The Final Word Cricket Podcast

India v Australia, 1st Test, Nagpur Day 2: There were five wickets on debut for Todd Murphy, but at the other end that Jadeja feller did it again. Find out about a tough and often brilliant second day. Plan your Melbourne moment at www.visitmelbourne.com Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

India v Australia, 1st Test, Nagpur Day 1: It's been a long build-up, but finally the contest began and the pitch was put to the test. As expected it was Australia up against things on a tough opening day, while Rohit Sharma was at ease. Plan your Melbourne moment at www.visitmelbourne.com Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/...

It's Story Time, our weekly walk through cricket history via your listener quiz challenges. This week, Bharat is in Nagpur after some time in the nets in Bangalore, and Geoff is on the way to meet him. Not deliberately, we launch into an India-fest via Dhaka, Multan and Bridgetown. Also, a surprising divergence into an Australian cinema living treasure. Your Nerd Pledge numbers this week: 5.80 - S...

Season 13, Ep 21: It’s been a while, but the weekly show comes to you from Daniel Norcross’ front room in South London with Geoff having a brief spell before joining Adam in India next week for the Border-Gavaskar. It’s an episode with plenty to get through around the cricketing world before finishing on a conversation about the mistreatment of South African skipper Dane van Niekerk, the repercuss...

It's Story Time, our weekly walk through cricket history via your listener quiz challenges. This week Daniel Norcross returns to join Geoff for a long meander through bad beginnings. Plus a south London record, the best No.11, and one of the very best of all time. Your Nerd Pledge numbers this week: 2.03 - Nick Donovan & Andrew Beech 23.75 - Rob O'Neill 4.23 - Chris Lintott 2.60 - Crispn Crunch 2....

Season 13, Ep 20: Because it remains very much the cricketing topic de jour, it's time for another visit to the non-striker's end to take off the bails. This week the Marylebone Cricket Club, as custodians of the Laws, updated the relevant clause with extensive additional clarification as to when a bowler could attempt this kind of dismissal. We got hold of the man in charge, Fraser Stewart, to ta...

Season 13, Ep 19: The cricket world was teeming this week, and so was our show. Everything from the Cherry Tree's first ever victory in Melbourne pub cricket to $100million for the Women's IPL. Rwanda produced a massive upset in the Under-19s World Cup, Shimron Hetmyer became Dennis Rodman in the most forensic scrutiny of a bridge since the River Kwai, Steve Smith dropped the hammer in the Big Bas...

Season 13, Ep 18: A special episode. First we speak to Homaira Mershedi, Afghan community leader and veteran of humanitarian work, to get some sense of the current situation on the ground in Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover. Then we talk through the tangled thicket of political ramifications around Australia withdrawing from a series against the Afghanistan men's team, while the women's team...

Season 13, Ep 17: With the second season of The Test documentary out in the world, Adrian Brown joins the show for a second time to talk through the differences and complexities of repeating the dose while keeping the recipe fresh. Also this week, Kohli's ton run continues, India's Test squad is out, Australia's women play Football Manager against Pakistan, the Women's Under-19s World Cup is under...

It's Story Time, our weekly walk through cricket history via your listener quiz challenges. This week Bharat Sundaresan joins Geoff on babysitting duty, and is the perfect guide through Indian mythology and princely states. Does any of it relate to cricket? You'll find out. We also try to unravel some cryptic clues and the movie Tenet, which are equally confusing. Your Nerd Pledge numbers this wee...

Season 13, Ep 16: Ok, that's not really her middle name (yet) but we're working on it. The Final Word family has grown by one. Who knew when we told that great story about 1930s leg-spinner Peggy Antonio on Story Time 100 that Rachel and Adam would have a Peggy of their own? Well, they probably did, but it's a nice surprise for the rest of us. Also this week, squads for the next women's World Cup...

Australia v South Africa, Sydney Day 5: It's all over! We watched the rain for four days but it was all worthwhile for this thrilling... draw. Oh well, what do you do? Luckily there were many fun moments for us to tell you about. Go on. And the sun came out. Win, win, win. (Draw.) Plan your Melbourne moment at www.visitmelbourne.com Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Learn more abou...

Australia v South Africa, Sydney Day 4: After a full day of rain, we got back on the field again. Meaning we recorded the show again: on the politics of declaring near milestones, umpiring consistency, and some otherworldly bowling spells. Plan your Melbourne moment at www.visitmelbourne.com Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.co...

It's Story Time, our weekly walk through cricket history via your listener quiz challenges. This week, Adam's baby may be arriving before the end of the show, but podcasting has to be done. We have important facts about Teddy Hoad and the 1911 Test in Adelaide to relate! Some triumphs and disasters, some bookends, and a long-pursued answer is run to ground. Got any baby names? Your Nerd Pledge num...

Australia v South Africa, Sydney Day 2: Steve Smith day! Yet another one of them. The guy who just kept making hundreds has started being almost as relentless as he once was. Here was another, on the day that Usman Khawaja sauntered towards a double, and Travis Head cut sick. Plan your Melbourne moment at www.visitmelbourne.com Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Learn more about you...

Australia v South Africa, Sydney Day 1: Lots of rain, but a fair bit of cricket, and two life's constants were on show: Labuschagne runs, and Labuschagne luck. And eventually some bad luck too. The wind tunnel that we plunged into in the second half of this episode was to show you what conditions were like outside the SCG when we recorded. (Also the primary audio failed.) Plan your Melbourne momen...

Season 13, Ep 15: It's New Year's Eve! And as per Final Word tradition, we gather for a look back at the year that was. The good, the bad, the highs, the lows. It was an eventful one. Also this week we wrap up the many Test matches that were happening round the world, and give you an explainer of the Australian cricket broadcast rights negotiations and their ramifications, as well as the scenarios...

Australia v South Africa, Melbourne Day 4: It's all over, and so is the result of the series, with one match yet to play. Temba Bavuma had what you could call a mixed day, and at least South Africa made more than 200. Just. 20% off primo WoodstockCricket.co.uk bats with the code TFW20 Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find us at finalwordcricket.com Learn more about your ad choices...

Australia v South Africa, Melbourne Day 3: Some more Nortje snorters to start the day, but it turned into another long one for South Africa. A Test century for Alex Carey and some real surprises on the injury front, but on we go into day four. 20% off primo WoodstockCricket.co.uk bats with the code TFW20 Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find us at finalwordcricket.com Learn more a...

Australia v South Africa, Melbourne Day 2: David Warner Day. Under pressure, stinking hot day, unbeaten double hundred. Just David Warner things. Also Nortje bowling fire, very few wickets but very many batting injuries, and other peculiarities. With Geoff Lemon and Bharat Sundaresan. 20% off primo WoodstockCricket.co.uk bats with the code TFW20 Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Fi...

Australia v South Africa, Melbourne Day 1: Big day, big occasion, and an effort that wasn't up to it. South Africa's batting fell over once again, but it was a special day for Cameron Green. With Adam home in England, Geoff Lemon and Bharat Sundaresan have you covered. 20% off primo WoodstockCricket.co.uk bats with the code TFW20 Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find us at finalwo...

Season 13, Ep 14: A Boxing Day special. You may know that within three days in 2021, Scott Boland became the second Aboriginal man to play Test cricket for Australia, and then the first Australian to win the Johnny Mullagh medal, awarded to the best player in the Boxing Day Test and named after the great Aboriginal cricketer who toured England in 1868. You may not know the story of Unaaramin, the...

Season 13, Ep 13: It's Christmas! And as is now tradition, we sit down for a long conversation with a person who we like and respect, and who has been a good friend to the show. Previous years had Harsha Bhogle, Jim Maxwell, Mel Jones and Michael Atherton. This year it is Simon Katich, after a long career batting and bowling for Australia, and a good number of years now working alongside us as a b...

It's Story Time, our weekly walk through cricket history via your listener quiz challenges. This week, a searing injustice with a divine tinge gets another look. As does one of the greatest of the greats, and one at the other end of the spectrum. Plus, have you ever wanted to know about every player who debuted in a Sheffield Shield match against Alan Mulally? Well it's your lucky day. Your Nerd P...

Season 13, Ep 12: An unexpected weekly show given the two-day Test, but we probably have to talk about the two-day Test. Also, English writer Cameron Ponsonby joins us from the hotel in Karachi where we spent way too much time in March, with thoughts on the truly wild 3-0 series that he has just watched, and more broadly the experience of touring Pakistan. Meanwhile, Australia's women rack up a hu...