The Final Word Cricket Podcast

The 2024 England West Indies Daily, Edgbaston, Day 2: Does Joe Root end up overtaking Sachin Tendulkar's Test runs tally? We are distracted by that question and the Olympics before coming back to the Test at Edgbaston, where England are back in a commanding position thanks to the former and the coming man, Jamie Smith. Daniel Norcross is at the match in Birmingham, he's with Adam Collins in London...

The 2024 England West Indies Daily, Edgbaston, Day 1: What a strange old day that was. For almost all of it, it felt like England would sleep well tonight. But after losing three quick wickets in a frenetic mini-session before the close, it is the visitors on top at Birmingham. To try and explain how this all played out, Adam Collins has Cam Ponsonby with him. Support the show with a Nerd Pledge a...

Season 16, Episode 25: Another week, another proposed job for Justin Langer. Sure, he doesn't want it, and the AFL club doesn't want it, but it's a fun idea. Also, the ICC has yet another meeting and yet again doesn't mention the war (in Afghanistan), but at least the Women's World Cup is expanding for teams that are not Afghanistan. Chamari Atapattu keeps tearing it up in the Asia Cup, and we hav...

It's Story Time, our walk through cricket history via your listener quiz challenges. This week, we go from the very top of the game to the Kevin Bartlett Reserve in suburban Melbourne, and you won't believe the groundskeeping techniques. Also, back to Geoff's new favourite subject about obscure national captains, and one of the most extravagant innings ever played. Your Nerd Pledge numbers this we...

The 2024 England West Indies Daily, Trent Bridge, Day 4: That escalated quickly. Another long and competitive day of Test cricket, with West Indies holding the brakes on England to just enough of a degree to slow things down. Jayden Seales screamed and bowled screamers, Joe Root and Harry Brook did numbers, before Mark Wood got his chance to go express. With things in the balance, the last session...

The 2024 England West Indies Daily, Trent Bridge, Day 3: You never quite know what's going to happen, and after three quick wickets on the third day, another West Indies collapse looked assured. But Shamar Joseph at No11 did it again, combining with Joshua da Silva to put England under pressure, leaving Joe Root and Harry Brook needing to respond. Daniel Norcross joins Geoff Lemon. Support the sho...

The 2024 England West Indies Daily, Trent Bridge, Day 2: It was doom and gloom after Lord's and not unreasonably so - the Windies were uncompetitive in London and smashed inside seven sessions. But what a difference a week makes. The visitors have enjoyed splendid batting conditions at Nottingham to be within striking distance of a lead, the highlight of their work a stirring maiden Test ton from...

The 2024 England West Indies Daily, Notts Test, Day 1: It's a strange day when 400+ runs are smashed but the batting team goes to bed short of satisfied. Who knows, maybe they're chuffed with how they went about it after being sent in? It's all for Daniel Norcross and Cam Ponsonby to ponder at the close of play at Nottingham. Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Check ou...

It's Story Time, our walk through cricket history via your listener quiz challenges. This week, we might all have ideas about the players who should have captained Australia, but what if you found out that some of them actually did? Get ready for some surprises. Also, remembering five of the best days in Nottingham, a spinner who strolled to the crease but frolicked on tour, and the all-rounder wh...

Season 16, Episode 24: The weekend was enormous, though not due to any Test cricket being played at Lord's. Instead of a close fifth day, Sunday had a gunman shooting at a US presidential candidate before Spain shot England out of the Euros final. But in our small cricket world, Australia gives a glimpse of its white-ball future, Pakistan gets back to infighting, New Zealand has more contract intr...

The 2024 England West Indies Daily, Lord's Test, Day 3: It's all over, and Jimmy Week became a shortened Jimmy Three Days. Gus Atkinson had a much bigger say than expected, and is now in a bracket with our faves Father Marriott and Nutty Martin. But it was all about the theatre at the end, as Anderson searched for one last moment. Cam Ponsonby joins Geoff Lemon. Support the show with a Nerd Pledge...

The 2024 England West Indies Daily, Lord's Test, Day 2: This game is moving quickly, with Joe Root purring along and Harry Brook promising more before falling in a familiar way. Gudakesh Motie had time for a couple of beauties, before it was time for more Anderson love - first with an anti-climax, then with a climax. Control, paste. Henry Moeran from TMS dials in from Lord's to join Geoff. Support...

The 2024 England West Indies Daily, Lord's Test, Day 1: Well how about that! It was Jimmy's Day in the script but Gus Atkinson's in reality, snaring 7/45 on his Test debut as the Windies were skittled for 121. Cam Ponsonby is at Lord's with Adam Collins talking about the success of his club teammate on a day that won't be forgotten by England fans in a hurry. Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at...

The 2024 England West Indies Daily, Lord's Test, Day 0: It is Jimmy Anderson Week at Lord's, with England's most prolific player finishing his run with his 27th match at Headquarters. Plenty going on, including England's throw-forward Ashes focus despite playing an entirely different nation, and West Indies trying to create some strength out of unproven talent and a returning veteran. Support the...

Season 16, Episode 23: We might be about to see major changes at the ICC, if the man who already has the most power in cricket formally takes over the show. Dan Brettig from The Age brings us up to speed as heavy-duty discussions take place at Lord's. All of that ties into the proposed Champions Trophy schedule, and an amazing homecoming for India's victorious T20 team, even as a new Indian side f...

It's Story Time, our walk through cricket history via your listener quiz challenges. This week, something so remarkable happened that we had to shake up the very foundations of Story Time and do things completely differently. Join us for the story of what may be the most wonderful, intense, bizarre first-class cricket finish ever seen. Plus three epic tales of life and death on tour. Your Nerd Ple...

Season 16, Episode 22: With Geoff marooned in Barbados because of Hurricane Beryl, we have Cam Ponsonby jumping into the co-host chair for the first time on a weekly show as attention moves to the various points of interest coming from the announcement of England’s revamped Test squad. There’s also India’s record-smashing women’s team, Rocky Flintoff, county cricket and Cam’s voicenotes to discuss...

2024 T20 World Cup... the day after! At Kennington Oval in London (as opposed to Kensington Oval in Barbados) Adam Collins has Daniel Norcross with him to discuss the reactions, the huge retirements, and the future after India lifted the trophy on Saturday. Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Enter the Westfield UK competition: win gift vouchers or your own T20 World Cu...

2024 T20 World Cup, Day 29, the final! India v South Africa It was a final worthy of the occasion, one that swung one way and then another, back and forth through the full 40 overs. Virat Kohli took centre stage, Keshav Maharaj had his moment, Shivam Dube came good, Quinton de Kock and Heinrich Klaasen showed their best, and Jasprit Bumrah kept being magic. A stunning last-over result. Support the...

2024 T20 World Cup, Day 27, final preview: India v South Africa The big one is here... India v South Africa. It's the right combination too, with these teams the only two in the competition not to lose a game. But there's so much more to it than that. For the Proteas, this is the first time their men have made a World Cup Final. As for Rohit Sharma's side, nobody needs any reminding what happened...

Season 16, Episode 21: What the hell? The record (the real record) for most expensive over in first-class cricket has stood for decades, and then it gets both equalled and broken within three days? Mamma mia. The T20 World Cup is coming to its end, as Adam's wedding anniversary comes around. Also this week, farewell to Frank Duckworth, Kane Williamson doesn't like the Super Smash, Afghanistan's po...

2024 T20 World Cup, Day 27, second semi-final: India v England It wasn't the biggest margin, but it was an outclassing in all departments. India ran the game in Guyana, seeing off every challenge with enough versatility to brush off England. Rohit Sharma led the way again, while Kuldeep Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah continued to be unhittable. Another final beckons. Matt Roller joins Geoff Lemon. Suppo...

2024 T20 World Cup, Day 26: South Africa v Afghanistan No sense being vague here - it was an absolute thrashing. South Africa's quicks took apart Afghanistan's top order and that was the game. But it was played on a dreadful pitch in Trinidad that made even a tiny chase into a dangerous prospect - in medical as well as in sporting terms. Bharat Sundaresan joins Geoff. Support the show with a Nerd...

It's Story Time, our walk through cricket history via your listener quiz challenges. This week, the aftermath of September 11 in Pakistan cricket, a revolution at Lancashire, the little-known link between Launceston and Antigua, and the day that Don Bradman showed he was the forefather of AB de Villiers. Your Nerd Pledge numbers this week: 2.14 - Dominic Davis 3.21 - Ed Henty 3.43 - Sam Ashworth 3...

2024 T20 World Cup, Day 24.2: Afghanistan v Bangladesh Another knockout in the group stage, with three teams having a chance based on the result, and Afghanistan did everything they could to not win it, until the point where they started doing things to win it. In the meantime, Bangladesh seemed equally confused about whether winning was actually a good thing. Strange, scrappy, and at times comica...