Test Match Special - No Balls: Strawberries, pigeons and The Hundred

Episode Date: August 1, 2024

Kate is in London as the Northern Superchargers continue their Hundred campaign. She tells us about their dramatic draw with Southern Brave and the competition so far.Alex is babysitting a pigeon and tells us about her new role, presenting the Hundred coverage.And we find out who's got the best-looking bowling action in the game.

This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK. To embrace the impossible requires a vehicle that pushes what's possible. Defender 110 boasts a towing capacity of 3,500 kilograms, a weighting depth of 900 millimetres and a roof load up to 300 kilograms. Learn more at landrover.ca. BBC sounds, music, radio, podcasts. Al, we've got to issue a swear warning because you, are an absolute potty mouth.

Not another one. And you need to remember that your grandma listens to this. She does. She also abuses me on social media. But don't worry, we beep it out. See your kids can listen. And Grandma Jean.

Cross. I'm doing round the wicked. Holder. Boulder. Leaving a ball alone. Litchfield. Think it's the wobble ball. And it just nips back.

It jags back. It's the nipbacker. That is a beauty from Kate Cross. It's an absolute seed. That is a beautiful cross. Hello and welcome back to No Balls of Cricket podcast with me Kate Cross and you Alex Hartley. Hello.

Hello, if you can hear some tweeting, it's because I live very next door to a pigeon. Well, that did not come out well. And try again. If you can hear birds, it's because I've got a pigeon nest on my balcony and the baby won't shut up because it's mum and dad. I've just left it for a few hours. I do believe that this was the podcast where you asked me,

have you ever seen a baby pigeon? I think it was. I can say I have seen a baby pigeon because you have one nesting on your balcony. I send video updates every day. It's massive now. It doesn't look all horrible and like, you know, a couple of inches big. It's like nearly ready to fly. When I last was at your flat, whichever one it was, the mum or the dad was sat on the egg,

and then the other one came, and they swapped over and it was dead sweet. Yeah, so I was lying on the balcony furniture today and the mum and dad came back from, they were obviously on a date, came back and they were like, how do we get in our house? There's a human on top of it. Anyway, how are you?

I'm good, thanks, Al. I've just arrived in sunny, gorgeous London, overlooking Battersea Power Station from this mega view. You can see the cats and dogs home. And, yeah, good journey, good journey. You get often bad journeys in the 100, but this was a good journey. Oh, good, so you want to get this podcast

done you want to get outside in the sun because your swimming pool looks amazing it will be on the gram later you better believe it oh yeah are you well i thought you were i'm good thank you i'm good the hundred is fully in the middle of it now we are fully in the middle of it we are we've all had two fixtures now i think something like that yeah something like that something like that it's been a interesting start for us for the superchargers yeah um you had a draw yesterday crossy first draw ever in the women's game

a draw a draw that we should have won but then should have lost because I faced six dot balls right at the end why did you do that

why because I just I don't know it's pressure's a funny funny thing girl and I'm so clear on my plan when I walk out to bat we need one a ball

simple cricket and then Alice Davidson Richardson Richardson's at the other end she's flying I'm like just got to get her on strike took me six balls to get her on strike then I tried to run around

because I ran past her and she was like what you're doing and I was like Al the only way we're winning this game is if you're on strike not me so I'm sorry that I nearly ran you out but you're going to have to do this you hit a lovely four yeah panic though didn't I like my strengths down the ground and I was stepping across me something and trying to sweep it behind yeah look got it I got it so it looked okay but me and dad were watching going what's she doing I don't know but I felt I lost it for us you know I was really sad yesterday. No, it's not you. It's not you because there are also like, what were you about in nine? Eight, maybe. Eight, not a tail ender. All around her. There are then six other people

that have gone in before you that didn't get one more run. Yeah, but it's like if you bowled the last over and you don't see it out, because you're responsible for the last bit of cricket, you feel like it's your fault. Funny that though, because Belley will also think that she's lost it for her team as well because she was bowling the last five. She bowled so well yesterday, Belly, like she got them into the game because we only needed 100. I know. And it wasn't. And it wasn't, It was a slow turning pitch. It wasn't like a Bunsen burner, but it's just the cricket smarts. We just need to just smarten up.

Anyway, you're enjoying it? Yes, loving it. Love the superchargers. We've been in Leeds the whole time, so it now feels like we've started because we've had a couple of games. We've been on the road. We've got the Oval on Friday night, baby. Yes. Tough, that's going to be a tough one because obviously Oval are two from two at the minute.

We're technically non from two, but we've got a point. On the board. On the board. On the board. We're on the board. But yeah, all good fun. Do you know what is going on this 100 that hasn't really happened before? Everyone's beating everyone and I really like it.

Like, Oval are obviously two from two, so are the London spirit. But it feels like everyone else at the minute, it's like everyone's beating everyone. And in the men's game. Yeah, the men's hasn't quite got going yet, has it? No. To be fair, there's been two better games the last two nights. That Manchester Day was mental. You were commentating on that, weren't you?

I can't believe Manchester lost. but absolutely cruising to victory, like cruising. And then in comes Jordan Thompson, last five. Sam Hayne, like, 30 yards off the boundary, takes a simple catch. A Manchester lose, it was honestly nuts. Mad. Well, those two games were both one by one run.

Yeah, yeah, one. Last ball, whatever, yeah, one run. But both games, the team that won it, should have been the team that lost it. Yeah, I know. It's nuts. What have you been up to? What are you been doing?

I am. The last time we did this podcast, we gave everyone a little clue of to what my new job might be. And it's out there now. I am... Right, I'm so sorry. Do you know what? I was thinking that something I need to congratulate you on and I just completely forgot. So, congratulations.

I am a BBC 2 TV presenter. They were presenting... What, you got to eat your strawberries on the podcast. I'm eating my strawberries? Why not? Make my strawberries. You can't do that. You are a BBC 100 TV presenter, and honestly, you would never, ever, ever know that was your first time.

Because I've been, like, practicing in the mirror. Stop eating your strawberries, you psychopath. I've been practicing in the mirror and, like, all sorts. And I was so nervous, because you're like, oh. Yeah, I was, like, so nervous. Like, I've never, I'm not sure. sure if I was more nervous for like cricket or that like genuinely it's different nerves isn't it like you're so much more in control of cricket especially if you've you've done cricket

you know you know what you're doing but you've never presented anything before other than this podcast so I'm so proud of you you look great my favourite bit was when you were with tall Paul that was a great little bit I said to him I was like come on we're going to have some fun he was like right okay yeah fine so tell me tall Paul why you called tall Paul we both stand up he goes, obviously, isn't it? I'm like, good chat, you're really making my life easier, mate. But did you enjoy it? Loved it, honestly loved it.

And then I had Friday off, and it was your first game. So I came to watch. You came as a fan, like, actually, Fangirled, came over, you were late. The traffic was bad. We got to experience The 100 as a friendship duo rather than a colleague duo. Yeah, and I, honestly, you wouldn't have, like, nothing better to do with. your day. I was like, all right. I was like, actually, I've never watched Crossy as a friend when I've not been at work. So I was like, this is a great opportunity to make the effort

and come and watch and then see you properly. Yes. And did you enjoy that? I didn't really enjoy watching the cricket, I can't lie, but I enjoyed seeing you. Yeah, it was good. We actually got some time together, didn't we? Because we've not spent masses about time together recently. So we visited Call Lane. We had a nice little boogie. We did. We had a late night Macies? I ordered it. We did. I ordered enough to feed the whole of Leeds. Tell everyone what you ordered. I ordered two Big Macs, two cheeseburgers, 20 nuggets, 20 cheese dippers, seven packets of chips. Five chicken selects. And two bottles of water because you knew would be dehydrated. Two bottles of water. There was two of us. There was two of us.

I was hungry. Yeah, the chips, yeah. Fun night. Great fun night. What's on you sticking out? You know what? I'm not sure I've got masses. Masses is my word today. Crossie, there was something we didn't talk about last week and we really, really, really, really, really, really, really need to.

Go on. You, you commentated on a test match. I made my test match debut again in the comments box, yes. Thank you. Yeah, it was great fun. Great fun. I was so nervous, though, because I was on the third day. and to commentate on a test match

and you've not done any of the first two days I feel like you don't have quite the flow of the game and it could have ended it could have but it was a good day I actually got some proper test cricket sessions I got the session where De Silva was batting with the tail end everyone's out on the boundary

he's just like knocking it not running proper test match session how did you find it it was good it was hard and it was a bit different to what I'm used to but did enjoy it isn't there if shuts your difference between whiteboard cricket and Red Bull Cricket when you come a day.

So different. And I think because it's your first time, you always think you've got to do something different, I guess. But I was with such a good team. You always hype up your first time. You always do, don't you? You always remember you first time. Yeah, you do.

But I think me and Mel Jones were the first two females to commentate on a Sky Men's Test Match. We think... Okay, well, as in together, like, she was lead you with colour. As in there was two females on... on the commentary team we don't think that there's been two females before might be proved wrong someone could probably have a look and let me know but well congratulations i'm really proud of you like genuinely really funny thank you i had some messages being like oh crossy knows what she's talking about

i was like yeah oh crossy's so much better than jimmy i was like obviously well have we spoke about me going to wimbledon final not sure no don't think we will have done right so i go to the wimbledon final it's like really cool experience i loved it but I'm in this outfit that I feel really, really self-conscious in because I've put on a bit away. Nothing to do with the 14 meals at McDonald's. You actually deliver it to our hotel and it was 0.1 mile away from us. That was tactical.

There was a queue outside McDonald's and deliveroo's 10 minutes. Anyway, I've put on a little bit away and all my photos from the day at Wimbledon I hated. I just hated the way I looked like. I was just like a, I was like, this is. who I've become. I need to do something about it. Anyway, I'm walking to try and get some nice photos and I got stopped by, do you know, the person that does all the fashion at Wimbledon, the people who do the TikToks and they're like, this is what people wore at Wimbledon.

Right. I don't know who they are, but I can gather. Right. I got stopped to be on it, and it gave me so much confidence. Oh yes. I know you didn't tell me about that. Yeah, I was like, I was buzzing actually. I was like, oh yeah, this is Rees, this is Zara, and this is a fake Louis Vuitton. you got to watch the men's final though yeah I did that was cool very cool have you got anything on your sticking out

baby pigeon got it done it ticked done it ticked it off you can do a good impression of a chicken can you muck muck-k-k-k-k-h shame I've got a pigeon on the balcony or chicken

yeah anyway do you want to try and tackle some emails yeah go on let's go on knee deep people know about the golf day don't they we've locked it in have we locked it in we've locked it in we've locked the day in and we think we're getting customized golf balls for the event and right so you're on the golf balls

no I'm on the I'm organising the day you're organising the day Anna's on the golf balls I'm on the golf t-shirts so what I'm thinking right I'll get Anna and Sue just a big picture of me and you printed out on their t-shirts and then I get a picture of Anna and Sue on our t-shirts yeah nice front of up

back front and back okay nice and back and on the back i'll be like no balls golf day with anna and sue or something like that yeah catchy need to need to organize that and then and then sue's on the bucket hats we're wearing bucket hats apparently although every 10 days or so the group like the WhatsApp group lights up doesn't it and it's like so what date are we doing and i'm pretty sure we've locked this date in four times now yeah so what date is it again don't know anyway i played yesterday for the first time since i played with Anna and Sue and I was Good. Good content. So should we go upstairs with Anna and Sue?

I think we should go upstairs with Anna and Sue for the next four weeks until we have our golf day. Okay, deal. Bring more gear, carry more passengers, face greater challenges. Welcome to the world of Defender. With seating up to eight, ample cargo space, and legendary off-road capability.

It's built to make the most. of every adventure. Learn more at landrover.ca. This one is in capital letters and it's called Alex Hartley made my year. Oh, interesting. Hey guys, I hope you are well. Sorry, Crossy, but this one's for Alex. I just wanted to say a huge thank you to Alex for coming over to me.

having a proper chat with me at the opening game of the 100 on Tuesday. Not only did you have a chat with me, but you made the effort to come into the stands just so that we could speak at the same level. I can honestly say that meeting you was the best thing that has happened to me in a very long time. Thank you for taking the time to have a picture and to sign my cricket ball,

which has now been framed with a picture of you winning the World Cup exactly seven years ago to the day. You truly are an inspiration to me. All the best, and that's from Ellie, who's 18. Oh, Ellie. Do you know what? It's not hard to be a nice person. Well, that is, you're busy, though, so you've taken time out.

I know. On working days, you don't often have that time, so good on you. You don't, but, like, I'm not being funny. It's not hard to be like, hi, I'm Alex. Let's have a little picky. Hi, I'm Ed. Hi, Alex and Kate. This one's called Anniversary Balls from Ben.

I write to ask a favour. My wife, Rosie. Rosie or Rossi? Because it's not got an E. It's Rosie. Okay. Because I just said that says Rossi. Okay, my wife Rossi.

It's a big fan of you both and loves the podcast. It's our 17th wedding anniversary. And as we're into the numbers that don't have a special thing for them, what? We're into the numbers that don't have a special thing for them. Rubit, Emerald, that sort of thing. We've decided to go our own way. Right. You can go your own way.

Last year was sweets, and this year we've gone for balls, the obvious choice. So, what better way to celebrate than to shout out the good people of the finest nob? I can't read today, Chrossey. So, what better way to celebrate than a shout out from the good people of the finest nobles related podcast? If you would be so kind as to which Rossi and me. a happy 17th anniversary it would be very excellent of you I know she'd be both highly embarrassed and excited in equal measure cheers ben happy 17th anniversary

there's some poor woman called rosy sat there listening to this podcast and she's going it's my 17th wedding anniversary and my husband's not giving me a shout out but this rossie girl's got one my husband's called ben as well oh dear me congratulations guys I think one year of marriages is a success. So 17 is 17 times as impressive.

I just don't think me and you are ever going to be in the position to be married. I don't think we've got the time or the energy to get into this today. No, me neither, but we're both singles, so. Hi, Alex and Kate. This is from Sarah, I think, S-A-I-R-A. Hi, Alex and Kate. I'm one of your newest listeners and have really enjoyed hearing all about what you think,

and know about cricket. I met Alex at the first game of the 100. It was so nice to see you as you're one of my idols along with Kate Cross. I'm hoping to meet you as well, Kate. My dad wants me to be a spinner as I'm left-handed. Do you have any tips? Thank you. And she's attached the photo of you two together.

Very, very cute. Honestly, right. I paid so many people just to email me this week. Sick of you getting asked for autographs every time we're together. I'm like, hello. tips for bowling spin you've got to have revolutions on the ball well she's nine okay um above the eye line you got to get above the eye line of what come on be better come on you got to get it above the batter's eye line so you want to tell a nine year old that she's got to get the ball

above the batter's eye line yeah and you want it to spin and honestly i am just messing now just practice, practice and have some fun. Like, all it matters, all that matters is that you're having fun with it and you're enjoying it. But if you want to get into technical things, re-email, I don't know what your standard is. You might be really good. She might be really good, but her dad wants her to take up left arm spin. So at this point, I'm guessing she might not be all that excellent at it yet. There's always a niche and always a need for spinballers, so go for it.

But if she gets it above the batons. Get some revolutions on it. With that windball that she's playing with at the minute. Guess who got in touch for some bowling tips? Oh, I know about this. I was led next to you? Oh, yeah, I woke up next to you, didn't I? Going, oh God, Fran Jonas has texted me and I'm so hung over.

I can't deal with it right now. Fran Jonas, she got in touch. She must listen to the pod. She must do. Do you want me to just carry on reading because I feel like you're malfunctioning today? Yeah, that'd be nice. This one's called Well Done Alex. Another one.

Another one? Alex, I know you said you were nervous about your role on TV and the 100 for the BBC, but you've had some really good chats with the players, naturally and relaxed, good mix of personal and cricket-related questions, and I reckon you've settled into it really well. Nice one. Cheers, Brad. Currently watching the Welsh Fire win comfortably versus Mank Originals,

and that's from Dan in Books. This is nice. This is just a happy Alex day, I think. It is, isn't it? Question about bowling triggers though Are you going for it? Okay I'll try it's from Alex

It's not from me Bolling triggers What do you do when you've got the yips To me from me Hello Alex and Kate Having just spent a wonderful day in the sunshine At Heddingley Watching the first Northern Superchargers game

A question about bowling came to mind Having watched Grace Ballinger Constantly start her run up Looking like she was rocking a baby to sleep I've heard people talk about triggers for batter You said batsman I'm going to let that slide It's batters

I've heard Oh Alex that's one strike You got a red flag next to your name Alex Carrington I've heard people talk I don't want a name a shame I've heard people talk about triggers For batters

To get comfortable And prompt the right reaction When hitting the ball Is it the same for bowlers And do you have any bowling triggers And what is the oddest that you've seen Karen regards, red flag Alex. Who was it who always used to have to rub the,

when they'd bowled, they had to like rub the ground to get dust on their hands when they'd bowled? Was it Tash Farrant? Maybe, I used to have to lick my fingers and then you weren't allowed after COVID. Yeah, and you also weren't allowed when we went to India because you weren't allowed to put your fingers in your mouth. So it's not so much triggers,

Batters do triggers for rhythm, don't they? Yeah. So it's so that you're not just stood still and then the ball's coming at you. So that's why people have trigger movements. It's to get themselves in the right place. Bowling, it's more around the run-up of your rhythm. Routines? Do you know what I say?

Yeah, but would you say that's a trigger? Yeah, because I used to have to turn over my left shoulder. If I turned right, I'd have to turn back left. Oh, I know what you mean, yeah. I do know what you mean, yeah. When you go to the back of your mark, you have to turn around. So I wouldn't say that's a trigger, I'd say it's a routine. Yeah, well, more of a superstition, probably.

I don't know, it got so stuck in my brain. I couldn't, felt like I was unwinding if I went the other way. I think for me, bowling is, I was talking about this in the pod actually yesterday because I went into the pod and had a chat with the sky guys. But Headingley is a really good example of how bowling rhythm is quite hard because from one end you come down a hill and from the other end you come up the hill. especially in the 100 when you bowl 5 and then 5 and then 5 and then 5 and it could be at either end it's really hard to get any sort of rhythm and they are quite drastically different

so I don't know why grace looks like she's rocking a baby but that'll just be how she starts her run up and gets herself like into her running. Do you prefer bowling up the hill or down the hill at Headingley? I mean I prefer down the hill but I think I'm better up the hill because you get a little bit more bounce up the hill. are you bowed well when I was there the other day thank you I've not felt bad actually I've just not felt

well yesterday as well actually yeah better in the power play I was a bit disappointed with how I started in the power play on Friday last week just a couple of slot balls in this lot and then bloody bones pit with 100 they tagged me in it

Grace Scriven's smashing me back down the ground and they've tagged me in it and not Grace what about that fielding effort that was so regulation they wanted to collab with you They wanted to collab with me yesterday chasing pigeons I can't advocate that I've got one on my balcony I've got a baby

Yeah no yeah You've got your mother now Yeah I think they're just They're doing it to get as many views as possible Which I understand But you've got a lot of followers You can't You've got a lot of followers

They're giving me stick I already get trolled by Sky With that bloody Alana King hat trick Sometimes you have to realise your own fame sorry i'm just celebrity celebrity celebrity kate cross shut up it's a horrible word that isn't it shut up no celebrity not show up yeah shut up's a great word right who has the best bowling action in women's cricket hi both curious as to who you think has the most aesthetically pleasing action to watch especially pace bowlers sorry kate but

my vote goes to Danny Gibson. Guess I'm old school and love a more side on action. Could watch Danny Bowl all day. Who do you think? And that's from Tim in Florida. Oh, I mean, one of my favourites is Lauren Filer because she does the little Bob Willis flick, wouldn't she behind the body? Oh yeah. Hides the ball. She's like Sunil Narine, but fast. Yeah. Ball's quick, but it's not aesthetically pleasing at all. It's actually quite, it's quite awkward to watch. Danny Gibson has got quite a smooth, lovely run-up, but then so do you. So does Freya Davis? I love Marizan Capp's action.

Okay. I just think... I think if you can have a good bowling photo, so when you're in your load-up, if your photo looks good, you've got a good action. Yeah. That's my rule.

Does yours look good? I'm like in the air like that, so it's not bad. It's not according to Tim. No, Tim doesn't like me. Not side-on enough. Why have we woken up today and chosen violence? I don't know, really. Tim didn't like my action.

Danny Gibson, yeah, she does have a nice action. This is one of those moments where all bowling actions leave your mind. Just go out of my head. I'm trying to think of a lefty. We must have a good lefty out there. Katie George. Kempy's got a nice action. Kempi does have a nice action.

I got two fun questions in the crowd yesterday. So it's one of them where I was like, right, three, two, one. Stop sulking, go and sign autographs. So I went round. the crowd at headingly is quite a tough one because the kids keep lining up so we end up like down at long gone basically like you start at mid off and then you round fine leg anyway these kids they're all like do you know what they are doing this year actually they're all asking for my sonies they've got cheeky kids have got cheeky

I kept getting asked for my bowling boots my gloves my bat I was like what am I going to use next time yeah they ask for anything I understand them asking for yeah superchargers kit I'm like well I get two hats so now I need my hat but asking for Four times we've been asked for my sonnies in two games so I'm going down the route now of if you give me £175 for these sunnies then you can have them and they're all like oh, whoa no, absolutely not

nice. Anyway, I got asked yesterday how many bottles of water do I think I've drank in my lifetime? Oh! Great question. Is it? It's impossible to know the answer. Think how many bottles of water we drink in India? I said it must be thousands.

Way more? Comfortably. Way more. 100,000. What? Surely I've drank 100,000 water bottles. 100,000 water bottles. So if we're going 500 mil water bottles,

you meant to drink four... Let's do some math. Oh, God, good luck. Right. Four litres a day, and we're going 500 mil water bottles, so that's eight of those. So eight a day for 30 years. You've not had eight a day?

But I'm saying if you have four litres a day... Yeah, but you don't have four litres day and you don't finish the bottom of water bottles off, so... I don't know, I've just chucked to. Right, how many days is 30 years old? Yeah. 109,057. Right, so that's one...

10,9557. Oh, I was going to say, it's only one bottle a day. Right, so... But you're not drinking bottles of water until you, what? It's 10, 8? No, you could drink water from like two. No, you can't. Of course you can.

I'm going 100,000. What are you going? I said thousands. That could be anywhere from 1,000 to 100,000 to be fair. So if anybody knows the answer to that or wants to do the research, please let us know, because I'm actually really intrigued. Next week I'll have had a few more than this week, though. Second question I got asked.

Why was it a draw? Because both teams scored the same amount of runs. less wickets. So as my mum said last night, well, Kate's team should have won they lost less wickets. We should have done. Yeah, we should have done, actually. I'll write it to the 100 next time they troll me on Twitter. Is it, oy?

What do you have with, do you know in the finals, if it's a draw, is it super five? Yeah, I think so. You go to super fives. I'd love super fives. Do you tell you what I will talk about, about the hundred though, what I've loved, is how well the English girls are doing. Yes, we spoke about this at 3 a.m.

the other day did we're in bed having a chat about it going how good is it knowing that the England girls are doing so well whilst I was chugging on a Mackey's and well you wonder why I'm not in the T20 team but no it has been great caps you can't stop scoring runs file is bowling wonderfully well for Manchester Lauren Bell took a four for yesterday Heather Knight had one of the best chases I've ever seen her conduct in the first opening match against Welsh fire? Nope. I don't know if it was, but that was excellent.

Yeah, it's been great, hasn't it? Yeah, it's been really good. It's honestly been amazing. I'm really glad that the girls' side of it is going well again. Me too. You know what I've not liked about the men's side, actually. I'm sorry, I'm just going to, I'm on a cricket flow. I don't like tournaments crossing over.

So we had Michael Jones come and play for the Northern Superchargers for, he was in Durham. Jonesy. At one o'clock, Jonesy. gets a call at one o'clock, you're playing at three o'clock, at six o'clock, can you drive down to Leeds to play? Then he's gone again the next day. Well, yeah, well now, like, people are just coming in for one game. Keaton Jennings has gone down to London Spirit. I love that for Keaton, though.

Yeah, very good for Keats. Friend of the podcast, Keaton. Can we just do... Okay, carry on, you're on a cricket chat. No, it was just that, I was just finalising that. I was just saying, it's just not... It started bitterly for the men. And that was a lot of it was because of the MLC

because England players aren't there, etc, etc. I agree, I agree, but that's the way of the world, Kate. There's so much cricket all the time. I know. Can we just do a little, the Olympics has started? Oh yeah. Yeah, it has. This is just a little, like, let's turn into No Balls, the Olympic pod.

We're going to be Isha for a moment. How good is it? Yeah, it's great. We were watching, what I just watched? triathlon, rowing. I was watching skateboarding the other day. I've just been watching BMX in. I've now got canoeing on. I've never watched canoeing in my life. I'm now watching it.

But isn't it mad how within three races or whatever of the sport you're watching, you become an expert? Yeah. And you're like, oh, that was crap. Yeah, I was just watched the qualifiers for the BMX thing. That was like the trick one. And four people in a row fell off their bike. And I was like, oh, yeah. got to be able to get underneath it quicker. You've got to stick your landing, mate.

You've got to stick that. I'm now watching canoeers go through, like, do you know, like the slalom? Yeah. And going, oh, you've got to be more powerful on the left side to get up and around the right. Like I know what's going on. Up in the red ones, yeah? Yeah, like I have a clue. No one's got a clue.

And if we had a go at that, we'd be terrible. Yeah. This is what people do about cricket, Kate. I know. That's so true. That is so, so true. Everyone telling me how crap I am at cricket. Remember, Agas gave me the best bit of advice I've ever had in my life.

He took me to Sixers cricket, and he said, come and watch with me. And we went to watch all the people in there, all these old men hitting cricket balls or pretending or trying to hit cricket balls. He said, these are the type of people that abuse you online, take no notice of it. Our second best bit of advice was from the NASA Hussein. And he said, the 10% of people that we're fighting to convince that women's cricket,

or cricket is good at the 10% that don't matter. Yeah, it's true. That's all I've got. That's all I've got. It's a lovely 35 minutes, though. You can email us on No Bullspodcast at bbc.c.cow.com.com.com. It's so good. She's scoffing strubs. She said it twice.

Bye, everyone. Bye. Good looking at your next game, Kate. Why am I calling you Kate, weirder? Cross-E. See you. Cross comes in round the wicket Boulder, Boulder, leaving a ball alone, Litchfield. I think it's the wobble ball, and it just nips back, it jags back, it's the nipbacker.

That is a beauty from Kate Cross, an absolute seed, that is a beauty for Cross. Welcome to a new podcast feed from Five Live Sport and BBC Sounds. All About Olympics. As we gear up to the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris. I was in complete shock when I crossed the line and looked it and was like, wow, this is on. Myself and the Five Live Olympic team catch up with some of the biggest names from the world of athletics and beyond. That win was very special because 150 meters from the finish, I'm stopping. All about Olympics.

Listen on BBC Sounds