The Final Word Cricket Podcast

Season 10, Ep 12: It can be hard to follow Justin Langer's line of logic. The Australian men's coach has an extempore media style that over time can veer into inconsistency. After enough misgivings about his coaching style to prompt a formal review, and after talk about embracing the chance to grow, this week the coach had moved back to denying there was a problem to begin with. Let's try to untangle. Also: Langer's team is being smashed up by the Windies in St Lucia. All of the English season is at risk of collapse thanks to COVID running through teams, with The Hundred and the India Tests particularly exposed. India's women played a blinder to stay in their series with England, Harleen Deol took flight, Sri Lanka's ODI series got delayed, and South Africa are in trouble against Ireland in the World Cup Super League. Meanwhile, the ICC chief executive has been quietly pushed out of the organisation. Your Nerd Pledge number this week: 1.01 - Jack Jorgensen Hit the socials for Brick Lane Brewing Community and tell them we sent you. @bricklanebrewing for Instagram and FB @bricklanebrewco on Twitter Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at  finalwordcricket.com Get 44% off Wisden Cricket Monthly at bit.ly/wcmtfw Get 20% off primo WoodstockCricket.co.uk gear with the code TFW20 Get Geoff’s new book The Comeback Summer The Final Word is part of the  Bad Producer Podcast Network Title track by  Urthboy Support the show: https://patreon.com/thefinalword See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's Story Time, our weekly walk through cricket history via your listener quiz challenges. Today: there's something about doctors and cricket, they just keep coming up. We try to measure up to the unmeasurable, then wind all the way back to a literary classic born before the First World War, taking in another glimpse of the Test triangular, and look at the most underrated of the underrated, as well as the biggest achievement by far. Plus our listeners Declan Lawlor and Nick Tewson are raising money by the sweat of their brows. Your new Nerd Pledge numbers: 8.75 – Bob Tronson & Darragh O'Donovan 2.88 – W. G. Rumblepants 4.62 – Sean Barry 5.66 – Will Sandford 7.27 – ED Plus revisits and confirmations. Declan Lawlor's marathons are underway! He is right now running the length of the Thames in the space of four days. You can still donate to his Lord's Tavs fundraiser here. Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at  finalwordcricket.com  Check out our new friends Brick Lane at bricklanebrewing.com Get 20% off Woodstock kit with code TFW20 at woodstockcricket.co.uk Get 44% off a Wisden Cricket Monthly subscription at bit.ly/wcmtfw The Final Word is part of the Bad Producer Podcast Network Title track by Urthboy Support the show: https://patreon.com/thefinalword See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Season 10, Ep 11: Remember when England's whole team got COVID? Or something like that, we're not big on detail. That's why we've got Will Macpherson on the show to tell us about England having to quarantine an entire squad who caught the bug at home, after pulling out of various trips overseas to avoid catching the same. How did it happen, what's happening, and why weren't more hilarious selections made among the Replacements. Also: Mithali Raj and either the go-slow or the champion's perfect pace, depending which way you see it. Jimmy Anderson gets 1000 first-class wickets. Pavel Florin takes a stack in T20s as Romania runs the table. Ollie Robinson's case gets closed. And everyone loves a review these days - Justin Langer and his players face up to an independent look at his coaching style. Your Nerd Pledge number this week: 3.29 - Lachlan Smith Follow the socials with Brick Lane Brewing Community and tell them we sent you. @bricklanebrewing for Instagram and FB @bricklanebrewco on Twitter Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at  finalwordcricket.com Get 44% off Wisden Cricket Monthly at bit.ly/wcmtfw Get 20% off primo WoodstockCricket.co.uk gear with the code TFW20 Get Geoff’s new book The Comeback Summer The Final Word is part of the  Bad Producer Podcast Network Title track by  Urthboy Support the show: https://patreon.com/thefinalword See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Story Time is back, our weekly walk through cricket history via your listener quiz challenges. Today: the coolest band name of Adam's youth makes an unexpected appearance. We crunch some numbers on Lawrence Rowe, tackle a proper cryptic, and look at days when it was all about swinging for the fences, once by a Test player and once by TFW listener Osman Bahemia. There's also another appearance from Geoff's own Jean Valjean. Your new Nerd Pledge numbers: 2.38 – Dom Griffiths 2.85 – Sid 5.96 – Pete Simmons 2.57 – Josh 4.08 – Lachan Pye 1.99 – Alan Simpson Plus revisits and confirmations. If you want to urge on Declan Lawlor to finish his several marathons along the Thames, you can donate to his Lord's Tavs fundraiser here. Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at  finalwordcricket.com  Check out our new friends Brick Lane at bricklanebrewing.com For a discount subscription to Wisden Cricket Monthly, the magic key is bit.ly/wcmtfw Get 20% off Woodstock kit with code TFW20 at woodstockcricket.co.uk The Final Word is part of the Bad Producer Podcast Network Title track by Urthboy Support the show: https://patreon.com/thefinalword See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Season 10, Ep 10: After much hand-wringing from us over poor over rates, the time has come to step back from the flame and take a closer look at what is happening, why it is happening and how it might be fixed. Andrew Samson, the BBC's master statistician/historian, joined us for part of that chat. Later, we worry about the state of India's women's team before finishing with a thoroughly wonderful story from South London where women and girls players are being looked after like never before. Oh, and we're very excited to welcome a new partner to The Final Word team... Brick Lane Brewing! Follow @bricklanebrewing on Instagram and Facebook.  Your Nerd Pledge number this week: 3.16 – Jonathan Brand Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Message from anywhere on earth with your ZOLEO, at zoleo.com Get Geoff’s new book The Comeback Summer And here is where can support Dulwich CC's work to revolutionise the Griffin Sports Club: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/a-cricket-ground-that-puts-women-girls-first   The Final Word is part of the Bad Producer Podcast Network Title track by Urthboy Support the show: https://patreon.com/thefinalword See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Season 10, Ep 9: WTC #1 has been run and won, done and done, New Zealand are one from one. The next instalment has the same structure, but from 2023 things could change up. So at the earliest opportunity we're going to thrash out what could be improved, in a conversation with Wisden Cricket Monthly editor Phil Walker. Also this week: Vinoo Mankad freaks, dance in the streets! After a most deserved gong. Ke$hav Maharaj gets a hat-trick, Danni Wyatt gets pushed out of England's ODI team, Eoin Morgan gets nowhere in addressing past faults, Charlotte Edwards gets an overdue honour, and England players get nervous about visiting Australia. Your Nerd Pledge number this week: 1.30 – Dannish Babar Send us a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Message from anywhere on earth with your ZOLEO, at zoleo.com Get Geoff’s new book The Comeback Summer The Final Word is part of the Bad Producer Podcast Network Title track by Urthboy Support the show: https://patreon.com/thefinalword See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

They’ve done it: after a lot of near misses, the New Zealanders have won a major trophy. A historic one, too, in the first ever World Test Championship. A lot needed to go right for them on the sixth day after so much time was lost to rain, but they made sure that a lot did go right. Each of Tim Southee, Kyle Jamieson, Neil Wagner and Trent Boult made an impression with the ball, before the old firm of Kane Williamson and Luteru Ross Taylor did the job with the bat. Rishabh Pant threatened to take the match away, but was stopped in time. All round a fine achievement. You can support the show at patreon.com/thefinalword. Get 20% off playing kit at WoodstockCricket.co.uk with the code TFW20. Support the show: https://patreon.com/thefinalword See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Yet another excellent day of Test cricket, with a gripping battle between bat and ball all through the morning session. The advantage swung from one team to the other. Kane Williamson produced a masterclass, Mohammed Shami produced some brilliance, Tim Southee produced key interventions, Cheteshwar Pujara produced his high standard. With the sixth day to come, there is still some hope of a win for either side. Find The Final Word’s longer shows on podcast apps. You can support the show at patreon.com/thefinalword. Get 20% off playing kit at WoodstockCricket.co.uk with the code TFW20. Support the show: https://patreon.com/thefinalword See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Another gripping day that again ended prematurely thanks to bad light. Kyle Jamieson set a Test record with another five-wicket haul, up against some fight from Ajinkya Rahane and Ravichandran Ashwin. Then it was New Zealand’s turn to be scrutinised against the moving ball, with India’s quicks starting the interrogation but Ashwin getting first results. The most important moment of the day happened in the last five minutes... Find The Final Word’s longer shows on podcast apps. You can support the show at patreon.com/thefinalword. Get 20% off playing kit at WoodstockCricket.co.uk with the code TFW20. Support the show: https://patreon.com/thefinalword See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What a rearguard, what a fight. Sneh Rana, Shikha Pandey, Taniya Bhatia, Deepti Sharma and Shafali Verma were all among the stars as India fought back from following on to save the Test against England. Meanwhile, in the men’s final, New Zealand chose to bowl first and had some success with Kyle Jamieson and Neil Wagner after some flourish from Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill.  You can support the show at patreon.com/thefinalword. Get 20% off playing kit at WoodstockCricket.co.uk with the code TFW20. Support the show: https://patreon.com/thefinalword See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices