Test Match Special - No Balls: The Cricket Podcast - Group stage? Completed it mate.

Episode Date: March 29, 2022

England bowler Kate Cross and 2017 winner Alex Hartley discuss the Women's World Cup up to now and look ahead to the knockout matches. Plus, how should you butter a sandwich?

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It's what England we're looking for. Partly falls down. the track comes scoring this time she connects it's either six or out it's six it's six hello and welcome welcome back to No Balls a Cricket

podcast with me Alex Harley and UK Cross I think that was really bad well we couldn't decide whose turn it was to introduce so we both said we were Yes, and here we are.

Al, it feels like a lifetime ago that we recorded a podcast. I think I've forgotten what to do. And I actually think that intro shows we've forgotten what to do. We do very quickly need to cover something. Mm-hmm. So, B-CB tweeted a week ago saying that it was NASA Hussein's birthday. Yes. recent guests on the pod, brilliant guest on the pod.

Very good. So we tweeted it like, here's our episode with NASA, happy birthday, it would be a great day. It wasn't his birthday. No, his birthday is now, today. Today, 28th of March. So happy birthday to NASA.

So you can go back and listen to that podcast episode and we'll just retweet the tweet again. I really all quickly slid into his DMs saying, happy birthday, Nas, have a great day. I knew you did. Yeah, it's not my birthday. I knew you did. I was like, did you Google it?

You were like, uh, yeah. I was like, no, you didn't. You messaged him. Well, then he messaged me saying, it's not my birthday. So I googled to see how many days out. Because if it was yesterday, I'd obviously say like, happy belated birthday. If it's tomorrow, I'd be like, oh, happy birthday for tomorrow. It was a full week out.

So I was like, okay, I'm just going to resend this message in a week's time. See you then. Yeah, yeah. And I forgot today. I've already been speaking to her. I forgot to message him saying happy birthday. but oh well, it's today. Happy birthday, NASA.

Thanks for being a legend on the podcast. Yes. I'm just going to say something else before we start. I'm really conscious that I'm sat in a leather chair and you've already asked me what that noise was three times and I'm really conscious of moving. So if there's any kind of noise it sounds like this, it's just my chair.

Honestly, it sounds like, do it again. It sounds like a wet fart Well I'm a bit conscious of that And I'm recording the podcast So now I'm going to like play statues And sit perfectly still and not move So that no one thinks that I've done a trump on a podcast That's where you've been

How am I? I am well I'm tired but I am well How are you? I am tired but I'm well Good I just said to the physio then that if someone had told me

that after seven World Cup games two warm-up games two Ashes ODIs one Ashes test match and a lot of travelling by air that I would be feeling how I am today going into a World Cup semi-final I would have bit their hand off

Why do you feel good? I feel fine like I'm okay I'm okay yeah and I just thought that by this stage of the tournament and I'd be a lot worse. You thought you'd be like a little broken old lady? Yes.

Well, you don't have time to feel like a broken old lady. I think that's probably why you keep going. I was saying that as well, because I said I felt worse after like a summer series when you play three matches. But I think it's because you know how many games you've got to play, you keep yourself going for that amount of games, whereas because we've not really known how many were playing in this tournament

and at one point we thought it was only going to be seven. It's now a bit like this. This is bonus time. It's like, surprise, you've got a semi-final to play. Yeah, so, yeah, I'm feeling good. Like, the body's coping. I am tired. Like, no one told me how to prepare mentally for this tournament.

I don't think anyone can. Like, it's just each individual will experience it in a different way. Yeah, that's so true. And we had so many, like, emotional games, didn't we? We either lost by the skin of our teeth or won by the skin of our teeth. So it's been so... emotion. I just didn't think I'd have to give so much mentally to it, which I don't know why I thought that. I've been begging for like a boring game. Like can England just play one game

where I can relax? So you played Bangladesh last. My God, that was the worst game of cricket I've ever seen in my life. It was so boring. It went from one extreme to the other. So you wanted boring, you got boring and now you don't want boring again? No, I would love a boring semi-final England win. Oh, that'd be amazing. That actually, oh my God, I would rip someone's hand off the bat at the minute. But just going to tell you, it's not going to happen. No, it's not, is it? No, but, okay, right, let's talk about it.

Last time we did this podcast, you were very much out of the World Cup. Honestly, I think this is what I'm talking about with the emotional, mental side of it. But when we lost to South Africa in that, in the group stage, I genuinely didn't believe that we could qualify, but this was, I'm talking about,

I'm still on the pitch at this moment, and we've just lost the game so in my head like World Cup chances have gone and then you kind of get told there's a possibility but you know you're so far out of

the stage that we're at now you're so far away from that bit that you don't believe it and then it was just so possible for us to qualify and now we finish third it's honestly mad we were doing like

post play interviews after South Africa and we were like England everything's going to have to go there way like weather wise results wise and why has everything gone our way? I have no idea. I don't want to tempt any fate or say anything that might stop the cricket gods from looking over us, but yeah, we've had our backs up against the walls completely. And I don't know, does that stand us in good stead going into a semi-final knowing that? Like that we've played must-win cricket. We've played a semi-final four times already. He must be exhausted. I'm shattered.

Yeah, it's fine because you've found a way, like you've won easy, you've won scrappy, you've tried to lose but won, I think you'll be fine. We've covered every base, haven't we literally have covered every base of this World Cup. From an outsider's point of view, I did say this on the pod last week with NAS, it's been incredible, hasn't it? It's been, for me, like one of the best tournaments of cricket, I've seen men or women in terms of all the games seem to have been relatively close. And then last night we finished your game

It's all really chilled We go back to the hotel And watch South Africa India Where you know what India are in a really strong position They're going to win And they lost on the second to last ball With a no ball

What I've watched it back And at the first When I first watched it I was like that's not a no ball You were convinced You kept text to me like It's not a no ball

I think it could be I think I didn't know the rules So now if I don't explain to me So I thought that if Deepty's foot was down, you go from where the shoe would be, but obviously her heel was up, so you couldn't actually quite see the line. So in that picture, there's nothing behind the line.

So it is a no ball. But I was like, well, if a foot's down, that's not a no ball. So I don't think I know the rules, you know. But I think the fact your foot has to be down. Does it, though? I thought it's from where it lands. I don't know the rules, Al. I'm going to walk up and I don't know the rules.

You just, we just talk about nobles. We don't ball them, so it's fine. No, well, such would. Not balled any in this World Cup so far, so that's good. Your umpire's in the right place. Um, but it was a no, it was a no ball. And it was, I was watching the game and I was like, I just want to go to bed. Oh, it was mad, wasn't it?

Could you imagine? Did you see the West Indies video of them in the team room? Like, they were reliant on India losing that game. Yeah. And it went down to the last ball. It could have been a super over. Like they were, they've, stayed in Wellington for an extra three days in case they got through. Like, it was hard enough watching it as a fan, let alone as a team that needed a team to

lose or win or whatever. Oh my God, it must have been horrendous. Did you see Stefani Taylor just sat there with her arms folded like, why they're all celebrating, jobs not done? Really? No, I saw everyone else piling onto each other, but, well, I guess they would have thought that they were out because of that rate. Oh God, there's just been so much of this World Cup. It's like, sign this off for Netflix because it's going to be arranged. Everyone will watch this. Is there someone recording it for Netflix? I'd not seen anyone, but there has been a lot of cameras around at training.

Like, never known so many people be so interested in me having a bat. I love that, not an all-rounder. Got yourself above Charlie Dean, like, at number nine now. I know, mad. Have I told you about what happened at Eden Park? No. So, Tammy had, we bowled first, must-win game against New Zealand. Tammy had a migraine

and she went off the pitch when we were fielding for a little while because she was struggling and I obviously didn't know anything about this but she's gone out to bat open the batting with Danny Wyatt and then at training a couple of days later our bowling

our batting coach John Lewis came up to me and he was like crossy I just want to let you know that I put your name forward for replacing Tam if she couldn't have gone out because she had a migraine I said what he said yeah we were thinking about not like not upsetting the batting order

so who could go up and open the batting and I put your name right I mean just put an opening batter just put an opening batter up there you've got about seven in the team how

in a must win world cup game could you imagine me walking out to bat with Danny Wyatt to open the batting no one would have known what is going on Everyone would have thought that England are taking the piss. Everyone would have thought that we were drunk. Everyone would be like, England clearly want to go home. They've been away a while.

Honestly, I was like, please, please never put my name forward for that situation ever again. But imagine if you got runs? Oh my God. Imagine if I got like 100 night out and then he couldn't drop me. Sorry, Tammy, you're going to have to back nine. Yeah, sorry, we don't want to disrupt the batting order, so Tammy you're going nine. Imagine. Don't even joke about it. It's not worth it.

But you didn't, you went in at number nine. Thankfully, no. But that was a, that was a woe game. Crossy, I was like, England, easy. They're only chasing 200, easy. Do you know what Henry Moran said? When we went out down to lunch, you went England will chase this down easily.

And I looked at him and said, have you been watching this team? This is not going to be easy. And he's like, Alex, come on. I was like, no, seriously. It's not going to be easy. Well, it was very easy up until we needed like 13. 30-odd to win.

I've got something else. I'm going on my sticking out already here. Sorry, I don't know if you've got yours up. I haven't, but you were saying that, you know, 36 to win, it was easy. Yeah, 36 to win, we're cruising at that point, and then we just decided to make it really interesting because of the nice crowd that we had at Eden Park and, you know, the narrative of the World Cup so far has been nail biters.

Like, make it fun. Yeah, why not? Why not? Let's make it an absolute thriller. Honestly, that was 10 of the worst minutes of my life. Yeah, I can imagine. Did the rain, right, this was my genuine question, because I've never played when it's been bucketing it down like it was. Did it change the pitch? Yeah, yeah, it was very skiddy.

It was one of them where you obviously would pass on all this information from batters coming out to batters going in, and you're in the dug out and you're chatting. And I knew that it was going to be a skidier pitch. And I knew Frankie MacI was going to skid it on. But I didn't engage my brain enough. to then know how to play that like I think the occasion got the better of me there

and I was just like because in any other circumstances you'd go forward to a skidding ball and I everyone that went back got themselves in trouble so yeah we actually had we chat about that in our team meeting afterwards like being really clear in those moments

to just know what you need to execute yeah which a lot of the lower order probably didn't in those circumstances it was like I couldn't work out if like you should should have come off for rain. I mean, I was willing England to come off for rain because we were, we were,

so I was sat with a man from the ICC when I wasn't on air. And he was like, England have got a three-wicket cushion, so they can lose three wickets now. They're still ahead of Duckworth Lewis. And I was like, brilliant. Like, get them off. It's raining. And then all of a sudden it went bang, bang, bang.

And I was like, oh my God. Oh, dear. It's a drawer on Duck with Lewis. What's going on? I was sat there and I've, I don't often get, once I'm playing sport, I don't get anxious about it. Like, I'm normally anxious in the build-up to it. thinking about outcomes, whatever.

But in that moment, that was the most sick I've ever felt from watching a game. I thought, like, I could easily be sick on the spot here. And we needed seven, eight to win. Anya's gone out to bat. And Charlie Dean's obviously out there. And I just knew that there was no way that we were going to finish it off quickly.

Like, the only thing that was going to happen quickly would be a wicket falling. So I knew in my head for us to win, the feeling that I had was going to last at least 10 minutes because we didn't have the luxury of wickets for someone to just be able to come down the track and hit Frankie McKay over the top or whatever, you know, to take that risk

and score the runs quickly. So, like, I had to tell myself that how I was feeling was going to last and then that made it all worse because I just knew that it wasn't going to go away. It was all, honestly, it was horrendous. I literally, I can imagine because I felt sick watching

and I wasn't even down there. But the hoof, going back to 2017, and hitting the winning runs against South Africa, what an absolute trooper, Annie Shrubesol is. Do you know what? She is the sort of person that goes out in those pressure situations and looks like she's just going for a net.

She was so determined to win that game. She was like, she just looked really calm, looked like she's going out for it, didn't look like the whole World Cup was relying on her not getting out. Mad, which is good, obviously, because they're your senior player moments out. They're like the value of having senior players in the team. theme yeah yeah that's true but it was like just the way she's like strutting out she's like

and what we're under pressure don't care and what oh thank god I mean we'd literally be on a plane home now if it wasn't for her being like that in that moment oh that is crazy isn't it that it's actually mad so crazy but you're not you're through to the semis we are semi finalists wow how are you nervous not yet I'm too tired to be nervous yet i will be though i've definitely like yeah i have these moments where i'm just like what if what if we beat south africa and then what if we win in the and i'm like no no no no rain it in one game at a time one over at a time one ball at a time just stop thinking for too far ahead yeah yeah but it is exciting isn't it yeah oh my god it's gonna be amazing we're at haggly

park for the semi day nighter against south africa um yeah it's also 2007 all over again? Yeah, it is, isn't it? Really, like, obviously if India had got through, it would freakishly have been exactly the same. Do you reckon the ICC have fuming? Oh, gosh. Well, it was, all the semifinals were reliant on India getting through or not

because they needed to have the second semi-final wonder lights at Hagley Park because of the time difference. So it was all a bit crazy. Yeah, well, now you're doing the second. semi we can't be there for the build-up to the semi-final so it's like we're here but we're stuck in wellington because we've got a commentate on the australia west indies so we miss all your build-up and all the interviews with all the players beforehand so it's like what what are we doing yeah but at least you'll be there for the game that's the main thing yes we fly in that day so yeah

i've um i've got a funny story to tell you about a big crossy blooper that i've had this week Oh no So I got to be interviewed by Ian Smith Before the Pakistan game at Hagley Park And I was so excited Like him and genuinely him and NASA Two of my favourite commentators Like that World Cup final for the men

Was just unbelievable, wasn't it? And I was like, oh my God, this guy's interviewing me So excited So he did the interview, it was all fine Everything literally went smooth And then He asked me what the missing links have been.

So I was like, it's a bit of a strange question but like, you know, we probably just need to look at extending our batting partnerships because we've kind of got things together with the ball now and we're a lot better in the field so if the batterers could just extend those partnerships and get us to a higher score or whatever. And he just looked at me and he went,

okay, cool, have a good day. I was like, oh right, walk back with Henners. That's weird. Walk back with Henners after the interview and I was like, God, that was a really odd question to ask me about those links. H was like yeah he asked you what lengths are you going to bowl on this pitch oh no

so I heard lynx and he said lents and obviously with a kiwi accent lence is lintz so I completely messed he must have thought I'm the dumbest person on this planet it must have been like that cake cross is really weird just turning a bowlers question round onto the buyers being like it's their fault honestly

I told everyone in the dressing obviously because I was mortified I actually went and got in the bin I went and sat in the bin for a couple of minutes just to get over it and then when we started bowling like Nat came on to bowl and I was like

don't matter what lengths we bowl Nat because as long as we extend those batting partnerships then we're going to be absolutely excited oh you could bowl wherever you want as long as your batting partnerships are extended God, well I mean he must have thought I'm either deaf or just an idiot I would go with the latter He'll forgive you it's fine

That's it on my sticking out Right I've got two things I've heard a story about This was way back at the start of the World Cup And we've just not been able to do our sticking outs for ages Of Sophie Eccleston turning up to training on a rain day And not taking any trainers with her Can you confirm if that's true or not before I say the next bit?

Yes, that is true. So, apparently, she had to warm up in her crocs. She put them in sport modes so that she could run in them. But then Lisa, the head coach, said, Sophie, put my shoes on now. So I had to swap shoes with Eccleston. So Lisa was coaching pre-World Cup in Sophie Eccleston's pink crock. He cannot confirm or deny that that happened

I love that because she like Saw her the other day doing an interview in her crocs I'm like so put your trainers on She loves these crocs honestly she's like So's funny when she gets into something She's fully invested in it And like everything then is revolved around that And she loves the colour pink

So these pink crocs are just like The Be All and Endall for her. Like she's loved them so much. But yeah, she got a new pair of matching ones with Maddie and they've got a little fur, like fleece-lined insoles, so they're like a little slipper. But yeah.

But you wear out of those. That may or may not have happened. Yeah, funny. Very, very funny. I also know the umpire that I want to go upstairs with. Yeah? Because he's got a new nickname on air.

Who is it? well we call him every time he comes on to the feel we call him the hunky umpire and we call him Alex Wolfe Alex Wolfe yeah right let's go upstairs with Alex Wolfe then Alex Wolfe and the Pakistan head coach is friends with him and said we'll get him on the podcast as I can't I can't Let's do it got one here. It says, it's titled, An Unnecessary Run Out. Why doesn't the non-striker just keep

her backgrounded behind the popping crease after the ball has gone past her wicket to avoid being run out like Kate against the West Indies? It's a horrible way to lose your wicket and easily remedied. I just don't understand why the non-striker has to lead off. Please explain if you can. Thanks, John. I mean, it is the worst way to get out in cricket and I think we saw it three times in three days and the opening few games of the World Cup. Yeah. Do you know, I think it's one of them that, you know, when you were a kid and you're playing, you're learning to play cricket and you learn to like walk in with the bowler, you just get taught to back up as a non-striker, don't you? It's just what you do. You actually get told off if you're sat on your bat at the non-strikers and not anticipating a run. I think, I think from my point of view, I think it's really game situational. So we didn't need to go to run a ball at that point in that West Indies game. So the was no need for me to be out of my crease. And trust me, I played it over in my head a million times. And if we did not qualify for these semi-finals, I would, I'd take it to the grave. But I think

if you're, the reason for doing it is to try and get quick singles, isn't it? It's to make sure that you're kind of moving into the run that you want to run. So I do see it being unnecessary, but I also think there's times in the game where you're probably going to need to do it to try and gain an advantage. And it's also really unlucky. I know we saw it quite a lot. But how often do you actually see it? I know.

Literally, someone said to me, like they've never got out like that in their entire career and it's happened to me twice in international cricket in the space of five months. It's just so weird. It actually has, hasn't it? That day you were going to get 50 as well when we were at Bristol.

Were we at Bristol? We think we were. Leicester. Leicester. Yeah. remember that, clearly not. Have you seen that the MCC have changed the rules and like man cad's a legitimate dismissal now?

Yeah, and have you seen that Joss Butler is playing in the same team as Ravi Ashwin in the IPL? No, I've not seen that. There was so much PR around them two being friends again and like sat in the dugout and like obviously it's water under the bridge now and when Joss signed for Rajasthan Royals again and Rabby's signed for them as a new player, it was all about those two

and how they would be friends. So it was quite good PR stunt actually. But obviously it's not a rule anymore. You can't be out that way. Oh, you can be out that way. It's not deemed as unsporting, is it? No, that's true. Right.

Here is my three-week-old daughter listening to Alex's commentate on Kate Cross Bowling. Oh my God, Crossy. I did six balls of your actual commentary yesterday. What do you mean? As in I did ball by ball while you ran into... yesterday. Really?

As in you actually did... So I was like Kate Cross coming into Ball from the Far End, right? Because I really wanted a new intro to the podcast and oh my God, I was 10 out of 10 horrific. Really? I was like, Kate Cross steaming in. Well, she don't really steam in,

but you know what I mean from the far end? I was like, and it's a ball and it's been blocked. Oh, wow. And then I was like, right. appreciate how good Henry is? Yeah, and then I was like, right, okay, if she's not going to get a wicket, because there was one that beat the outside, and I was like, she nicked it, no, oh, it's terrible.

And then I was like, right, if she's not going to get a wicket, because I'll panic if she gets a wicket, I want her to be hit for four. So I was like, right, Kate Cross coming in from the far end, you got clipped into midwiki, and it nearly went for four. And I was like, come on the ball. Come on the ball. I was like, go for four. So is that going to be our new intro?

No, no. it is I need to go again I need more practice Maybe we can ask Henry to clip that little bit into this episode now so people can hear

how bad you were like crossy that I don't want to hear it I think I do As again Kate Cross steams in from the far end Oh and it's all

unfortunately got a cut behind I got excited Went through to the clubs of Amy Jones And it was collected by the England keeper One ball left of the over.

One ball that can cake cross do it. It's hard commentating, isn't it? You've got to keep the conversation going. I think that's my problem. I'm a bit too nervous, a bit too flustered. Depends who you're on with, I suppose. I'd quite like a four. That could be the new intro.

There's cross again, in from the far end. And it's pulled into the on side, and I think we're going to get four. Are we going to get four? It's trickling to the boundary. There's Tammy Beaumont and Nat's ever. Oh, they just get it in, gutted. 47 for 1 is the score 19 over's gone

Right Enjoyed that Alex Should we swap back Well we can do I enjoyed that Five from the over Kate Cross Has bowled five None for 18

It was so bad It's given me like He was like You've gone really red in the face I've never been so nervous In my whole life Really wow It is a completely different skill though

Isn't it than putting the colour And then like obviously you've got a talk between the balls so I had to be like so Henry what do you think of that delivery and he was like I'm going to do what you do and just nod and be like it was all right

I bet people tuning in would have been like what on earth has happened here yeah I hope the bosses weren't listening because I will never get ball by ballcoms in my whole life well the boss listens to this podcast so I think you've just rumbled yourself yeah anyway here is a picture of my three

year old daughter, no three week old daughter. I think she's called Amelia Grace, if I've read that right, listening to Alex Commentate on Kate Crossy's bowling in the opening game of the World Cup during our 3am feed here in the Isle of Man. Her first taste of women's cricket, it's amazing to know that if she does choose to play cricket as a sport when she's older, that she'll have incredible role models like you two to look up to. My question is, what advice would you give to a new father raising a daughter? Keep up the incredible word. I've been listening since day one. Best Shambles podcast in the world.

Go well, Richard. Right, what route do we take here? Well, I... When you're... There's a lot of... There's a lot of folds to make sure you get clean with a wet wipe. What? Well, you once had five.

Not on how to wipe a r-ha-ha-ha. Oh, good God. Okay, I'm going to... say don't find any conversation embarrassing like don't be a dad that your daughter can't approach about things because a lot of men find some topics to be embarrassing but be the dad that your daughter can come to about literally anything just just be a good dad hi kate and alex i am nine years old and i love listening to your pod i'm a first time email her. I'm surprised the nine-year-old has got an email address if I'm being completely

honest with you. And allowed to listen to our pod. I found something odd about my sister, who's only five. She peels her grapes and then eats the skin and then eats the grape after. I used to do that. That must be the youngest LBW we've ever had. Yeah, got to be. How old was she again? Five. I'm surprised she can do that, five. I'm not thinking that. It's a skill. Or maybe the nine-year-old's peeling them for it. So you used to do that? Yeah, I did. Yeah, but like underneath the grape skin

makes your teeth feel really furry, so I had to stop. Oh, okay, well maybe that's the advice that we pass on to this small human being who doesn't listen to this podcast. Anyway, I've got a couple of questions. Number one, what team are you playing for in the 100? Question mark. Who are you playing for, Crossie? I am playing for the Manchester original Alex,

are you playing for? I'm playing for that Henry beep it out. Okay, question number two. Are you playing together? Question mark. This is not a nine-year-old. These are cryptic. Yeah, no, we're not.

No, we are not playing for the same team. So that means that what we have deduced from this is that you are not playing for the Manchester originals. I am not. Good luck, love, Charlotte. Thank you, Sean. Charlotte. Thanks Charlotte.

We've also managed to narrow it down quite a bit further than that by our cryptic messages, but we're not going to go back into them. No. Hi Kate and Alex. A huge fan of the podcast. I look forward to my long Friday afternoon walks listening to the latest episodes each week. Sorry, this is coming out on like a Tuesday. Actually, we've not done it this week, so we wanted to wait until to see if you're qualified for the semifinals.

Yeah, because if not, there would not have been anyone to. to talk to because I would have just been so far away from being able to talk this openly about cricket. It had been hello, welcome to No Bowls of Cricket podcast with just me, Alex Hartley.

I've been watching the World Cup games live on Sky some evenings and I had the smart plan Saturday night during Australia versus New Zealand of getting the test match special on the radio on my phone playing the same time as the TV so it matches up in the

hope I would hear Alex commentate. To my disappointment, not only was Alex not on at that time, but as soon as I realised the radio was about 30 seconds ahead of the TV stream when I heard the wicket of Meg Lanning 4 before it happened on TV, which ruined my viewing. I don't even think I commentated on that game, full stop. I have an LBW too. When I make a sandwich, I only butter one side of the bread

and thought this was what everybody. did until about two years ago. I am 21. Keep the podcast coming. Best of luck out in New Zealand both of you. So they buttered both sides? No, just one. Is that not normal? One slice of bread, not both sides of the bread. Okay. Is that not normal? No, if you have two pieces of bread, you butter both pieces of bread. To make a sandwich? Yeah. No, I'd butter one. You don't really use butter, though? No, I don't like butter, which is probably why I only putter one. But if I was making cricket teas, which I have done in the past, I would only butter one side of the bread.

Would you? Two bits is too much. Wow. I don't know what I do now. Well, this is like when you told everyone that you stirred your tea clockwise and you don't. You do it anti-clockwise because you left-handed. Yeah, I do it the wrong way. Well, you don't.

You do it the right way. left-hander. Oh. There's not a right or wrong way to stir your tea is what I got from that episode of the podcast. Well, there's not a right or wrong way to butter your bread, really. But from my point of view, how I would concoct a sandwich is bread with butter on it. Then you protein slice, so you turkey, you're such an athlete using the term protein. Then you veg and then you generally have a sauce on top.

so you wouldn't want to have mayonnaise mixed with butter closing the sandwich so I would have the mayonnaise on the bread I would do butter ham cheese mayo butter bread yeah see I wouldn't mix the mayo on the butter there

I love the extra calories hello Kate and Alex I've been listening to the show since hearing about it during the 100 you both have particular shirt squad numbers 16 and 65 and I wondered if these numbers were something that you picked yourselves and if so, is there any reason slash superstition behind them? I just got given mine when I played for England Academy

when I got my full squad call up they just picked 65 for me, didn't give me their chance to change it and I liked it so I kept it for every team I play for. Yeah, I was the same, I just got given it when I was in the academy and then liked it and kept it. I like that mine's quite a low number. I don't think I like it makes it like a big dog

does it yeah because like then you get like Charlie Dean with like 72 and you're like who took a while to play we just got giving them in order I think we've spoken about this on the pod haven't we yeah yeah we have it says also have you ever had a teammate

that has picked a particular shirt or squad number and the reason that they've given you has made you think what on earth yeah so for Eccleston pick 19 doesn't like odd numbers Numbers? Changed it from 73, was she?

Or 71, something like that. 71, she was 71, she changed it because she didn't like odd numbers. So she changed it to 19. Yep. Eh? It doesn't make sense. But she wears pink crocs. All the best of both of you. And good luck for the rest of the season.

From Brian. Season? That's an old one. No, March Up to date Right Should we do the last one So that we don't get shouted at

For going over 40 minutes Yes Okay This is a few random things My favourite lunch Is pickles and Doritos in a pitter bread Try it No I don't like

I don't like pickles What Again You like You always eat my pickles Don't you I do you like a pickle I'm not having it with a Dorito, but question is, are you putting bread?

Are you putting butter in the bread below the pickles or above the pickles? I do feel like without butter it could be a dry sandwich. Very dry. That sounds like a terrible sandwich if I'm being completely honest. Yeah, what flavour Doritos though? Because chili beef, chili beef, chili heat wave are the best. But would you need that with a pickle? Do you know what?

I just wouldn't eat a pickle. No, you're not going to do it, are you? next question entirely unrelated do you use get helmets pads gloves etc given to you for example for the 100 the WBBL or is it up to you to go out and get them sorted via a sponsorship well your sponsor will quite often sort them for you however if you sponsor can't the competition will provide a branded pad yeah you generally set your pads out but you always get a helmet from your team don't you because they just order in a Manchester original's helmet or a

or a helmet nice beepity beep beep do you have favourite brands of cricket ball to bowl with

love a reader throw back do you remember those ones that used to get like a Tesco cricket set that had like They were like rocks

yeah oh god they hurt so much and you bowl once with it and it just crack yeah we only use cooka burrow don't we

yes I've only have a bowl with a cooker brother other than if I was playing club cricket it. Yeah. Rumor has it this summer though.

Yeah, I didn't know if I didn't know if I was allowed to say it or not. We've definitely spoken about it because I've been telling everyone. Okay, yeah, Duke's ball in the summer you're headed here first. Yes, can't wait. This next question I'm not sure we're going to be able to answer, but we'll go for it. How often does Amy Jones change her keeping gloves? They always look so clean. And does she wear keeping pads? I don't know how often she could change these gloves.

challenge you to smell them see what they smell like okay yep um and she wears shin pads like hockey pads yeah um she i don't think she changes them that often i think keeping gloves are quite unique to people aren't they like you don't want they need to fit your hand i don't know i'm talking out my ass here i don't know and then next question again completely unrelated who has got the most unique middle name Well yours is Felicity says KFC Remember when I convinced everyone

that that was actually my middle name People still think it's your middle name You know Tash Miles has still got me in her phone book As the Colonel KFC, you told you Yeah Who's got the strangest middle name

Oh Lindsay Smith Her middle name's Neil Is it? Yeah I didn't know that Yeah Oh that's why everyone calls her Neil Yeah

Oh I never knew that Yeah She's called Lindsay Neal Smith Amy's got a strange It's not a strange middle name It's she's got Helen Amy Helen That's her old lady's name

Old lady names back in though now Aren't they they're fashionable Yeah like your niece has got old lady names Nora and Irish, yeah. I've had the giggles today. Anyway, good luck to Crossie with the rest of the World Cup. Thanks, Caitlin. We are all good.

Crossie, next time we will record this podcast, you either will or won't have won the World Cup. Yes, that's a frightening thought. I'm not going to think about it, so let's just move on and we'll dissect it either way when we know the results. Okay, and if you win the semi, we'll do one before the final but if not we'll just do one after the final

after the yeah we'll work it out we'll work it out either way there might be an emergency podcast coming yeah but let's bloody hope so let's pray for the emergency pod yes everybody keep your fingers toes everything crossed for England to get through these semi-finals crossy good luck don't think about it but we're all really proud of you thank you thank you

and you'll be there hopefully Fingers crossed, not thinking about it, commentating on it. I will indeed, and I actually will have my eyes closed because I can't deal with this anymore. No more, no more close ones. No more. Don't forget to No-ballers on.

No-ballspodcast at BBC.co.com. No-bolespodcast at BBC.co.com. It's so good. They said it twice. They've said it twice. Out of time again. Shock. Bye, everybody.

Bye. and cross strikes in the first over it's what England we're looking for partly balls down the track comes scoring this time she connects it's either six or out it's six I'm Levy Haydock

and this is gangster podcast series, we tell the extraordinary story of Paul Massey, a gangland Mr Big. I've got personal friends all over, and then personal friends would have been lying by that night, so what happened to me? His rise from the streets of Salford to the head of an organised crime group. These people are the original soprados, that's no exaggeration. A journey into a dangerous underworld where a code of silence reigns. You work for us now. Any questions? Of course you don't know any questions.

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