Test Match Special - No Balls: Sciver-Brunt's tricks, dinner party picks, and Crossy's icks

Episode Date: January 30, 2026

Kate Cross and Alex Hartley discuss Sciver-Brunt scoring the first ever century in the WPL for Mumbai Indians. Plus, who makes it in to their dream dinner party line-up, who's qualified for the Women'...s World Cup, and what gave Crossy the ick during the episode?

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Starting point is 00:00:00 This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK. The Dakar Rally is the ultimate off-road challenge. Perfect for the ultimate defender. The high-performance defender, Octa, 626 horsepower twin turbo V8 engine and intelligent 6D dynamics air suspension. Learn more at Landrover.ca. Al, we've got to wish you a swear warning because you are an absolute potty mouth. Not another one.
Starting point is 00:00:29 And you need to remember that your grandma listens to this. He does. She also abuses me on social media. But don't worry, we beep it out. See, your kids can listen. And Grandma Jean. Now I'm celebrating for Crossing. That one was for Crossy.
Starting point is 00:00:46 That was a beautiful delivery. The Wobble Ball again from Kate Cross. And that is such an important wicket. Kate Crossing for the Hattrick Ball. Oh, it's so wide. Hello and welcome back to No Balls, the Cricket Podcast, with me, Alex Hartley, and a shivering cake cross. I've got goosebumps.
Starting point is 00:01:07 Are you okay? See them? Yeah. That was weird Sorry about that You're okay Yeah you Someone stepped on my grave
Starting point is 00:01:16 Is that what that means Oh really Burning ears is someone Talking about you Yeah Itchy knows is you're coming into money What? You're getting a shiver
Starting point is 00:01:24 Someone's on my grave You're not even dead though That's weird Yeah I don't really understand that one We're in the posh studio out We're in the posh studio And look Don't we look cute up there
Starting point is 00:01:34 Apart from them Don't like that picture Of my massive double chin That looks Yeah I look like a hippo Do you know when they go, that's what I look like.
Starting point is 00:01:48 Oh, it wasn't on the bingo card. I don't think you'd have an impression in the first three minutes. But yeah, maybe they were just the free photos that they could get access to. Yeah, anyway. How are you? Oh, we're holding hands in that middle one. Keep. Oh, that was day I retired.
Starting point is 00:02:04 Retired, yeah. You came in. You actually came in today and went, oh, look how skinny you were in 2017. Tiny. I said tiny, actually. Look, how tiny you are. How tired of you were? I bet that I wouldn't get around your neck now.
Starting point is 00:02:20 I'm joking everyone, back off. Anyway, you well? No, not anymore. You're in the wellness club, look at you? I'm in the wellness club, I'm in the wellness club. I am actually. I have been well in the wellness club last two weeks. I'm very well.
Starting point is 00:02:35 I'm really well. The sun is shining. Beautiful day today and we're in a room with no windows. Misly Friday and we're in that studio with all, it was all glass. I actually sent you a voice note today. Don't be fooled by the temperature on your phone is boiling outside. Yeah, it wasn't boiling. It was just warm me.
Starting point is 00:02:53 Yeah, in the sun. I don't get that. It said four degrees feels like eight degrees. Therefore, it's eight degrees. I've never understood the feels like thing. If it feels like eight degrees, it's eight degrees. If it feels like minus eight, it's minus eight. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:03:08 I wonder what that's about. I think that's because the weathermen never know what's going on. Keep you guessing. They do. They'll say, oh, by the way, it's raining everywhere today and you look at your window. It's dry. Yeah, that's true. Wasted job.
Starting point is 00:03:22 I wouldn't say wasted. People need weather reports. Do they? I'd say so. Well, not when it says 4 degrees feels like 8. It's anywhere between 4 or 8 degrees. I'm cold skinned, aren't I? So I would feel it more closer to the minus 8 than you might do. So maybe it's to give people the spectrum. No. I think they just don't know what they.
Starting point is 00:03:45 temperature is. Anyway, I'm okay. I'm good. I'm well. Yeah? Yeah, good. Good. Got a mushed up finger actually. Yeah, come on. Show the camera because we're in the studio you can. Which one? That is so fat. Look at it compared to that one. You see? Sorry, I'll do it that. In case your kids are watching. What happened? I was fielding and I went just in my pastime, you know, hobby. And I went to dive. for a ball and my finger got stuck in the ground and I saw this joint go backwards so I was at it's doing it straight away
Starting point is 00:04:24 crossy's dramatic by the way you are if you see something pointing the wrong way she went off cramp a couple of times a couple of years ago I did cramps it's not just me that does that this was subluxed is the word um so yeah fat finger now it is very fat
Starting point is 00:04:40 very fat bowling finger as all well oh shame a couple of days off bowling hobby. Hobby? My hobby. Your hobby. But yeah, other than that, other than a fat finger, all good. How is the hobby going?
Starting point is 00:04:54 It's going okay, yeah. It's January. Pre-season, you're in. We're not too far away from going away. That keeps you going, does it? It does, doesn't it? And we've got half term, February half term, which is nice. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:05:06 Well, it's just a week off in half term, but we're calling it February half term. Yeah. But yeah, okay, all good. Oh, good. Yeah. So I've got nothing to report. I have really not done much. I booked my flight to Sri Lanka.
Starting point is 00:05:16 I leave on Saturday at 8.30pm. World Cup. Going to the World Cup. Can we just please talk about Cricket Australia's promotion for the World Cup? How good is it? So anyone who has not seen this, I urge you to go on Cricket Australia men's Instagram, Twitter, whatever it is, and watch Pat Cummins doing a stand-up routine about cricket.
Starting point is 00:05:37 It's fantastic. It's so good. That man is on every single advert. You would. You would. It's like belly for our CD. You do it, don't it? You know, they're not daft.
Starting point is 00:05:46 True, true. Have you got anything on you sticking out? I do. Because you promised. Oh, she shouted at me last evening. So I wrote some stuff down. Yeah. Number one, write things on you sticking out.
Starting point is 00:05:57 Yes, I've got a few things. We had a little email today, didn't we? Yeah. Well, I got really jealous because you said, oh, I've had an email. And we were just walking to get some lunch. And I was like, oh, that's amazing. And then at lunch, I was like, oh, I've had the same email.
Starting point is 00:06:14 It's an invitation. to take part in a special women's cricket versus women's tennis episode of BBC's Bargain Hunt. Can't wait, can we do it? I don't think I can. I think I'm on pre-season. This is why you shouldn't have signed that. No one knows that.
Starting point is 00:06:35 Yeah, a bit annoying really. I would love to do it. I actually, what do you call it? I applied for me and Hen to go on bargain hunt a couple of years ago. Did you? I think I'd not heard anything back. It's because they were lining you up for this celebrity one. Tennis as well, who would we go up against?
Starting point is 00:06:49 The thing is, I can't do it without you, can I? Because it'd be like, imagine me and you, like, the red or the blue team against somebody else. Yeah. Like a little nobles special. I don't think you'd be very good on bargain hunt because you wouldn't, it's like all antiquey stuff and you, you're not into that. Not that I am. No, but I'd be like, they'd be like, how much is that? Tenor, I'd be like, I'll give you four quid.
Starting point is 00:07:07 I'd be good at that. Yeah, you'd haggle, but like, things like, I watch one thing, I do watch Bargandhant. I quite like it. There was one the other day and they bought these like statues for her in your garden and it was like, $120.
Starting point is 00:07:19 And I was like, why are you spending that at a junk sale? Yeah. How much did they go for? We bought them. That was the over, that was the one
Starting point is 00:07:25 that you got to spend over 100 on. The big spend. Yeah, but do they not then... Oh, I don't know. I can't remember that. Oh, she's really into bargain hunt. I didn't say I'm really into it. I said, I'll watch it.
Starting point is 00:07:35 I like Antiques Roadshow. Oh, no. Don't like that one. We actually, right, because this is a BBC podcast, we're talking about BBC's bargain hunt. I think, We should go on the traitors.
Starting point is 00:07:46 I don't think we decide that. No, but here's my application. Okay. I think I'd be terrible on it. But I think me and you, you just wink at me about she's a traitor. Everyone would know that we're friends. Yeah, I know. That's okay.
Starting point is 00:08:00 They booted Ross out because he didn't know that he knew someone on there and he said he was a traitor because of that. You can't have alliances in there. I'd have to pretend I don't know you, which actually would be good fun. It's what you would be wanting to do for years. I do. do that quite a lot actually.
Starting point is 00:08:17 Who brought her, I don't know. Yeah, who's that? I don't know. Okay. I think you'd be good on traitors, but I don't think I'd be very... You'd be like Alan Carr. Yeah. You'd be rubbish, but hide it in plain sight. Whereas I'd just be like... They'd be like, your trace have like, yeah?
Starting point is 00:08:32 Yeah. Yeah, it's a good way doing it. I think you'd last about three episodes before they go and get, we'll vote you off then, see if you are. Yeah, that's true. And you'll be like, yeah, go on, I don't care. Yeah. And you'll cry when you get buried out. Oh, that didn't last very long.
Starting point is 00:08:46 So yeah, BBC Bargain Hunt. That would be so good, please. Maybe next year. Don't rules out. Speaking of next year, I got invited this year to do the Manchester Marathon. Yeah. Didn't I?
Starting point is 00:09:01 And it seems a bit soon. It's in April. And I ran 3K the other day and stopped. I hated every single second of it. But then I thought, oh, I could do the half in October because that's Manchester Marathon. I've invited me to do that. But we've decided.
Starting point is 00:09:14 together. I don't think we should say this out loud because then we'll have to do it. But we might do it next year. I think we're going to regret this. I'm already regretting it. Crossie, I ran 3K. It's like 24K, isn't it?
Starting point is 00:09:29 Or like what's a marathon? Like 50K? 42, I ran 3. We'd have to do 21K to do a half. And I suggested, why don't we do the 10K like Manchester 10K? Oh, we could do that tomorrow. And you were like, oh yeah, we'll do that tomorrow.
Starting point is 00:09:42 You just said you hated your 3K. Yeah, but if you put your mind to it. I'm not sure. I just, I think, I think we were a bit, you said, you're on the runner's high, you'd just been out for a run. Runners high,
Starting point is 00:09:51 run 3K. You're on 3K, you're on the runner's high and you're like, yeah, we can do it. And I just, I really, I think we'll hate it.
Starting point is 00:09:57 Because we'll have to train and that's the problem. I know, I know, but I need something in my life. Do you know, like I needed the podcast when I was at my low,
Starting point is 00:10:04 my lowest of low. I'm not, I agreed to a podcast. I'm not agreeing to a marathon fee. I'm sorry. My sticky note. Yeah. my phone starts ringing this morning, Cossey, at 4.51.
Starting point is 00:10:17 Oh. And I panic because my phone doesn't ring. Yeah, that's true. You have to double ring, don't know. Well, certain people have to double ring. People in my favourites, which are mum, dad, my brother and you, you only have to ring me once and it'll come through. So mum's ringing me.
Starting point is 00:10:31 It's at 451. It's bad news. I thought, my dad's dead. Graham's dog's dad's, mom's dead. I thought, oh, no. Ken's dog's dad's dad's dad. Yeah, I thought Ken's dog's dad's dad's. Dad's dog's dead.
Starting point is 00:10:44 Anyway, I thought Dad's dead. He's had heart attack for some. Mum's ringing me to say, you've got to get up and go to hospital. So I don't answer it because it's the middle of the night. I text to saying you... Sorry. You think your dad's passed away and you didn't answer the phone call?
Starting point is 00:10:58 No, it's the middle of the night. I texted saying you okay is what I texted. So at this point, are you planning on just rolling over and going back to sleep? No, well, annoyingly, I couldn't go back to sleep because I'd been woken up. And you're probably thinking about your dad? Yeah, I was. So I texted my mum at 4. You're okay.
Starting point is 00:11:14 It takes her two whole minutes to reply and I'm just staring at my phone at the middle of the night. She might not have signal in the hospital. Well, I thought if it's an emergency she'll ring me again. So she said, yes, I was just getting up and it rang you, I'm sorry.
Starting point is 00:11:28 It rang you. No, Julia, you pressed ring. Do you know in the episode on Friday that we did where I was like, there's so many parts of your behaviour that I just don't question because it's so abnormal that I have to ignore a lot of it.
Starting point is 00:11:40 Yeah. This is not one I can ignore. Yeah, anyway, so I ring my mum and said, all right, you don't be cow. You woke me up at 5 o'clock in the morning. She said, sorry, my phone just rang you. She said, and it rang your brother. So not only did she ring me and my brother,
Starting point is 00:11:54 she's getting out of bed, the whole family's got to be up. We haven't lived together for 20 years. What about your dad? Should you wait up? Must have done this, share her bed. Is he all right? Oh, he's not dead. I haven't heard from him today.
Starting point is 00:12:05 Should we check? Should I ring him? Check is all right. I can't. There is nothing worse, though, than when, A family member rings you at a time. They don't normally ring you. And then you're like, oh, everything just runs through your head, doesn't it?
Starting point is 00:12:18 I at that point wouldn't turn over and go back to sleep. I would probably answer the phone. Well, I text to say, you okay. And funnily enough, my brother didn't answer either. And also text to say me okay. Okay, bit crickety now. Sticky notes. Nat Siverbrunt.
Starting point is 00:12:34 Yes. Little ripple. First hundred in the WPO. And her first E-2000. Harder to believe. That's her first E-20-100? Yeah. I suppose she backs quite low down for England.
Starting point is 00:12:45 Or four? Three. Maybe not then. Where have I been full? Okay. That's her first T2000. That is hard. So she got 100 in all formats now then?
Starting point is 00:12:57 Yes. But not for England. Not for England, yeah. So when I was commentating over there, there was this big thing that daggers would always try and jinx the 100. So when someone gets into it, because there's been 299s, which is unusual. And then obviously no hundred yet in the double.
Starting point is 00:13:12 WPL until that Siverbrunt comes along So Dagger's would always be like Oh she's gonna get it She's when they're in the 90s And then someone would get out And he'd be like oh I've done it again So then for Nat to actually get the 100 was
Starting point is 00:13:23 Not Daggerty's fault but not It was a bigger deal Because all the commentators I know Would have been talking about it And the fact that she was in the 90s Yeah And Dagger wasn't on air for it No it was Mel Jones
Starting point is 00:13:33 Who do you want calling those moments But the absolute goat Of women's commentary team I know Mel Jones Yeah What a woman So yeah Siverrunt
Starting point is 00:13:41 I mean it was a whole always going to be her, wasn't it? I suggested Lizelle Lee. And she did get to 95 when I was on her. But not Lizelle. More cricket. Yep. Netherlands.
Starting point is 00:13:53 The Netherlands. The Netherlands. Women's. Why are you laughing at that? It's a good impression. It sounded like Groo from the Minions. No. Greece sounds like...
Starting point is 00:14:03 How does Greece sound? I want to. I'm going to steal the moon. Anyway, the Netherlands. qualified for the World Cup. That's my grow accent, not Netherlands accent. Yeah, the Netherlands women have qualified for the World Cup for the first time ever because they beat the USA today.
Starting point is 00:14:23 They didn't know. So it means that they are guaranteed a top four finish in the Super Sixes. Oh, okay. So for the first time ever. Amazing. They'll have qualified. For the Netherlands. First time ever, nice.
Starting point is 00:14:37 Yeah. I played against the Netherlands in... The Netherlands. Dinaire the land In What would it have been It would have been the European Championship So one of my first appearances for England
Starting point is 00:14:49 It was effective over the under 19th Is in Scotland? No we went to the Netherlands and played The Netherlands And sure as he was head coach Oh So I played them And Scotland in Scotland
Starting point is 00:14:58 Nice Yeah it's Scotland in the Netherlands In New Orleans In Scotland In where No do you know who it sounds like Big summer blowout Oh
Starting point is 00:15:09 Yoooooo Big summer blow out So it sounds like. That's great news. So do we know who's in the, has anyone else qualified yet? No, not yet. Do you want the super sixes?
Starting point is 00:15:20 Can I guess? Yeah. Ireland. Yeah. Scotland? Netherlands. No, sorry. Netherlands.
Starting point is 00:15:25 The Netherlands. Netherlands. New Zealand? New Zealand. New Zealand? No. Bad guess. Go on.
Starting point is 00:15:36 Bangladesh. Yep. Shankan. And. Thailand. West Indies. Are they in there? Thailand.
Starting point is 00:15:42 Because the World Cup's going to more teams this time, isn't it? 12. Nice. Right. Do you have anything else? Yeah, loads. I've got loads. Moe in Ali.
Starting point is 00:15:52 Oh, yes. Mo? Super Mo. He's signed for Yorkshire. Signed for Yorkshire. He's going to coach the Lions. With Stokesy. With Stokesy.
Starting point is 00:16:01 The best thing about Moe and Ali signing for Yorkshire, because he's obviously been at Warrantshire for such a long time. He's now gone and done loads of interviews today, and they've all come out, or he did them a couple of days. They've all come out today. He's done every single interview. in his Yorkshire shirt. Did you expect him to be in his warwickshire kit?
Starting point is 00:16:17 No, I expected him to be in a t-shirt like you are or a jumper like me. He was wearing full Yorkshire kit. Yeah, you normally have to do that though. Oh, I don't know. You do normally. If you'd go and sign for a club, you normally have to wear the kit.
Starting point is 00:16:29 But he's talking about like Bedstocks being captain for England at Yorkshire. Yeah, good on him. Promo. I love it. Cheapest promo you can do. Yeah. I really liked his interview where he was like,
Starting point is 00:16:38 some fans might be quite annoyed that they signed a 38-year-old, but I'm here to win. And at this stage, my career, I'm really about winning. I was like, this stage of your career, when you're 308. Yeah, no, he's not here about winning.
Starting point is 00:16:48 He's here about money. He said he's got a couple more years in him. Good, 40-odd-garten. Good lad. Speaking of, it's not speaking of anyone, but it's just reminding me, I messaged you. You'd gone to the gym and I messaged you
Starting point is 00:16:58 and I just put Harry Brooke, ha-ha-ha-ha-ha. And you were like, what's he done now? Yeah. Mental. Yeah, because when you said Harrybrook, ha-ha-ha-ha, I thought, oh, how's he got out now? It's actually what I thought. What has he done?
Starting point is 00:17:11 What has he done now? he has done something he did do something when I left the gym he would have been I reckon I don't know the stats but I think he would have been about 25 off 20 balls maybe not even he got 136 off 66
Starting point is 00:17:27 I thought there was a typo on my app when I got to check the score what the hell that he is just do you know when it doesn't compute in your head so I knew that England were like gonna get to about to 62 70 if they carried on batting well. And then I look to the score, they were 3-5-7.
Starting point is 00:17:45 Don't you feel sorry? Like, Joe Root, like grinding it out, run a ball 100. Amazing, you're in Sri Lanka, it's turning. It's a little bit better wicket than the other day. And then Harry Brooke comes and he goes, ha ha, this is easy. But you cannot have Harry Brooke at his best
Starting point is 00:18:01 without Joe Root doing the grinding. No, you can't, you can't, you can't. But yeah, it was, it was what's Harry Brooke done now and it was utterly ridiculous. Did he see his celebration? I've just seen it, yeah I think it's very funny I think the stone called Steve Austin
Starting point is 00:18:18 banging two beers together and did he pretend to drink them Is that what he did? It was quite, I thought it was quite small It was a nod to him wasn't it? It was a... I'm in a bit of trouble for this
Starting point is 00:18:31 But this is quite funny He didn't go all out I think he would have been better doing the Joe Root Oh the mic dropped from him He dropped his bat That's funny Joe Root's very good at celebrating Is he?
Starting point is 00:18:41 Yeah. Is that not dinky? Yeah. I like that. I think, though, if you have that many hundreds, you have to come up with more ways of celebrating. You ever planned like a wicket celebration? Only if someone's asked me to do something.
Starting point is 00:18:55 Yeah. We had one, do you remember with the tea? That was. Oh, yeah. Because you nick my cup. I did, I nick your cup and fans want it us to. If I, I'm not, because I'm coming out of retirement, this is, because I'm coming out of retirement,
Starting point is 00:19:09 coming out of retirement, when I get a wicket, what celebration do you want me to do? This celebration is never going to happen. I can't get a wiki when you got the yips. Double amount, so no ball way. I'd like to see a cartwheel. Do you know what? Or a handstand. I'll do a cartwheel.
Starting point is 00:19:33 I'll do a cartwheel. When you get your next wicket, sorry, a in a game. You're not doing it in preseason because I want it on a live stream. You've got to pretend. This is where our humans are so different. Don't make it so silly
Starting point is 00:19:51 because I won't do it if it's so silly. You know what? Pretend to have a boo. Okay. No, you can't. Don't look at me like that. It would really make me laugh. I'm sorry.
Starting point is 00:20:04 How else do you want me to look at you? I don't think my 18 month old niece would have found that as much funny as you just have. I've got tears in my eyes. Okay. When you get your next wicket, I want you to dab. I'll do that.
Starting point is 00:20:20 I'll do you a dab, yeah. Old school dab. I don't mind a dab, yeah. Don't mind a dab, yeah. Okay. Didn't you have a triangle one month? With Sarah, Danny Hazel and you? Are you the points of the triangle?
Starting point is 00:20:33 No, I think that was, Anya Shubbsaw, Danny Hazel and Sarah Taylor. Oh, okay. I think I was. Just that. They were just looking at you through it. I am there's the hundred stuff's obviously gone out in the last couple of days and the fixtures have been announced oh we're opening opening night you're looking well thanks looking
Starting point is 00:20:52 younger than promoted that by the way went down really well on instagram and everyone it wasn't sunrise as leads by the way who put that out so don't think that it was the admin at sunriseers because they they do AI differently um but that went down very well um but we've got yeah opening night well good so why was i talking about about that. All the 100 stuff come out and the 100
Starting point is 00:21:15 put a like a montage video out of people dancing when they've taken wickets and I'm just not I'm not really here for that.
Starting point is 00:21:22 Sam Curran did a lot of it last summer that's icky Eccleston did it again there was like a TikTok dance
Starting point is 00:21:28 not I don't I'm not really into that you're gonna be dabbing I'll be dabbing hopefully I'll get a wicket before the 100 starts oh god that'll be a dry summer
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Starting point is 00:21:59 at Landrover.ca. Okay, I've got two things. I'm stiff. Yep. I've not moaned on this podcast. I've not said I'm tired. It's because you're in the Wellness Club. I am in the Wellness Club, Crossy. I've done six high rocks classes
Starting point is 00:22:17 since I got back. I cannot move. I can't breathe. I cannot sit on the toilet every time I love that feeling every time I move in the night my muscles hurt
Starting point is 00:22:27 I like that feeling of not being able to sit on the toilet because you just know you've worked really hard slash your body's not used to exercising so you have to hurt yourself to do it yeah today it was like you have to do like a little like squat clean thing
Starting point is 00:22:41 so I'm like okay well I'll just like put tens on either side of the bar lol no I couldn't squat today I can't do that I remember when I went to body pump for the first time. This was years and years and years ago. And I'd like weight trained. I was in cricket. So I was properly weight training. And they're like, right, get the bar, put some weights on it.
Starting point is 00:22:59 And I was like, well, normally I'd like squat like, what, 60 kilos. So I was like I'll put like 20 on because that's like reps. And then there's like Grandma Jean next to me. Absolutely smashing it. Should we beep it? And Grandma Jean. She's next to me just absolutely flying through it with little 2.5 donuts on each side. Absolutely. Nay chance Grandma Jean would ever do. She's just an example. It wasn't actually Grandma Jean. Went to see Grandma Jean the other day. Is she good? She's looking so well.
Starting point is 00:23:28 Good. Yeah, so healthy. Good. She's with a boyfriend. Kiefer? Keatley. I always think of Kiefer Sutherland when you talk about Keatley, and I think that's why I was just calling Kiefer. No, they were having pie and peas for that lunch. Nice.
Starting point is 00:23:41 Yeah. One more thing. Sophie Molling you. Oh, gosh, yeah. Now, on last week's episode, we were just like, well, obviously it's going to be Ash Gardner. Oh, she got a crows. Oh, just remember a minute ago when you slag me off for having cramp? I wouldn't have gone off the field for that. It was just a little twinge.
Starting point is 00:23:59 Bet selfie Molly don't get cramp proper athlete. Yeah, that's true. I'm surprised by it, I can't lie. I'm not saying she's a bad captain. No, neither. Has she captained? She done anything with Sixers? Probably not.
Starting point is 00:24:10 She plays for the renegades. Renegades, she done anything with him? I'm so across it. I'm very surprised by it. I just presumed it would be Ash Gardener. I think the surprise comes from, Sof has been quite heavily injured recently. When she's had an injury, it's been a bad one and kept her out for a while, hasn't it? So there was big talk about whether she'd make the World Cup and she did.
Starting point is 00:24:33 I think she'd be a great captain, actually. It is pure guesswork because I've not worked with her as a captain, but great character. She is a great character. Very good character. I really like her. She's captain the running against for four years. Would it surprise you if she did go ahead, having been not part of, like, probably any of the senior leadership side.
Starting point is 00:24:56 Like we were talking about Tali Magarby and Vice. Yeah. For them to then step away from that completely and go in a different direction. Well, now I could, if rumours are true, like so familiar in you to captain all three formats, by the way, as well. So she's got to keep herself fit. So she's captained all three formats.
Starting point is 00:25:13 Then surely Ash Gardner is going to be Vice. Yeah. This just reminding me that if, say, if Nat was to step down in the next year or two, it's probably a similar conversation and that we'd be going, oh, I'm surprised that the rumours are that it could be Alice Capsie or Charlie Dean or, well, less so Charlie because she has vice, but
Starting point is 00:25:31 I guess when it's not your vice captain, you are going to be surprised by who it might be. Yeah, I think it's too a brilliant job though. Yeah. Oh, we've got some emails. We've got, look at this, producer Jack, is on it. Can I talk about any? I've just recently developed. Of course you can.
Starting point is 00:25:45 So, producer Jack, we've just... Tell you what, come on camera. Get in. Show people what you look like. All in your blue next to Crossy. Pop in. Oh, you pop it. He's coming on the podcast.
Starting point is 00:25:58 He's in. Hello. Welcome to the podcast. Thank you very much. Don't look so nervous. Well, I know what you're about to say. You do know what I'm about to say. So I've developed Nick with you.
Starting point is 00:26:08 And it's not your mustache. It should be. So, producer Jack was like, oh, one minute. Let me just get my MacBook. It's a laptop, mate. I mean, I did say Mac, not Macbook. in my defence.
Starting point is 00:26:24 You're like, if you got any emails, yeah, I'm going to get them up on my Mac. It's a lot. That, to me, is a laptop. It is. But what is it, Chrissy? The brand of it is Apple. It's a Mac. Yeah, but that's just a laptop in my head.
Starting point is 00:26:36 But I wouldn't say, let me give you my Apple. But, no, it is a laptop. But that's a laptop. But it is also a Mac. Yeah, but you're just showing off that you've got money and you've paid for an extravagant piece of equipment. Yeah, and he's got two laptops. Why he has to differentiate it.
Starting point is 00:26:50 Two Macs? No, no. No percent finance, thank you very much. Nice. Anyway, look how old school we're going here. Right. I'm just going to go old school on the Mac. What are your thoughts about Harleen Dior being retired on 47 from 36 balls?
Starting point is 00:27:09 I loved her response in the next match but felt it was strange to bring in the player so well set. Do you know what? We've seen... It's from Mike. Cheers, Mike. We've seen so many people be retired. over the last like... It's becoming a trend, isn't it?
Starting point is 00:27:23 Three months in men's and more so women's cricket now. Harling was striking it pretty well then. She just slowed down. So it made sense as to why, but it was a pitch that was hard to get in on. And then there was like three overs left. But they did send Chloe try on in, so I got it, but then...
Starting point is 00:27:42 She failed. She failed. It's always a risk. When you retire someone that whoever you're bringing in is under pressure to hit their first ball for a boundary. So like when the captain wins a top of, and you bowl first and you're like, oh God, I can take wickets.
Starting point is 00:27:54 Yeah, oh, it's flat. Yeah. I like it. I like retiring people. I think it should be done more. Someone said very smartly in that moment, measure the coach on the process, not the outcome there.
Starting point is 00:28:08 So the outcome obviously wasn't good because Chloe didn't score runs, but actually he was trying to move the game ahead. So good on him. Sorry, back to the Mac. Hi, Kate and Alex. Love the pod. Sorry about the backlash with Alex's comments.
Starting point is 00:28:20 It was such a pleasant, surprise to hear Kate in the... Which comments. I get backlash for all of my comments. I imagine this might be about... Period. Kate, heavy flow. It was such a lovely... A pleasant surprise to hear Kate in the WPL commentary box, though.
Starting point is 00:28:33 Loved all her terrific bowling analysis on that. Always thinks com boxes are a bit batter-heavy, so thanks for balancing that out. Looking forward to any and all of your new episodes. Lovely. The trauma of period, gate, is that I haven't had a period since, because I had two in, like, a week, because it was just traumatic.
Starting point is 00:28:50 Probably need to do a little test then Yeah I'm going to go I'm going to go I'm going to go Hi Alex and Kate I always love your podcast I especially enjoyed
Starting point is 00:28:58 the episode Madness in Melbourne and menstrual moans it should be so obvious and normal for a woman to talk about her period but the fact that it still isn't do you know what
Starting point is 00:29:08 the thing with a Mac is it it's a big screen I'm reading elongated I'm really reading along like this because you pay for the screen it's like it's big on my TV this
Starting point is 00:29:17 but the fact that It still isn't as hard to go to the next line. She's going like that. I'm like seasick. It makes it so important that high profile women, such as your good cells, continue to showcase the issue. I'm sickened. It's not an issue.
Starting point is 00:29:34 I'm sickened by the constant bile that you and others receive, but loved hearing you speak and was also delighted with Crossy's mic drop put down. Do you know how this works? You're literally a fertilised egg. Did I say that? Must have done. Must have done.
Starting point is 00:29:48 One on the abuse. That's good for me. That's a good one. They're like a bit of self-appreciation. My poor mum's come off Twitter because of all the stick that I was getting. It's too busy. She's tired.
Starting point is 00:30:02 She got no time. She's ringing you at 4 a.m. She said that she would have ended up knocking on people's doors. Do you know what? That's what people should think. If you want to shout at someone on social media, imagine if you got them turn up to your door. He's in the party power advert.
Starting point is 00:30:18 That's what they do on it, and it's fantastic. It's so good. I didn't quite finish this, which I will most certainly use if I get the opportunity. Huge thanks and kudos and keep up the great podding. That's from Chris. Kudos. He must be a Strava.
Starting point is 00:30:31 Of a man. Somebody that uses Strava, calls him a Strava man. Somebody that doesn't cause him a Strava. You only just realised how to get rid of all your fans off there. Right, let's find a question. So this podcast is going downhill. Here's one. Hi, Alex.
Starting point is 00:30:50 Do you think it's going downhill? I think the last two have been good. I am sat here with a laptop on my, sorry, Mac on my lap. Is that why it's called a laptop? You put it on your lap? Must be. Wow.
Starting point is 00:31:03 But no, because you put them on a desk. Desktop. Desktop! Yeah, and a laptop. But you can just pop it on your lap. So desktop goes on a desk at work and your laptops goes on your lap. Where'd your Mac go then?
Starting point is 00:31:15 Your Mac should go in the bid. Yeah. In your Mac? Your Mac goes with your rain jacket. Are we even allowed to promote Apple at BBC? Other Macs are available. Is they not?
Starting point is 00:31:28 Your MacBook Pro, the MacBook. The Nimbus 3,000 is somewhere, I don't know. Hi, Alex and I can't see me, MacFend in the way. Hi, Alex and Kay. I'm sat here watching the WPL, having recently enjoyed the WBBL and starting to get team news from the upcoming 100.
Starting point is 00:31:47 a franchise chat. Each time I seem to be supporting a different group of players who who then swap around for the next, well, we don't choose to swap around. Let's just get that straight. Is this comment, allegiance to players instead of teams? Yeah, that's happened more. Is that the same Mike? Busy Mike. Mike. Must be on the laptop. I must be sat on his laptop. I think it's becoming more and more popular that people support players, not teams. I think you have to, don't you? Because like I said, it's not, unless you get the option to be retained, then you've got no saying where you go when you go into the auction or the draft.
Starting point is 00:32:20 Like you've got, you've got fans that followed you from Manchester to superchargers. Yeah, power. She's quite famous. One more. Would you clash yourself as famous? No. I hate the word famous.
Starting point is 00:32:33 I think, because when people ask us if we get recognised, I think if you're at cricket and in a cricket in circle, then you do. Yeah. But I would not know. My friends think I'm famous, but I laugh. My friends just call me blue tick. Yeah, that's true.
Starting point is 00:32:48 So do I, though. Hi, all. Had already had to squeeze Alex and Crossy into my fantasy dinner party line up. Squeeze us in? Do you mean squeeze us in? That's for, don't read that email. But following the last episode,
Starting point is 00:32:59 I'm going to have to find a seat for Grace Harris too. We hope the Deli Alamas not going to be too. Cheers, Andy. Good question. Who's in your top down? Mark. Who's in your top dinner party invitational guest list? Right.
Starting point is 00:33:14 Do I get three? Is that a dinner guest? You can have a bigger How big is your dining table? Well, I could actually have eight guests at mine. You've got eight seats, something. Yeah. I can't think of eight, I don't have eight friends.
Starting point is 00:33:27 My dad actually said to me, when do you ever have eight people around? I was like, once a year. Yeah, we have the TMS. The TMS barbecue. It's my only friends. So Jonathan Agnew,
Starting point is 00:33:39 Alice to Cook. Jack Wood. Jack Wood. My dream. Phil Tufnal. I dreamed in a guest Ellie Oldroid Henry
Starting point is 00:33:50 He was there I came Charlotte Swift There you go There's my 8 You're not You've not got a seat Unfortunately
Starting point is 00:34:00 You're not I didn't have one You're gonna have to do yours First because I can't think Oh I don't know this question I would have Sky crew
Starting point is 00:34:08 Owen Morgan Brian Henderson Yeah nice I need to think About this See the pressure I would have Adele
Starting point is 00:34:17 Okay Because then I could double her up for a bit of entertainment, get the karaoke machine out and be like, fancy it. Yeah. So I've got me, Adele, someone funny, Jim Carrey. I'd have Jim Carrey there. How many have I got? Eight.
Starting point is 00:34:34 No, you're not doing eight. It'll be here all day. Do four, three, as in three and you. So one more. Jill, Jim Carrey. I've never cut a math. Jim Carrey. And someone's sporty, let's go.
Starting point is 00:34:46 Oh, David Beckham. Let's get the goss. Oh! Just find out what's going on there. Okay, you have David, I'll have Brooklyn, James Corden. Okay, I think James would probably get more out of Brooklyn. I quite fancy James Corden as well. Oh, God.
Starting point is 00:35:00 I know, he's my... He's my... Hear me out. Have you got to hear me out? Can I have cartoons? I think it's sick and wrong, but yeah. All right, I won't do that then. No, you can.
Starting point is 00:35:14 I want to know who your cartoon is. You hear me out. I've got to be able to hear you out. Got to tell me why. Aladdin. Oh, he was quite hot. He was hot. They drew him well.
Starting point is 00:35:24 Yeah. Would you go on his magic carpet? Yeah. Okay. Would you not? I wouldn't date a cartoon. You would. You've got no car at the minute.
Starting point is 00:35:34 You'd be desperate for the magic carpet. Normal, proper, hear me out. I'll have a thing. Surely is someone you fancy, like, probably shouldn't. A lot of people that shouldn't fancy. Exactly. Yeah, but I like... Cross the only fancies hot people.
Starting point is 00:35:52 Yeah, I've got a very mundane type, haven't I? Tall, dark, handsome, athletic. Yeah. If there's anyone out there, Valentine's Day is coming up. That special is be out on Valentine's Day. It will. I'll think of a hear me out for next episode. Okay.
Starting point is 00:36:07 No, I don't want to rush it. Right, if you want to get in touch with those... Oh, again. They don't. People don't. We've got a Mac there. A Mac primed and ready for emails and none of you are even sending any calls.
Starting point is 00:36:18 content to it. So this week you don't get our email. Our social media handle is. No boss TCP. That's all you're having. You don't get in touch with us. This podcast is pointless. It's going downhill apparently. See it. See next week if you want to bother.
Starting point is 00:36:40 Five lives, let's get the show on the road on Rod Laver Arena. Good morning, good evening from Melbourne. The Australian Open. How is the tension, what's at stake. Unbelievable. Between now and the end. of the tournament, we will bring you a daily pod recapping the biggest stories and the best of the action
Starting point is 00:37:03 on the All About Australian Open feed. The Australian Open 2026. Join us for our live coverage on tennis breakfast every morning from 7am on 5 Sports Extra and BBC Sounds.

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