Test Match Special - CWC Day 5: Big game Pakistan flip the script to beat England

Episode Date: June 3, 2019

Well, well, well, Pakistan stun England in a major tournament once again. You'll hear from Michael Vaughan, Joe Root and Wahab Riaz on where the match was won and lost. Were there nerves in the England ranks? Sir Viv Richards drops by to explain what it's like to handle the pressure of being pre-tournament favourites. And Graeme Swann and Fazeer Mohammed have a bit of a ding dong over Mankadding.

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Cricket World Cup. This is the TMS podcast from BBC Radio 5 Live. There's a mix-up. Oh, there could be a run-out. There will be a run-out. It's a tie. Australia is in the final. Kevin O'Brien from nowhere has scored the fastest hundred in World Cup history. That's it. The West Indies have retained the title. And India have caused one of the greatest upsets in the history of all sports. It's all right. And England are out of the World Cup. That is absolute ignorance. Hello and welcome to the TMS podcast from Trent Bridge,

where Pakistan have produced a superb all-round performance to beat England. We've recorded two podcasts reacting to this match, so be sure to check out the Tuffus and Vaughn episode as well. Viv Richards coming up a little bit later on this one, talking about dealing with the pressure of being favourites at a World Cup, and we reignite the Mankad debate. The TMS podcast, at the Christmas podcast, cricket world cup.

Let's start with Pakistan and say well played. Absolutely. Because that was against the run of form and against all the expectation. And they can go back and feel very pleased with themselves. But, no word, England. They'll have known it at the interval. They've known they're up against it. The way they left the field, I'm afraid, showed much of that.

There wasn't much of the high fives and the clappings and the slaps on the back. They knew they'd been sloppy. They knew they'd made mistakes and they knew that that target 349 was going to take a lot of getting and so it's proved. Yeah, when you think England only lost by 14 it's remarkable with the fielding performance

that they put in. But full credit to Pakistan they're a fantastic cricket team to watch. You never know what you're going to get. But when they arrive and play like they have done today with the batting hand first and foremost and then they showed real skill with the ball. They've alled the right balls at the right time. Saffa's had a good day.

Good day behind the sticks as the captain, Shadab Khan's. We didn't see him in the one day series prior to the World Cup because he had that illness. You know, he's a wonderful young leg spin. And the tactic of bowling leg spin to Jason Roy and Johnny Berto. You know, that's working. So Jason Roy and Johnny Berso have got to do lots of practice against that because that's going to come on a regular occurrence throughout this World Cup.

Wahabria, the senior statesman brought back into the team, lots of pressure on him. He has to deliver and he did. did at the right time and a mere two for him again the left arm over option i just wonder how much of an effect that's going to have because they've got decent pace and got good cutters slowball bounces now i think pakistan's fielding was better than we saw in the series before still there's areas that they can improve their field in this world cups a lot that's the best best game of the tournament by a good distance for me yesterday was a good game but i felt today we had a bit of everything and england just just have to ask themselves the question of why you know

You know, why were they just off it, sent to swads? There was just little things that I noticed. The ball was going to long off and the ball was getting thrown in. There was a runout chance. And Owen Morgan's running from extra cover to get to the stumps.

The bowler wasn't getting to the stumps. You know, little things that I was spot. And that's not England, but I've been watching the last year. No, it wasn't. You know, they weren't on it as much as they have been. And they've got to answer that question. The good thing about this World Cup,

they've got seven more games in the group stages and a big, big game on Saturday against a very confident Bangladesh side. But anyone can drop a catch. But the one that Jason Roy dropped when Mohamed Aviz had 14, he went on to get 84. I mean, it was... Again, you don't see that, do you? No, you don't.

You don't see that from Jason Roy, a wonderful field. Just such a safe pair of hands. I don't think... I hate the word complacent because I'm sure England weren't complacent. They just had one of those three and a half hours. It was longer than that because Owen Morgan might be on the naughty step for it. But they just weren't on it. They just didn't seem to be that well-oiled operation that we've seen for such a long period of time.

When you look at the way that they fielded against South Africa, everything was spot on. Well, they were a lot short of that percentage-wise, and I guess it can happen. You can have an off day. The confidence and the positivity, you'd say, England came within 14 runs of beat in Pakistan. Pakistan probably played a game which was near the maximum,

you know, probably a nine-and-half out of ten performance, nine out of ten England's performance with a bat, very, very strong with the ball poor, with the fielding very poor. You know, that was a six out of ten, probably five and a half out of ten performance, but yet the only just lost by 14. So there's the positive. They can have days where they're nowhere near the best,

but still they can get very close to a Pakistan side. If Morgan is suspended, for sure, but if he is suspended, you know, that's Bangladesh and West Indies. Games that England have to win. They've got to be beating those two, and suddenly the captain's not there. Again, it's one of those things that... There's some clarification here. Over-eight bans, I thought they were, a white clean ahead of the World Cup.

Two minor offences is a one-match suspension, a serious offence, as per the regular 50-over international playing conditions, is a two-match ban. So it's going to come down to the match referee to decide how this works, isn't it? But, I mean, they were a long time over there, Andy. It's supposed to be three and a half hours. and what is about I think it was about 20 minutes over wasn't it there will be bits of bits and pieces of time added in there but it's up to the one thing for sure he's going to be on the noughty step

yes you know whether he misses games I doubt that but certainly if he does the same in the next game or the game after you know he don't want to get to the stage of potentially making the semi-finals no and then all of a sudden you know his over-ach has been so bad he's going to miss the semifinals Mohammed ophiz is about the match he's got a wing commander must stars. I like that. It's got a little bit of product in there. It's all turned at the top. It's like that, like Dick Dastardly. Rabidja of India. Very similar.

Yes, it is. But, you know, it's up to match referees. It's up to Jeff Crowe to decide whether 20 minutes, I suppose. Well, I think that's an indication of how England weren't on it in the field. Totally. You know, you're over-raid, getting around, putting around, making sure that everyone's in the right place. They know they should be in certain places, certain ballers, a well-awed operation, which England are in the field. Yeah, that's an indication that England just weren't quite. on it out there in the middle.

Well, it is. It just absolutely sums it up. Well played, Hafiz. That was a really good innings from him. It just shows, doesn't it? If you do make a change, it was only one, it was, you know,

wood for Plunkett. He'd be bold all right. No, I'm with you, and I was surprised they made the change. The other thing, I just wonder if teams now, we're just looking at the last two games, bat first, get a score, defend.

These drier wickets, You know, if you bat first and you're going and get it, 3.30 yesterday, Bangladesh defended it. Pakistan today, 348, defended it. Will we see a little sway in the competition mindset of all the captains that, you know, I know a lot of them, they love to know what the chasing in the afternoon. They feel that they can chase, and of course you can. They've got batting right down to number 10-11. But I just think there's the tournament and the pressure, the pressure of a chase with a batting hand.

We've seen it. Seeing it today. We saw it yesterday. we saw it in the first game South Africa chasing that score of 311 against England at the Oval I just wonder if we'll see a little change in the way that teams play

and make the decisions at the toss. Let's join Eleanor Aldroyd who's with Joe Reed. Yes, Joe, first Centurion at this cricket world cup but in a losing cause, mixed feelings tonight. No, very disappointed if I'm being honest I think one thing that we've got to make sure we don't do is panic and go away from what we've been so successful

from for a long period of time I think that's going to be really important going forward. I think credit to Pakistan, they played some really good stuff. I thought it was a great game of cricket. And we probably just left a little bit too much to do at the end. That's probably my fault more than anyone's. What worried you most about the performance overall as a group? I don't think too much of worry.

But I think, as I say, Credit to Pakistan, they took regular wickets, took early wickets, and felt like we had to sort of build a partnership, lay a foundation where we could really have a go at the me end. It's such a difficult ground to... to defend at the back end if you've got wickets in hand and unfortunately we just kept losing them at the wrong time.

So something to learn, something to take forward into the tournament and the good thing from my point of view and from the guy's point of view is that we've by nowhere near played our best cricket throughout these two games. So, you know, with that still to come, feel like we're in a pretty good place.

If you're going to lose a game in this round, Robin, is it a good idea to get it out of the way early? Yeah, there's never a. a good time to lose a game. I think the good thing about this format is you do have more opportunities to put that to bed and then to get on a bit of a role or whatever. But at the end of nine games, the best four sides will be at the top and whoever's played the best cricket throughout the tournament. So we've got some really hard work to do. We knew that this game was going to always be difficult, especially after the way they played in the first game, and they were always going

to come back strong. So I think we've just got to be realistic about things. not be too knee-jerk in how we approach the next game and continue to stick to what we know is a really good formula for this group of players. Thanks ever so much, Joe. Well done, but commiserations at the same time. Cheers, thank you very much. Thanks to Joe Root for coming out there.

We didn't really talk about England's performance in the field. I think that's where we look back and that was where England got one stuck today. Yeah, and not quite as good as we saw again in South Africa with the ball in hand either, but it's the field in the field in certainly cost England 30 or 40 runs, you know, chasing 300. 10 on that wicket.

You'd fancy England to stroll to that target. But full credit, Pakistan. I mean, you just look at the support that they've had here, the atmosphere that's been created. You know, I saw it yesterday at the Oval with the Bangladeshi support. I think we are in for a fantastic tournament because of the support for all the different teams and it's going to be close.

There's no team, really. I know England, the number one team in the world, but you can't tell me that they're so much better than the likes of India, Australia, West Indies, Pakistan. and I think we're going right to the wire. The TMS podcast, available every day during the Cricket World Cup. Okay, Michael, thanks for, indeed. We'll get some statistical reflections from Andy Zaltzwin in a moment,

who's alongside me. But first, let's get some Pakistan reaction. And Wahab Riyaz is with Eleanor Aldroyd. Wahab Riyaz, congratulations on a big win. This must feel so good after such a long run of defeats for this Pakistan team. Yes, definitely. Winning is always good, and obviously, the way we played the last game

the guys were very upset and I think hats off to everybody in the dressing room plus the team the way they have performed and played today they played like the Tigers and we really done well to win this game yeah to go from 105 all out just three days ago what did you do particularly to turn this around

you think it was just the self-belief these guys had everybody was really upset of what has happened against the game against West Indie so they had that self-believe and they wanted to do good and that's why we played really well today. And this England team on a ground which they like, number one ranked team in the world, this is going to give you a huge boost for the rest of the competition. Yes, obviously it's going to be a big confidence booster for us. We know that England is one of

the best teams in the world and you cannot neglect that team. They can come back at any time and we have seen that in the past as well. But I think the plans really work today. The executions were there. And I think we were successful in what our plans were. And we really done well to do that good. Of course, two years ago in the Champions Trophy, you were heavily beaten in your first game and went on to win the Cup. Do you think you can do it again this time?

We are very hopeful. We can do good. We have that ability to win the games at any situation. We have match winners. And the way we have played in the Champions Trophy, we want to play better and good cricket than that in the World Cup to win this World Cup.

And what a fabulous support you've had here today. Amazing. Playing like in playing UK is the second home for us. The crowd was really good. here, very supportive and a lot of people come to cheer you up so it's always lovely to play in the UK. Well good old Wahab he picked up, what, three wickets, a couple

of catches. It's all a bit bizarre Andy that he's here at all, isn't it? It is. He'd not played a one day international before this World Cup since getting absolutely pasted by the Indian batsman in the Champions Trophy in 2017 and in his last, most recent three

innings in England including the brief innings against West Indies the other day. He'd conceded 237 I think in 22 overs and not taken a wicket. And he's been one of the key players today. And before his recall, I mean, he'd bode well in the last World Cup,

but he'd taken nine wickets in his last 15 one-day internationals at an average of close to 90. And Mohammed Amir also was brilliant in the Champions Trophy since then. He'd taken five wickets in 14 matches, and he now has five in the first two games of the World Cup. So once again with Pakistan's and big players are coming up trumps. I was at Marwab. Otherwise, I'd like Riaz. He's got some spirit, isn't he?

He has a lot of spirit, and he clearly had not given up on his dream of playing for Pakistan. There's an article on Crick Info, which quoted him saying, I even had dreams. I was meeting Mickey Arthur and Safraz Ahmad, and sometimes they would pick me and reject me at other times. I had a dream that In Zamammal Hat gave me a call and told me I've been selected, and this is my last chance. It was exactly how it happened when I was called and told about the decision. It's a lovely little little...

Well, Vignette, and you see the kind of personal stories of these players and the passion. I mean, World Cup means everything, doesn't it? Anything else knocking about stats-wise, things that have intrigued you today? Well, that broke England's run of 17 consecutive successful chases at home, dating back three years. Pakistan had lost their last 11 one-day internationals in a row, and since the start of 2018, had won only 4 of 26 against top 10 opposition. from England's bowling point of view it's the sixth time

they've conceded 340 or more this year they'd only done so seven times since the last World Cup they're going at 6.56 and over with the ball this year. Their most expensive year before that was 2017 5.77 so that's clearly a bit of an issue for this England team for all the brilliance of their batting. It's fun enough, I remember a friend of mine saying

three or four weeks ago they always have a composite team don't you at the end of the World Cup someone sits down and picks it. He said to me, we'll have three, maybe four, possibly batsmen in that composite team. He said, I wonder how many bowlers we'll have. Quite interesting, isn't it? Because they are expensive.

And I think, clearly, we know, England do rely on their batting so much. It'd be interesting to see what the answer to that one is. Yes, and, well, we've talked a lot about how important Chris Works has been for this team with early wickets. He's fell to strike in his opening spells in the first two games. Adil Rashid, has been England's top wicketaker since the last. World Cup. He's not a start of the tournament particularly well either. From the batting point of view, England have become the first

team to lose a World Cup match after scoring two centuries and this overall was the second highest scoring World Cup match ever. Your fingers have been flurrying over that keyboard, haven't they? Well done. Brilliant. We've had some England reaction. Let's get some more from Eleanor Aldroyd who's

been in the mixed zone. Mark Wood, very strange feeling. You're not used to losing, are you in these circumstances? But what went wrong today, do you think? I don't think we fielded very well. I think we're given too many runs for our standard. We don't tend to get too high when we win, so let's not get too low when we lose,

and it's a long tournament. Just a disappointing result. It's hard to put a real finger on it, apart from, I don't think we're outfielded by Pakistan. So bowling and batten, I think, was quite even. We had two guys that get hundreds, so that's a positive. And we managed to get nine wickets.

So if it comes down with the small things, I think our field and cost with 20 runs and that's a big difference in one day international critic especially when the ball flies everywhere we pride ourselves on our field and I think that's probably the most disappointing bit anyway at all that you were complacent

you saw what West Indies did to Pakistan did here three days ago you started obviously quite well you've been on such a good run of form any complacency there I don't think we're a complacent side I don't think Morgs would let that happen I don't think he would allow it to take

the opposition lightly Chris Wokes' feeling was all right so I guess he'll do less than field and practice and everyone else might have to do a little bit more but I don't think complacent no I just think we didn't perform as well as we can and that was really disappointing

because we practice a lot in training and we do things at 100% so to try and keep a game intensity maybe it was just one of those days where things didn't quite click for us in the field and we need to address that before the next game I've got a few days between now and next Friday

when you're all going to be training down in Cardiff for the next game against Bangladesh. What do you think you'll be doing in the meantime? Any extra training, do you think? No, I think the normal training sessions will be there. I think the two days that we're not doing, I think it will just be complete days off. I think although we're bitterly disappointed now,

it can be good to get away from cricket and not think about it, so we'll come to the next game fresh and hungry to go again. Like I say, what work ethic and training is always at 100 miles an hour, 100%. so I think to have a couple of days cool off reflect and start again and a couple of days time will do us good

not a nice feeling this is it is the kind of thing that you take to motivate you for the rest of the tournament definitely I don't like this feeling in Pakistan I've done more over twice now in competitions of the Champions of the Champions trophy and then here at the day so I guess we might

owe them one later in the competition hopefully The TMS podcast at the Cricket World Cup Well we heard from a very dispirited to Atif Nawaz on the pod after Pakistan's defeat to the West Indies. But he certainly enjoyed the final stages of this one, and he's been chatting with Charles Dagnall. Well, Atif, what a victory for Pakistan, tense throughout that run chase for England. What was your mental states and your physical states going through that run chase?

I just looked at my pedometer on my watch, and I've done more steps today than I've done at any stage over the course of 2019. It was pretty terrifying for a while, particularly when that partnership between Joe Root and Joss Butler was going. even after Joe Root was dismissed Josh Butler is just such a ferocious beast like he just looks invincible and it just took one moment of brilliant to slow a ball, the courage it takes to ball

a slower ball at a batsman that can dismantle you from Muhammad Amir and the fielder to hold the catch I mean that was the moment that things swung but even then mate I was still pretty dense not going to lie the thing is is that England the Pakistan are in a trough I mean they're really you know they've lost their last

11 no one was expecting them especially here at Trent Bridge where England are so dominant but when tournament cricket comes around Pakistan are a completely different animal I don't know what it is about this tournament in particular but the fans who attended on Friday and watched Pakistan get dismantled

so comfortably by the West Indies with all that short pitch bowling and stuff I mean it's really bizarre but I think they came into this match with a bit more expectation I don't think they expected to beat England England is the single best team in the world right now nobody is going to dispute that

but they expected a better performance for them to show more just to turn up and not fold, right? Which they did with the bat. Well, the batsman contributed. The openers got them off to a good start. We saw people getting 50s and, you know, really sort of contributing, proving their worth and showing their heart and the fact that they're here to perform and to be seen and to make

an impression. Those two bowlers, Wahab Riyaz, Mohammed Amir, weren't in the original 15 for the World Cup Preliminary Squad. They then, you know, after the series against England, they had to make some changes. Amir had chicken pox in that series and then was selected. Weirdly became a better player being out. of the side than he was in it after that one day series, but

is those little bits of experience, those magic touch players, which actually can be the difference between victory and defeat? Absolutely, I mean, Mohammed Amir in particular is a player that's been there. He was there when Pakistan won the World T20, 2009. He was there when Pakistan won the Champions Trophy, and he contributed massively to both of those

campaigns. That kind of experience can't be replicated, and of course you've got very exciting talents. You know, people like Shaheen, Afridi, and you know, Hassan Ali, a lot of these guys who are playing and in and out of the squad, and even Hassanen, who's very young and very quick, that kind of experience that Amir has to perform under pressure with a huge crowd like there was here at Trent Bridge, with the context of having just been smashed by the West Indies,

this game being as close to must-winners as possible at this early stage in the tournament. I mean, like, that really comes through, that experience. And Wahabria is much of the same. I think Pakistan knew that they were missing a lot of experience from this team. They've only got Shoa Malk and Mohamed Afiz in the batting lineup. And, of course, they've got Mahmada Amir and Wahabria, so they're by default, these four, Hafiz, Shoeb, Amir and Wahab Riyahs, they're the four experienced players in the team.

I think there's no coincidence that all four of them contributed, well, maybe less so shower, but he was there and he was definitely involved in the chats towards the end. But they were all contributing to the team's performance today, keeping the Moraha, keeping people calm, not getting too carried away towards the end when things got a bit tense.

That's a valuable addition to have in your squad. So how will you and the rest of the Pakistan support around Trent Bridge and across the country, how are you trying to relax after that, sort of energy sapping defensive bowling performance? It was very much energy sapping. I'm going to take a breath for a start.

I'm going to do that. And it'll be a much more pleasant drive home from Nottingham to London. I promise you knowing that they've won the game. But also, I mean, much of the country, Muslims across the country, a lot of Pakistanis will be celebrating Eid. So that's a nice time for this win to come.

And also, it's Wasee Makram's birthday today, which is borderline a national holiday in Pakistan. It is, and it should be. And so I think loads of reasons for Pakistanis to celebrate. I think there'll be a lot of food, you know, a lot of chanting. You'll definitely hear Dil Del Pakistan seven or eight more times today. I know you probably had your fill of it, but if they continue to perform like this, we better get used to hearing it.

Well, that's Charles Dagnall talking to Artif Nowaz from the Ducera podcast. Certainly said a little more cheerful than was on Friday when Pakistan had that hammering by the West Indies. It's amazing, isn't it, how these things can turn around, have almost identical teams can turn up. Muhammad Hafiz excellent 84 today One of the older boys in the tournament dropped horrible chance of Jason Roy's when he had only 14th moments like that

I'm sure that England would look back or they're going to have to I'm afraid and really analysed where their fielding went wrong What else have you got and you've been digging out there Well Hafiz became the third player aged 38 or more to make 80 plus in a world cut match Okay that's good And Sherwood Malik aged 37

He picked up a wicket as well and it's the first time in the history of World Cup cricket that two bowlers aged 37 or more have taken wickets for a top eight ranked Mason. Is it getting as desperate as that? I think it's time we heard from Viv Richards, Frank. Thank you, us indeed, Andy, so that's excellent. Well, look, if you sense a little bit of anxiety

in the England body language today, yeah, well, we all did, I think. Is it possibly the pressures of being tournament favourites? well, Sir Viv Richards. It was a member of two West Indian sides that won World Cups and another that then lost the final when well fancied. We had a little swag about us in terms of

that we felt that we were good enough to beat anyone, but that was all part of the past itself. That belief sometimes got to be transferred when you get out into the middle. You had great support in those days too, didn't you? There was West Indian crowds blowing the whistles and clanking the cans.

I mean, did that help? It was to me like a family occasion. Yes. Everyone used to come from all over the country itself and where it's Manchester, Leeds, London. And you could see the buses sometimes. We passed them on the motorway at times. And when they would see the west of this bus pass,

and everyone would be people saying hi. And it was just a magnificent occasion. And I was just happy to be part of such a magnificent time. And you were still being favourites in 83, but when India pulled off that was a pretty short, Well, it was a shock result in the final, wasn't it? How did that feel? It was because what we would have achieved,

everyone felt that we were invincible. But it goes to show you that regardless of how strong you are on paper, that's where it's played in the middle. You've got to still get the results out in the middle. And India, you've got to get them credit because they did beat us in one of the preliminary rounds and to accomplish that to go even one step further in the final. You know, you've got to say well done to a team, in my opinion, who wasn't fancied to win.

Yeah. Now, you've seen the West Indies, quite a lot of them recently as well, and you were here the other day watching them demolish Pakistan. What do you make of their prospects, Vib? Oh, man, I love this. I saw, what I saw against Pakistan to mean, just the length in which they were ball. Because it wasn't because they were big, physically looking guys, you know, who were punching it halfway down the track and ballooning over folks' head. these balls were pretty much directed

in terms of where I think every fast bowler should be looking to when he's looking to go short and they looked very impressive I felt the length that they ball and the individual who would have set that sort of pattern

was an individual who was out for a little while in terms of the IPL and all that sort of stuff, Andre Russell and he just sort of set the tone You're slippery, isn't it? Yeah, you just sort of set the tone for the other guys to follow Yeah, so have you got hopes for them

you think they can go all the way and I think when I saw a young Hetmaier I think Puran is going to be a magnificent player young shy hope in my opinion he's looking a world-class player now Hetmaier's yet still we all know of his ability but I just believe there's some talent there and this World Cup we could just see

some of that stuff unearthed it's a word about Chris Gale in his last tournament but I mean he stands there now wields that enormous bat doesn't he's extraordinary player well I guess he's not as most as he should be. He's not as fish as he should be in the past. But I think now with him being in the twilight zone of his particular career, that they're going to just tell him, hey, we'll bat around you in a sense.

You go and just do your own thing. We know how powerful you are. You try and get yourself to the best start that is possible. And I think he's capable of doing that. So long as he remains fit, I just believe that stands and deliver. That is what Chris Gale is all about. And I think we could be seeing a lot of that at this tournament. Lovely to chat to Sir Vivian Richards And yes, Chris Gail and West Indies

Look like it could be a major force at this World Cup Their next match should be a belter as well That's against Australia here At Trent Bridge on Thursday With a nice looking weather forecast too Tomorrow is Afghanistan against Sri Lanka in Cardiff Wednesday there's a double header South Africa against India

Their first outing of course Followed by Bangladesh against New Zealand Every game in the World Cup is live on test match special With in-play video highlights Now we have been challenging people, Andy, have we not doing this podcast, to get in touch from sort of unusual, uncricketing-like places around the world that they're listening to this podcast.

So we'll have a bit of funny, but we can breathe them out alternatively, can't be? Paul Cedric Smith, I'm an expat. I'm living in Indonesia on a small island called Batam near Singapore. So that's an unlikely place. I'm off on holiday on Wednesday to the US for three weeks, riding Harle is on Route 66 from Chicago and L.A., then Route 1 to San Francisco will be listening from there as well.

Fantastic. Have you done Route 66? I haven't, but that's Joe Root shirt number, isn't it? It is, indeed. This comes from Tom Teboway. I'm loving the podcast from the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, which I don't think has ever seen Stumps, pads, or even a long-lost ball from a big Chris girl. I can't believe Charles Darwin

went all the way to the Galapagas Island and did not play cricket. Didn't take his bat with him? Must have done, surely. Well, I'd be disappointed if he didn't. Nonetheless, I've been recreating Ben Stokes' catch rights, Tom, in the sea. And that's probably quite a safe place to do it. So if you try and do it, you know, at home, you could easily, you know, either knock out your television or dislocate a shoulder.

I'm not sure what lurks in the sea around the Galapagos Islands, though. There's rather nasty creatures in there. Oh, turtles. Oh, well, right, isn't it? Probably all right, aren't they? Yeah. Any, well worth it so far, says Tom T-bate. I'm going to read the next one.

They'll never see why I'm going to leave the last one. Wayne Robertson's running around Uluru. airs rock to others in Central Australia while listening to your latest podcast, maybe not the most remote place on earth anymore but during the course of this World Cup. You'll keep me company in various parts of Australia and New Zealand

where I work as a tour guide. My holidays start in mid-June and I'll be listening, it's a show-off, in Japan, Thailand, UAE, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Greece, Bulgaria and Romania before arriving in England

to try and catch a live game. That is travelling. You're going to do the last one. Angus Richardson. Greetings from Kazakhstan. Not a traditional cricketing party. One of the very few nations in the world that Mohammed Nabby of Afghanistan has not played against.

It is. You might find a few more in a moment as well. My friend Ollie and I are cycling to Silk Road, a journey across Asia from Beijing to Istanbul, covering at least 12,000 kilometres. Our journey so far has taken across the Gobi Desert, the Mongolian steppe, the mountainous, Altai Republic, and we are now in Kazakhstan.

So far, we have listened to the TMS podcast in, brace yourselves, China, Mongolia, Russia, Kazakhstan, and we'll continue to listen through Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan. So I'm glad you went for that, because I have no idea how you pronounce that one. Kyrgyzstan, I think, let's go with that. Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey, a total of 10 countries over four months. We may be many miles away, right, tangus, but the podcast makes us feel that we're never too far away from home. This was particularly useful in the Gobi Desert when battling 60 km-hour headwinds, sandstorms,

and with only the occasional camel to keep us company. Maybe that's something that could be brought into, to give the bowl. there's more of a chance in the modern white ball game just a machine that can create 60 kilometre an hour headwinds, give me of extra speed. Well, it would. Okay, well that's fantastic. Again, we've got some well-traveled listeners, haven't we. Well done, everyone. And you know what to do? Give us a shout

from wherever you're listening. As long as they're fairly unusual, it's unusual ones than that last one. I'm sorry I gave you that. I took one glance at it. I thought, I can't even go for that. So let us know where you are. TMS at BBC.co. com.uk. And if you put podcast in the title, then we'll know that that's what it's

all about. Now, we're going to end the podcast with something that came up in commentary earlier with things getting a little bit heated in the commentary box. Has Hafizel has a look carefully. Oh, stop it. It's part of the game. What's wrong with that? Come on. There's nothing

wrong with that. Absolutely. Oh, detest a man cat. Detest it. What's wrong with it? What is wrong with the bowler doing what is perfectly permitted in the game? It's antagonistic. It's just not cricket. Why is it not cricket? I don't know.

What makes it not cricket? It's okay for a captain to slow the game down when he's losing, and that's all part of the game. But it's wrong for a bowler to run out a batsman who's taking an unfair advantage? If someone's trying to sprint out the crease and take an unfair advantage, Ben Stokes was walking very, his feet weren't even out of the crease there. We will fall out over this, and I don't want to fall out. Our first fight could be a big one.

I'm happy to fall out for this one because the mere fact that it's called a man card is wrong because it is a bowler's run-out. There's nothing wrong with it. Absolutely nothing wrong with a bowler. Why then do you throw to a batsman who's a slow runner who's got an injury? Isn't that unsportsman-like? Why do you target him if it is that he can't complete the run and he's hobbling? I just think it's like cuddling your sister.

It's not illegal, but you shouldn't do it. It's rewriting the rules to suit yourself. It just leaves a horrible sour taste in everyone's mouth. If I caught my son doing it, I'd march on the field and run. There's nothing wrong with it. Even what you all continue to call a man card, as Don Bradman said, there was absolutely nothing wrong with it. You're not going to drag me into this.

I'm dragging you into it, kicking and screaming. There is nothing foul about a bowler affecting the runout at the non-strikes. If someone's desperately trying to sprint and steal ground. It has nothing to do with desperation. It is part of the game. If you've got a batsman who is taking an unfair advantage, whether it's five feet or five millimeters, it's still the bowler's right to effect the runout.

Never mind what pretends morality you try to bring to it. Well, it's still a part of the game. Don't you question my morality, young man. I just don't like it myself. It leaves a sickening taste in everyone's mouth. Can you deny that it leaves a sickening taste in everyone's mouth, apart from yours? It leaves no taste in my mouth whatsoever other than a wicket.

For Ruta, actually, telegraph that, you know, they're worried that this is going to be an issue in the World Cup after Josh Butler was done in. at the IPL, come on, it is part of the game. You either have it as part of the game and you allow the bowler to exercise it or you say it's not part of the game and you rule it out. Well, I'd say it's not part of the game,

rule it out personally. What I'd like to see is, the same technology for no balls, use that to determine if someone's out of their crease when the ball lets go. The passman's not allowed to leave the crease until the ball's been let go, and if he does, the run doesn't count.

The run doesn't count. He's a legitimate target. So they run three. If you leave the Christmas, scored off that ball does not count. That would cut it out so quickly. I think the spirit of cricket is a very important thing, personally, and I think it goes completely against it.

Seems underhand. I think too many people have down too many spirits of the alcoholic variety to talk that sort of nonsense about that being against the spirit of the game. A batsman is cheating. This discussion is going to have to continue at another time because I suspect the more civilized discourse will take place. I'm packing my things and going to my mother's. With Isha Gouha, I take it over.

Can we complete the discussion over? 12, 3 minute rounds under the Marcus of Queensbury rules? Yes. No, there are rules in boxing, that's the thing. You punch below the bell. I bet Faddeu would be all in for that in a nasty underhand advantage. This is Owen Morgan.

Thanks for listening to the TMS podcast at the Cricket World Cup. There will be a new episode each day throughout the tournament. So make sure you subscribe via your usual podcast app or via BBC Sounds, where you can also hear commentary of every ball of the tournament. You can also email the team, TMS at BBC. dot co. UK put podcast in the title.