Test Match Special - Good Pace for Radio: Ep 7. “World Cup reflections and Pakistan preparation”

Episode Date: November 28, 2022

Tymal Mills and Mark Wood return after a short break to take a considered look back on England’s T20 World Cup win. What were the celebrations really like in Melbourne? Plus Woody is already on another tour and looks ahead to a historic Test series in Pakistan.

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for radio, the podcast from Inside the England squad with Tammal Mills and Mark Wood. Hello, welcome back again. Sorry, it's been a bit of time, but this is the final episode, I'm afraid to say, for now at least, of good pace for radio with me, Tamar Mills. And me, Mark Wood, and we're World Cup winners. How good? How good does that sound? Oh, amazing. I'm still not somebody in yet, I reckon, totally. It's, What a feeling. Is it for you?

Yeah, it's a strange one, is it? It's been two weeks now. So we're two weeks, just two weeks yesterday, I think, since the final. An awful lot has happened. We'll, of course, get into the final. We'll chat about that day, that night and the days and the days since. We'll look a bit forward as well to what we've both got coming up. And, yeah, what have you been up to since you've got home, mate?

Obviously, I said, it's been a couple of weeks. We had a lot going on. We would have liked to have, you know, jumped on a podcast sooner. But, yeah, what have you been doing since that night? And where are you right now? So we jumped on a flight after, I think the day after the final, was straight back home, tried to get over a jetlight for a couple of days

and literally just spent time with the family. I didn't do too much. Obviously, I had that little niggle from the Sri Lanka game. So just basically spent time at home. Went to see my granddad, took my medal to show him. You know, saw my family, showed them the medal and so far. I've got all the shirts now hanging up, ready to be framed. So amazing feeling.

I was in the car with Sarah and I was like, like we were driving up into the countryside in Northumber and obviously there's not a lot there. It's just hills and, you know, scenery, it's lovely. But I was just like,

I turned around to say, can you believe like, what were the world champions? Like, when I was looking around, you think of the whole world and, you know, the massive cricket nations of that and I was driving through Northumber

and looking around at like a Northumbery mountain goat and I'm like, did your family pick you up from the airport? Were they there meeting you when you got off, when you came home from? through the terminal. No, so we, I flew into Manchester, not Newcastle.

I got a car up from Manchester to home. Okay. We told my son that we were coming in, all that I was coming in. And, yeah, it was a lovely feeling when you opened the door and he came running over. So, yeah, amazing. How was your experience? How was, I was a family mate? Yeah.

You had my son for the first time. What's going on? Yeah, I'm straight into dad life now. I haven't slept since getting home, all the little things you forget about. But yeah, it was brilliant. mate. You want to tell everyone, tell everyone what you did after the final? Yeah, well, we'll get into the night itself.

But, yeah, I was on to what, the match finished at, what, half nine, 10 o'clock at night in Melbourne. And, yeah, I was on the 6.30 a.m. flight out of Melbourne. So, yeah, I didn't obviously sleep that night, powered straight through. And then, yeah, it was one of those, it was tough to leave because obviously we're having a great night and I know the boys kind of kicked on again the next day. but yeah obviously I had the little fella at home I needed to get back to so was on yeah the first flight out of Melbourne that that next day so yeah flew home same like you tried to kind of not let jet lag affect me too much but that being said my even if I was even if I had the world's worst jet lag my missus would not have cared a single single bit I was um obviously I missed the first three weeks of kind of dad life and yeah I'm certainly I'm making up for lost time but it's great yeah as you say same as you's great to see the kids and get back to doing those bits again

and then yeah looking forward to the rest of the winter so where's your medal tea where have you put it is it so much special or did you show the kids straight away have you kept it you know someone nice I got it right here what are you on

very good radio this but we're I'm in my little kind of study area now I've got my got it in its box right here I've got one of the sign shirts here as well so like you I'm going to get them all framed up and be up on the wall with a few other shirts that I've got up in this room.

That looks shiny, doesn't it? It still looks shiny. I've been rubbing it every night, been breathing on it. But yeah, obviously, apologies to everybody, as you said, we haven't been in chance to get back and do this sooner.

We've had a lot going on. Obviously, Woody's only had a week at home who before going out to Pakistan, he's obviously got a test series. I'm getting ready to go to the Big Bash next week. But yeah, we're going to get into it on. We're going to look back on kind of maybe the the day of, the morning of, the game itself, and then obviously after.

Let's talk about maybe, let's start off on not as nice to know, I guess. Obviously, as you mentioned earlier, you missed the semi-final due to injury and, you know, it was always going to be touch and go whether you were going to be fit for the final. From my opinion, speaking to you in those first few days, I didn't think you'd be fit for the final for the way that, you know, from obviously watching how you were moving, how you were talking, but you seem to kind of progress, you know, really quickly, didn't you? And that day before, that day before the final, you obviously came to the nets and you had to build it up and see where you could get to and you looked really good. Do you want to talk us through kind of how

that process went and then kind of obviously you ended up not getting the nod to play. Yeah, I think you, I mean, you've sung that up well to you. I think, you know, I wasn't moving great. I was struggling with anything to do with stretching my leg, like almost like in a lunch position or anything walking or running because my leg would go behind me and that would stretch my hip flexer. But it was just, I don't know, the physio had come up with a technique

where he'd taped my hip and sort of like a nappy-styled like it had gone under my leg round the side of my bum over my waistline and back round. So it was like a big sort of thick, taped nappy around my waist. And that took some of the pressure off.

And when I was bowling, I was expecting it, of course, to be, you know, this isn't right. It's an easy decision. But actually, I got through my sprinting pretty good. And I thought, well, there's a chance. And then I went to the nets and I bowled. I was only meant to bowl 50% that day with a chance of bowling the day of the final to then, you know, put my name in the hat of play. I was bowling 50%. I thought, well, this is fine.

So then I went up to 60%, 70%, 80%. And I was like, this doesn't actually feel bad. I think I could play here. And the physios stopped me there. I said, right, 80% that's enough for today because we don't want to overstretching. You'd be waking up so tomorrow if there's a chance that you might play. So everything's good.

I'm getting sorted in the dressing room. And then Motty and Joss pulled me and say, look, go have a quick chat. It starts off with how does it feel? You know, I'm saying horrible chats, aren't they? I've been there as well there. Because obviously, you want to play. So you don't. you're not going to say to the coach,

no, unless you know, like, obviously, you've torn, whatever, then you say, yeah, I can't play. But when it's kind of a chance, you're always, as a player, you're always going to lean on the side of, yeah, like, it's the World Cup final, I want to play. So how did you deal with that? I just, well, I just told them, basically, look, this is how it's felt.

It's better than what I thought. I've managed to get at that. I could have pushed it further. I'll push it further today if you want me to. I'm completely in your hands. And then Josh and Mottie, you know, and this, this. has come from me. It obviously hurts to say

it, but they probably made the right decision because not just in terms of we won the game, but in terms of at that moment and time, I think if they had risked me and I'd pulled up in the first over, I'd have been no good to anybody or, you know, there was too many unknowns and a risk of a final. I think the

hard thing is for any sportsmen in general is the occasion so that if that is the first game of the competition and we know we've got five other games to go, it's like, right, okay, arrest this, and I'll get it right for the next game or two games or whatever. But because it was the occasion of this is a World Cup final,

you've got a chance to play. I've played in the competition, got a couple of wickets. I really want to play it. But it was the right decision. I think it was more of, I didn't want to affect the team. I didn't want to, and although I feel like, yeah, maybe I could have played, I totally understand the decision. And, you know, it was the same with Mala as well.

I think Mala had passed his fitness tests, but it was the same decision. I think, you know, you get it because you don't, if I'd play it and walked off, I'd have felt horrendous on the team. Like, I'd let everybody down. And it's a bad enough feeling as it is. I did it. Obviously, last World Cup, I pulled my quad in the group stage.

And even just selfishly, that 50 yards, wherever it is, when you're walking off the field, injured, you know, all the cameras are on you, are on you. Everyone's looking at you. You've, again, nobody wants to get injured. You feel like you've let everybody down. and you feel sorry for yourself because you're injured. But that would be times 100, wouldn't it, as you say, if it was in a World Cup final.

So, yeah, I think obviously the right decision was made, I guess. You know, CJ obviously. You were pretty down in Dubai. I remember in the dressing around. I was very down, yeah. You were, you'd perform really well. You were going quick. You'd get loads of wickets.

Being a, you know, a fantastic deathball. I did not feel like that this time. I was disappointed not to play, but I wasn't. slightly differently whereas you had gone off in the game and you were doing so well I think I was a bit more

understanding of like the decision so I was sort of like a bit like well I get it I wasn't sort of like when I saw you in the dress room and you were down

and like really disappointed of course I was disappointed but I think because I could understand it it made it a little bit easier for us if you know what I mean you know you knew you were gone that was yeah Yeah, I was going to say that was, I remember looking back to last year,

you know, like, I knew I'd pulled my quad. Like, I'd done a similar injury before. You know the feeling. You know, how long are you probably going to be out for? You know, you're going to, you know, you kind of, you've been there and you've walked to it, whereas you said, you knew you were, you kind of weren't that bad. You knew you'd be playing again in, you know, a couple of weeks time. It's just obviously that little, or sorry, little, that initial disappointment of

missing the occasion more so than the missing kind of, or trying to deal with. and playing with injury. But on some more happy note, let's look back at the match itself. I've had to pull up the scorecard. It's only been two weeks. But you kind of forget it a little bit. Obviously, a lot went on,

a lot of emotion went into the day, into the night. As we mentioned, we've both been, obviously, had a lot on since then. But obviously, a low scoring game. First of all, the weather, all we took up, all the forecasts, all the media was rain, rain, rain,

reserve day, horrible, washout. literally barely a drop of, drop of rain the whole day, wasn't there, in Melbourne? And then, yeah, what you, what you, like, when I think back in my head to, like, me visualising on the bench, watching the game, it's how bright the lights were. Okay. I still remember thinking, wow, these lights are so bright. Like, and then I couldn't really see some of the... Yeah, you were struggling, right? You had to put your cap right over your head, didn't you?

You were getting a bit of a headache from the bloodlights. I remember, I remember, it was obviously sat next to you. on the bench. But obviously, the game, eventually we got underway on time. Everything was good. Obviously, they stuck with the same team from the, from the semi-final. So Phil Salt and Chris Jordan played in place of Maller and yourself. And we bowled first.

And the boys, they bowled brilliantly, didn't they? Use the dimensions of the ground. Obviously, big boundaries at the MCG. Again, just looking through the scorecard. Now, Barra-Zam got 30 off 28. Sean Massoud batted pretty well for 38 off 28. but apart from that the boys did a brilliant job

Sam, Sam Carrion in particular obviously, Barry the match in the final player of the tournament he got three for 12 in the final that's kind of the and guest of famous BBC podcast that was what I think he probably got player of the tournament

because of our involvement in the podcast I think the way that we encouraged him he could only he could only done well yeah like him and Raff were brilliant CJ bold really well um yeah

what's just what 130 37 for eight in the final. Boys are obviously really confident in chasing that down. What were your memories from being on the bench? Obviously, Edmere you, Dave Williams, Davin Milan, we were, yeah, running drinks. Anything different?

Yeah, I remember in general, obviously it's a big toss. So we win the toss. When there's rain around, do you think, oh, we're bowling? So that if Duckworth comes in, when we're chasing. I remember thinking,

obviously, it's a key wicked, Rizwan and Baba. I remember saying on the bench, I hope Stokes he keeps his foot behind the line. Do you remember because of a final, you're always wrecked up a little bit more? Yeah, yeah, yeah. And then I'm sure on the first over, did he not overstep? First ball.

Yeah, because you're so, like, tied up. It's so weird. Like, people probably think, like, oh, just don't bowl or no ball. But when the adrenaline is literally flying, and, like, you're a bit nervous, you're a bit, like, sort of excited. I think he was over the line. I remember my saying at the time, I can't remember how I said to him, but I was like, oh, he doesn't overstep.

because sometimes he can do that and that first wicket was because I knew obviously them to partnership if you look at other games they're the cement onto them too if they get them off to a good start

the rest of them can play freely and then you know Sam Boas are brilliant over Rizwan chops on I remember thinking that that we had a bit of bounce yeah definitely did a bit it was swinging as well

we could see we have a often in the dugouts there's a TV screen with the broadcast on it so you can see what's going on because, as you say, we were, like, side-on, weren't we? So you can't tell what's happening with the ball, laterally, so the batters can see what's going on, if it's swinging,

if it's seeming, whatever, spinning. And yeah, definitely, the wicket at the MCG definitely did a bit, didn't it? And Stokes is what you have, if the car. You might look at it on the screen as, oh, it's just a regulation nick off, like, caught behind. I remember watching that live, and I thought, oh, that's sort of like extra bounce there. And he caught his glove. He didn't actually nick it. He caught the thumb of his glove through to Josh.

He told you that the wicket had a little bit. it. And I think, you know, we've talked about Stokesy and Sam Cullinard, but the best lover was Rush's really, wasn't it? Wicked made in a World Cup final. I'm good. He was obviously quite a bit of chat about Rash. He maybe hadn't had his kind of best run of kind of form

leading into the World Cup and the last few games, he he bought brilliantly, didn't he, the semi-final at Adelaide and then obviously the final, he's one of the first names on the team sheet, isn't he, Rash? I must say, though, so I was sat with him. He came, obviously, when we were batting, obviously, I'm jumping ahead a little bit.

Rash, I was sat next to Rash right at the end, you know, the last two overs. He was a mess. He was all over the place. He wasn't really in, it wasn't really in too much danger of batting, but he was, oh, mate, honestly, he was just literally looking at the floor. He was like grabbing my leg. He just needed, he couldn't, he couldn't, he was very, very nervous blessing. But when we lost that first weekend, if me and Rash were the team, we'd be thinking, we're going to bat here. So I know exactly what you enjoyed there and he said. But, no, it was, yeah, and then obviously, what Chase, when you chase in 137, I think, look, this England team will back ourselves to chase 130 in any scenario. But obviously, World Cup final has a bit more on it.

Pakistan got a brilliant bowling attack on a pitch that was doing a bit. So we knew we had to obviously, you know, do our jobs. And a little bit of a, you know, only 45 for three when just got out. so not kind of the storming start that we've gotten off to in previous games but then Stokesy kind of just once again steps up and gets us home,

bats through, 52 not out and he's there to celebrate at the end, rightly. So I was running drinks on and gloves on to Stokesy and he was sweet. Like he was... Oh, he's sweet to you, he told me to shut up. Oh, you put it up?

Go on, what did you go out there and say? Right now, I've done a before a couple of times and I think I'll just try and make him a bit crack with them all try and calm them down so we lost the win

I'll say oh good man we've been here before he went just to one I'll say right okay that's brilliant

from memory I went out there and just went I think I said all good boss and he said yeah all good fella and just

I think yeah had a drink maybe a change of gloves a little wipe of a towel and again just the same thing when I was running drinks at swim in the game

against Sri Lanka in Sydney he was very very very calm. I didn't get the impression that he was of any doubt that we weren't going to win that game. I was confident he was going to find a way just from going out there and speaking to him. He didn't seem flustered. He didn't seem nervous. He didn't seem tense. He was a little bit gutted when Moe got out. I think he wanted to be there with Moe at the end because Moe obviously went out there and hit a few boundaries and kind of got us that bit of impetus again, didn't

he? And then Mo got out and Stoches a bit like, oh, I think he would have liked to have finished it in that partnership. But then obviously, Libby came out for that last ball. Obviously, I've not played a lot of cricket with Stokes. You've obviously played an awful lot with him. But, you know, that's one thing that I've taken away, just from obviously running drinks on whilst he's batting, running drinks around to him on the boundary when he's doing, you know, deep square to deep cover for, you know, mid-over, sorry,

how calm he is under pressure. And there's no surprise, obviously, he's done what he's done in the game and continues to do what he's done, you know, in the test game as well. And just proves that obviously he barely played any T-20 cricket it for the last year and then he came in to this team cold in terms of

you know kind of skills and match practice and stuff and on more than more than one occasion you know played a massive part in us winning the game so you're obviously back with him now in Pakistan

I'm sure that'll continue now but yeah should we should we get to obviously winning moment winning runs a hit I ran on eventually but not straight away I sort of the first person my grabbing was

Woxi. So Wokesy was to the side of the dugout on the far side. I sort of ran out and grabbed him and then Joss was there as well. So what did you do at the end then? How did you celebrate with Rash? I was with Rash and then again, a few of the boys bolted straight on, didn't they? But I stayed on the bench like you with Rash and with a few other lads. You were probably, you obviously there as well. And then, yeah, kind of got got onto the, had the run onto the pitch of all the boys and

obviously Stokesy and Libby were out there. Do you know what I thought of you? Because you're all going nuts. are grabbing stumps, pulling them out the ground, and then getting them taken off up. Do you ever the boys, obviously, because, sorry, maybe skipping a few moments here, but obviously the boys are pulling the stumps at the ground to take away. And then you get people from the ICC come and, like,

saying, no, you can't have this stump because they've got the, the stump comes in them and all the, all the technology. So the boys that had taken, like, the middle stump, I think it was, I think Hales had one and Hales did not want to give one out because he pulled half the dirt out with it. Well, I remember I was standing with him, and one of the, this, this, girl from the ICC came and said,

oh, no, you can't have that stump. And Elsie was not giving that stump back. And the lady was like, we'll get you, like, we'll get you another one. You can't have this one because it costs, you know, however much in it, with the technology in it. You feel for the Pakistani players because they have to obviously stand there on the, on the pitch,

don't you? Whilst we're all going nuts, celebrating, you stuff to shake hands, you still kind of that bit. So they kind of awkwardly stand around, don't they, waiting to shake cans and yeah it was that next hour hour and a half was good fun just out on the pitch wasn't it brilliant um we you know we were doing different bits and bobs but at the start with we went over at the families i remember we went you know wives and girlfriends kids my mom and dad were there all that parents so it was nice to see them then we headed back over to the to the middle

and that was the presentation and the podium and that amazing moment where and i was sort of stood with joss i was like you're going to get you know do the bit where we all go whoa he was like so excited for it and like couldn't believe that it was happening to him and he was like what do I do? Do I kiss the trophy and lifted or do I just throw it above my head or do I do do one arm or both arms? He didn't know what to do but I think you know in that moment whatever comes in Ashley D and it was just amazing that we were all in there. I remember when we were celebrating the stage of podium was actually like bouncing wasn't it wasn't I was thinking we're going to go we're going to go through here and then of course you know moan rash had asked

just don't spray any champagne let's all got to pick up together so we all got a picture together and they jumped out and then you know the staff and everyone came in and then a lovely moment um which i remember um was going over at the barmy army we all ran over together and we held the trophy for them we all did like more an individual bid away and it was you know amazing they were singing and you know they were very much outnumbered in the stadium it was probably like i mean 80 20 or 9010 Pakistan english fans and lovely that we could go over to them at the end and and see them what was your Where are we stood on the podium?

She was spoken about this throughout the podcast. Obviously, I didn't play, and I'm not going to be John Terry front centre, full kit, you know. But, yeah, so I kind of was just on the back corner next to what I honestly thought you were going to say that, but I was front centre behind the truck. I pushed Josh out of the way. I said, no, let me go. Imagine that.

Yeah, I was kind of on the back row in the corner. Yeah, again, I had the same memories of you of that stage feeling like, because obviously we're just jumping around. on it going nuts and it was bending and I was thinking if we fall through it it could be interesting

yeah I remember obviously that everybody obviously having photos with the trophy the trophy how heavy was it it's a it's a weighty thing isn't it? And yeah everybody yeah just going around

to the different parts of the stadium obviously all the families that were here were allowed to come on the pitch your mum and dad were there on the outfield that was really nice to all the kids that were there

were running around and people were obviously everybody's getting photos and so celebrating with each other. I'm going to say to me and Chris Wokes had a little minute and we said obviously it was quite sad. You know, it would have our families there.

Obviously, a lot of wives, a lot of kids were there. Obviously, when you see the kids running around on the outfield, obviously, he didn't have his family there. I didn't have mine. Neither did yourself. That was kind of, obviously, you don't want to, it was obviously still a really nice moment, but you do kind of look back and think,

oh, like how great would it be to, you know, have a photo of your family on the outfield after winning the World Cup? so that was obviously shame but that was a kind of part and parcel yeah so yeah jumped on face time grab the phone and yeah called called home and spoke to everybody which was nice did you do the same yeah did the same thing which is which is great and you know sarah was screaming on the phone when

when I rang her which was which was awesome I don't know like in those moments like you lose that sort of acting I've got to act cool and act professional those kind of stuff because you're just so like the euphoria winning. It's just so overwhelming and you're so in the moment and I remember at the end I mean we have a WhatsApp group and the next day I thought I haven't taken

any photos, not one but I was just so into like just being there that I look back in one thing I wish I'd take a couple of photos but at the time I was just so happy and you know bouncing around that I just forgot half the stuff I was doing and I mean it was a lovely moment for me

and you we did a little bit of the podcast on the field yeah back into the dresser room you had a beer and I had a glass of milk, which is lovely. And just a reflection really of, you know, the fact that we've done this together and we now have World Cup medals, it was pretty special. Yeah, definitely.

And then so eventually we were, everybody was on the outfield and we had drinks on the outfield and playing with the kids and photos and stuff for maybe an hour or so after the match. And then everybody migrated back into the changing room. So back down the tunnel at the MCG, all the families were allowed to come down for a bit. And yeah, we gave it a good, good, good celebration. for a good while after that, didn't we? Yeah, plenty of drinks, plenty of milks,

a bit of food, a lot of singing, a lot of chantsing. Again, more photos down in the changing room. It was a good night, wasn't it? Just all being together. We didn't actually speak, did we? Like, there wasn't, you know, like, after every game, you know, the Mottie and Josh.

It was a wrap up. You'll speak and you'll wrap up. And we didn't even bother with any of that, did we just enjoyed the you know the moment the fun of it there wasn't i'm sure privately there were a lot of chats going on and a bit more serious stuff maybe but as a group there was none of that it was just the night kind of going as naturally and flowing as it did and yeah then we probably stayed stayed at the mcg tool i think maybe two to 30 a m i think um yeah eventually they kicked us out and then um yeah it said i was i was on the 630 am flight so i had to get

back to my room. Luckily, I'd already packed knowing that I was probably going to be jetting off pretty quickly. So I just kind of had a quick shower, got the hotel to kind of grab my bags and take them downstairs. Then everybody was in the team room at the hotel, obviously straight in, kind of continuing the night. And I just kind of said my goodbyes to everybody that was there. And yeah, it was a bit of a weird feeling then because it was, yeah, maybe half three, four o'clock in the morning and I'm at Melbourne airport pretty drunk

about to go home and then you kind of check into the lounge I had a glass of champagne I think and FaceTime's home and then yeah you're kind of on the plane home and it's done what did the rest of the night after I've left what did the rest of the night and then that next day looked for you before you headed home

yeah well I went to my room relatively early I think I was like, I'll be 4.30. And I was one of the earliest ones to go to bed. Some of the lads, I think some of them didn't even go to bed. Some of them were just, you know, powering through. I think I felt so sorry for Joss. I think you went to bed about 6, 6.30. You know, it would be over caught by 7 to go to a photo shoot at Brighton Beach in the rain.

I mean, the next day it was lashing down in Melbourne. I mean, lashing down. So how we managed to avoid all that? I do not know. Did you have a bit of reflection on the plane? Like, did you reflect on, you know, the trophy, the day, the medal, like, did you have a chance to sort of think of through or were you just white?

Yeah, obviously, I slept quite a lot on that first flight, I remember. And then, obviously, I looked through all the photos on my phone, by them, obviously, on our WhatsApp club, team WhatsApp group, sorry, we kind of everybody said, okay, whatever photos you've got, kind of bang them on the, on the WhatsApp group, so everybody, you know, can share the photos and have the photos. So I spent a long time, yeah, looking at, you know, looking for all the pictures and things like that. And yeah, just, just kind of just looking back and enjoying it.

What about you? Yeah, a bit of reflection, maybe the next day on the flight stuff, like a sense of real accomplishment, but also a sense of like, this is going to sound weird, but like a bit of like, I guess, like, it's not this, but like almost like you feel like a bit of grief. Like it's like it's done. Like you just kind of.

It's like, that's it. And then it just stops, which is like the weirdest feel never, because you're so hyped up. And then it just, it's just like, what do I do now? That's like, that's the end. Like, it's so strange. Did you have a similar feeling after the 29th? Yeah, exactly same.

Yeah, exactly the same. Almost like, at the end of it, it was just like, oh, well, almost like a bit, like, I feel a bit down in the dumps now. Like, there's got to be more. Like, I want this to keep going. I want to keep celebrating. I want to keep playing. I want to do all this.

Like, it's just strange that it stopped. I'm sorry. I don't think people are going to feel very bad for you. Oh, sorry, mate. You've won two World Cups and you felt a bit sad after. Look at me just getting the sympathy put in there. Come on. What tough life, two world cut wins.

You've won franchise stuff before. And obviously, now you've won this. I imagine when you've won franchise stuff, again, you're on the plane home. Did this compare? Was it the same feeling? No, this was obviously 10 times bigger. It felt, you know, the occasion was bigger,

the celebration was bigger, the achievement was bigger, 100, definitely. The only difference is when I've won franchise stuff, I've obviously been in the 11 and I've played and I've contributed directly. to the winning. And obviously I didn't do that in this case. So that's the only difference, really.

So there's always that feeling when you don't play. Obviously, I'm so happy for the boys. Everybody makes you feel such a part of it, but you still want to play, don't you? You still want to be in that 11 and you still want to, you know, as we've mentioned on previous podcast, you know, you dream and you aspire to hit the winning runs, take the wicket, take the catch, you know,

that's why we play. So there is that side of it. But no, this was, you know, I've won a few franchise gigs. now this yeah this was just you know much much bigger um and yeah it was yeah looking back i'm sure we'll keep looking back on it or keep getting replayed on tv i'm sure for for a long time to come and um and yeah it was it was what i've said to everybody since i've been back you know so i've been back training at sussex and catching up with friends and stuff everybody everybody says

um obviously how was australia you know how was it great great time i'm sure i said like generally I had a great six weeks like with the boys like we had a great group didn't we great set of lads playing playing group and the support staff as well obviously there was he shaved his head

yeah I missed that so I was gone by then but he good on Mothie for sticking to his work huss hasn't got a tattoo now I'll be seriously disappointed yeah we got a hound huss see if he's got that but yeah just just to finish my point like we had we had a bloody good time didn't we obviously the cricket the cricket was the cricket but the time away from cricket especially

our we had our little group didn't we that didn't have our families there throughout the throughout the competition so there was that kind of seven eight of us we spent a lot of time together breakfast lunch dinner a lot of the time and and yeah it was you know that's that's the one thing I probably look back on the world cup is sometimes touring can be a bit tough and a bit boring and you know you struggle with it a little bit but I generally don't even I didn't play a game for five six weeks I generally didn't have a bad down I don't think what do you think

you'll look kind of look back on it in kind of immediately and in the future I couldn't agree more what you said I think it was a tight-knit group it was a special

everybody was in it together it wasn't just like some people were you know that only the playing group were involved it was literally everybody and that was reflected

in the way that we would chat as a group after everybody had an input everybody had a voice we all chat together and in the end we all celebrated together that was a real team effort,

not just the guys that played, you know, any of the games, some of the lads that didn't play, I mean, David Willie was really emotional at the end. You know, the guy that missed out in the 2019, sorry, World Cup, so to be, you know, heavy's medal at the end there was, you know, pretty special for him and he was a bit emotional, you know, for a big guy, it was nice for him.

And for us as a group, I mean, we and you spent a lot of time together, Woksey, you know, I'll remember the times of traveling places and going out for dinner and that good feel of we've got a game tomorrow we're going to do well probably island game aside you know

we had a great time throughout all the games with each other so the exciting thing is is that we didn't actually you know all the time play our best cricket the ceiling was actually

so high for our team that we can actually do even better which is you know a great thing to say yeah and obviously the amount of people that missed the tournament as well

obviously Topper's got injured just before he was obviously a big part the team. Jopra would no doubt be in the team if he was if he was fit and available. Johnny got injured. So yeah, I think it'll be looked back upon really, really fondly and it's great to, you know, we'll always have that kind of, you know, next to our name, I guess. We'll look ahead now. What's kind of ahead for the rest of the year? You're currently in Islamabad. Am I right?

That's right, yes, yes. I mean, you obviously recognize the wallpaper. No, in Islamabad, yeah, preparing for a test series here. had obviously that week at home, me and Harry Brooke, because we were out from the start of Pakistan till the end of Australia, where I think we were the only two. So we've got to go home for a week. We're here now preparing in Islamabad for, you know, a historic tour. Was it tough leaving home again?

Yeah, it always is. But, you know, we've got Christmas at home this year, so that's something to look forward to. Yeah, it's always tough leaving the family. You know, they couldn't come with us to Australia, which was, you know, disappointing and we would have loved them there, but that makes it harder when that

wouldn't be a way for long periods. It's not like you miss home, I guess. It's more you miss your family. If your family were there with you, then missing home wouldn't be quite as bad. So, yeah. So what's, what, what were you got lined up? We obviously heading the big bash.

Yeah, so just back at Sussex now, I'm in training. I literally, I had my first bowl today just with the bowling coach, just a bit of wristwork and stuff. I'm only bowling. ticking either. I don't like bowling indoors. Don't know about you. It's just obviously rock hard surface. It's not, it's not great for the body, but more so getting my running in,

getting my gym in, doing some other bits and bobs. Yeah, take Delphi to ballet class on Friday morning. So that's, that's one of my activities. So no training that day. Good, good toes, naughty toes, all those, all those fun things. So let me get this right. You're preparing for the big bash by doing ballet. Yeah, that's your headline. You're nimble on your feet of it, at the crease. You watch me, man. I'm going to be flying around in the field, pirouetting. But, yeah, just, as you know, just catching up on kind of being a dad again

and helping out of my missus and things like that. And yeah, so we go to Australia, my whole family are coming with me. So, like, 20-odd-hour flight with the kids, which I haven't done before, which I'm not overly excited about, but we'll be fine. So we head over to Perth. And all you've got to do is two things. one, let them listen to the podcast. Two, talk to the World Cup final.

They'll be out in a lot. Yeah, so, look, obviously, I'm really lucky this time, so I didn't have them with me when I was there before, but we've got a month in Perth, so I'm playing the first half of the Big Bash for the Scorches, and then flying to Dubai for the UAE competition. Yeah, so they've got the whole family with me for two months.

So we've got, yeah, a bit of Big Bash, bit of UAE League in January, February. And yeah, also Christmas away. My wife's first ever Christmas away from home. She's always been a, you know, kind of a home body for Christmas. So try and get ahead around a hot, hot Christmas. And then, yeah, see kind of where we get to next year. So, and how's your body, mate?

Obviously, you had the little injury. Well, I take it. I read, I saw, I think, online, you're going to miss the first test, I assume, just to kind of get your overs back up and get yourself, kind of way you need to be for the rest of them. Yeah, I've got to build myself back up. Obviously, I haven't done much bowling since, you know, 2020 and four overs.

So let it heal over the week. They're just trying to build it up now so that I can get test match ready and get those overs under my belt for a game. On that, no, obviously we've gone into it. It's the first time I've really spoken about it, obviously, you talk about it in passing with everybody, and I mentioned that I've mainly spoken about our time

off the field and the group and stuff. That's the first time I've actually looked back at the game and spoken about the match. and how things have gone. So, yeah, hopefully that's giving everybody at home and insight into how we've done. No, team, don't go. It's been emotional. Don't do it again.

We'll have to, if the BBC won us, maybe every so often we'll pop back in and maybe catch up with each other and see how we're doing. We haven't done bad with the podcast team. We've got a semi-final in a final. So maybe it's the podcast. Junior's got fair to tournament.

Michael Huston's now got a tattoo, the England tattoo. So, you know, maybe it's the podcast, really. I think we need an award of some description. If there is a podcast out there, please. Even if anybody's listeners, I want to make us one, we'll gladly accept that. But I guess, yeah, just on, from me, thank you to everybody.

There's been, yeah, when we got asked to do this last World Cup, I'm sure we didn't know how many people would actually listen to it and get involved. But, yeah, thank you to everybody that, A, had supported us. We had a lot of support out in Australia, didn't we? And a lot of, obviously, well wishes whilst we were out and about in the cities. emails from all over the world. Literally everybody,

yeah, this podcast has gone a lot further than we thought it had. So thank you to everybody that had listened and supported. And yeah, I've got to do my official bit if you're ahead of the Pakistan series for my sign off. If you're in the UK, you can hear commentary of Woody steaming in against Pakistan on tour in that test series on Five Live Sports Extra.

All the BBC guys will be out there from the grounds I gather. So that'll be great. and there'll be daily podcasts and all that on BBC sounds as well. So anything from you, mate, for the final time on Good Pace for Radio for now, at least. The last thing I'll see is thank you to you, T, and everyone that's listening. Thank you for meeting it so enjoyable for me. We are the World Cup champions. Get in.

Thanks, everybody. Take care. And we will see you soon. Bye. The podcast from Inside the England squad, Good Pace for Radio, with Tammal Mills and Markwood. Thank you.