

The Final Word Cricket Podcast
Adam Collins, Geoff Lemon
Cricket for everyone – your friendly guide to the world's strangest sport. Geoff Lemon and Adam Collins combine match analysis with irreverence, politics, interviews and history as they follow the game they love around the world. You can support the show at patreon.com/thefinalword.Get your big NordVPN discount: https://nordvpn.com/tfw
Episodes
Mentioned books

Nov 11, 2025 • 1h 16min
The last London sleet before Perth heat
Season 19, Episode 8: Adam and Geoff are in London this week, where it's freezing and awful, and the dream of Perth summer beckons like a mirage. But this vision is real, as England are learning after arriving there themselves. We'll be not far behind. The new TFW book is launched, there's more Ashes squad intrigue, and a lap around the world takes in Paul Stirling making runs in the Ireland Test cap, Bangladesh's most dedicated reporter firing up after 25 underwhelming years at Test level, and Quinton de Kock slotting back in for South Africa. Also this week, a chat with Lacuna founder Leigh Burns on why making cricket kit for women grabbed her attention.
Pre-order your copy of Bedtime Tales for Cricket Tragics: linktr.ee/tfwbook
The Melbourne launch is November 27 at the Commercial Club in Fitzroy
Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword
Thanks to Hitz Cricket for use of their automated nets. Book at hitzcricket.co.uk
Maurice Blackburn Lawyers - fighting for workers since 1919: mauriceblackburn.com.au
Get your big NordVPN discount: nordvpn.com/tfw
Learn about Lacuna Sports - bespoke female cricket wear, created by women for women: lacunasports.co.uk
Get 10% off Glenn Maxwell's sunnies: t20vision.com/FINALWORD
Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com
Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 10, 2025 • 40min
Um, dois, três, Cricket Brasil! - part two, The Final Word in Brazil
Season 19, Episode 7: We left our conversation in part one at the South American Championships, reflecting on where Brazil has been over the last quarter of a century. This time, recording at Poços de Caldas - the remarkable home of cricket in the country - it's time to cast ahead to the decades to come. For that, England legend Claire Taylor, with her MCC hat on, leads the ep. She's followed by Jon Surtees of the Surrey CCC, talking about their charitable contributions in high-performance infrastructure. Then last but not least, the man more important than any vaulting the game to where it now sits in Brazil, their outstanding CEO Matt Featherstone.
Pre-order your copy of Bedtime Tales for Cricket Tragics: linktr.ee/tfwbook
Our book launches are in London, November 10 at the Jolly Gardeners in Vahxuall, and Melbourne, November 27 at the Commercial Club in Fitzroy.
For London, RSVP to matt.thacker@forwardpress or grab a spot here.
For Melbourne, just roll up.
Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword
Learn about Lacuna Sports - bespoke female cricket wear, created by women for women: lacunasports.co.uk
Maurice Blackburn Lawyers - fighting for workers since 1919: mauriceblackburn.com.au
Get your big NordVPN discount: nordvpn.com/tfw
Get 10% off Glenn Maxwell's sunnies: t20vision.com/FINALWORD
Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com
Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 9, 2025 • 53min
Um, dois, três, Cricket Brasil! - part one, The Final Word in Brazil
Season 19, Episode 6: When the game was looking for good news stories during the Covid pandemic, we found one in Brazil. Five years on, Adam has spent the week there, and what a week. In this first of two eps, he speaks with great friend of the pod Roberta Moretti Avery - now the President of Cricket Brasil - then later chats with her husband Richard, who is coach of the men's team, who have recently joined the women as professional players. Between times, MCC representatives from the women's and men's teams, currently touring the country during the South American championships, share their perspectives on one of the best stories in global cricket.
Pre-order your copy of Bedtime Tales for Cricket Tragics: linktr.ee/tfwbook
Our book launches are in London, November 10 at the Jolly Gardeners in Vahxuall, and Melbourne, November 27 at the Commercial Club in Fitzroy.
For London, RSVP to matt.thacker@forwardpress or grab a spot here.
For Melbourne, just roll up.
Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword
Learn about Lacuna Sports - bespoke female cricket wear, created by women for women: lacunasports.co.uk
Maurice Blackburn Lawyers - fighting for workers since 1919: mauriceblackburn.com.au
Get your big NordVPN discount: nordvpn.com/tfw
Get 10% off Glenn Maxwell's sunnies: t20vision.com/FINALWORD
Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com
Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 5, 2025 • 1h 9min
The Ashes squad has landed
Season 19, Episode 5: At last, the speculation is over. At least, Geoff and Bharat think that it is, because they think this Australian Ashes squad leaves no doubt about what the final XI will be. Also this week, Kane Williamson is not bringing the snacks, James Anderson goes along with conformity, England create some weird tension on the contract list, and we farewell young Ben Austin.
Pre-order your copy of Bedtime Tales for Cricket Tragics: linktr.ee/tfwbook
Our book launches are in London, November 10 at the Jolly Gardeners in Vahxuall, and Melbourne, November 27 at the Commercial Club in Fitzroy.
For London, RSVP to matt.thacker@forwardpress or grab a spot here.
For Melbourne, just roll up.
Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword
Learn about Lacuna Sports - bespoke female cricket wear, created by women for women: lacunasports.co.uk
Maurice Blackburn Lawyers - fighting for workers since 1919: mauriceblackburn.com.au
Get your big NordVPN discount: nordvpn.com/tfw
Get 10% off Glenn Maxwell's sunnies: t20vision.com/FINALWORD
Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com
Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 2, 2025 • 44min
TFW Daily - History for India - Women's World Cup Day 34, the final
Women’s World Cup 2025, Day 34, the final, India South Africa: After two iconic semi-finals, the double underdogs that triumphed in those contests moved to the final chapter of the tournament. And if you thought the Jemimah Rodrigues story was a good one, the Shafali Verma comeback tale gives it a run for its money. A starring influence with bat and ball saw her give Harmanpreet Kaur's team the advantage in one innings, then the other, while the South Africans battled hard with Laura Wolvaardt again leading from the front. A historic day in Mumbai.
Learn about Lacuna Sports - bespoke female cricket wear, created by women for women: lacunasports.co.uk
Pre-order the Final Word book: linktr.ee/TFWBook
Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword
Maurice Blackburn Lawyers - fighting for workers since 1919:
mauriceblackburn.com.au
Get your big NordVPN discount: nordvpn.com/tfw
Get 10% off Glenn Maxwell's sunnies: t20vision.com/FINALWORD
Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com
Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 1, 2025 • 28min
TFW Daily - Women's World Cup final preview - India South Africa
Women’s World Cup final preview, South Africa India: It’s the big one, and it’s the matchup that nobody expected. Both of these teams pulled out astonishing semi-final performances, but who can repeat the dose? Will India ride the hometown wave, or will it all be too overbearing? Can South Africa, after such a disastrous opening to the tournament, make this the greatest cricketing year in their proud history? Firdose Moonda joins Geoff Lemon.
Learn about Lacuna Sports - bespoke female cricket wear, created by women for women: lacunasports.co.uk
Pre-order the Final Word book: linktr.ee/TFWBook
Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword
Maurice Blackburn Lawyers - fighting for workers since 1919:
mauriceblackburn.com.au
Get your big NordVPN discount: nordvpn.com/tfw
Get 10% off Glenn Maxwell's sunnies: t20vision.com/FINALWORD
Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com
Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 30, 2025 • 45min
TFW Daily - The greatest chase - Women’s World Cup Semi Final 2, India Australia
Women’s World Cup Semi Final 2, India Australia: Two duelling hundreds between Phoebe Litchfield and Jemimah Rodrigues lit up an already electric atmosphere at a sold out semi final in Navi Mumbai. It was a night for breaking records, thrilling batting, and jaw-dropping cricket as both teams left it all out on the field. Firdose Moonda joins Geoff Lemon.
Learn about Lacuna Sports - bespoke female cricket wear, created by women for women: lacunasports.co.uk
Pre-order the Final Word book: linktr.ee/TFWBook
Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword
Maurice Blackburn Lawyers - fighting for workers since 1919:
mauriceblackburn.com.au
Get your big NordVPN discount: nordvpn.com/tfw
Get 10% off Glenn Maxwell's sunnies: t20vision.com/FINALWORD
Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com
Title track by Urthboy
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 29, 2025 • 38min
TFW Daily – The innings of a lifetime - Women’s World Cup Semi-Final 1, South Africa England
Women’s World Cup Day 30, 1st semi-final, South Africa England: After England humiliated South Africa to open the tournament, this knockout rematch was always going to be spicy. What nobody anticipated was an innings for the ages by Laura Wolvaardt, one that will never be forgotten. Firdose Moonda joins Geoff Lemon.
Learn about Lacuna Sports - bespoke female cricket wear, created by women for women: lacunasports.co.uk
Pre-order the Final Word book: linktr.ee/TFWBook
Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword
Maurice Blackburn Lawyers - fighting for workers since 1919:
mauriceblackburn.com.au
Get your big NordVPN discount: nordvpn.com/tfw
Get 10% off Glenn Maxwell's sunnies: t20vision.com/FINALWORD
Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com
Title track by Urthboy
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 29, 2025 • 1h 1min
Is it Weatherald versus Renshaw now to open the batting?
Season 19, Episode 4: The women's World Cup semis are around the corner, so first up it's time to run the rule over the four remaining teams, and get a sense of what might happen and what might not between England, South Africa, India and Australia. Also this week, Pat Cummins is confirmed to miss the first Ashes Test, Bharat Sundaresan joins Geoff Lemon to offer informed theories about what might follow that, while the rest of the field jockeys for position.
Pre-order your copy of Bedtime Tales for Cricket Tragics: linktr.ee/tfwbook
Our book launches are in London, November 10 at the Jolly Gardeners in Vahxuall, and Melbourne, November 27 at the Commercial Club in Fitzroy.
For London, RSVP to matt.thacker@forwardpress or grab a spot here.
For Melbourne, just roll up.
Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword
Learn about Lacuna Sports - bespoke female cricket wear, created by women for women: lacunasports.co.uk
Maurice Blackburn Lawyers - fighting for workers since 1919: mauriceblackburn.com.au
Get your big NordVPN discount: nordvpn.com/tfw
Get 10% off Glenn Maxwell's sunnies: t20vision.com/FINALWORD
Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com
Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 28, 2025 • 1h 24min
Story Time 245 – 1990s Australia is another country
It's Story Time, our walk through cricket history via your listener quiz challenges. This week, an inadvertent detour into just how distant the 1990s version of Australia feels from today, in maturity and tone and the possibility of change. The reconciliation journey that stalled, the television broadcasts that foundered, and the scope that narrowed. Also this week, the first burst of many from a burst expert, and the puzzling world of cricket slash fiction.
Your Nerd Pledge numbers for this week:
2.61 - Jeffrey Gabriel
5.23 - Nick Donovan
4.60 - Anna Forsyth
9.10 - Leigh Couchman
Pre-order your copy of Bedtime Tales for Cricket Tragics: linktr.ee/tfwbook
Our book launches are in London, November 10 at the Jolly Gardeners in Vahxuall, and Melbourne, November 27 at the Commercial Club in Fitzroy.
For London, RSVP to matt.thacker@forwardpress or grab a spot here.
For Melbourne, just roll up.
Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword
Learn about Lacuna Sports - bespoke female cricket wear, created by women for women: lacunasports.co.uk
Maurice Blackburn Lawyers - fighting for workers since 1919: mauriceblackburn.com.au
Get your big NordVPN discount: nordvpn.com/tfw
Get 10% off Glenn Maxwell's sunnies: t20vision.com/FINALWORD
Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com
Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices


