Test Match Special - No Balls: The Cricket Podcast - Are you listening Chris Martin?

Episode Date: August 27, 2022

Kate and Alex have been busy in the Hundred and have all the gossip from the tournament. Plus, there's a good delve into the mailbox and more excitement about a celebrity fan...

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. BBC Sounds, music, radio, podcasts. Guys, this is your warning.

We do swear occasionally. Every now and then, we'll say the word. Sometimes. Sometimes. And even maybe. But don't let that put you off with nice people. We beep them out. Like your kids can listen.

Enjoy. And cross strikes in the first over. It's Waddingham. looking for. Hartley Balls. Down the track comes scoring. This time she connects. It's either six or out. It's six. We're back. We're back, baby, and we're happy. Well, it's not at 7 a.m. And I think it's not 7am. And I think we know we're not at our best when it's 7 a.m. Yeah. So we've, we've can that idea ever again. We're not doing 7 a.m. podcast, not good for us. It is 453. This podcast was meant to start half four, but I obviously didn't have a laptop, didn't have a microphone, couldn't get online.

Shocker. So you've not had a laptop for a while, which we've meant that we've been a, we've had to Zoom because we can't do audacity because you've needed to use your phone. So I was like, why don't you just order a new laptop charger, which has been the problem. You've not had a charger. So you did? Yeah. I sent it home rather than to St. David's Hotel in Cardiff. There it is. There is. This is one working with people. This is what being on a podcast with Alex Hartley is about. Absolute. Shambles of a human. Shambles. Anyway, how are you doing?

I am very good, Crossie. Very, very good. We had our first win. Did you see The 100 tweeted? This is not a drill. I repeat, this is not a drill. I thought that was a bit harsh, you know. I read that. I was like, oh, come on, guys. I know they've had a tough season, but come on.

They also lost their last two games last year as well, so we've had a long losing streak. Yeah, yeah. It's been a tough season for you, hasn't it? Season. Yeah, it has. But we're all in really good spirit. It's like, it's franchise cricket.

It is what it is. we should have won a couple of games, we didn't, you know. Yeah, it's just what it isn't it? Cricket, isn't it? Like, that sums cricket up. Yeah. The boys, on the other hand, they're not okay. Are they struggling?

Yeah. Yeah. Okay, well, that's cricket. The franchise tournament cricket can happen. They might win it next year, who knows. Yeah, how are you? Yeah, I'm good, thank you. I've had two nights of sleep, like proper sleep.

And it's been the first time, I think, since before COVID. that I've actually slept. As in before I had COVID, not before, not in like 2019. I'm not that bad. Not tonal, yeah. So yeah, I'm good. We've got our game tomorrow against Birmingham, and we've had a week off.

We've had a really round week of no cricket. Weird, isn't it? Really straight. You had yours just after you played us at Old Trafford, and now we've just had ours. And for us, I think it was a good thing. because we had a really tough loss against the Northern Supercharges at Headingley.

But for our lads, they're on this winning streak and then they've been halted, so it's weird. Do you want to talk about the Headingley game? Because it was a belter of a game. Oh, it was an unbelievable game. Unbelievable. Just not unbelievable for you to be on the bloody losing end. It was one of them where maybe in like three, four years' time,

I'm going to be able to like think about it from the bigger picture and be like, great game of cricket. I got a really lovely message from Scott Reid, BBC Scott Reid, saying, you might not be ready to hear this, but just wanted to say that was one of the best games I've ever commented on. Sad that someone had to be on the losing end of it, but basically well done for being a part of it. And that really did help.

Okay, well, that's good. It was a belting game of cricket to watch. I obviously watch every Manchester game and be like, come on, Manchester, I want you to win. Apart from when you play us, but you won anyway. We have been a bit strange this year because I think we've really competed

and we've almost like dominated teams when we've been good, we've dominated them. But there's then these just 20 balls in a game where we just lose it. And by losing it, I mean like lose the game in that 20 balls. It's like the finest margins. And I don't know if I said this on last week's episode. but for me the hundred when that momentum shifts like my god it swings the completely other way

and it's so hard to keep hold of and grapple back and fight against like it just seems to happen it's mad it's it can it's five balls in it that's all it is five balls have you just won one yeah we're one out of four at the minute and we've got two left to play okay okay so you you could technically still make finals yeah it's mathematically possible but like a lot of people are going to end up on the, if we win our last two games, a lot of people will end up on six points, I think, and then it'll go off net run rate, and our net run rate is not good, so. Just for anyone that's wondering if the Welsh fire can make finals, we can't.

I text you saying, is your last game on Monday? Because I'm commentating on it, which I'm really excited about. So I get to commentate on you for once. And you were like, yeah, last game unless we make finals. I said it out on the bus, and everybody laughed out loud. Yeah, nice. Nice. So we're good. We're awake. Good start. Have you got anything on your sticky note? Yeah, I have actually. The link for this recording so that I could copy and paste it into the safari.

And nothing else. Right. Good. I've got a few things written down. A lot of them are about the 100. So while we're chatting about the 100, shall I just reel them off? Yeah, yeah. A few of them are about your, about you and your team anyway. I've got first win written down so I can just tick that off because you've chatted about that you played at Lords Yes and Crossy I was so so

so nervous Were you That's the first time since 2017 that you've been back there Yeah And I had the job of opening the bowling And it went down the shit Oh

You've bowed And mate you've bowed so well in this tournament Yeah Yeah To be fair I have But didn't bowl well at Lords I only went for 23 And I bowed five wide

yesterday when we were only defending like 110. Oh, can happen. Can happen. Sorry, guys. Sorry about me. But it's, I'm bowling like, just, this is going to sound really bad because you're a bowler and it happens. But I'm bowling like two or three bad balls a game,

which are obviously in this format against smack for four. Yeah. That's the margin. I was talking to the girls about this in the day. Like, this is where this tournament is going to just transform women's cricket in the UK because when you're playing regional cricket, those bad balls you kind of sometimes get away with. Whereas, like, we were playing against supercharges on Sunday

and you can't give Alyssa Healy any width. To her, width is off stump. And so, like, you ball on a four stump line, which at regional level you might get away with, that is boundary ball for Alyssa Healy. Like, you're going to have to learn to get that skill set so narrow so that you can just bowl on one tiny part of the pitch, and it's going to make us all so much better at cricket.

Yeah, it is. And it's the closest thing I've ever been to international cricket. I think it's, in a way, tougher than international cricket, because you've got an away crowd. You've got home crowd sometimes, but the away crowd is savage. And you don't get that international level in England. Like, those crowds aren't that good yet. So, like, I think in some ways there's a lot more pressure in the 100. Yeah. How have you found it? Like, how, tell me, what's it been like compared to last year?

it's been it's been different um like equally as frustrating because it feels like we're competing now but we've still not got the wins to prove that um very strange not having you here like really weird not having you around um but i've definitely not enjoyed it as much as last year yeah and half of me like i'm trying to work out why i think probably the novelty of it has kind of gone a little bit so like yes last year when it was like oh we're walking through an arch now it's like oh we're walking through an arch it's like a bloody arch yeah which like I get I get it

the point of the hundreds is it's different and it's an event and all that stuff so um but yeah my enjoyment hasn't been as high as it was last year it's not I've not not enjoyed it but I'd loved it loved it loved it last year and this year I've loved it do you know what I mean yeah yeah I know exactly

me um so yeah um just going back to my notes um you needed to hit six and you went out to bat and you ramped it. Yeah, right. So I've been practising the ramp, you know, I know. I've only got one shot. If I need a boundary, I have to go to it

because I'm not powerful enough to go down the ground. It'll go and land at the stumps. Yeah, nice. Thinking, quick bowler, I'm going to ramp it. So I'm like, set myself, and it's outside the off stump, and I panic, and I flick it in the air, and we run one, and it nearly lands on the helmet, and I nearly get six.

You've only got a six anyway by absolute default. Yeah, but hey. And then when we played at Lord's the other day, shooter was bowling with no short, fine or fine leg. And I was knowing ramps on, ramps on. But I didn't connect the other day, so I don't want to play it. So I didn't play it. And I should have played it.

Yeah. If it's on, play it. If it's on, play it, Al. Hempey, sorry. Our batting coach went, Ramp was on Al. He was like, he was like, it wasn't on the other day. day it was on then. Yeah.

It's all right. That's what we have these moments to learn. I shouldn't be batting, let's be honest. No, you shouldn't. On the batting, though, I don't really want to bring this up because it puts me in a bad position, but I'm going to. You successfully faced a hat-trick ball, and I didn't successfully face a hat-trick ball in this tournament. And someone tweeted saying, does that mean that the tops cards are wrong and you should have a higher batting?

Mark than me. And I think, you know what, Al, one thing I have learned in this tournament is that my batting number on that card is too high. Yeah. You've just been told off for clicking your pen. Sorry. I like having something to touch, to hold. Put it down.

Who's telling me off? Henry. How? Because he just texts you? No, is it? Sorry, I've turned my phone off because I'm podcasting, Henry. I don't want any distractions. Yeah, you're buying maybe slightly high

But mine is probably right Yeah, but we weren't far away from each other last year No, mine went down And I didn't bat once last year in the comps I don't understand how it got down I think that's why it went down If you're not batting on, you're not getting any more points Yeah, but how's it going down?

It should stay the same In the fantasy game, me and you are very level on points Yeah, like two points in it You've been bowling really well as well, though, haven't you? Not really well, but I've been bowling all right. Bolly well. Are you the same boat as me, like, bowling well, but not picking up wickets? Yeah, yeah.

Yeah, like, I'll bowl 20 balls for 20 runs and getting on for every game. But last year you were going 20 balls, 36 runs, so... I did say that, you know, I was talking... So the pitches at Sophia Gardens aren't great, but we've obviously played away as well. and I was thinking back to it I was like I was probably getting like you know two wickets a game in the last year or every other game or whatever it was

I was like but I was going for 36 runs so I was like I'll take it yeah you'd rather bowl well because you're going to probably create chances for the other bowlers who might pick up wickets than be non-economical and take wicket I don't know it's hard isn't it it's a tough

toss-up or off spinner yesterday in the power play ball 15 balls wow How rogue is that for a spin-off? Dan Norcross challenged me to get someone to bowl 20 balls in the power play. Oh, yeah. Because it's doable, because you'd just have to go two back-to-back-tenths.

But it is doable. It is doable. So you'd have to go start at 10, someone then bowl 5 and then you bowl 10. Yeah. Yeah, but then you've wasted a bowler. Well, that's it. The bowler's gone then. Moving on from the 100

It's enough chat about cricket It's not like us that, is it? No Chris Martin listens to this podcast Yeah Coldplay man The cold play man The main cold play man

Chris Martin listens to no balls at cricket podcast What's he saying? Rule the world No that's Rule the world Oh then rule the world Is take that

but that song is a take that song which is not call rule the world but that is a call play song yeah see there we go um yeah so hi chris chris if you want to come on this podcast and talk cricket or guitars or bass or whatever you can do just email us on no balls podcast at bbc.c.c.com.combecd.combecd.combec.combec.com. It's like when we, oh it's so good they've said it twice. it's like when we thought Rick Astley emailed us

no no but this is actual Chris Martin listens to the podcast and don't get me wrong he's no more important than any other listener that we've got out there but this is the first time that I've got like a bit starstruck and a bit nervous about what we talk about

and what we do so much so that I even planned a little bit of this episode and wrote things down because I was like we don't want Chris to think that we're unprofessional. Well, if he's been listening to us from the start, I think he knows. Do you think he's been listening from the start?

Because I'm sure he's probably not. Oh, well, yeah, who knows? Anything else like you sticking out? Yeah, one more thing. It's really, really, really, like, heartwarmingly sweet. So I was having a chat with the groundsman today at Edgebaston and who also listens to a few episodes of the podcast every now and then. Why wouldn't you?

He's called Chris Martin. No, I'm joking. He's not. He was telling me about the Commonwealth Games and how he loved it. He said, I've done World Cups. We've done Champions T-Trophy. We've done finals days for the T20 Blast. And he said the Commonwealth was my favourite. And he said he just loved it. He loved the players. He loved the cricket. He loved the match referees. He loved the crowds. He just loved it. He said it was brilliant. So I was like, amazing. So I have a really good chat with him. and then he told me that he's got a groundsman's WhatsApp group

for all the head groundsmen's around the country and I was like what's in it who's in it what gets said and basically it's so sweet they all wish each other look if they've got a big game coming up so he texts Matt from Old Trafford

being like good look this week mate hope it goes well hope the pitch up and I just like what so sweet like so sweet That is so cute but so tragic But it's so sweet And I had so many questions I was like what's the group picture

What's the group name? Yeah Who was admin? Who set that up? Did he tell you? No, I didn't actually ask these questions But now I've got these questions in my head And you know what? It's got me thinking like

What is the most random WhatsApp group that you are a part of Oh yeah nice And I want people to to email in or DM us or whatever, get in touch with us about this as well, because I bet there's some incredibly random ones out there. Yeah, off the top of my head, I don't know.

Do you know what the most random ones I'm in are? What? Like, just so rogue because of the people that are in them. But when you do commentary, and you get put into a group and they send all the info through for the game and what's going on during the game and the stats and stuff, and like, suddenly I'm in a WhatsApp group with Kevin Peterson

or Ravi Shastri. I'm in a WhatsApp group called the Keyesha. a car club from when I played for England. Oh yeah, that's right. Are you looking through now to have a little look? Yeah, and there's only about three people left in it because everyone's left and we're not sponsored by Kia anymore. Right, nice. I'm going to go right down to the bottom of my WhatsApp. Oh, I was removed. Goodbye.

It says you were removed. You were removed. Gutted. Kate Cross left the 1st of July 21 and I was removed. Today. That's random. That's weird. Anyway, I can't find any random ones, but I think I left quite a lot of mine, probably when I was leaving that Kea group. I got rid of a few.

But, yeah, got me thinking, get in touch, let me know. Like, who's part of a groundsman's WhatsApp group? You know, let me know. There'll be, like, teacher WhatsApp groups, won't there? Yeah, but that's not that random. I want really random. He also said he's not called head's groundsman, anymore because a lady can't be a head groundsman.

So he's head of turf or something like that. A turfer? A turfer, yeah. A groundy. Groundy works. Grounder. Anything else on your sticking note? No, that's it. I'll finish.

I'm going to click my pen one more time, Henry, so I can tick them off. Tick, tick, tick. We need to go upstairs. We do. Because we've not been upstairs for about four weeks and it's starting to show. It is. So we have got your emails. We've got 48 of them. So we've got loads to get through. We probably won't get through them all. Who do you want to go upstairs with? No one's spring into mind at the minute. I had a room the other day with Alex Worf, Richard Kettlebrough, Anna Harris, all in the same room. That is good. Not James Kettlebrough.

Not James Kelbara, who is your sister's fiancé. No, say. Let's do it, then let's go upstairs with all three of them. Yes, boom. Okay, hi, Kate and Alex, but this is mainly for Kate. I've just got home from the Manchester Originals versus Southern Brave game at the Ageas Bowl, and I've got a couple of questions. Firstly, who was the Manchester Originals guy sat next to the dugout with a notebook slash scorebook and laptop?

annoyingly missing from the one photo I took of the group. They've sent the photo through as well. You seem to consult him when you didn't think that a bowler could bowl five from one end and then straight away bowl five from another end. I mean, he's talking about Richard. No, he's not. No, he's not. He's talking about Andrew.

Andrew's our analyst. If you see someone with a laptop, they're probably the analyst. Secondly, at one point, this is disgusting. At one point, you seem to wash out a set of teeth retainers or similar. Were you whitening your teeth watching the game? You took your teeth out on the deli? No, I took my teeth out because I needed to eat a banana.

So for anyone that didn't listen to last week's episode, but I've got Invisaline, or, as we nicknamed it, Visible Line, because you can see it so obviously. And when you eat, you have to wash or brush your teeth, but I didn't have my toothbrush with me, so I just washed my retainers out. With water? With water, yeah.

So your visaline is very visible, but I bumped into Beth Mooney the other day who's got Vizaline, but hers is in Vizaline, you could hardly tell she got it on. Yeah, the difference is because the composites that I've got, so the composites are the little things they stick on your teeth to move them. I've got a lot on the top. So it looks like I've got runners, you know, like proper braces. Anyway, so that was, it was, Andrew. I didn't think I was questioning the five and the five.

I probably would have just asked something about line and length and stuff. And yeah, I did wash my teeth out. Dear Hartley and Crossy, I've only just started listening to your podcast. To say I'm hooked is an understatement. Last night I listened to one of your podcasts dating back to July 2021. The highlight for me was when you said, if you were to come out to a song, it would be she is a belter. She is a belter, different from the rest.

My daughter, Liv. I think I love her. You are annoying me. Sorry. My daughter, Liv, plays cricket for a local team, but unfortunately, she couldn't finish her season as she's pulled her knee, resulting in a meniscus tear, running back to her crease. She was on the mend and going to college in September,

she is on the men, sorry, and going to college in September to study sports coaching and leadership. Her ambition is to be a sports therapist, but lacks self-esteem. Any encouragement or wise words that you could offer her. Keep doing a good job, putting smiles on people's faces. Thank you, Rosie. Go on, gal. Hope the rehab goes well. I think she wants some self-esteem encouragement.

Oh, sorry. Grossie wasn't listening. I wasn't listening, you're right. I was reading the next email. Okay, I'm listening. I'm paying attention. Self-esteem's hard to just create, I think. For me, stuff like that is about being around the right people

making sure you're with people who give you confidence who laugh at your jokes, that's a good one. Yeah, I laugh at your jokes when they're not funny. Amy Jones, I could say anything and she just laughs. She's such an easy laugh. So you need to find someone that's an easy laugh. You just laugh then, that wasn't funny. No, it was.

That was it? Okay. Yeah. I think just confidence, just in fact. fake it till you make it, honey, and then one day you'll feel confident. Yeah. And do things that you enjoy. I always think, like, I'm probably my most confident when I'm around the cricket girls because I love cricket. I love the people that cricket brings in. So find something that you enjoy, like a hobby, and you'll be with light-minded people, and you'll get, naturally just build your confidence from there.

And if not, Tengen and Tonics. Does the world a good. I can dance when I've had Tengen T's I had my dancing shoes on yesterday and I put a brand new pair of white shoes on filthy. Ruin them. Ruin them. Next. Hi, Callix or Allate.

Some people I follow on Twitter recently had a charity game of cricket and started the game with nine slips. There's a photo link below. I started wondering, when is a wicket keeper, not a wicket keeper? If they're stood at mid on with the gloves on,

are they still the wicket keep? keeper? If said person who stood at mid-on with the gloves on and someone without gloves is stood behind the stumps, who's the wicket-keeper? Or do you have to be stood behind the stumps to wear the gloves? I'd love to hear your thoughts on this. Thanks, Dom. You cannot wear gloves in any other part of the field because I often ask the question if, can the keeper wear one glove and I wear the other just to help me out a little bit? Yeah, nice. I'm going to Google this so that we get an official party line on it. Can a wicket-keeper stand anywhere? in, I mean, they can't, I know that, but I'm getting the official line.

Oh, I'm on wicket-keeping tips. The wicket-keeper law by the MCC. The wicket-keeper is the only fielder permitted to wear gloves and external leg guards. If these are worn, they are regarded as part of his or her person. Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. The wicket-keeper shall remain wholly behind the wicket at the strikers end. From the moment the ball comes into. play until a ball is delivered by the bowler.

So they have to stand holy, very holy. Holy behind the stunts. Holy or holy? Holy. Like the whole. You said the same word twice? No, holy as in the whole of it, or holy as in God save our queen. Holy, like the whole of it.

but the wicketkeeper technically can stand as far back they could be on the boundary oh never thought of that surely yeah yeah because you can't yeah if someone's bowling really rapid then they'd have to stand far back so maybe there's not a limit on how far back they need to stand hey crossy and Alex I hope you well

long time podcast listener second time emailer Alex seen you've bowled recently and saw one of your post-match interviews where you said you were thinking of retiring at the end of the year. Please don't, as I love watching you play. We would love to see you play for England again. Take note, selectors, Ian. Well, funny you should say that, Ian.

I told the world and the BBC, after our game the other day, that I'm not going to retire and I'm going to play again because I'm loving. Yes. Someone asked me today, they were like, is I going to retire? And I was like, I think she's you turned because she's loved the 100 so much. Yeah. Honestly, like, cannot. tell you, I went into this competition knowing that it would be my last month of playing

professional cricket ever in my life. And I was really content with that. I was like, you know what? Happy, done, dusted. I've had an amazing career. I've loved it. I'm getting a bit sick of playing cricket now. Like, it's becoming more of a chore than a hobby. And I think a new environment, fresh set of people, fresh coaches has reminded me how much I actually enjoy playing. you've also got to remember you are 28 like you can broadcast or nearly 29 you can broadcast for the next 50 years if you wanted to

you're going to get one go of being a professional cricketer not even professional a cricketer and keep doing it while you're enjoying it because you will regret it if you stopped while you were still loving it I reckon just need somebody to give me a contract in 100 next year well you've bowed so well I know what I'm like though

I get like this don't I'm next year I'll be rubbish The year after I'll be good Like it's just how I am But that's also cricket I think Yeah Yeah Honestly the last four weeks It just reminded me

What a mental game we play Like it makes zero sense to me I know I mean I think it makes sense It doesn't make sense Can we just do a shout out To everybody that's made signs For us during this 100

because I've had photos with so many people that have made signs, they've taken photos, they've made, I've got a drawing for us, I've made things, like giving us cards, honestly, every time I go and sign something, someone has a no-balls specific picture, something to sign, like, it's amazing, we're loving it, keep it coming. The one sign that I didn't enjoy yesterday because I did it,

and I regret it, was Alex Hartley, can I have your shirt, please? And we were doing the lap of honour, and I took my shirt off and gave it him and then realised I had to do the rest of the lap with no top off. Right, okay, that's rogue. So I had to wrap the Welsh fire flag around me because I was like, I've got no clothes on.

Nice. Dear Kate and Alex, with all the brilliant coverage about how the Lionesses football team have been inspiring the next generation of girls to pick up a football, I wanted to share with you how all the equally brilliant cricket

we've been able to watch through the Commonwealth Games have been having a similar impact on my four-year-old daughter. I come from a family of cricket enthusiasts and in particular women's cricket. I've taken her along to a few games, but last Saturday seen New Zealand versus South Africa was her first experience of women's international cricket. Over the rest of the week, we've watched the England games and have had quite a lot of others on in the background. When I told her yesterday afternoon that England were playing tonight, she ran to put on her England face paints from Edgebaston, and then before tea, she dragged her

dad into the garden where stumps were drawn on the fence and before long she was trying to figure out her bowling action. Seeing my daughter is a clear reminder that it's so much more than that because she can see what she knows she can be. It's great getting her into the 100 but it shows that we need more women's cricket or women's sport in general on the TV. Very good. Very nice. Dear Kate and Alex, hearing Alex talk about her move to the Welsh fire and how positive it has been has got me thinking. There are six more teams in the 100 that Alice could play for and it's If the tournament expands to 10 teams in the future, there will be some more. So instead of retiring to concentrate on growing potatoes,

Alex needs to join a new team every year for at least the next six years. Is Alex the new Imran to hear? Love that. I mean, that answers the question about, I mean, I know we just spoke about retiring, but that's perfect. Just keep hopping around. Just, no, I can't do that, surely. Do it?

Do it. Why not? Why not? Hi, Alex and Kate. I hope you both well. I randomly had the idea of creating a no-balls edition of the team names for the 100. We've got the Manchester OGs, the Northern Super Shambles, the Birmingham Psychopaths, the Trent Ramps, the Welsh Floppies, the Ovali Screams,

the London Spuds and the Southern Bread Nives. Love that. That's genius. And I've got a couple of questions. Alex, how will you feel giving all the intel and how to get Crossy and your ex-teammates out? I tried to but we couldn't get any of you out no he didn't who are you both looking forward to bowling against the most and the least

well the tournament's nearly done I was the most looking forward to bowling to you and the least looking forward to balling to you nice yeah I mean the way you've bowled this year there's no way, if no one's hit you for runs there's no way that I was going to start tonking you around, was there? Yeah, that's true.

You definitely have got me out, definitely. I think I've only been hit for four fours in the whole tournament, something silly. I do you all, that's a great effort. No, and three of them were in the game at London because I kept bowling down the leg side. And the five winds, that's a shame. Yeah, I was caught off the field, Jesse.

I was like, tear them off my figures, they don't count. Yeah, nice, love that. I was most looking forward to bowling to, yeah, were you. That would have been fun. And the least looking forward to bowling at either Smitty Mandana or Alyssa Healy. Yeah, yeah, I was worried about bowling to Healy. I can't lie yesterday. Mm-hmm.

But I don't think I had to in the end. Hi, Kate and Alex. Long-time listener, second-time emailer. A question for both of you. If you're in a squad and don't play a game, is it worse if the squad wins nothing or is it worse if they win everything but you don't contribute? That's really hard. I really hate that because if I'm not part, if I don't play in a squad,

it definitely feels like you've not contributed. Even though there's aspects to tour life and training and being part of the large group, obviously, that you do contribute to. Like, if a team won the World Cup and I'd not played a game, I'm not sure what I'd do with that medal. I'm very selfish in this scenario, and I always have been. If you're not in a team, I want them to lose because how are you getting in it? Yeah. Yeah, and everyone thinks that way as well, like whether people admit it or not, but everyone does.

Because you like how do you get in the team? Yeah. If they keep winning, they're never going to change it. Yeah. Or if you're the Welsh fire, you keep losing. You still don't change the team. But that's a different matter. Keep up the great work and hope you both have success in the 100. Patrick from Canada.

Nice, cute. We've had one from Andy the Scientist. Ooh. And it's titled Friends for Life. Dear Nobles podcast, I wanted to say that I've recently started listening to your podcast after sections have been featured on TMS, but mainly because I have very much enjoyed listening to Alex commentating. This is a really important point because I went to the 100 match. at the weekend, absolute scorcher here in Cardiff, bought myself a brand new hat, and then thought, you know what would make my day? Getting it signed from my favourite BBC cricket

commentator, who very kindly did. However, I'm not sure if I called you Catherine, and if I did, I'm very sorry. But I will say, if I did, you acted like a true professional and took it all in your stride without embarrassing me. I even had the nerve to mention that you'd said, If someone asked for your autograph, they'd be friends for life. Yes. Yeah, you did call me Catherine, and I just presumed you got us muddled up. So, I wanted to say sorry if I did call you Catherine, and not Alex. And if not, I wanted to say thank you, first for signing my hat and genuinely making my day,

and second for a fantastic match, Andy, the scientist. Thanks, Andy, the scientist. It's Alex Hartley and then Kate Cross. You don't have a lick to stand on here, because how much? many times have you introduced yourself as Kate Cross on this podcast? It's very true. It's very true. Too many. Right, a couple more. Yeah, we've had a lot of LBWs, haven't we? Have we? Yeah.

That was a rhetorical question, but yeah. Hi, Kate and Alex. This is a question for both of you. Just after the England game versus India, I happened to bump into Crossie on the bus, which happened to be the first time I got the bus on my own. Do you get a public bus? Yeah, I did. I made my mum. Funny enough, funnily enough, it seemed Crossy didn't have any idea about buses as well, asking the driver if she has to scan in or scan out. Anyway, my question is, where is the weirdest place you've ever met a fan? Pia, it was a pleasure doing business with you, Crossie. Oh yeah, I know what that's about. We swapped some pins. Nice.

I didn't ask the bus driver if I need to scan in. I asked him how much is a normal bus fare these days because I remember when I used to get the bus home from school, it was 30p. Whoa. Yeah, that's how old I am. Weirdest place I've ever met a fan. Mine was today at the services. Ambulance driver.

Mad. You actually got spotted in a cafe the other day, didn't you? Oh, my, honestly, guys, like you listening, you make my day. but I was sat in Nero in the middle of London with a couple of the girls minding my own business and someone said I've just watched Lanky the giraffe race

it was brilliant pleasure to meet you have a brilliant day Love that Lanky the giraffe race by the way if you've not watched it yet you need to You absolutely need to watch it when I have a bad day

I just watch it Yeah Where this place I met Oh I think I've said this before But I met someone at Mumbai Airport once, well once this year, coming back from the IPL. Someone stopped and said they listened to the podcast. And that game, remember, I was watching India, Pakistan in the World Cup in Dubai,

and someone shouted that they listened to the podcast from the crowd. That was mad. That was mad. Shall I do a quick LBW? Yeah. Hi, Alex and Kate, new listener to the pod, and love it, yes. My LBW is that I microwaved cereal, not just wheat a bit of porridge, which are seen as more normal, but even shreds.

honey nut shredded wheat, Jordan's County Criss, other breakfast brands are available. That's weird. I've been doing this since I was a little kid and thought it was completely normal until I started doing it at work. That's when these LBWs come out when you do stuff in front of other people. I let it slide when the first couple of people looked at me like I was a psychopath, but after a stream of colleagues roundly abused me for this behaviour, I need to conclude that I was the problem, not them. if you've got time for another LBW, my fiancé puts her clothes on over her still wet bathing suit because she doesn't like getting changed in the locker room. Keep up the good work and that's from Dan.

I have nothing to say but goodbye. Yeah, weird. A little bit weird. A lot bit weird. Keep them coming. We're going to have to go, Crossie. Yeah. So get in touch with us on. No Bowls Podcast at BBC.co.com.com. No ballspodcast at BBC.co. It's so good.

They said it twice. Remember we want your weird WhatsApp groups that you're part of. We want your weird LBWs. And we want your general questions in a short email. A short email. Bye. Bye, everyone. And cross strikes in the first over.

It's what England we're looking for. Party balls. Down the track comes scoring this time she connects. It's either six or out. Hello, I'm comedian Masey Adam and I host the Transfer Gossip Daily podcast. Each episode, I'll be joined by some of the country's top football journalists. Yes, even Luke Edwards, as we cover the most credible and outrageous transfer rumors. It'll drop in your podcast feed every day.

until the window slams shut on the 1st of September. Who will your team sign? Can Spurs keep spending? And will Newcastle sign a whole new team? I'm recording this in July, so I have no idea, but let's find out together throughout the window. The Transfer Gossip Daily podcast, listen only on BBC Sounds.