The Final Word Cricket Podcast

England v Zimbabwe, 1st Test, Trent Bridge Test, Day 2: Cameron Ponsonby joins Daniel Norcross. Zimbabwe put up the fight that many thought was beyond them, or did they? Depends on the time of day and who you ask. Has Brian Bennett played the innings of the summer? Has Mark Butcher delivered the whimsy of the summer? England’s bowlers enforced the follow-on, but will it count for those who don’t want it to? In a zero-sum situation, we may have seen Shoaib Bashir's turning point. And how does Martin McCague relate to this Test?  Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/thefinalword⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ We have 47 runners in the Edinburgh Marathon Festival.⁠⁠⁠⁠ Donate to get us to our £30k fundraising target⁠⁠⁠⁠ for The Lord's Taverners. Tickets for our Wormsley match, August 18: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠uk.emma-live.com/WormsleyFinal2025⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to Wisden and never pay full price for the Almanack again: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.wisdenalmanack.com/subscribe⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get your big NordVPN discount: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠nordvpn.com/tfw⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Sort out expat finances with Odin Mortgage & Tax: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠odinmortgage.com/partner/the-final-word⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Maurice Blackburn Lawyers - fighting for the rights of workers since 1919: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠mauriceblackburn.com.au⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get 10% off Glenn Maxwell's sunnies: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠t20vision.com/FINALWORD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Save more, earn more—up to 4.22% AER (variable). Interest rates are tiered, with the top rate for balances over £1M. Each tiered rate applies to the portion within that range. New members get these rates free for 6 months; after that, your Tide plan’s rates apply. For full offer T&Cs visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tide.co/savings⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Claim £100 cash back (on a £5k deposit) at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tide.co/offers/tfw⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Find previous episodes at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠finalwordcricket.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

England Zimbabwe Daily, Lord's Test, Day 1: It's England Test season, with Zimbabwe back for the first time in 22 years - but they may wish they'd given it a miss, after England piled up the runs. So, do you love or hate Zak Crawley? Will Jacob Bethell come straight back in for Ollie Pope, even now? Do you believe in the new 'humble England'? And just what in the hell is caffeinated beer? Cameron Ponsonby joins Geoff to find out. Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/thefinalword⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ We have 47 runners in the Edinburgh Marathon Festival.⁠⁠⁠ Donate to get us to our £30k fundraising target⁠⁠⁠ for The Lord's Taverners. Tickets for our Wormsley match, August 18: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠uk.emma-live.com/WormsleyFinal2025⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to Wisden and never pay full price for the Almanack again: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.wisdenalmanack.com/subscribe⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ Get your big NordVPN discount: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠nordvpn.com/tfw⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Sort out expat finances with Odin Mortgage & Tax: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠odinmortgage.com/partner/the-final-word⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Maurice Blackburn Lawyers - fighting for the rights of workers since 1919: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠mauriceblackburn.com.au⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get 10% off Glenn Maxwell's sunnies: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠t20vision.com/FINALWORD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Save more, earn more—up to 4.22% AER (variable). Interest rates are tiered, with the top rate for balances over £1M. Each tiered rate applies to the portion within that range. New members get these rates free for 6 months; after that, your Tide plan’s rates apply. For full offer T&Cs visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tide.co/savings⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Claim £100 cash back (on a £5k deposit) at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tide.co/offers/tfw⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Find previous episodes at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠finalwordcricket.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Title track by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Season 18, Episode 14: It's almost northern Test summer time, with Ben Stokes out of hibernation, Zimbabwe playing warm-ups, and the Australian and South African IPL players... heading back to India to finish the delayed season. Ah well. Meanwhile, Cam Green makes runs while Marnus doesn't, the South African squad is named, West Indies have a new captain, Middlesex is more into Virat Kohli than Kohli is into Middlesex, and Charlotte Edwards' first squad doesn't include Sophie Ecclestone, which might mean one of two very different things. Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/thefinalword⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ We have 47 runners in the Edinburgh Marathon Festival.⁠⁠ Donate to get us to our £30k fundraising target⁠⁠ for The Lord's Taverners. Tickets for our Wormsley match, August 18: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠uk.emma-live.com/WormsleyFinal2025⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to Wisden and never pay full price for the Almanack again: ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.wisdenalmanack.com/subscribe⁠ ⁠ Get your big NordVPN discount: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠nordvpn.com/tfw⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Sort out expat finances with Odin Mortgage & Tax: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠odinmortgage.com/partner/the-final-word⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Maurice Blackburn Lawyers - fighting for the rights of workers since 1919: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠mauriceblackburn.com.au⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get 10% off Glenn Maxwell's sunnies: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠t20vision.com/FINALWORD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Save more, earn more—up to 4.22% AER (variable). Interest rates are tiered, with the top rate for balances over £1M. Each tiered rate applies to the portion within that range. New members get these rates free for 6 months; after that, your Tide plan’s rates apply. For full offer T&Cs visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tide.co/savings⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Claim £100 cash back (on a £5k deposit) at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tide.co/offers/tfw⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Find previous episodes at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠finalwordcricket.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Title track by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's Story Time, our walk through cricket history via your listener quiz challenges. This week, we discover a player who we should have known more about, with a bendy wrist and a knack for controversy. Also, Adam's loosest and last summer as a touring cricket fan, and a deeper look than ever at the immortal Thanks For Coming. Your Nerd Pledge numbers this week: 13.38 - Lucas Collie 5.49 - Sam Burt 101.00 - David Seton & 1010.00 - Alan Edgar 3.80 - Jamie Millar-Pope 4.50 - Simon Butcher Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at ⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/thefinalword⁠⁠⁠ We have 47 runners in the Edinburgh Marathon Festival.⁠ Donate to get us to our £30k fundraising target⁠ Tickets for our Wormsley match, August 18: ⁠⁠⁠uk.emma-live.com/WormsleyFinal2025⁠⁠⁠ Get your big NordVPN discount: ⁠⁠⁠nordvpn.com/tfw⁠⁠⁠ Sort out expat finances with Odin Mortgage & Tax: ⁠⁠⁠odinmortgage.com/partner/the-final-word⁠⁠⁠ Maurice Blackburn Lawyers - fighting for the rights of workers since 1919: ⁠⁠⁠mauriceblackburn.com.au⁠⁠⁠ Get 10% off Glenn Maxwell's sunnies: ⁠⁠⁠t20vision.com/FINALWORD⁠⁠⁠ Save more, earn more—up to 4.22% AER (variable). Interest rates are tiered, with the top rate for balances over £1M. Each tiered rate applies to the portion within that range. New members get these rates free for 6 months; after that, your Tide plan’s rates apply. For full offer T&Cs visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tide.co/savings⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Claim £100 cash back (on a £5k deposit) at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tide.co/offers/tfw⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Find previous episodes at ⁠⁠⁠finalwordcricket.com⁠⁠⁠ Title track by ⁠⁠⁠Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Season 18, Episode 13: To those who question Kohli's place as a Test great because he didn't average enough or quite make enough career runs, it is fair to say we do not agree. And his old teammate Rohit Sharma went alright too. After moving away from the retiring Indian pair, we stay in that part of the world to review about a wild week off the field before returning to England for Australia's WTC selection squeeze and a thrilling county round. Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/thefinalword⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Tickets for our Wormsley match, August 18: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠uk.emma-live.com/WormsleyFinal2025⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to Wisden and never pay full price for the Almanack again: ⁠⁠⁠www.wisdenalmanack.com/subscribe We have 47 runners in the Edinburgh Marathon Festival. Donate to get us to our £30k fundraising target for The Lord's Taverners. ⁠⁠⁠ Get your big NordVPN discount: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠nordvpn.com/tfw⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Sort out expat finances with Odin Mortgage & Tax: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠odinmortgage.com/partner/the-final-word⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Maurice Blackburn Lawyers - fighting for the rights of workers since 1919: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠mauriceblackburn.com.au⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get 10% off Glenn Maxwell's sunnies: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠t20vision.com/FINALWORD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Save more, earn more—up to 4.22% AER (variable). Interest rates are tiered, with the top rate for balances over £1M. Each tiered rate applies to the portion within that range. New members get these rates free for 6 months; after that, your Tide plan’s rates apply. For full offer T&Cs visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tide.co/savings⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Claim £100 cash back (on a £5k deposit) at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tide.co/offers/tfw⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Find previous episodes at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠finalwordcricket.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Title track by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Season 18, Episode 12: Why did one of South Africa’s best, Kyle Abbott, pack in international cricket at the peak of his powers at age 29 in favour of going full-time as a county cricketer? It’s a question the big quick he’s been asked many times since 2017 when he arrived at Hampshire, from that point going on to become one of the most consistently excellent players on the circuit. A terrific person to spend an hour with, ahead of another round where he’s been at his most dominant. We thank him for his candour and honesty on a whole range of topics. Another top guest. Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at ⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/thefinalword⁠⁠⁠⁠ Tickets for our Wormsley match, August 18: ⁠⁠⁠⁠uk.emma-live.com/WormsleyFinal2025⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to Wisden and never pay full price for the Almanack again: ⁠⁠www.wisdenalmanack.com/subscribe We have 47 runners in the Edinburgh Marathon Festival.⁠ Donate to get us to our £30k fundraising target⁠ for The Lord's Taverners. ⁠ Get your big NordVPN discount: ⁠⁠⁠⁠nordvpn.com/tfw⁠⁠⁠⁠ Sort out expat finances with Odin Mortgage & Tax: ⁠⁠⁠⁠odinmortgage.com/partner/the-final-word⁠⁠⁠⁠ Maurice Blackburn Lawyers - fighting for the rights of workers since 1919: ⁠⁠⁠⁠mauriceblackburn.com.au⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get 10% off Glenn Maxwell's sunnies: ⁠⁠⁠⁠t20vision.com/FINALWORD⁠⁠⁠⁠ Save more, earn more—up to 4.22% AER (variable). Interest rates are tiered, with the top rate for balances over £1M. Each tiered rate applies to the portion within that range. New members get these rates free for 6 months; after that, your Tide plan’s rates apply. For full offer T&Cs visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tide.co/savings⁠⁠⁠⁠ Claim £100 cash back (on a £5k deposit) at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tide.co/offers/tfw⁠⁠⁠⁠ Find previous episodes at ⁠⁠⁠⁠finalwordcricket.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ Title track by ⁠⁠⁠⁠Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's Story Time, our walk through cricket history via your listener quiz challenges. This week, we find that sometimes when researching something else about cricket, the tangent becomes unstoppable. This is how we all come to learn about sugary butt juice. Let's go to school. Also this week, Adam retells a history that so many of us know but probably don't remember. Your Nerd Pledge numbers this week: 7.22 - Kate Cook 2.57 - Keir 6.09 - Helen Wilson & George Pearson 5.43 - Stephen Walsh 4.85 - Joel Emonsen Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at ⁠⁠patreon.com/thefinalword⁠⁠ Tickets for our Wormsley match, August 18: ⁠⁠uk.emma-live.com/WormsleyFinal2025⁠⁠ We have 47 runners in the Edinburgh Marathon Festival.⁠ Donate to get us to our £30k fundraising target⁠ for The Lord's Taverners. Get your big NordVPN discount: ⁠⁠nordvpn.com/tfw⁠⁠ Sort out expat finances with Odin Mortgage & Tax: ⁠⁠odinmortgage.com/partner/the-final-word⁠⁠ Maurice Blackburn Lawyers - fighting for the rights of workers since 1919: ⁠⁠mauriceblackburn.com.au⁠⁠ Get 10% off Glenn Maxwell's sunnies: ⁠⁠t20vision.com/FINALWORD⁠⁠ Save more, earn more—up to 4.48% AER (variable). Interest rates are tiered, with the top rate for balances over £1M. Each tiered rate applies to the portion within that range. New Tide members get these rates free for 6 months; after that, your Tide plan’s rates apply. For full offer T&Cs visit ⁠https://tide.co/savings⁠ Claim your £100 cash back (for a £5k deposit) at: ⁠https://tide.co/offers/tfw⁠ Find previous episodes at ⁠⁠finalwordcricket.com⁠⁠ Title track by ⁠⁠Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Over the years, Tim Wigmore has penned several superb books, and this might be his best yet. Joining Daniel Norcross at lunch during a recent Surrey game, he sat down to discuss the book he wrote because it is the one he would like to read – always a good place to start. From Test cricket’s conception, he maps the lot: scarcity and status, empire to expansion, racism and rivalries, existential angst to equipment. It’s underpinned by extensive interviews with some of the greatest to have ever done it, exploring the intrigue of a form of the game that we hold so dear yet would not emerge if it were invented today. Well done, Wiggo. Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at ⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/thefinalword⁠⁠⁠⁠ Buy Test Cricket, A History here. Tickets for our Wormsley match, August 18: ⁠⁠⁠⁠uk.emma-live.com/WormsleyFinal2025⁠⁠⁠⁠ We have 47 runners in the Edinburgh Marathon Festival.⁠⁠ Donate to get us to our £30k fundraising target⁠⁠ for The Lord's Taverners. Subscribe to Wisden and never pay full price for the Almanack again: ⁠⁠www.wisdenalmanack.com/subscribe⁠⁠ Get your big NordVPN discount: ⁠⁠⁠⁠nordvpn.com/tfw⁠⁠⁠⁠ Sort out expat finances with Odin Mortgage & Tax: ⁠⁠⁠⁠odinmortgage.com/partner/the-final-word⁠⁠⁠⁠ Maurice Blackburn Lawyers - fighting for the rights of workers since 1919: ⁠⁠⁠⁠mauriceblackburn.com.au⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get 10% off Glenn Maxwell's sunnies: ⁠⁠⁠⁠t20vision.com/FINALWORD⁠⁠⁠⁠ Save more, earn more—up to 4.48% AER (variable). Interest rates are tiered, with the top rate for balances over £1M. Each tiered rate applies to the portion within that range. New members get these rates free for 6 months; after that, your Tide plan’s rates apply. For full offer T&Cs visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tide.co/savings⁠⁠⁠⁠ Claim £100 cash back (on a £5k deposit) at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tide.co/offers/tfw⁠⁠⁠⁠ Find previous episodes at ⁠⁠⁠⁠finalwordcricket.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ Title track by ⁠⁠⁠⁠Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Season 18, Episode 11: A charged political atmosphere this week, with Australia's election having just taken place, while the ECB fold to the current campaign to push transgender people to the margins of society. Meanwhile, India and Pakistan tensions reach their highest level in years, with cricket relations sure to be further affected. Otherwise, Kagiso Rabada is back after a spell on the Plum Warners, Bangladesh level the Test series with Zimbabwe, and there's our county wrap plus IPL with Ben Jones. Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at ⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/thefinalword⁠⁠⁠ Tickets for our Wormsley match, August 18: ⁠⁠⁠uk.emma-live.com/WormsleyFinal2025⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to Wisden and never pay full price for the Almanack again: ⁠www.wisdenalmanack.com/subscribe Get your big NordVPN discount: ⁠⁠⁠nordvpn.com/tfw⁠⁠⁠ We have 47 runners in the Edinburgh Marathon Festival.⁠⁠ Donate to get us to our £30k fundraising target⁠⁠ for The Lord's Taverners. Sort out expat finances with Odin Mortgage & Tax: ⁠⁠⁠odinmortgage.com/partner/the-final-word⁠⁠⁠ Maurice Blackburn Lawyers - fighting for the rights of workers since 1919: ⁠⁠⁠mauriceblackburn.com.au⁠⁠⁠ Get 10% off Glenn Maxwell's sunnies: ⁠⁠⁠t20vision.com/FINALWORD⁠⁠⁠ Save more, earn more—up to 4.48% AER (variable). Interest rates are tiered, with the top rate for balances over £1M. Each tiered rate applies to the portion within that range. New members get these rates free for 6 months; after that, your Tide plan’s rates apply. For full offer T&Cs visit ⁠⁠⁠https://tide.co/savings⁠⁠⁠ Claim £100 cash back (on a £5k deposit) at: ⁠⁠⁠https://tide.co/offers/tfw⁠⁠⁠ Find previous episodes at ⁠⁠⁠finalwordcricket.com⁠⁠⁠ Title track by ⁠⁠⁠Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's Story Time, our walk through cricket history via your listener quiz challenges. This week, it's Daniel Norcross guest hosting, so he begins with a proverb to live by for running between the wickets. What exactly happened on Sandpaper Day? Adam tells the story from his vantage point in the radio box. Later, they move on to Steve Waugh's farewell, with Bharat slotting in to explain why it was someone else's final outing in Australia too - his cousin. Your Nerd Pledge numbers this week: 4.12 - Brendan Crabb 1.50 - Andrew Pelechaty 6.85 - Tom Bustin 1.80 - Indi Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at ⁠⁠patreon.com/thefinalword⁠⁠ Tickets for our Wormsley match, August 18: ⁠⁠uk.emma-live.com/WormsleyFinal2025⁠⁠ Subscribe to the Wisden Cricketers' Almanack and never pay RRP for it again: ⁠⁠www.wisdenalmanack.com/subscribe We have 47 runners in the Edinburgh Marathon Festival.⁠⁠ Donate to get us to our £30k fundraising target⁠⁠ for The Lord's Taverners. Get your big NordVPN discount: ⁠⁠nordvpn.com/tfw⁠⁠ Sort out expat finances with Odin Mortgage & Tax: ⁠⁠odinmortgage.com/partner/the-final-word⁠⁠ Maurice Blackburn Lawyers - fighting for the rights of workers since 1919: ⁠⁠mauriceblackburn.com.au⁠⁠ Get 10% off Glenn Maxwell's sunnies: ⁠⁠t20vision.com/FINALWORD⁠⁠ Save more, earn more—up to 4.48% AER (variable). Interest rates are tiered, with the top rate for balances over £1M. Each tiered rate applies to the portion within that range. New Tide members get these rates free for 6 months; after that, your Tide plan’s rates apply. For full offer T&Cs visit ⁠https://tide.co/savings⁠ Claim your £100 cash back (for a £5k deposit) at: ⁠https://tide.co/offers/tfw⁠ Find previous episodes at ⁠⁠finalwordcricket.com⁠⁠ Title track by ⁠⁠Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices