The Golden Age of Cricket Podcast

In Part 2 of this chat with biographer Andy Searle, we discuss what Sydney Barnes did outside of cricket, his demolition of the Australians in the 1911-12 Ashes tour, his mind-boggling feats in South Africa in 1913-14, why he never played another Test after the First World War, and what his legacy is today. DONATE: You can buy Tom Ford a coffee! Every donation helps with production and inspires To...

Of all the cricketers who played during the so-called Golden Age, none incite the intrigue in fans today quite like Sydney Francis Barnes. He was a tall, fit opening bowler blessed with a catalogue of unplayable deliveries. Those writers in the mid 20th century who looked back on this period with rose coloured glasses, often found the cantankerous, win-at-all-costs attitude of Barnes to be at odds...

In Part 2 of this episode on Australian cricket legend Billy Murdoch, Tom and Murdoch's biographers, Richard Cashman and Ric Sissons, discuss his captaincy tactics, his friendship with WG Grace, his legacy and delayed inclusion in the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame. Richard Cashman is a sports historian based at the University of Technology Sydney. He is the author of 12 cricket books as well as...

Billy Murdoch was a colossus of Australian cricket in the 19th century. He captained Australia in its first victory on English soil giving rise to the Ashes, and as a stylish but determined batsman, he scored the first triple century in Australia and the first Test double century. He’s often been called Australia’s answer to W.G. Grace. But he courted controversy too. Bankrupted in his 20s, he sec...

This episode of 'Short Leg' is Part 2 of Tom looking back on the famous 1st Test at the SCG of 1894, in which Australia hosted Andrew Stoddart's England side. The match is often credited with being the first great match of the new era, and one that saw many new records established. CREDITS: Presenter & Producer: Tom Ford All music used in podcast comes from the University of California Santa B...

This episode of 'Short Leg' – a new series of short episodes re-living the great matches, innings or moments of the Golden Age – discusses the famous 1st Test at the SCG of 1894, in which Australia hosted Andrew Stoddart's England side. The match is often credited with being the first great match of the new era, and one that saw many new records established. CORRIGENDUM: Thanks to my friend Roy Pi...

In Part 2, Max discusses Tibby's prowess as a batsman, his involvement in the infamous 'Big Six' dispute of 1912, his career as a stretcher bearer in the First World War, and the mystery surrounding his death at the Battle of Beersheba in October 1917.  ABOUT MAX BONNELL: Max is a lawyer and writer from Sydney. He has published around 20 books on sports history and legal topics. He played gra...

If cricket fans know one thing about Albert 'Tibby' Cotter, it's likely to be that he was the only Australian Test cricketer to have died in combat during the First World War. But as his biographer Max Bonnell explains, there was much more to the life and career of the Australian fast bowler. In Part 1, Max details Tibby's early life, his rise to international fame, his habit of bowling short-pitc...

In the second part of my chat with The Sunday Times cricket correspondent, Simon Wilde, we discuss Ranjitsinhji's batting style and how he changed the appearance of 'batsmanship', the fluctuating fortunes of his only Test tour - that to Australia in 1897-98, his dramatic drop in form in 1902, and his less than successful return to cricket in 1920 with only one eye.  ABOUT SIMON WILDE: Simon W...

Cricket correspondent for The Sunday Times , Simon Wilde, joins the podcast to discuss the life and career of the so-called 'Father of Indian Cricket' – K.S. Ranjitsinhji. Born in India in 1872, 'Ranji' – as he was universally known – arrived in England in 1888 to further his education, but took the cricket world by storm with his unorthodox but highly effective batting style. At the height of his...

Gideon Haigh joins host Tom Ford in discussing the life and career of Australian cricket giant Warwick Armstrong. In Part 2, they dissect Warwick's Test debut, his adoption of leg theory on English wickets, and his numerous run-ins with the cricket establishment. ABOUT GIDEON HAIGH: Gideon Haigh has written close to 50 books and contributed to more than 100 publications, including The Times of Lon...

Leading cricket writer Gideon Haigh joins the podcast. When it comes to giants of Australian cricket, there are few who stand larger than Warwick Armstrong. Described as the ‘WG Grace of the Antipodes’, he was an all-round phenomenon, who’s stature in cricket - both physically and figuratively - has rarely been surpassed. Emerging in the first years of the 20th century, he defied many of the game’...

There are few cricketers from the Golden Age who remain such an enigma as C. B. Fry. Captain of the England cricket team, footballer, world-record long jump holder, classicist, politician, naval captain, novelist, journalist, academic - there was no end to his talent. He even came close to becoming the King of Albania. English commentator John Arlott described him as 'probably the most variously g...

There are few cricketers from the Golden Age who remain such an enigma as C. B. Fry. Captain of the England cricket team, footballer, world-record long jump holder, classicist, politician, naval captain, novelist, journalist, academic - there was no end to his talent. He even came close to becoming the King of Albania. English commentator John Arlott described him as 'probably the most variously g...

Part 2 of our discussion on the life and career of cricket colossus Wilfred Rhodes (1877–1973). This episode dissects his transition from bowler to batsman (and then back to bowler), his domestic life, his famous return to the Test side for the final match of the 1926 Ashes series, and his retirement years. ABOUT PATRICK FERRIDAY: Born in London, he lived for many years in West Berlin but returned...

Records are made to be broken, but in all likelihood, those belonging to Wilfred Rhodes (1877–1973) will stand for eternity. His 4204 wickets across 1110 First-Class matches must be incomprehensible to modern cricketers, who split their time and effort across multiple formats. He played his first Test in 1899 alongside WG Grace and his last in 1930 at a time when Bradman was taking all before him....

To mark his sesquicentenary (28 January 2023), we release Part 2 of this episode on the life and career of Montague Alfred Noble (1873–1940), middle-order batsman, early exponent of swerve bowling, and Australia’s twelfth Test captain. Once again, biographer Peter Lloyd joins host Tom Ford to discusses Monty's life and career, including Noble’s qualities as a captain, his relationship with cricket...

To mark his 150th birthday (28 January 2023), we launch the podcast with a double episode on the life and career of Montague Alfred Noble (1873–1940), middle-order batsman, early exponent of swerve bowling, and Australia’s twelfth Test captain. For this episode, biographer Peter Lloyd joins host Tom Ford to discusses the challenges he faced writing the first full-length account of Noble’s life, hi...

Welcome to ‘The Golden Age of Cricket’, a podcast which explores one of the most fascinating eras in the history of the game. Loosely defined as the twenty five years immediately preceding the outbreak of the First World War, the so called ‘Golden Age’ (1890—1914) saw some of the most legendary cricketers of all time: WG Grace, Victor Trumper, CB Fry, Monty Noble, Wilfred Rhodes, Warwick Armstrong...