The Grade Cricketer

Budgy is backing us big time this English summer, get around them at budgysmuggler.com. Use the code 'goodareas' for free shipping (valid in both the UK and AUS). Get Shane Watson’s book, “Winning The Inner Battle”, at shanewatson.au Limited edition merch available: gradecricketer.com You get discounts, early access and an exclusive podcast every week when you sign up at patreon.com/gradecricketerEXTRA HOUR of AskTGC EVERY WEEK: https://patreon.com/gradecricketerSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We emerge from obstacles technical and travel to drag ourselves to the microphone for a late crack at the scenes from Lord’s. Danny Rood starts things off, before we pore over events legally, philosophically, sociologically, tribally, viscerally, clumsily, and in grade terms. Also, Stokes and Smith can play. Following a rare defeat at The Oval overnight, Alyssa Healy claims her team "is allowed to lose a game of cricket". Very interesting! Scotland look poised to hurdle the full-member only World Cup, and AskTGC ponders the real meaning of the Spirit of Cricket, as well as whether or not his question should have included some "cock stuff". Budgy is backing us big time this English summer, get around them at budgysmuggler.com. Use the code 'goodareas' for free shipping (valid in both the UK and AUS). Get Shane Watson’s book, “Winning The Inner Battle”, at shanewatson.au Limited edition merch available: gradecricketer.com You get discounts, early access and an exclusive podcast every week when you sign up at patreon.com/gradecricketerEXTRA HOUR of AskTGC EVERY WEEK: https://patreon.com/gradecricketerSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In lieu of our lost cast, here's an extended visceral minute post Lord's. Full cast out Thursday.EXTRA HOUR of AskTGC EVERY WEEK: https://patreon.com/gradecricketerSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We record this from The Oval in south London the day before The Lord's Test match, where anything can happen but one thing is for certain, this is very cult-like and we're having a nice time. Barney Ronay stops in to talk about the good things and the things we are allowed to question. What is tackles? What is Tongue? Speak in absolutes and with such certainty forever. Never change. Do push ups. We celebrate Ash Gardner's 12 wicket haul in the women's Test, the hopefully bright future of 5 day Tests for women and also if we'll accept anything other than a clean sweep. Nathan Lyon is about to embark on his 100th consecutive Test match for Australia, while England have already named their spinner-less 2nd Test starting XI. Why? There's other news about first pitches at The Olympic Stadium, West Indies failure in Zimbabwe, Netherlands' success and some other, more irreverent, stuff in-between.   Budgy is backing us big time this English summer, get around them at budgysmuggler.com. Use the code 'goodareas' for free shipping (valid in both the UK and AUS).   Get Shane Watson’s book, “Winning The Inner Battle”, at shanewatson.au   Limited edition merch available: gradecricketer.com   You get discounts, early access and an exclusive podcast every week when you sign up at patreon.com/gradecricketerEXTRA HOUR of AskTGC EVERY WEEK: https://patreon.com/gradecricketerSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We come to you direct from Manchester, basking in the afterglow of a podium Australian Test win in the modern era. We skin the cat as many ways as possible, chronicling the feelings 24 hours post victory, where it ranks, the game itself, and what next. Inside that we cover Cummins, Springsteen, Uzzie, Gaz, Stokes, Robinson, Ponting, KP, other names that make us feel things, and your Visceral Minutes.    We also preview the Women’s Ashes, where once again we threaten effigies should Australia not emerge with the full complement of points.    Budgy is backing us big time this English summer, get around them at budgysmuggler.com   Get Shane Watson’s book, “Winning The Inner Battle”, at shanewatson.au   Limited edition merch available: gradecricketer.com   You get discounts, early access and an exclusive podcast every week when you sign up at patreon.com/gradecricketerEXTRA HOUR of AskTGC EVERY WEEK: https://patreon.com/gradecricketerSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We are very proud and excited to announce our special guests who will join us on stage in the UK for our Ashes Live Show Tour. Some tickets are still available at: grade cricketer.com/live-shows Birmingham - 18 June - GLENN MAXWELL (Sold Out) Birmingham - 19 June - IAN BELL (**tickets available**) Manchester - 22 June - PHIL SALT (Sold Out) Leeds - 24 June - STEVE HARMISON (**tickets available**) London - 25 June - RICKY PONTING (**tickets available**) London - 26 June - GRAEME SWANN (Sold Out) London - 27 June - MICHAEL VAUGHAN (Sold Out) www.gradecricketer.com/live-shows Sign up to the Australian Cricket Family at cricket.com.au/acf before June 6 to get early bird discounts on tickets for the Aussie summer, with Pakistan, West Indies and South Africa all coming out. Budgy is backing us big time this English summer, get around them at budgysmuggler.com Limited edition merch available: gradecricketer.com Live show tickets available in Birmingham, Leeds and one London show: gradecricketer.com You get discounts, early access and an exclusive podcast every week when you sign up at patreon.com/gradecricketerEXTRA HOUR of AskTGC EVERY WEEK: https://patreon.com/gradecricketerSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We are very proud and excited to announce our special guests who will join us on stage in the UK for our Ashes Live Show Tour. Some tickets are still available at: grade cricketer.com/live-shows   Birmingham - 18 June - GLENN MAXWELL (Sold Out) Birmingham - 19 June - IAN BELL (**tickets available**) Manchester - 22 June - PHIL SALT (Sold Out) Leeds - 24 June - STEVE HARMISON (**tickets available**) London - 25 June - RICKY PONTING (**tickets available**) London - 26 & 27 June guests will be announced soon. These shows are already sold out.   www.gradecricketer.com/live-shows   Sign up to the Australian Cricket Family at cricket.com.au/acf before June 6 to get early bird discounts on tickets for the Aussie summer, with Pakistan, West Indies and South Africa all coming out. Budgy is backing us big time this English summer, get around them at budgysmuggler.com Limited edition merch available: gradecricketer.com Live show tickets available in Birmingham, Leeds and one London show: gradecricketer.com You get discounts, early access and an exclusive podcast every week when you sign up at patreon.com/gradecricketerEXTRA HOUR of AskTGC EVERY WEEK: https://patreon.com/gradecricketerSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A bit quiet in our niche cricket wheelhouses this week; almost like the schedule has been cleared to talk about one thing only. Anyway, Hazlewood is maybe getting fit, Jaiswal is in as a reserve, KL Rahul enjoyed himself, and Sabba made a tonne off 34 rocks. Oh, and the IPL Final was postponed 24 hours, and we recorded beforehand. On a serious note, Meg Lanning is out of the Ashes due to medical reasons and we wish her the best. ESPNCricinfo’s Alex Malcolm joins us for some good, earnest Ashes cricket chat, before AskTGC references Wisden, internet dickheads, Ian Bell masks, and crisps/chips.   Sign up to the Australian Cricket Family at cricket.com.au/acf before June 6 to get early bird discounts on tickets for the Aussie summer, with Pakistan, West Indies and South Africa all coming out. Budgy is backing us big time this English summer, get around them at budgysmuggler.com Limited edition merch available: gradecricketer.com Live show tickets available in Birmingham, Leeds and one London show: gradecricketer.com You get discounts, early access and an exclusive podcast every week when you sign up at patreon.com/gradecricketerEXTRA HOUR of AskTGC EVERY WEEK: https://patreon.com/gradecricketerSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Shubman Gill makes the statement of the IPL with the thirstiest of thirst traps. Have to respect the lighting. The Ashes is one week closer, so we guess what's going to happen with a few more hours of knowledge. Mitch Starc joins us from Sydney to give his insights into how the squad's golf game is looking. Tom Moody joins us from India to tell us what's going on in Indian cricket and if the IPL means we'll get more shirtless selfies and less Tests. And Phil Walker joins us from London to give us his hopes and fears ahead of the most important Ashes series since the last one. Sign up to the Australian Cricket Family at cricket.com.au/acf before June 6 to get early bird discounts on tickets for the Aussie summer, with Pakistan, West Indies and South Africa all coming out. Budgy is backing us big time this English summer, get around them at budgysmuggler.com Limited edition merch available: gradecricketer.com Live show tickets available in Birmingham, Leeds and one London show: gradecricketer.com You get discounts, early access and an exclusive podcast every week when you sign up at patreon.com/gradecricketerEXTRA HOUR of AskTGC EVERY WEEK: https://patreon.com/gradecricketerSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Ashes is upon us, and this time it really is The Ashes. Of cricket. Literally. The flaming, dying embers of the game as we know it, which then become actual ashes, followed by bulk bunce in Saudi Arabia or whatever. Nah, not really, because Stokesian captaincy and the Bazball revolution are here to Save Cricket, which if nothing else, permits the hosts early moral superiority points in the 8-week War Of Words which precedes the 6 week Test series. Also, Australia plays India for the actual championship of the thing, which when you think about it makes sense as a warm-up to the main event. The main event being a golf trip in Liverpool. Normal and good. In and around all that discussion is Barney Ronay and Adam Zampa. Onto more familiar matters – the schedule for Australia's home summer has been released with Pakistan, West Indies and South Africa all coming out. Cricket Australia is offering early bird discounts before June 6 - all you have to do is sign up to the Australian Cricket Family at cricket.com.au/acf. Happy to be offering discounts on bunce for a day out at the cricket. Get around it, and it, you. In a circular motion etc. We also talk IPL, ICC distributions, and the social and cultural undercurrents at play on the major existential matters facing cricket, according to two blokes off the Internet. An English cuck writes in for #AskTGC about God knows what in a story about France and a West Indian, and we finish with a visceral minute via “Ginger Century”, who makes a strange, potentially northern English, noise at the end. Can anyone tell us what that noise was? Not in a “secret sound” way – genuinely don’t know what the noise was. And of course you would take Faf’s rig, you TOW-TAL SLAG! Budgy is backing us big time this English summer, get around them at budgysmuggler.com Limited edition merch available: gradecricketer.com Live show tickets available in Melbourne, Birmingham, and one London show: gradecricketer.com You get discounts, early access and an exclusive podcast every week when you sign up at patreon.com/gradecricketerEXTRA HOUR of AskTGC EVERY WEEK: https://patreon.com/gradecricketerSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.