Test Match Special - No Balls: The Cricket Podcast. The return!

Episode Date: May 11, 2022

After a short break England bowler Kate Cross and World Cup winner Alex Hartley are back with tales from the start of their cricket season, tuk-tuk buying fathers and playing cricket with Ed Sheeran and Bear Grylls. Plus they answer your questions and hear about your LBWs, Little Bit Weirds.

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Enjoy And cross strikes in the first over It's what England we're looking for Hartley 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 back to no balls the cricket podcast Hi Alex Hartley how are you

Guess who's back Back again We are back Just you With her friend Kate Cross is back, Hartley's back You've got something for us I do

So we always get told off in the previous season That we've forgotten how to podcast Forgotten how to speak We always get told off for going over our time These podcasts are going to be 40 minutes max And we're like 55 minutes to get told off So I've got a new thing for the new season of no balls okay we're going to start a timer and we're going to have a timer that goes off so then we know when we need to finish and everyone will hear it there'll be a claxon there'll be a big claxon everyone will know so I'm going to just set this off now so that we can't get in trouble on day one so what we're going to do 35 minutes so that gives us a bit of time each side no that's the point it's 40 minutes we've got to finish yeah but if you do a 35 minute timer oh okay we know that it's time to wrap it up yeah wrap it up okay right it's off now you can't hear it but it's just started

Beep. How are you? I'm good. I'm actually really excited that we're back doing this. It's been so long. I mentioned it last week and you were like, maybe not. And then so I just put it on Instagram to force you into it. It has been four weeks.

We did say four weeks, didn't we? I think we said two. Oh, did we? Yeah. Oh, that's probably why I wasn't ready last week then because I thought we've got another week off. How are you? I'm good, thank you.

I've just put the heating on and I'm actually very hot. This is like day one again. like we're back in your spare bedroom with duvets on the wall. It's the same mattress, the same bed. Just new house. And you're in the new house? Yes. You've moved out.

We're no longer housemates. Yay. I didn't sell. I didn't have a party or anything, I promise. It was actually really lovely because I got back from New Zealand on the Thursday afternoon. You'd landed on the Wednesday morning. And in that time, you'd moved everything out of the flat. You were gone.

You were like, don't worry. Like, you can keep some stuff here if you need. I was like, trust me. I'm leaving. You were. off yeah so i've gone back to an empty house how is it it's nice actually yeah i think especially coming back from tour where you're in your tour routine you've got people looking after you're cooking your meals doing your laundry everything's done for you on tour and then you come on hand and foot literally but then

you come back to normal life and you've got to relearn all your routines and i did that on my own relearn your routines you're 30 no you really do honestly like i'm not going to get into this because it's going to be a happy podcast but mentally it is hard. Well, I had someone round and we got a deliveroo and they tried to put it outside the front door like you do on tour. I was like, now you've got to put it in the bin. Exactly, you just get like three months

of our lives, we were just living like this. So anyway, what I'm basically trying to get at is because I've never lived on my own. Coming back and having to relearn everything as a normal human being without you there was quite nice because I could just do it myself like I didn't have to worry about you as well.

Do you feel like an adult now? Why? Because you had to relearn the culinary skills, the cleaning, the cooking, the living on your own. Yeah, I think I think I've just about got it. And now I'm back into training and I've got to go back into my tour routine of getting back into cricket. So it's a bit of a whirlwind. But yeah, we're all good.

We're all good. We're all good. I've not really missed the podcast. I nearly swore really loudly then, but I don't believe you. Now we're doing it. I call bullshit because you used to. me about 10 days ago I missed the podcast all right okay okay so why are you didn't miss it you can tell now we miss it because we've remembered the social media yes we remembered we've got an Instagram account

and there was a few messages yesterday saying is this how you and Kate are going to communicate from now on I think it's how we should that was like a tongue twister yeah you did very good yeah I'm very good at saying Ruth Strauss Foundation and you're not sorry the Ruth Strauss Foundation you can't say it We need to talk about the Ruth Strauss Foundation. I can't say it. I actually have a little bit of a list with my S's. Do you? Yeah.

So when I say the word seven, I have struggled to get seven out. Anyway, Ruth Strauss Foundation. Got him. We're playing in a really cool charity game, aren't we? Are we? I'm just going to get up the people that we're playing cricket with because Crossy. It just doesn't really make any sense as to why it's us. So, first on the list, Alexandra Hartley.

Second on the list, Kate Cross. Third on the list, Bear Grills. Keep going. Fourth on the list, Damian Lewis. Yeah. David Hay, the boxer. Darren Goff. Ed Sheeran.

Swanee. Michael McIntyre. Ian Bell, Ian Maudy Shigua. Sam Mendes. And then Sir Andrew Strauss and Sir Alice to Cook. And me and you. Oh, there really must have been scrumping the barrel or something to get some people involved in that. But the only reason we're going is for the podcast.

So thank you everyone for listening, because now we're playing cricket with all these amazing people. You said something very funny to me about Bear Grills, actually. I think you should share it with everyone. Well, I was just like, I can't imagine Bear Grills being much of a cricket player, and he's probably going to make a cricket ball out of the local rabbit. Literally, yeah. He's going to be doing some survival skills down at Finlay. he's going to take the stumps out and make some sort of tent

with the deer that he caught on the way in anyway you can tell we've not planned this episode at all because I didn't know we were going to talk about that today but that's on the 7th of June so we will keep you updated on the fact that we're going to go and play in that game yeah but have you got anything on your sticking out? Yeah and my mum's going to listen to this and she doesn't know about it yet I think we need to break the news to her then I know what this is going to be

and I'm excited um so I went out for lunch with my dad and he did say this thing was getting delivered three weeks ago and it's not my fault, it's not here. So, mum, don't blame me, blame my husband. But my dad has bought a tuck-tuck. That was the worst time to take a swig of coffee. Right, and there's a lot of questions here. Yeah.

Why? He said it'll be really good for the gardener to scoot up and down the garden in it. Right? big does your dad think his garden is? Did say that, I said, Dad, you've just got a front lawn and a back loan. Right, okay, so... We've got, like, a private lane.

It's got loads of other houses on. And he said, it would be really good for him to, like, you know, be able to go up and down there on it. He is, like, 70-odd now. Like, well, you can't make the garden a garden if he's about to retire. Don't worry, I've got him a tuck-tuck. To keep him on for another three years. And then he said, but how good will it be as well in the summer?

When we have house parties, I can put beers in the back of it. Has your dad ever heard of, like, a cool box? Yeah. Anyway, second question. How? Where the hell is he got a Tuck-Tuck from? So one of his footballers' brothers imports them from India. You couldn't write this.

This is like a bloody seen out of Faulty Towers or something. No, it's mad, isn't it? So it's not arrived? It's not arrived, but mum, Dad's got a Tuck-Tuck. A genuine Tuck-Tuck. I don't think at any point in the history of this podcast did I think those words would ever get said. No, me neither.

I mean, they are cool. I do love racing Tuck Tuck So I'm right in India. You grew one, didn't you? Yeah. Yeah. Really, I'm struggling with my words today. We got a Tuck-Tuck home once and the driver let you drive it. Do you remember when he let my mum drive it and she had a few drinks?

That was in Sri Lanka, wasn't it? Maybe that's why my dad's bought her one. I know that you love driving them, Julia. Yeah, that one time that you did it in Sri Lanka, half cut. Here's the only Tuck-Tuck in the North West. Can you imagine? Your dad's going to be like in folklore because you know everyone's got a story about someone that lives in their town.

There's like the lady that dresses as a witch. Yeah. Your dad's going to be like, do you know, have you seen the man driving the tuck-tuck? You've seen Dave Hartley's lost the plot. There is that. Dave, are you well? Is this a cry for help? So I forgot my laptop with my sticky notes on it.

But I do remember one vivid one because I think we signed the last podcast off by saying, we're going to go on a break. There's not much to talk about. And within 72 hours of that episode going out and your shrubs all retired. Joe Root stepped down as captain Rob Key got the new director role England lost all members of staff Ben Stokes has been captain

So there was a lot I stepped down as captain You stepped down as captain the biggest one The big one So a lot happened So we lied basically But also hindsight podcast means we can round it all up right now So Anya's retired Ben Stokes is captain

Joe Rout isn't anymore Rob Key's got the new director of cricket And they are appointing Two coaches a red ball and a white ball coach You've stepped down as captain and today it's been announced that Ellie Threlkeld is the new Thunder captain. There we go. We've done it. And that is the end of the podcast. Thanks for listening everyone. Nine minutes.

Henry will be really happy with us. Easiest money we've ever, aren't? Right. So you've not got your sticky notes. There were loads of things I wanted to talk about as well on the podcast, but I can't remember. Great, good start. So shall we do some emails and see if anything comes to mind? Well, let's actually, before we do that, before we dive straight into the end of our podcast because we've forgotten how to do it.

Let's have a chat about the last four weeks. All right. What have you been up to? Cricket. Cricket and more cricket. I got back from New Zealand thinking, oh, I could do with the holiday. That day I went to cricket training.

So luckily I had a pulled calf, so I did get a day off. Nice, one day off. you played in the Lancashire here it is there we go we just rack some brain cells there and you actually started the season with a cheeky four for yeah i did four for five best when fresh yeah first game back there my best figures which my brother kindly pointed out for 12 years nice yeah nice thanks will yeah thanks will um did emmallam beat those figures yes on sunday yeah five for five yeah i thought that i was going to mention that because you interviewed us in the Lankish,

the new all, singing, all dancing, Lancash studio that we've got. We did some Thunder TV and Lammie was on and she was talking about that. And I did want to mention it, but I thought, no, it's not the podcast. It's not the time to take the Mick out of the presenter. It's not the time to say, well, the presenter was good. She's not anymore. Just not as good.

The best anymore. Someone's just overtaken. But it was still bloody good. Starting with a little for her. Came off the field, not this weekend when we won the whole competition with eight other teams. I came off the field and my mum was like, you're leading wicketaker in the comp. Like, that's amazing.

You've not done that since you were 15. I was like, thanks, mum. Like, amazing. Your family have got a great memory. Yeah, and then Phoebe G got a for her and I got taken off me. Well, I wonder if Julia was telling Phoebe that they were her best figure since she was 16.

16? 16. What have you been up to? Because you were going to go on holiday and I don't think you have. No, I didn't have time to go on holiday. So I basically have just spent the last four weeks catching up with every human being that I haven't seen for three years. I think we've had more nights out in the last four weeks than we've had in the last four years.

Yeah, definitely. I've really enjoyed it, though. I feel like I've done it well. I'm ready to go back to cricket. We're starting the Charlotte Edwards Cup this weekend. We're travelling down to Hove, couldn't be further away. One of my mates was like, oh, come and watch. I was like, do you know we're playing in France?

I'll just did a little burp. Sorry for that. It was more like a screech So yeah Someone was going to come and watch us Not knowing where we were playing But we're off to Hove So that'll be nice

And that's been So you've heard Just throw me off it I was saying that Because I feel like I'm ready To come back to cricket Okay Well it was really nice to have you back on Monday

It was your first day back You were just meant to do 10 throws Into the mitt And you ended up jumping, diving around Getting Whip-Bash You actually followed me around like a lost puppy. So I was a bit nervous because you girls have got a training regime

and then when I just come into it, it's obviously not what I'm used to, but I also had the added element of having not played cricket for five weeks being like I need to just ease myself in. There was no easing. Did you feel like a competition winner? Because my first day back I felt like I'd won a competition to train with Thunder. I was like not really sure where I was meant to be or what I was meant to be doing.

Not that drastic, but I did like latch onto you being like, Where do I go now? What does this mean? I don't understand. And I was like, it's normally the way around. Normally I'm following you around. But it was nice to have you at training. It was nice to have a, I was going to say a friend, but I've got more than you in that team. But you know what I mean? A familiar face. Yeah, it is nice. It's really nice to be back.

And one girl, one of the girls said it was nice to have me back. So that was lovely. Just one. Was that me? Yeah. It's actually Danny Collins. So, Danny Collins, thank you. You actually, in this little time off that we had made,

a surprise visit to my cricket club, didn't you? Oh, yes, I did. You popped down. We did a little fine session after the first had played. Yeah, you've got your own song at Haywood Cricket Club. Yeah, they're making you a song now. They were a bit embarrassed that you turned up and you didn't have a song. Yeah, but they forced me into fines.

Yeah, it was not good, that was it? We had to down a... Well, we sipped a half pint of lager. And then I had to finish the rest during our song. Yeah. It was good night, wasn't it? We had... Yeah. You met all the lads. Really nice. Skrip Pallads, actually. So yeah, good time off, ready to go, ready to start the season again.

We've got a busy summer, haven't we? Really busy. Oh, busy. You have in particular, obviously, with the Charlotte Edwards Cup that you can play in the majority of. Yep. And then you've got international series, the Commonwealth, then India. 100. The 100.

Then India. Then India. I've got a lot of commentary work. So we're going to be mad, mad, mad, bad, busy. And we're already looking forward to the Battle of the Spuds. We are. The Battle of the Spuds. but I actually sort of wish it was like now.

Really? You ready for it? Well, probably not cricket-wise ready, but I'm ready for it. Okay, okay. But I am also sort of looking forward to that six-hour bus journey. We've got Friday together. Yeah, oh God, we're going to be... Maybe we should go through our emails and check how much we need to catch up on while we're together. That'd be good.

So I can't remember if we spoke about this. I'm sure we did, but we got the hunky umpires numbered, didn't we? Yeah, and it got brought up on my first day back at work yesterday on the radio. Did it. They all thought it was goff that I thought was the hunky-unpy on, and I was like, nah. No, no, it's Alex Worf. Woof. Alex Wolfe.

So, shall we go upstairs with him today to start the season off? Yeah, and he wants to come on the podcast, doesn't it? We're going to get him on, yeah. So have you got his number? Yeah, so he read for him, DMed it to us. So I don't have his number? For good reason, probably. Yeah, for good reason.

Because I'd probably ask him for dinner, not the podcast. Yeah. Don't invite. If you go for dinner with him, don't invite me on that one, please. Anyway, let's go upstairs here. Alex Woof. Right, this one says thanks and please keep going. Dear Alex and Kate, just a quick note to say thank you and please keep going. I got that from the title of the email. With all your positive messages about mental health and awareness,

you guys are amazing and you're making a big difference on such an important topic you amongst others have helped me come to terms with some of my issues and seek help which I'm now getting and this will hopefully create a better life for me and my long-suffering family you really have no idea how many people you're helping best wishes and I look forward to seeing you at a match slash hearing your next podcast soon that's from Rob who's a long-time listener and a first-time emailer yes Rob and that is a really lovely email to start with because it is mental health awareness week you took the words right out of my mouth Rob thank you so much for getting in we really do appreciate messages like that.

This one is titled, Crossy, you're a legend. Is it from Kate Cross? I was going to give my email out then. That would have been dangerous. Well, it's from Jack. Do I really need to read this? Yeah.

Dear Kate and Alex, love the pod, hope you have both had a safe journey back from New Zealand. Crossy, I just wanted to say, in bold, you are an absolute legend. And I hope you're not feeling too down after losing the final.

Thanks. Thanks, Jack. You've been fantastic all winter, went up against the greatest women's team we've ever seen, and as a team, you weren't a million miles away from beating them. With all that you are doing on and off the field for women's cricket and also about mental health, you have so, so much to feel proud about.

Hartley, I've loved hearing you on the radio this winter. I wish you all the best. See you in the 100, Jack. Do you know what that is? That's an email to me, and then he's realised that you're going to probably read it out, and I just put a little bit of a thing about you at the bottom. There you go.

This one is called Both Potential Contestants on Game Show And Henry has sent it to us And it says at the beginning I've got no idea if this is real So this could be fun Good day Alex and Kate

I'm very sorry to disturb you My name is Brian Marshall And I'm the producer of a television show called Get Your Own Back Oh my God, what a show Is it real? Yeah It's an old, is it not old school?

Well, it says, I saw your details online as we're currently in the process of producing more shows. And my question is, would you both be interested in becoming a contestant on the show? Yes. We'll put you up against each other. So basically, get your own back. It's like, it's like this assault course, and then you get gunged at the end. What course? Assult course.

Is that what it's called? Assault course. An assault course, not an assault course. Really? I've said it wrong my whole life. Oh, it's a bit like with Skellington. I've only learnt that with a skeleton not so long ago. I've got really bad pins and needles.

So there's a salt course, a salt course. And at the end of it, you're like, gunge your mum and dad. Right. Normally it's like seven-year-olds. How are you getting invited on this? So would you be my child? No, I think you've got to bring your dad and gung him. I can't take my dad on there and gung him.

Dave will have none of that. Your dad could drive us in his tuck-tuck. Anyway, he says if you care to respond, we can potentially get the application sorted. I'm keen. Honestly, I'm really keen. I don't know. I feel about that.

He sent him on the YouTube link, so I might watch that and come back to him. Yeah, honestly, if you're not doing it, I'm doing it. I'll go be your sister and pretend it's you. Okay. Speaking of what things you've only just found out about, you know, you only just found out, well, recently found out your middle name wasn't Andra.

Recently. You were 14. I went to Chester Zoo in my time off. Yeah. And I saw your little warty pigs and your names and right at the top. Yeah. You're top of the list.

Andrew Hartley. Yeah. Great. It's good that. That notepad is getting used right this second. This is from Mike. Accidental, brilliance. Hi, both.

In no particular order. Longtime listener and sender of a plethora of emails. Plethora. I think you can say plethora. Either Henry doesn't like me or the content's crap. Right, well, we're about to find out. We love the podcast and really feel a connection with you. Your guests. Thank you. Have either of you had an occasion where you were accidentally brilliant?

I was once fielded at mid-off, the bowler sent down a ranked delivery which got me, which got a pace, which got the pacing it deserved. I knew it was sailing over my head at speed, but I thought I should make an effort and a sim. Simulite. Okay. I say I was going well in it. I was as shocked as the batter when I brought my arm back down and found the ball wedged between two middle fingers. I just tossed the ball back to the ball and nonchalantly. How have you read that word out and not been able to say simulate? Are you taking the make? That was your accidental brilliant

just then reading that word out. As I did that kind of thing every day, everyone in my team knew I did not. How about you? Thanks. How about you? In Transylvania, Romania. For the record, our toaster is out. I have never washed the bread knife

and often cite Alex's permission when I leave the kitchen cupboard doors open. So I love emails like that because that is a question purely based on the fact so that he can tell his story. Yeah, yeah. I don't, I can't think of any accidental brilliance that I've had.

I mean, in fact, my career is probably a bit of accidental brilliance. Oh, you're brilliant, are you? Yeah. I've had a brilliant top. Great yourself, do you? Yeah. I was brilliant going at 13s in that World Cup. second best bowler though

I'm ready to laugh about it now it's good I've had two last year didn't know those catches at mid off yeah I was telling the girls on the first day back for the first game I was like honestly I only takes speckies the batter basically underarmed me the ball to mid off and hit me in the chest and I dropped it

I've seen you do that on a number of occasions actually fascinating so it's been actually like I've just taken one for the team in the last four weeks and done final leg to find leg right nice do you feel more comfortable there No, I really like Midoff. Well, you should get yourself back to Midoff then.

Don't you worry, I will be. Nice. Have a word with the Capitano. Yeah, you lost that job. Hi, Kate and Alex. I'm a long time listener, first time emailer. I hope this finds you both safe and well on your return home after your winter travels.

Firstly, I'd like to thank you, Kate, and all the England team and you, Alex, alongside Henry and Stefan, for your parts in a wonderful, if sometimes, nerve-shredding, World Cup. You all made night shifts something to look forward to. Yes. Secondly, how gutted was I to hear this? that you wouldn't be teaming up for the 100,

but then delighted to find Alex signed up with Welsh fire, so I will still get to see you both play at Emirates Old Trafford in August. Sorry, Crossy, but as a proud Welshman, a mushy pea lover, Alex will be getting the louder cheers, but I'm still on your side when it comes to breadnives, toasters, and indoor trainers. Yes, I need to speak to you about indoor trainers, actually, remind me. First Welsh lesson for Alex,

the most important word that you need to learn is, oh, he's giving me the pronunciation, Tatus. and that's spelled T-A-T-W-S It's got a bit potatoes, Tatis, yeah so that's Welsh for spuds Yeah, I thought it was Sounds it

Wishing you both All the very best for the coming seasons regard Phil Wiggly I'm like his surname Wiggly Wiggly Wiggly Wiggly Tattus P-S I'll be disappointed

If Alex doesn't have a good giggle When she realizes that my formal title means that I'm Mr Wiggly Anyway, Trainers, so I had to go see a podiatrist recently Is that, that's the right one

Isn't it? Yeah, podiatrist I always get pediatrician and podiatrist mixed up one of them's food no one of them's for children one of them's a child doctor i didn't go see a child doctor i went to saw a footman and he said because of the way that i walk and the issues that i've got with my ankles it's very safe that i wear my trainers around in the house god's sick so it's actually doctor prescribed that i have an lbw yeah nice i've got one that we've recently

found yesterday but shall we come into that after yeah we'll come into it there's actually an email titled something about that so we might have to someone might have spotted it and brought it up Hi, Kate and Alex. What are some of the more mundane actions of captaining a professional side? Do you ever see Heather Knight having to do all the dull aspects of captaincy and feel glad it is not so bad at domestic level? All the best, Daniel. There's so much that you have to do as captain.

There's just a lot of off-field crap, isn't there? A lot of interviews and... Emails and like you have to do a match report every game and then I got an end of season one about... So you have to do one about the umpires. and then I got one about the match referees that you do with about the umpires and I just forwarded it to Ellie

I said you're a captain now yeah nice yeah Ellie unfortunately will have there is that like if you could just do the cricket stuff it's brilliant isn't it like the on field decision making brilliant but then the all the off field stuff I just found like you always have to be at training

an hour early you always have to be at training an hour later like you give you time more than anything do you know what I found the hardest as well with Shawsy being our head coach is picking a start in 11 oh good luck ellie we might not make it at the weekend why we're not playing because someone else might have got some runs or something and we didn't it's the way it goes well I'll be I'll be surprised if we've not quite made the

starting 11 but you never know you do never know well he's not seeing your train or winter he'll be worried about if you're a cricket ready got an email here and I'm already massively intrigued because the title of it is how can I be less terrible at batting nice Hi, Alex and Kate. I'm aware I'm asking tail enders about this. Excuse me, I got myself up to nine in that ODIR team. Don't start. You cannot call Crossier, tailender because I don't think she's forgiven me yet. I'm aware that I'm asking a tail ender and crossy about this, but I have no other options.

I'm a young female cricketer from New Zealand. I saw two of your cricket World Cup games, Kate, and I'm absolutely terrible at batting. One a duck, one way you got two. Every chance. I can hold my own with the ball, but the last three games I played, I got out. for a duck. Advice on scoring at least one run. Big fan. Well, if you get one more duck, you'll have got a bunch of ducks. What is the term for a group of ducks? A squaggle, squabble. My last search on my emails was Tractor Porn, because I was trying to find out what the website was that that MP was on. Did you find it? No, I didn't know what it was. Anyway, what do you call? A bunch of ducks. I'm just going to ask.

Google this. What do you call a bunch of ducks? Oh, when in flight, a group of ducks can be called a skein, a flock, or a team. All right, so one more and you've got a flock of ducks, but let's answer it. Sorry. Probably. I've got sidetrack then. Just get a bat on ball, as hard as it is.

Just, I always got told, just try and get something on it. Like, get forward. This is when I was not. great of buying too right yeah there's that is good advice um i always i always get told to play the line of the ball i mean that's better advice yeah so if the ball is straight try and play it straight just boo it if the ball's wide outside off stump try and play it to the off side if it's down leg side play leg side sounds like if you're sending an email like that in as well you're already in your own head about it yeah go out and enjoy it like there's no pressure you've

already had three ducks it can't really get worse and also laugh at yourself yeah like know what i found this start of this summer georgie boys are opening batter doesn't get angry doesn't get happy she got a low score of like four they were playing music she started singing the music on a way off she got a score of 80 odd and she was just like doing the same thing she's like it's just a game of cricket yeah and the beauty of bowling versus batting is you always got the opportunity to come back as a bowler you could get hit for six and you can get a wicket next ball if you get out that's you're done a spatter so you've got to just take it with a pinch of of salt, haven't you? You've got to just accept it for what it is. Some days you might get good

decisions. Some days you might get bad decisions. Some days you might score loads of runs. Some days you might get three ducks in a row. It can happen. But just enjoy your cricket. Don't put too much pressure on yourself. It's also normal. I got three ducks in a row in the big bash. Can happen. This was from, I hope I say the name right, it's Arena. E-R-I-N-A. M-E-N-R-N-R-A. So I hope that helps. Probably won't, but there you go. new listener day miss cross and miss hartley

they haven't listened to the podcast if they think we're misses I just started listening to your podcast and have been finding it very enjoyable I have just seen my first ever cricket match England versus South Africa in the World Cup it was actually only the first two overs but it was the first time I've ever been able to watch a match

I am from the USA and have little access to cricket I want to wish Miss Cross all the look in the final I hope I will be able to watch the match all of it this time Keep up the good work in the podcast You have a new fan, go well, Ronald McDonald? No, shlingling Right, yeah, shilling, shilling, shilling, shilling, shilling, shilling, shilling,

shilling, not Ronald McDonald's. Ronald, if you haven't seen the final, don't bother. Or watch it as a neutral, it's a very good game. Yeah, Healy was brilliant. Should you go on to some LBWs? Oh, yeah, we've got enough. Well, I'm just looking at the time or I've got four minutes left,

so we think we need to crack on. Yeah. Well, I thought then you could tell your LBW. So for anyone that hasn't listened, if we've got any new listeners, LBW stands for... Little bit weird. And LBW is also a dismissal in cricket.

Leg before Wicket. But in our context, it means something that you do that you don't think's weird until you tell someone and then are like, are you okay? Like Crossy wearing her. coat and shoes indoors.

Hi Kate and Alex, relatively newcomer to the pod and enjoy it hugely. Your honesty about the pressures of elite level sport is always appreciated but your determination to make the game fun shines through.

I have my own little bit weird for you. When reading a book, if I'm really enjoying it, I'll stop reading and leave it on the shelf to avoid reaching the end. My current record is about three years. Oh my God,

three years between starting and finishing. a book, my wife and my boss who found out during a random staff room chat thinks it's bonkers. However, it makes sense to me as I can't bear the thought of reaching the end and not having to, and not having it there to read. What are your thoughts? Keep up the incredible work. You're both true inspirations. Chris? Chris, do you know what happens at the end of Harry Potter? Like, what's the point? What is the point in that? Like Little Red Riding Hood. Do you ever finish the end of that? Like, what's going on? It's not the last book that I read that, by the way.

Really, really random example. I got the Harry Potter one, but Little Red Riding had. Isn't that a nursery rhyme? This is mad. I get that you don't want things to finish, but you can't, how does he even then remember when he goes back three years later to know what happened where he finished?

You'd have to read the whole book again. I think that's worse than people reading the last page. Oh, that is worse, yeah, I'm with you on that. Yeah. Yeah, because I get people reading the last page because they want to see what happens. But this guy doesn't want to know what happens. Weird.

Really strange. What was your LBW? Yesterday? Yeah. So if anybody follows the Instagram account, if you don't, it's No Bulls TCP. And me and Crossie were just having a bit of banter because for some reason she was in my house yesterday.

Not sure how she got in, but she was in my house while I was at work. Doing some work here. She hasn't got a key. Someone else must have invited her. So we're having a bit of banter back. and forth and I sent a picture back holding my burrito yeah and this came to light because one of the guys who was at the cricket club that night was messaged me a picture of you holding the

burrito saying why does owl hold her rap with such aggression her hand is like a claw and I do I was thinking about it and I do squeeze the burrito you really are yeah yeah it's I'm looking at it now it's very very claw life I replied to as I said well maybe she she's got it's because she's got little hands but and she you know she needs to support the rap and he was like well why is there zero finesse so wes wants to see a bit more finesse with how you hold your food right i could do that for wes i just said Alex hartley and finesse have never been used in the same sentence i don't even know what it means well that's not going to it no we've not got time because we're going to have a claxon soon oh yeah um hi kate and alix loads of spiel

i have my own lbw i don't think it's particularly weird to want to sing out loud when I have headphones in. However, if I am somewhere singing aloud, it would be inconsiderate as such on public transport. I sometimes find I mime lip sync to the song in public. Want to know your thoughts, does this make me a little bit of a psychopath? Keep up the good work,

hope you're both well and have great seasons callum. I think that depends on... Right then you two, you're banging on. That is the alarm that tells us that we're heading towards our time limit. people have things to do and people to see or is it the other way around

love you it depends how good a singer you are if you're good singer I'd be happy to listen to someone singing in public but if you're terrible like me then you shouldn't be singing in public no and also I don't think lip syncing's the worst unless you're like giving it the full blown lip sync and doing the dance routine at the same time

but if you're just doing a little bit of a I think it's fine yeah I don't think that is all that weird to be honest Who was that? What was their name? Callum. Callum, yeah, I think that's okay. Yeah. I don't know why we're the barometer for what's okay in life and what isn't, but apparently so.

We are because we started this podcast and we've got a lot of listeners. I can't wait to be telling Bear Grills how weird it is that he drinks his own wee. I can't, I cannot wait to see what Bear Grills does. What's his bowling action going to be like? How does he hold a cricket bat? Is he right or left-handed? Do you reckon he's going to use like an axe instead of a cricket bat? I think he'll create his own cricket.

Cricket bag. Yeah. Yeah. Well, maybe we'll try and get him on the podcast. We'll try and get a little snippet of Bear Grills on the podcast. I think we need a selfie of Bear Grills, another one with Ed Shearing. Hi, I'm Ed. Did we tell that a story? No, but you've got two minutes if you want to. Oh, right, quickly. So, gosh, this is a bit stressful. We met Ed at Lancashire, didn't we? And one of the test matches. We were in a special room and he was there. We lingered for approximately 35 minutes to try and ask him for a photo. Yeah. And we put up the courage and we went and you went, hi, I'm Alex. I went, hi, I'm Kate, and he went, hi, I'm Ed. I'm like, yeah, we know. Yeah, we know. So, yeah, we're going to be like, hi, Ed. Nice to meet you. We need a picture with Michael McIntyre. Yeah.

Damien Lewis, David Hay. Yeah. Sir Alister Cook. Amazing. Right, we've got an amazing day ahead of us. In the meantime, we'll be a few more pods before then, because it's in a few weeks time. Good luck to you.

Hope you get in the squad for the Charlotte Edwards Cup this weekend. Good luck to you. Hope you get in the squad for the Charlotte Edwards Cup this weekend. It's great. great to be back. We've missed you all. And that's gone really quickly. Really fast. Don't forget to no-ballers on.

No-Balls podcast at BBC.co.com. Yeah, they forgot that then, did you? No-ballspodcast at BBC.co.com. It's so good. They said it twice. Thanks for listening. Hope you missed us. Hope you come back.

Bye. See ya. 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.

Hello, I'm Stefan, the BBC's gaming reporter. I'm also the host of PressX to continue the BBC's gaming podcast, and I think you might like it. On the podcast, we talk gaming news and reviews. We had such a nice early start this year with February. having great game after great game after great game. We discussed some of the biggest games of the moment. The characters all have their experiences that they bring to it

and you feel kind of part of that puzzle. And we get into some of the things the gamers are talking about right now. Eldon Ring is a game where it wants you to kind of talk about it with other people to kind of decipher different things and discover different things. Oh, I didn't know you could do that. That's Press X to continue the BBC's Gaming podcast available only on BBC Sounds. Thank you.