Test Match Special - No Balls: The Cricket Podcast - We love Test cricket, we don't love rain

Episode Date: July 2, 2022

Back from the Test at Taunton, England bowler Kate Cross and Alex Hartley reflect on a memorable four days. Plus, they're joined by Lauren Bell fresh from making her debut.

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Enjoy. And cross strikes in the first over. It's Waddingham. Looking for. Hartley falls. Down the track comes scoring. This time she connects. It's either six or out. It's six. Hello and welcome back to no balls of cricket. Sorry, we always shout it, don't we? Hello and welcome back to No Bowls of Cricket podcast. Me, Kate Cross, and you Alex Hartley. And hopefully you lot out there are still listening.

And Crossy. I've got a microphone. Keep forgetting it. Have you not had one? Don't know. Right. Okay. I'm sure you've always had a mic.

Because you've always had the BBC sport one. Yeah, but I always forget it when we do Zoom, don't I? But I've got it working. Good stuff. Well done. Right. The professional pod is underway. It is.

How are you? I'm all right. I've had four days of test cricket. I've got home. It's nice to be home. It is nice to be home. night in my own bed um but i'm all right yeah it was it was good four days i loved it like absolutely loved it um just gutted that we couldn't get a result shock another another women's

test ends in a draw another one um yeah that was a shame but but but i am going to defend the test cricket here without the rain they would have been a result yeah they probably would have been yeah rain definitely played too much of a part but how often can you play a test match in England and not think there's going to be rain involved. Well, there's been rain involved in your last three test matches. Two of them were in Os, will, no. Two of them were in England. One in Oz.

Still affected by rain, though. Still affected by rain. Crossie, you've just played test cricket for England. How was it? Honestly, so much fun. So much fun. We have got someone on to talk to us in depth about it, someone else that was out there. So it's not just my perspective on it.

But, yeah, I got the honour. Al, like the childhood dream of being able to take the new ball for England in a test match and it was amazing. Well, it was amazing and it was easy. You only went and they got four from day one. Honestly, I was like, I don't know what to do. I forgot how to bowl. Like, we got the Jukes, which, by the way, we've nicknamed the Duchess.

So we actually bowl with the Duchess, not the Jukes. So we had the Duchess, didn't know what that was going to do. And it turned out it was all fine. Everyone remembered how to play cricket again. Yes, I love that. I loved watching it. Hated watching the rain because it was very frustrating. But it was brilliant.

And I can't believe your summers only just started. It feels like we're halfway through the summer and we've played one match now. Yeah, it's mad, isn't it? How are you? Because you had a big old mammoth journey from Leeds just to Taunton to get to the game. Yeah, I'm all right.

I've done eight days of test cricket in a row. Nice. And I, yeah, it was fine. drive down took me about four hours from Leeds to Taunton straight on air when I got walked in the comms box I was like pass me the headset I'm here love it love it literally in demand yeah and then yesterday got drove three and a half hours back to Manchester and was in the gym at 8 o'clock this morning you are nonstop nonstop I my next day off is on Monday oh that's good we need to make a little apology because we did say in the last podcast we were going to do a

test match preview, and we just realized that there probably wasn't going to be that much to talk about, so we didn't do it. So let's quickly do it. I reckon you're going to, well, you're playing South Africa, I reckon you might get six wickets in the game. Lauren Bell will make a debut and it'll be a draw. Nat Siver has not been out in international cricket, because obviously she was not out in the World Cup, so I think she's just going to carry that on and go bigger, not out again. Yeah, I reckon. I reckon you could be right. Shall we introduce this week's guest? Yeah, let's do it. Right. Well, time to introduce our very special guest. Both of you have played test cricket this week. Crossy, obviously you're joining us because you always do. I can't get rid of you. And we're going to introduce Lauren Bell. Hello. Belly. How are you?

I'm good. How are you? All right. Thank you. I'm tired, but let's not get into that. Belly, how actually are you? Like, you've just played a test match. It's the day after. How actually are you? I'm actually surprised. I mean, we sat around for a long time. I'm actually not that tired. Yeah, I'm fine. So the body's all right. Yeah, the body's pulled up great. No one seems to believe me. Every time I get asked, like, are you okay? I'm like, yeah, I'm fine. They're like, you're lying. Like, your body hurts. I'm like, my body doesn't hurt, I promise. Okay, this could show the age difference here. Crossie, how's your body? Yeah, I'm sore today. I'm sore. I'm really tired as well. Like, I didn't sleep very well last night. Um, I'm, I'm, think it was just all the adrenaline and it was the thing i found really difficult that was a bit different to other test matches was how stop starting we were in the field and like we had to belly how many times did we warm on i'm pretty sure the second like the second innings i just all them were just opening spells like i just kept warming up and bowling and then we came off and then i would warm up and bowl again like i didn't ever like just stand in the field and then

come back on to bowl so belly how many times do you reckon you warmed up for an opening Yeah, I reckon across the whole test match Maybe like seven or eight times I threw a lot of headballs That reminds me actually Someone who has my phone Someone messaged me on them My phone on here it is

So I mess with me on Instagram yesterday I'm going to read it out, Billy It's a really sweet message actually And it involves us too I don't know who this person is It was me It was not Alex They said

You could have got this ready I know I could have done you right, but I've not. It said, so this is in reply to my story saying when England put that it was a drawer and I've put, you're joking, not another one, put that meme up. And they said, fantastic effort from everyone in the test. A fifth day might have made all the difference. I've loved my days of cricket taunting this week, especially the positive spirit and skills that you all showed.

Hopefully you'll get a chance to play many more testing years to come. Bell and Cross are definitely the new Brun and Shrub Sol. but question for no balls what is the benefit of flinging that large ball up and down during warm-ups best wishes james there we go belly why on earth do you throw a massive ball around i just get told you that med balls have i mean i do it because i'm told to but mac actually texts me last night saying enjoy your dealode from throwing a med ball i was like if i don't see a med ball ever again it'll be too soon i actually think that's that's why i'm sore because we did so much core activation for every single warm-up that we had to do before we went on to bowl.

So it's like what, it does a med ball, because obviously I'm a spinner, I just turn up and play cricket. It's like, you throw a med ball to, like, get your core ready. Yeah. It's like bowling, but with a heavier ball, so it, like, gets your movement going and ready, so you men are not get injured from it. Right, belly, has it actually sunk in that you've made your test debut? Yeah. Do you know, it's really strange, like, the first.

first day was like so surreal like there was so much adrenaline and I was like really really nervous and even when I was playing it was like Matt like shit playing for England but then like as the days went on it became more normal like it was just like cricket and but like the first day when like all families there and the caps it was like kind of surreal and I was like this is actually happening it's actually mad so you're you're probably the first person or you are well all four of you No, who is it? Belly and Wongie. Wongie, yeah.

The first two people to make your test debuts, just your test debuts before you've made any other debuts. That's pretty cool. Yeah, do you know why it's mad? Like, and it was for England, and I'd never done it before in my life. Like, I've never played a Red Bull game in my life. And then, like, I was playing for England

in a game I've never played before in my life. Obviously, I've played cricket, but I've never played a long format game. Like, even when we've done warm-up ones in the past, I've always just ran drinks because I've always been, like, if we're with the women and running drinks or just like not playing. So, do you know, that was so crazy.

I was like, now I'm actually paying for England and I'm not actually done this before. Go on, Chrossey. Did you ever actually imagine when you're a kid and you're thinking, right, I'm going to take cricket seriously now? Did you ever actually think like you'd make your test debut?

Because it's so rare in women's cricket. Yeah. No, I don't think so. Even when I was like, not even that young, like even when I was playing for like the vipers and stuff when I was like 15, 16. I don't think like a test debut was like in my head as like what like the thing to get to.

I think it was an England debut. When you think about that, you think about white ball stuff. Yeah. But then as it came more real, I was like, this is actually, and then it's like actually so much bigger than like it in lots of ways than the other two.

How did you find out you were playing? I saw Lisa called me on the Saturday night and it was like, can you come and chat to me? And as I was like, I knew this was, it was going to be, like, the chat. But, like, I'm so, like, I never know where, like, I always think I'm not going to be in. Like, I'm always like, oh, no, like, someone might be in. And then I went to see her. And she's like, she said when she does the good chats, she, like, enjoys dragging them out.

And she was, like, for me, like, she just really enjoyed, like, seeing my face, like, dragging it out. She knew that I didn't know what she was going to say. And so she, like, called me in. and she was like, so we've like done our meeting and we've, yeah, we've looked at the pitch and like, we're going to have to go and what the pitch. And it was really like trying to get an excuse for why I'm not playing. And it was so dragged out. And then she was like, but no, I'm really excited.

You are playing. And she was like, I really enjoyed seeing your face. And I was like, Lisa, what the hell? But normally, normally if you get a phone call from Lisa, it's bad news because, like, you don't, we'll find out the team in the team meeting or on the WhatsApp group but if you've had the phone call then you've had the heads up you're not playing so like barely gets phone call saying can you see Lisa I get a phone call saying can you come see Lisa and I was like oh my god who's playing like no one's playing honestly was even when I found out the squad finci had said like a couple

days before or like on the Thursday we found out the squad on the Friday on the Thursday he like got everyone around and was like I'm going to there's an email going to at 10 a.m. I'm going to call everyone between 9 and 10 who's not like not in the selected team. And he hadn't mentioned the part that if you'd never been in a test match team before, he'll also call you. So he called me at like 20 to 10 like on the Friday like weeks before. And I pick and I was like I was a little bit like I really hope I'm going to be in this test match squad. I think I had a really good chance. And then I got this call and I just saw his name and I was like, what have I done wrong?

Like, why am I not in the team? And I picked up the phone and I was like, Hi, Finchie. And he was like, you're right? I was like, yeah, I'm fine. I was like, gone then. And he was like, what do you mean? I was like, you told me that you're going to call everyone.

He's not in the squad. And then he was like, oh my God, Billy. I'm so sorry. He was like, I just wanted to like personally congratulate you. And it was actually really nice phone call. I was like, Finchie, I was sure that I wasn't in the squad. I used to hate that. So you could be like, right,

they're going to ring you between these, this time. time and I'd be like, should I just turn my phone off? Because I know I'm going to get a phone call. There was a really sweet moment in the car when we were going to one of our like prep days. We were playing against ourselves at Millfield School. I drove Belly and I was going through

what I think my starting 11 was in the car. And I just... It's a game you always play. Always play it. But I was just like so sure that Belly was going to play. And Belly's in the car, obviously. I'm talking to her and Lammy. So I was like, I think it's going to be Lamb,

blah blah blah blah and then i just didn't say like nine 10 11 and belly was like oh well what about me i was like oh yeah bill you're playing yeah hon you're in you're in my team like as if i'd bring the game up thinking that belly's not going to play and tell her that oh yeah sorry bill i think you'll be running drinks yeah yeah i'm going to do the going to do the 11 and bell you might as well get on the m5 you know you're not playing i have got a question for you both post test match have you like reflected back and have you figured out how to get Sakakune out yet or what? We haven't got her out in four days, did we? Yeah, I still don't think I know how to get her out.

Rumour has it, she's still down there. Do you know what? When she said she came out on the evening of day three, didn't she? So she came out as Night Watcher. And she then took the single in the last over, first ball of last over and put Sunni back on strike. So I said to Sunni, I was like, what's happened here, Sunni? like your night watchers just basically thrown you down the river, sold you down the river, sold you down the river

and Sunay laughed and she was like maybe I'm the night watcher I mean she was the one that was still sticking around at the end of the day so honestly she was great she her like average going into that test was like four she couldn't not many of them could have had an average could because they hadn't played there was only two of them that had played a test match beforehand they got there she's played 40 odd games for South Africa averaging four in all 40-od games. But you guys couldn't get her out.

South Africa had to get there at 8am to start the cat presentations it took that long. Speaking of cat presentations, speaking of cat presentations, you had a good one, didn't you belly? Yeah, mine was so cute. I actually didn't know Anya was doing it. I mean, it all made sense when her and Catherine were doing me and Wongie, but I didn't know she was going to do it. I assumed Lottie would do it, but then Lottie texted me the night before

saying, I'll try and get there for your cat presentation, mate. So then I was like, oh, she's not doing it. And then I was like, oh, Heather must be doing it because Heather did my Berkshire one. And I was like, oh, this is going to be cute. And then I just assumed that. And then I turned up and it was Anna, and I was like, oh, what did that be surprised? She spoke so well. I mean, Ania does always speak really well, but she spoke so well.

And those cat presentations got everyone, didn't they? Like, Brunty, well, Ania set it up and started it off because you were first because it did alphabetical. And then Brunty just finished it off. everyone was just in tears. And we're like, well, we've got four days of cricket to play now. Brunty's was really emotional because I felt like she just cares so much about test cricket. And it was, yeah, that was emotional.

Can you remember what was said to you or not? I kind of remember like the gist. But you know, when you're just in the moment, like, I remember smiling and being like, this is really, really cute. Did you cry? I think I got the most, I'm not, I didn't get really, teary but Catherine got me the most because she was really upset and I was like oh it's okay don't be sad he's sad it's happy she'll just be sad she wasn't playing still yeah I actually

think she like so much for emotion came from it was a bit of like a retirement speech for her as well I think um yeah and she was kind it was like so sweet because it was like literally handing the baton on like shrubbers gave belly her cat and belly I've got to ask did shrubbers give you any kind of like notice on how to get lazelle out because that button's just been handed over as well no like i actually i spoke to annie like when when when i was working with the vipers like we spoke to her like all the time like literally every day she was amazing and then i spoke to her before i went in for like the like the warm like the warm up days and then like i didn't really chat with her like i didn't really speak to her much um good she just left me to it

and she was like if if she needs me she'll like message me and like yeah i was just kind of going with really but no I didn't really chat to her about it and then she came actually she came and saw me I was more like touched by her because she came and saw me after the first day and she just was like like just saying well done how proud she was and all of this and I was just a bit like tell me how you felt when you got your first ever international wicket though because what I'm feeling but after my first spell I was a little bit like I imagine I just go four days out taking a wicket here like what can happen that happened to be in Canberra in January, so it can definitely happen. Well, Maca said that to me. It was like

this, it will happen. Like, well, obviously in the second innings, it did. I was like, oh, I'm just glad it was the other way around. Like, I did get a couple of wickets in the first, but yeah, I was more relieved, and then I was just like buzzing. And then when it reviewed it, and I was like, oh, no, matching this isn't outmash and this is going down as well, like all the other one. We had another bad moment from me in the car. So me, Belly and Lammie have been sharing lifts all week. We're driving into the ground on day one. I've heard this, I've heard this. A little bit overcast.

And again, I just kind of forget that I've got Lammy in the car. And I was like, oh, belly, it's a great day to win the tossing ball, hunt. There's a bit of cloud around, get the duke swinging. And I was like, oh, Lamby, but if we lose the tossing back, then it'll be fine to be absolutely fine. They won't do anything, Lammy. You're an idiot. I also hear you were driving them both to the ground and tried to get in the wrong car park.

Went the wrong way. Yeah. there's just too many car parks at cricket ground so it's not go a bit angry as well but then we made a friend with the guy on the gate at the other car park he was nice that guy that looked like Will Smead

he was lovely that's how he earns his keep that's what he's doing in between playing and Belly I want you to tell everyone how you prepped the night before making your test debut because you're not a big cricket fan are you?

Oh my homework you did some homework didn't you? you'll never guess I'm not a big cricket watcher and if anything it wouldn't be the long form access really long and then we had a meeting at 5 o'clock on Sunday night

and obviously the men's test match was being played and I was just sat there and I was just trying to pass time and I put it on the men's test match and I watched it for like 45 minutes and then I came out my room ready for the meeting and I saw Crossie I was like Crossie I'll never guess what I've just watched 45 minutes of test match cookie I'm ready for tomorrow

yes and you were ready that's did you enjoy it or you like this is boring um I don't know I did think this is going to be more fun if I'm participating yes and it was it way more fun way more fun we did have so much fun doing with all I can really remember because it all blurs like all your spells kind of blur into one and wickets and stuff and then especially when you get six wickets in the game sorry crossy Thanks for bringing it up. Oh, thank you. That's how this podcast works.

I'll just tell you how good I am. But we just had so much fun. I just remember laughing all the time and like seeing belly flying around at fine leg sitting on the ball. I've got a numb bum, shouting out from fine leg. I've got like five overs. Got this massive knee as well that's got, you know, when you get a fluid in your knee, it just doesn't leave.

Belly's had this issue. So every time she dives on it. So I was like, oh no, she's dived on the knee again. It's going to be all swollen. And she was like, I sat on the ball. and the whole like not that there was a massive crowd but like that stand

that ADR was at like deep square as well and I was like ADR's like ADR my bum's numb and then everyone like started laughing and I was like oh no now everyone right I've got to ask you both you're not allowed to say getting your cap belly because we've talked about that for 45 minutes

what was your favourite moment of the test match belly goes first um What was my favourite moment? I mean, my first wicket was probably my best, like my highlight, I'd say. Yeah, that was. It was a seed as well.

Yeah, it was. Yeah, I'd say that one. When it was said out, and I was like, oh, thank God. We did, me and so we were obviously all gathered and like, we're watching the screen to see if it goes red, red, red. I was like, Belle, you've got to be ready for the cameras because they'll get a picture of this now. So what are we going to do? And she's like, right, I'm going to double fist bump it. I'm going to give it some.

So there's just me and Belly. like in the middle of everyone really giving it and no one else around us is really celebrating as hard as us. That's, Crossie, that's someone that celebrates for the camera right there. Yeah, well, you've got to know where the Getty images are. I have noticed you've started the running celebration as well now. Me? Crossie. Belly's only just got a celebration. We have to be like, Belly, come on, up it, up it a little bit.

But Belly goes for the Titanic, do we notice? Yeah. Yeah, I like that. Crossie, your favourite moment? I've got two. My first one, so I don't do much opening bowling for England. Not an opening bowler. I'm not an opening bowler, no.

And I stood at the back of my mark, and I was like, right, take this in. You know, first opportunity to take the new ball for England. And everyone was just waiting. And I was like, Sue, have you shouted play? She said, yes, crossy. I was like, oh, sorry, I didn't hear you. So I completely missed my moment to open the bowling. I didn't know that.

haven't. I was like, Sue, I didn't hear you. Did you say play? For God's sake. Literally for God's sake. And my second favorite moment was Wongy's first international wicket, I cakeballed it in the slips and then stumps and bales everywhere. And Sophie's reaction was mega because she flew off down to fine leg celebrating on her own because we just called a cake ball. And then we realized we had to go celebrate with Wongie. So yeah, they were my two favorites. mine was when you declared because you were run out crossy but you weren't like it was quite close and we're like oh she's in but she's off have they declared does she think she's out like what is

what's going on yeah well i got told basically because we didn't lose any more time if we finished that over so if we'd lost the wicket on the first ball i was going in and we did lose a wicket on the first ball so i went in or second ball whatever it was but i just got told to get off strike and give that couple balls to have a dip um and then I was out so I was like no why you're not running but then I remembered she's like on 170 and probably don't want to get run out so no yeah fair play from her Belle did you think you were going to have to bat at one stage yeah I did actually and I worried about it and won you didn't even have a helmet and then I gave her my helmet and then

I was like wait no I might need one too and we went through this stage of being like right how we both going to have a helmet we might be out there together but yeah I was very glad that I didn't have to actually. The inner workings of the England women's dress room really shining through her. Also, Bella, you had a really lovely day on Tuesday, didn't you? Yeah, I didn't put my whites on all day on day too. How good?

A little spa day for belly, doing a nail. So no wonder your body feels fine. I know, I've actually done my nails about five times that day. That's about all I did. It was honestly so fun to watch the youngsters come in and like deal with the rainbreaks and stuff because they were just like Wongie, I didn't see her for three hours on,

day four. I don't know where she went. She was playing football in the rain. I found them at one point. They're in the sports hall playing a game of one-on-one bounce. I was like, conserve your energy guys. Oh, God, God. Right.

Have we got anything else for belly? You wanted to ask about food, didn't you? Oh my God, yeah. Right, I did want to ask about food. Like, test match day when you're bowling and you've been out there all day. what food do you eat and like what's on offer what food um the food are the banana and yogurt actually that was that was everyone's highlight i think of taunton um that was great um what do we eat crossy we've got we've got a new nutritionist haven't we and he's he's really trying hard to impress us

like he's really really buying our friendship so we played this warm up again a warm up game against ourselves and it was a hot day and we get off the pitch and rob the new nutritionist has got us like a core box of lollies of like magnums and rockets and we're like hmm is this a test it wasn't a test he just wanted us to get some cows in us um but he sets up his little tuck shop doesn't he yeah he puts like oh there's who knew them so many times of energy bars puts up all the energy bars and like everything it's like I think it's like it's this highlight of the day really isn't it like when he gets to talk about his nutrition but he's great we've got to But brownies actually on day three, that was a highlight of two.

We did. See, back when I played for England, they got taken away from me those brownies, and I was gutted. Well, I think it's, I don't know how much that'll happen on shorter format cricket, but right, Rob's big on like you got fuel before, you go out and boil them fuel after. So that's where the brownies came in. But I'll my whoop on day one, four and a half thousand calories I burnt. It was a big old day. So, yeah, that's why the brownies are allowed.

I could do with a day like that. this is a big day it was a big day okay before we let you go belly last question on a scale of 1 to 10 how much did you enjoy playing test cricket for England 10 definitely

hopefully there will be more yes we've got one scheduled in 2007 so hopefully you'll be available for that yeah no I'll be there honestly so I got home sorry one more thing I got home last night and you know how our trousers

was all really grass-stained. And my mum was like, how the hell am I going to get these out? And I was like, Mom, it doesn't matter. I'm not going to wear them ever again. I was like, when we play a new test match, I'm sure the Kate will have changed. Has it given you like, in a hypothetical sense, say you play in the one day or the T-20s and make those debuts this summer? Do you think you're going to be less nervous now or more nervous

because it was a different format? Like, where are you at with that now? I pretty much know I'll be more nervous for the other two. because in a test match like not a lot can go wrong like they're not going to try and whack me over my head I can't bowl endless amount of wide because if it goes down the next side it's fine

and like so all I really need to do is keep my foot behind the line which I can do and so it wasn't that nervous whereas in an ODI or like a T20 like I could go for 20 in my first over and that's just way more nerve wracking than like a test match like you can kind of get into it

like obviously I was very nervous but I think I'll be more nervous. That's such a measured way of thinking about to say that that's your debut. I know. It's good that we've now got to thinking about our ODI debut that might or might not come in 10 days out

from what's going to happen. Poor girl's not going to sleep tonight. Fine. Thinking about going for 20 off my first over. She'll be rocking up to watch the England men play now in prep for the ODIs and the T-20s. Getting a bit of game timing, homework. Well, Billy, thanks for coming on.

Go and put the test. match on India, 161 for five. I don't need that homework anymore. Oh, Bailey, honestly, I was saying to Al when we weren't recording, but you and the youngsters coming in, you were absolutely brilliant this week. I absolutely loved, loved, loved getting to play with you. And especially with, like, the New Zealand trip that you had, you were brilliant over there knowing you weren't going to play a game for England unless something bad happened.

And, like, the fact that you've come in and made your day, but I'm so pleased. and you were just brilliant and well done and hopefully we see you again in some coloured kit this summer yeah thanks crossy that's so nice that's the nicest thing i'll ever say to you yeah that's it you need to remember that forever it's recorded so hopefully i can i can listen to it again well thank you very much belly thanks for having me Lauren Bell, the sweetest and kindest soul. Just so much. Like, can you understand where the fun and the energy comes from now

when you hear how she speaks and just how fun-loving everything was with her? You must feel five years younger. Yeah, well, I don't right now. I feel five years older right now. But, yeah, like they energised me. I feel like one of those moms that, like, goes out. out with their daughters and they're like on the cocktails because the kids are on the cocktails.

You're like, woo, woo! Yeah, I'm 30 again. I actually realized this week, I've played two test matches now as a 30 year old. Wow. That is. You're next Jimmy Anderson right there. Oh God, no, I'm not going to 39. No chance.

I don't think your body would make it. Absolutely no chance. I've got something that I need to tell you about with the test match. So my mum and dad came down. with my Uncle Bob, and it was really sweet. My Uncle Bob was my first bowling coach. And you'll have seen them, but not everyone will have done, so it might not make a lot of sense.

But outside all the grounds this year, they've got like these big flags with the players on them. And they're big, they're like, what would you say, 20 foot high? 10. I don't know how many, I don't know. You're 5 foot 5, wait, 5 foot 10. Yeah. I reckon they're, well, it's got 15 foot.

Right, they're about 15 foot. They're tall, they're really tall. But it's like a picture of me, bowl. and it says like we are England cricket on it and my mum comes to me. Kate, you know those flags that you're on? Said, yeah. Could you bring one home? What? She's like, yeah, I think, can you get one for me? I was like, what on earth are you going to do with a 15 foot flag with me on it? And she's like, well, I'll put it in the garden. No, no, no, no. You can't put in the garden. She's like, well, if you won't let me put it in the garden, we'll put it at the cricket club.

No, that's even worse So my mum wants a 15-foot version of me bowling In the garden Nah, nah, that's illegal It's going to be like that geyser down the road For me that's got to take that elephant in his garden Everyone's just going to like, what? Everyone's like a fan club or what?

What? I actually walk past a pub that your parents were in on day two Or day one I can't remember, anyway, there's been that many days blurred into one and I was walking past and I was like that looks like a cross nose because I just walked past the window so I walked back and it was your dad

and I was like waving in the window but it was rain inside my hood up and like my hoodie pulled and I could see them going who's that who is that waving in the window so I had to take my hood off and be like hello it's me

oh bless and they still probably don't know who that was now no probably not your sister did say to me today what were you doing walking past the window I was like going for dinner oh dear We've obviously not started the timer

because we've had a guest on. But have you got anything on your sticky note? Ooh. Do you know what? I might do. We didn't even, we've not even spoken about. Oh no.

So what? So I left. I'm nervous. I left my notepad in a different room during the men's tests. I started using our podcast notes to write down key points of the leads test.

Have you got the 20 San Bucas on there still? So I've got Lees dropped by Mitch Litts Slip playing an awful short and then bowled by bolt for four with a beauty. Brilliant. I've got Bairstow,

100 off 95 balls, 150 up for England in 25 over, England with 55 for 6. So you're just rounding up the men's test cricket for us there nicely? Yeah, so I've got nothing

I'm sticking out. Speaking about the men's test cricket, We obviously did the last episode and it had just been the Nottingham Trent Bridge test match where Birsto went Halapino. He did it again and no one was bothered.

It was just like, that's the norm now. Like it wasn't even a big deal. I was in the bar with the England bowling coach, right? John Lewis. And he goes, do you think we could play this style of cricket against everyone? I was like, we're asking me for? Surely that's what the planet is.

You don't just play that against New Zealand. Yeah, so that's what they're going to do. They're going to come out and just pongo India. we need to have a moment of reflection for your celebrity crush because he made a big announcement this week yeah he did tell me personally he rang me and said Alex I'm going to have to take this decision for the future of our children I'm actually I'm actually really sad for him

I am but I'm also not because he said he had that moment where he knew and I think if you have that moment and you're not kind of in that battle of should you, shouldn't you? And it's nice and it's easy. But I'm just more sad for him that he didn't get the 2020-T20 World Cup to go out and that got postponed and he missed that.

And also his last two innings for England he got a duck. Yeah, when they scored 500. He got a duck and then the next day he got a duck as well. Oh, maybe that was when he knew. That was it. He was like, you know what? Liam Livingston's got a 60.

of 22 balls I'm out. Yeah. But he's changed white ball cricket in England forever. I think he's changed white ball cricket in the world forever because everyone now looks up to that England team and wants to replicate it. And I think you're going to have to replicate it to try and beat them. So the fact that he's been able to do that pretty much by himself,

obviously with the help of some good talent. But he's like changed the mindset, hasn't he? Yeah, he's been brilliant. How are you spending the next few days? I'm going to be sitting watching the test match The men are playing India So I'm going to watch a bit of that I've got a uni assignment in on Monday

Which is a bit boring But we need to get that done And I've got something else to tell you all Because it involves the podcast And it involves our favourite guest ever Go on Two fingers They have become a global superstar

Celebrity Celebrity So I got stopped and asked for a photo And my autograph on the way back From doing press on day one and HEM was with me because that's their job and this lady was like I love the podcast

are you H2 fingers please can I get your autograph and can I get a picture and they did obviously they did because they're not a dick so that was great so we've turned H2 fingers

into a worldwide celebrity yeah so that's it they won't come back on the podcast now they'll be too big time for us well I heard they're constantly walking around with sunny zombie like no paps please yeah don't look at me too shy too shy anyway

Anyway, good luck to you, because you start the Rachel Hayhoe Flint Trophy on Sunday at sale. I am going to come and watch that. That's on my to-do list. I don't know if I'm in the team. I've not had a text yet. Oh, no. Does Lisa not rung you? Not yet.

I do have something to show you, which you might like. I've been sent a present, so good luck in the ODIs. She's got an ODI top. You've got cross 16 on the back. I don't know, but I've got myself a T-O-N-O-N-1-2-1. to anyone. I hope you wear them on coms for us. I'm going to. We've still not upgraded to the Zoom, so we've got less than a minute.

It's going to boot us off, so we're going to have to round this up very fast. If you want to No Ball as you can on. No Bowlspodcast at BBC.co.com.uk. No Bowlspodcast at BBC.co.com. It's so good. It's so good. They've said it twice. Bye. Bye. I've got some gossip to tell you off air, so I'll ring you now.

Bye. Bye. And cross strikes in the first over. It's what England will look. Looking for. Partley falls. Down the track comes scoring this time she connects. It's either six or out. It's six. Travel through time with the You're Dead to Me podcast. Discover what made Frederick the Great of Prussia so great. I never knew that was a thing. Uncover the secrets woven into the buyer tapestry.

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