Will it be better received than Raygun? We are on the side of both. Also this week, the complexities of Graham Thorpe's life, Ben Stokes to miss the Sri Lanka series, more movement in the England squad, West Indies escape from South Africa, Ireland shock Sr...

Season 16, Episode 30: A conversation with the most prolific fast bowler in the history of the game is the type of thing that might normally take us a couple of hours or more. Given that wasn’t possible we found another way to do this, and it worked a treat. Jimmy joined Adam to talk about growing the game but stuck around to reflect in a heartfelt manner on his retirement, staggering longevity, d...

It's Story Time, our walk through cricket history via your listener quiz challenges. This week, most people do not seem to relish being clobbered in the scone, but one man did. One brave, strange man who kept going back for more. Also this week, navigate through some dusty old bastards, find out why Garfield Sobers was cricket's Wilbur Smith, and marvel via the medium of off-spin at the confoundin...

Season 16, Episode 29: The foundation of Australia's white-ball success in the post-Covid era has been the dependability of their star spinner, Adam Zampa. A key member of two World Cup winning teams, he's never been better or in greater demand. Adam caught up with him at The Oval in London where he's letting the good times roll with the Oval Incincibles in The Hundred tournament. A thoughtful guy...

Season 16, Episode 28: Deep in the fervour of an Olympic week, falling in love with new sports around the clock, Bharat Sundaresan joins Geoff to talk about their faves. There is tragic news with a farewell to Graham Thorpe, wild news as Bangladesh's student protests overthrow a government and force the potential relocation of a World Cup, and the return of old news as India and Sri Lanka play som...

Season 16, Episode 27: He's one of the most impressive figures in the contemporary game, and not just because he's about six foot eight. Jason Holder was the youngest ever West Indies captain and did the job for six eventful years. He's now maintaining his commitment to the Test team to try to develop another generation of players. He also speaks with candour and insight about the issues that conf...

It's Story Time, our walk through cricket history via your listener quiz challenges. This week, is it possible to arrive with cutlery during childbirth? Because apparently this man did, and he looked great while doing it. Also, using stumps for purposes that they were never intended, and couches for that matter. And maybe the French Revolution had some good ideas? Your Nerd Pledge numbers this wee...

Season 16, Episode 26: Matthew Mott has got the chop as a national coach, but should England have followed tradition and blamed the Buttler instead? There's a case to be made. Also this week, Sri Lanka's women continue their surge, knocking off India in a huge Asia Cup final result. Ireland hosted Zimbabwe for a Test strongly influenced by the Lord of Joy, Suryakumar Yadav had an unlikely bowl, an...

It's Story Time, our walk through cricket history via your listener quiz challenges. This week, we're on the trail of someone very hard to track down. Where was he born? Where did he spend his time? Was his rank a Private? The many mysteries of Frank Ryan. Also, a left-arm handover, the brief chance for Australia's biggest bolter, a code-cracking Test finish, and a delightful newlywed trip to a ma...

The 2024 England West Indies Daily, Edgbaston, Day 3: In a familiar tale, West Indies started the day with some hope of staying in the game. Mikyle Louis had his best day on tour, Kavem Hodge played at his brightest, and Mark Wood had an afternoon of up de la gasolina. Then it was over to Ben Stokes to put an unexpected exclamation mark on things. Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com...