Test Match Special - No Balls: The Cricket Podcast with Hayley Matthews

Episode Date: August 5, 2022

Kate Cross and Alex Hartley answer questions sent in by the listeners and are joined by Barbados captain Hayley Matthews to tell us about her experience of the Commonwealth Games.

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we do swear occasionally every now and then we'll say the word sometimes sometimes and even maybe but don't let that put you off with nice people we beep them out but your kids can listen enjoy and cross strikes in the first over it's one looking for Hartley Balls down the track comes scoring this time

chicken out it's either six or out it's six hello and welcome back to Nobles the great

podcast with me Alex Hartley in my Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games kit and you

Kate Cross in your Team England kit I noticed that and Al you're going to be jealous

look at this pin that I got yesterday is it a New Zealand what is that it's the

Birmingham logo look It's on your t-shirt. Oh my God. Your new favourite pin. That's well good. Have you got a New Zealand one yet? No, but I keep seeing...

Why have I forgotten the name? Sophie Devine. I keep seeing Sophie and I'm like, you got your pin, mate. And she's like, oh, they're in my room. So she does know. But I have also lined up Leah to Hoohoo for a New Zealand pin. So I might be getting two. So I'll definitely give you one if I get one.

Because you gave me a team England one the other day and I'm best thing ever. Yeah, you did get a team. a bit emotional about it, which is really sad. Do you know how I got emotional about yesterday? No, this is nothing to do in the Cornwall Games, and this is the unofficial, official, Colwellf Games podcast.

Yeah. But Catherine Brunt's 100-Cat presentation from Isha. Of course you won't have seen it until it went out on social media, will you? Crossy, I was in Nandoz. Yes, I was hungover. Yes, I'd had a heavy night. Cried my eyes out. It was brilliant.

Isha's obviously very good at talking. She gets paid to talk. but it was one of the best I've seen, I think. It was so good. So good. How are you doing? I'm all right, thank you. I've got a slight problem at the minute

in that I keep waking up with a headache. Okay. Is it because you're drinking Peroni the night before? Nope. I've had one day where I've been drinking and that's it. But no, I'm all right. I'm tired, which is not great because I've not even met up with the 100 team yet.

But no, I'm all right, thank you. How are you? Good. Well, you've not met up with the 100, But sometimes I think when you're on the road and you're commentating and you're not exercising, it does make you a bit more lethargic. Yeah, it does. And I've slept till quarter to 11 today.

Nice. How are you? Yeah, I'm good, thanks. We are into the semi-final. We don't know which game we're playing yet because we still need to play New Zealand tonight. And that'll determine which semi we play. But yeah. Are you allowed to tell us which if you win which one you play,

if you don't win which one you play or not? honestly don't know. Oh, okay. I just know that we're playing on a fresh pitch if you're in that first semi-final on Saturday. Nice. Okay. Well, good luck today. Thank you very much. We didn't do this in the Sophie's episode because I feel like we got a bit distracted by handstands and whatnot, but I've got a lot on my sticking out, Al. Me too. Okay. Good. One thing I need to say, and it's a bit throwback now, but at the opening ceremony

we're walking around in the athletics track and someone shouts at me Crossie, my daughters listen to Nobles the podcast and I was like, sorry, I didn't quite hear them I was like, sorry what you say, what you say? And they were like, my daughters love no balls. And it was someone like who was basically escorting us around and telling us which way to go, which a bit redundant

you've got to walk around in Athletics track. But yeah, I was like, oh my God, at the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games, who's talking to me about no balls of cricket podcast. It has been mental, isn't it? So good. So good. I was like, peaked.

I've peaked. Going back to the opening ceremony, yeah, it's not about you, Crossy. This is a joint podcast split 50-50 slash 45-45. Yeah. Going back to the opening ceremony, 72 countries are here at the Commonwealth Games. Yep.

How many of them can you name? Yeah. Are we actually going to do this? Yeah. I reckon I could name a solid 20 without preparation. Okay. And then I reckon I could probably make it to about 35. All right.

I would like you to get the countries that you think you don't know, but maybe you do. You know what I mean? Because obviously you can't say England, Scotland, Wales. Like, we all know that they're here. Okay. Namibia. Yeah. Nambia.

Nambia. They popped up on the screen I was like, Nambia! I feel like it's a great quiz question, but also we've got a podcast that people might not want to listen to me thinking about countries on. All right, okay, fair enough.

Good question, though, very good question. What else are you sticking up? I had another peak moment in the game against South Africa the other day so I was doing some little autographs at the end of the game for some kids and a guy came up to me and he was like, I want you to sign

the Queen of Hearts and he had a pack of cards and he wanted me to sign the Queen of Hearts and I was like, why the Queen of Hearts and he was like, you're the Queen? So I signed it. Oh my God, your ego has been stroked so much with that. Do you know what though, Al?

I feel like I needed it because I had my yellow bib on at the time so it was like a real nice compromise that someone was calling me the queen but not played a game yeah no guys she don't let me have it please she doesn't need this I'm the queen of hearts are what are you you must be one of the jokers I'll happily be a joker you are a joker or the the two of spades or something I don't even know why that's funny but it is What is, what do you reckon the worst card is in the pack of cards? Two are clubs.

You don't like the two's even though, two's, like three. I don't like the threes, I don't think. Or like, like a seven's very like down the middle, isn't it? Yeah, sevens, yeah, no, isn't it? What's the six doing? Yeah, that's true. Welcome to Nobles, the cricket podcast, by the way. I have something on my sticky note.

and it's about the 100 but I'm just going to say it anyway so we got sent a link to all the photos on the 100 and it was like a here are your headshot sort of thing so you had to go into the Welsh Fire album and I had to click through to like Athlete 43 and then there I was and then I was like oh well I'll go in Manchester Originals to find you and then I noticed there's Welsh Fire Birmingham Phoenix Manchester Originals so

and brave, blah, blah, blah. Kate Cross and Alex Hartley as its own photo album, right? But we've now got content for the tournament. We've got amazing content, haven't we? So I was getting my headshots done last that day, and you just happened to be there because I think we're going out for dinner, weren't we?

So you hang around for me. And then they were like, just pop in. So you just popped into my photo shoe. And now we've got pictures of me and you beating each other up. Yeah, so all your photos. are on the back end of that Alex and Kate Cross Hartley

album. Yeah, so just thought I'd let you know. Speaking of the 100, it's bloody started. What a terrible game to start the competition. It was such a shame, wasn't it? And it does just go to show how well we did it last year playing at the Oval.

And, you know, it's a hard task of being the curtain raiser of a tournament, but unfortunately Welsh fire didn't turn up. Didn't fire, did they? No, they were just the Welsh last night They weren't the Welsh fire Yeah, they didn't put all the fireworks off as well

Then I had to wait 10 minutes for the smoke to clear out the ground Obviously the rose bowl It's a bowl And all the smoke got stuck in it Oh no, oh dear, no Gareth Breeze No, Gareth Breeze to get it through No, no What else you got?

For anyone that doesn't know The Women's 100 starts next week Because we're currently in the middle of the Commonwealth the unofficial official Commonwealth Games podcast brought to you by Kate Alex so we join up with our teams next week and then we start so the men have got like a week of cricket

and then we will join up yes the other thing I've got on my sticky note which it came home out oh my God it's at home it came home with a floppy hat on as well

with a bucket hat on what a day what we like what honestly the more I've seen the content that the lionesses are putting out the more I've absolutely loved them

as a team I think they're absolutely brilliant has it made you like want to go for a kickabout because I do no nothing I don't think ever will make me want to go for a kick about because I'm not good at it but also anyone anyone that's never seen Crossie's football skills she has got toble her own feet

to say her dad was a pro footballer toble her own feet or let his foot sometimes it's hard I float between the two but you know what it felt like the first time that I've ever known anyone or the country just get behind sport

that was women's sport like it felt like people were just supporting football like my cricket team went down to the cricket club and put it on the big screen and they all just watched it and that would just never have happened in the past no and it was such a good game yeah it was such a good game

so the lionesses have won the year as, on Sunday, Sunday there's a potential, potential for you to be in the gold medal, cricket, netball to be in the gold medal, and hockey to be in the gold medal, all on the same day. It's Super Sunday. Super Sunday. Yes. Amazing. But the song it's coming home doesn't quite work when it's come home.

Do you know what made me laugh? I saw a meme and it was like, men, it's coming home. it's coming home it's coming home it's coming home women 68 years later okay i'll just go get it myself really crack me off that's very good yeah anything else on you're sticking out yeah the umpire's crossy okay we talked about them very very picky blinders got the cap on um we've had jonathan agnew with us for your england games and he turned up and said

Alex, why do the umpires look like gas technicians? If they turned up to fix your boiler, you wouldn't turn them away. My last thing does take us into going upstairs, so I'm happy to just go straight upstairs with one of the gas engineers, if you fancy it. Perfect. Should we go up with them all? Yeah. Let's go.

So the thing I had on my sticky note was we need to look at our Insta DMs because you told everyone to Insta DM us and they have. And there's so many amazing questions in there. So I thought I'd go on to the Instas and you can have the emails. Perfect. Go on then. Right, sorry, I'll go first then. Hi, Kate and Alex.

Love the show. Question for the pod. How's the food situation in the Athletes Village? and are you celebrating with other members of the team who've won medals? Cheers, that's from Alex. I just really wanted to know the answer to that question. The food has actually been a bit strange. So the way the menu works in our hotel,

they have the same menu for four days, and then they'll refresh the menu. Oh. So I don't know if you saw the other day, but Izzy Wong was having Spaghetti Ball as Mears for breakfast. That's what I was going to bring up. Why on earth was she having Spag Bowl for breakfast? It's hard to say really with Izzy.

She does a lot of random things, but it's just there. We spoke obviously last week about the pizza. There's a lot of pizza flying around. Yeah. I've heard the food hasn't actually been that great. It's not been great, but it's not... It could have been a lot worse, if you know what I mean?

Yeah. I think we can be quite princessy about food, so I think... Yeah. And to answer the question about celebrating with the medals, winners... No. No. You said that like, you were going to be like, yes, we do.

You have got a story. Me and Adam Petey went out last week to Pop World? Absolutely not. Didn't bump into anyone. No. Oh, that's a shame. Maybe the last night, oh my God, Sunday night surely is going to be a big night. Super Sunday.

Super Sunday. Hello, Kate and Alex. Me and my husband are at the Games and keep seeing branded cars driving around Birmingham. Some have flags on, some don't. Who gets to ride in these cars? Are they for commentators, referees, game staff or someone else. Can we just flag them down if we don't fancy walking? They're the Teslas, the Commonwealth Teslas.

Tesla? Tesla. Tesla. I don't know. I don't know. But others day. They are for, I think they're for like the official people that work there. Because we can't get them. I did try. We can't get them. We've got an app that you can get and you scan your accreditation. It lets you on the app.

but mine's been blocked don't know why but you can actually book the cars but it has to be two hours before you want it oh so you've got to know yeah book it for 2 a.m on Sunday morning then 4 a.m. Also I just wanted to let Kate know that we're not stalking her this summer but got lucky and got tickets to every cricket match in the games

and love being at the test match in Taunton. I can't speak today can I looking forward to seeing you beat Australia in the final and take the goal I love Jenny and Keith. P.S. is the legend that is Sue Redfern on Instagram. Keith got a selfie with her the other day, and I'm very jealous. PPS, is it an LBW that my husband has a huge crush on Sue Redfern? It's not an LBW. Everyone's got a crush on Sue Redfern.

We all love Sue here. Everybody loves Sue. Hello, Crossie and Alex. I've been listening to the podcast since the World Cup and thoroughly enjoy it. After Crossy said in the last episode that she'd play netball if she'd do another sport at the Commonwealth Games, I was wondering what position she'd play. I feel like a netball position says a lot about a person.

For the record, I think Crossie would be a goal defence and Alex would be a centre. Good luck for the rest of the Commonwealth Games. While I'm an Australian, I'll be happy to see England take the gold. I think you played goal attack? I was a bit of a netball position whore because I played everywhere. I started as a goal attack, then moved to goal defense, then played centre,

and then played the wings at uni because I was too small to play in the circle. Have you seen the rule that they're lifting players up to defend these days? No, in netball? In netball, crossy, right, this is a real thing. So your goal defence is picking up a player to stop the ball getting in the net, so they become like twice the height, and that's allowed. That's naughty. Yeah, but clever.

next it will be like fielders at cow like you'll run around and give someone a leg up to get them higher up to catch the ball yeah right um i i couldn't play netball when i was at school so i don't know what position i played because i'd always bounce the ball and then the girls got really annoyed because i kept thinking it was basketball oh that's a shame yeah so i never really played and the whole footwork thing just not for me when we're a bit older and we'd like do that thing where we go join a local club like we can go and play netball in a league together somewhere. Yeah, nice, that'll be good. Hi, guys, a couple more questions.

One, how is Alice Capsie's eye? Yes, it's getting a lot better. She's the only person I know at this Commonwealth Games that's got an injury to match the kit that we're wearing. But it's pretty big, obviously you will have seen it because she played, it's pretty big, isn't it? And quite deep purple. Looks so. Have you been to any other Commonwealth events?

Yes, been to the three-on-three basketball, which I loved. I'm going to try and go to the volleyball. on Friday and went to a cricket game. Do you know what we're doing Friday because it's got day off. Bottomless brunch. Oh, great.

What do you guys do in your downtime? There isn't really been a lot of downtime, but we've tried to see as much. The city is like buzzing, so we've tried to see as much of the city as possible. I spent a lot of time in the mega store getting presents for kids and stuff. family members. Is there a megastore?

Yeah, it's wicked. Is that not where you got your pins from? No. Where do you get your back from? The cricket ground. Oh. Yeah, there's a megastore out. You need to go.

There's loads and loads and loads of memorabilia. Merchandage. Yeah. It's very expensive though. Geez. Yeah, no. Sophie Eccleston asked me, like, who pays for the opening ceremony and stuff? And then she went in the megastore and she's like, I've worked it out.

It's me. I'm paying for the opening ceremony. question number four I'm going to read this with a straight face because it's not rude and I'm an adult do you take anything on tour to make time away more enjoyable some of the girls

will bring PlayStation's and Xboxes and stuff to keep them entertained in their hotel rooms cards There's always someone with a pack of cards and that's it. TV remote's always good. Shuffle the iPod.

Hey, love the pod. Just wondering how Alex felt about shooting that promotion video for the 100 where she didn't get picked by Crossy and her fantasy team. I forgot what I did that. Have you seen it? No, is it bad? Sky have done you dirty there because I'm like picking a team and I'm like, hey, I want you, I want you. But I obviously didn't.

It was a green screen at the time, so I didn't know who I was picking. And at the end I picked someone. I think it's like Alice Capsie and you're just in the corner with your head down. Like, oh. I've not seen that. I'll send it to you later. It's quite funny, but Sky have done you dirty. Oh, cheers, Sky.

They'll have done that on purpose. Yeah, they definitely did. Yeah. Dear Kate and Alex, I took my seven-year-old son to his first ever professional cricket game on Sunday to see England versus Sri Lanka. He loved it and what a great experience. I don't think we would have gone if it wasn't for the podcast, which has really helped me get into women's cricket over the past year. So thank you for all that you do. The podcast is great. Love the mix of silly to serious, lots of jokes, proper cricket chat and great acknowledgement of mental health challenges. Also, thank you for your punctuation because I've just read two paragraphs perfectly. also like that my four-year-old daughter already sees it as normal for women to be playing cricket on the TV at home as well as the men she has definitely noticed that girly girls play sport too she is definitely going to be a girly girl and hopefully that will help her get into cricket as well i hope to get her to a game before too long in which case i will have succeeded in my parenting aims to get my kids into cricket so i have more excuse to go play and watch the game wish me look good luck for the Commonwealth Games, I hope you smash it, Kate. And Alex, I'm really enjoying the combo of you and Jeff Lemon on TMS. Not sharing to get this to re-read out, just wanted to share my appreciation. Oh, we love it when our egos get boosted, that's fine.

Thanks, Ed. Lovely email, very soon email. Yeah, thank you, Ed. I've got a little shout out here. We actually, should we make this a last one? Because we've got a guess, anyway. Yes, we have. Who's coming on the Zoom in five minutes.

Wait, this is from Anna Harris. No! Yes. Is it real Anna Harris? Yes, it's real Anna Harris. Yes, Anna. Hi, Alex and Kate. I was wondering if you could do a shout out

on your next episode to one of your listeners. Toby Davies, who is involved in the MCC Foundation Final Uplords on Saturday, and he told me he listens to your podcast and is a big fan. He bowled excellent leg spin, and despite having catches drop, dropped off his bowling, remained supportive of his team with a smile on his face. Yes, Toby, good look in the final.

It might have been last week. Hopefully it's this Saturday. Anna Harris has emailed the podcast. Hannah Harris slid in. Yes. Amazing. Best of look for the final though, Toby. It's not easy when people drop catches off your bowling,

but remember no one drops catches on purpose. Except Alex. Should we introduce our guest after that? Just get the knife out of my back. In fact, I'll get her to get the knife out of my back. Yeah, we have... Right. It's the podcast.

I'm going to do this introduction before she's on because then I don't get embarrassed. But we have West Indies cricketer, now Barbados cricketer, Welsh fire teammate, Haley Matthews. Thanks, Dave. I appreciate you having me on.

No, thank you. you for coming. Haley, you didn't hear it because she did it without you being here, but she actually introduced you as her new teammate for the Welsh fire. Yeah, I mean, finally, well, we played together in Lancashire, was it out? No, but I don't think I was there. No, Hobart.

No, Hobart, yeah. We played together in Hobart, and, well, we didn't really get to play many matches together because you actually came in as my injury place, didn't you? But we would have spent a bit of time together in Holbor, so because we're on the same team again. I was literally, I was going down on our group,

And I was like, who can I go to the pub with? And I was like, Haley. Yes, I've got to have a good time always, don't we? Yeah. Speaking of good times, Haley, how has the Commonwealth been? Like, you're actually, you're still here at the minute. I'm guessing you're going to Wales soon? Yeah, no, it was good fun.

Obviously, heading over to Wales in, I think, probably two or three days. But yeah, we've loved being at the Commonwealth, obviously. Being here for Brian Bairus was a bit different than usually playing underwear. in these, but I think it was a really good experience, a really good opportunity. Obviously, the hotel life and the little village that they created here was a bit different to what we're used to with the cricket. The 24-hour buffet was pretty nice, not going to lie. But, yeah, nah, obviously, as a Barbadian contingent, I think with a lot of young players

within the group, you know, there was a lot to learn for them and even a lot to learn for us, the more experienced girls as well. So, yeah, I think everyone had a pretty good time, and I think, obviously, highlighting the game against Pakistan was the biggest part for us. And I think it obviously meant a lot for us being able to do that and a lot for Bradbiddish as well. So, yeah, I'd say we had a great time at the tournament here. I reckon you had a good time after that game as well.

We did. I think some of the celebrations went out online. The girls were coming back into the hotel singing. I was one of the stragglers in the back just laughing it off. But, no, I mean, obviously that's so much that we do with our Caribbean culture where we just always have a good time after a win. I mean, sometimes we have a good time after a loss as well, but, yeah, and that's been good fun. That's what it's all about, though, isn't it?

Especially it feels like the Commonwealth Games, it felt like you want it to be fun and you want to enjoy it. And honestly, those scenes on the bus, I saw Dede's Instas filming everyone dancing. Like, it looks so good. I wanted to be on that bus. Yeah, no, it was unreal. Everyone's been having a good time, win, loss, not really draw. Don't think that happens too much like a good kid. Yeah, win or loss, everyone's been having a fan.

plastic time. And like you said, that's what it's all about. And I think especially at this level with the girls that we've had around the young players, like, as a captain, I feel as well, just really encourage them to go out there and enjoy themselves on the field every single time. And I think that's where we do play best. And yeah, I think it's a case where everyone just went out there really giving it there all about having for that at the same time. And yeah, we've tried to encourage that as much as possible. So for anybody that's listening, can you explain to them why you were here as Barbados and not the West Indies? Yeah, so pretty much the only time we actually represent or the only thing we actually

play as West Indies is international cricket, obviously. But then when it comes down to track and field and any other sport pretty much, everyone goes as their individual islands. So Barbados, Jamaica, Trinidad, Guyana. So obviously, with the Commonwealth being, I guess, multi-sport event is a case where we couldn't represent his Western Lees because obviously in the track events and in Squash and in Badminton and all the other sports, Jamaica is their own country, Barbados is their own country, we're all obviously different islands. So coming down here, we had to play a tournament. Well, we were supposed to play a tournament to see which island qualifies to represent the West Indies pretty much. But unfortunately, due to COVID, we weren't able to.

so they had to go off who won the tournament back in 2019 and luckily that was Barbados thank God for that because we actually lowly lost the T20 tournament earlier this year don't tell you on that but we were already in we were already in so yeah that's pretty much how we qualified and I think it's pretty good because obviously with the Commonwealth Games being in Victoria in 2026 it kind of gives our regional tournament a bit more to play for now especially as it gets closer to the Commonwealth years for just a bit of an added incentive for the regional tournament back home, no.

I didn't even think about that, you know, like thinking about you going to play in 2026 and things like that. I just, in my head it's like, oh, we're at the Commonwealth Games in England, then that's it. Well, isn't it the host country's choice what sports go into it? So I think, like, obviously England would have wanted cricket in at the minute because it's like we're on this kind of momentum thing but I guess if you went and played somewhere else

then they could choose if you're not in it so this could actually be a one-time thing no I didn't actually know yeah no I heard that I heard that it's on the schedule for Victoria so yeah just barbus it's got to be gutting to get in there again so what Haley

what's been your favourite thing about the comms that's not cricket so what if you'd been up to like doing outside of the cricket schedule? I think think the girls have really enjoyed like getting around to the other village, seeing all the other athletes from all the different events. I think some of the girls have been to watch the netball and watch some of the other sports as well, which has obviously been really, really fun. I mentioned the 24-hour betray already. Like that's been everyone's a bit part. That's

everyone's favorite part. But yeah, and I think obviously being a part of something bigger than just a cricket team representing your entire nation and knowing that obviously being a part of the Commonwealth team means you're part of what the netballers you're doing, you're part of what the track and field athletes are doing, and you're all kind of playing with one goal to go out there represent your country and represent Barbados really well, and I think we've all really enjoyed that a whole lot. But yeah, and I think the freedom that we've had down here, obviously, last couple of tours, cricket-wise, would have been pretty tough being in bubbles and stuff like that. Whilst down here, we've pretty much had that freedom to get

out and about, see a bit of Birmingham. We've loved it here. I've definitely done a lot of shopping over the last couple of days, which has been good. Yeah, getting out to those other villages and kind of just exploring around, seeing what it's like as an athlete. I would have done a bit of athletics growing up

during the javelin for Barbados as well, so I kind of had an idea what the setup might be like, but I think obviously a lot of the girls have really enjoyed this newer experience on a whole, which has been really good. But you just dropped in that you threw the javelin for Barbados. Hang on, I had to rewind. How the hell did you get into that? Like, I mean, if you can throw a cricket wall, surely you can throw a jiveling, can't you?

Same thing as that. No, not really. I tried to throw the jamblin once, and it went really bad. Well, firstly, we've got to ask, do you have a great arm during the cricket wall? I'll show you next week. She feels it fine, like, for a reason, Haley. She's been taking some studies lately last, you know, I'm like... Yeah, the help of D-D-D, to be fair.

Ah, fair, yeah. So if you weren't doing cricket, do you reckon you'd be here as a javelina? Oh, I don't know. I feel like I started throwing javelin because of cricket, in a sense. And I honestly, I used to just pop up her inner school sports, throw the javelin, meet the standard to come to like all the youth games and Caribbean games

and Krista and all that kind of stuff train probably like once or twice head to the games, get a silver gold medal and then come back home and not through the javelin for a year again so I'm not sure I'm not sure how seriously I would have taken it but maybe who knows

if it wasn't for cricket I'd definitely playing some of the sport though or at least trying to Gold and silver medals in Champlain for Barbados youth is like pretty sick. Yeah, I mean, yes, they said. I threw my first two years of under 17, I got two silver medals. And then actually, funny fact, my second year when I got the silver medal, myself and the girl that got the gold, we both brought the record and it was actually

DeAnda's record. Which is quite funny. Yeah, and then third year got the gold, finally, and then went off to the CAC games, which is a bit bigger. It includes, like, South American stuff and that. Got a bronze down there. So, yeah, I had a bit of a fun time representing Barbados

at track and field when I was a youth. Did a bit of a high jump as well, and not under 15 Barbados. Of you did. Probably got an Olympic gold medal in high jump. Nah. But, yeah, it was good fun growing up, obviously. When you're growing up, you get the opportunity to play more than one sport seriously.

So it's a lot of fun doing those kind of stuff. Seems easy as well. We've got to lock into the cricket now. Haley, we need to congratulate you because you are now officially the captain of the West Indies. Yeah, thanks, man. Yeah, obviously pretty humbled by it and excited to be given the opportunity. Obviously, playing on this stuff for the last couple of years has been fantastic. She's been such a good captain and such a big leader.

the West Indies. And I've obviously learned a lot from her as a person, as a player. And she's been fantastic with the handover and making sure that I know that she's really supporting me the entire time. So, like, it's going to be a really exciting opportunity for me. But, yeah, I'm really excited and looking forward to doing it. And I know that I've got the support of the entire team as well. Because you're actually still really younger as well.

You play cricket for West Indies for what seems like forever. but how old are you? I'm 24 now. I'm getting a bit older. No. Captain of your country are 24. Congratulations. Thanks, man.

But yeah, I'm looking forward to it. Have you bumped into any other athletes in the hotel or around? Have you been swapping pins with people? Because Crossie's collecting these pins and got a lot and I'm jealous. Yeah, well, I have got mine, but at the moment they're a bit lost. So I'll tell you a funny story. So I had them all on my little accreditation thing. And then obviously, every time you leave the hotel,

you've got a where you're accreditation. And we were going on a night out. And I was walking out of the hotel. And all I came here was like the jingling around my net. So I had to, like, we were already on a range down. So I had to like take them all off and like stash them under something in the middle of the hotel. So no one else finds them for it. Because then they'll just take them up.

So yeah, I'm not sure. where I put them now, ah, here there, I was just a bunch of them looking at her. Yeah. So you did like a treasured, your own treasuredly. Yeah, been able to collect a couple of pins and, like I got around to the athletes village a little bit. And like I said, obviously representing Barbados in track and field before, I would have known like a couple of the Jamaican track athletes from Guyana as well, a lot of the other

Caribbean countries that I would obviously go on and said hi to a couple of them and spoken to a couple of them which is been really fun to do class amazing sounds like you've had such a good time yeah it's it's been brilliant i think all the girls have loved the opportunity getting to like be a part of just the wider wider sports arena meeting new people um i know a lot of west india are obviously pretty friendly and pretty social so they'd been talking to everyone they can possibly talk to which is really funny to watch uh but yeah now everyone's been having a great time on here we definitely want to be given the opportunity to come back again and I don't know maybe eventually before the end of some of our careers we can even get into an Olympics hopefully

yeah fingers crossed I've not heard whether it's going to be on the agenda for the Olympics but people keep asking I've heard that this is like a bit of a trial for it okay but who knows hopefully so what's next Haley you go in obviously going to Wales go playing the 100 and then are you heading back and playing in the CPO yeah so I'm over to cardiff in a couple of days obviously the 100 with Welsh fire again. Would have had a great time last year. I actually say no. Hunter's probably been my favorite franchise tournament

that I've played in a while. I had a great time at Welsh fire last year. So definitely looking forward to being back this year. And then over to the CPL with the Barbados Royals, obviously really looking forward to that. It's going to be the first year that we're having CPL in the Caribbean, the new 60 tournaments as well, which is a T-10, well, it's 60 balls really and truly

it's not really called a T-10 so 60 balls which is a brand new format obviously something comes together like the 100 so that should be really fun as well I think all the girls are really looking forward to it it's only three teams at the moment Barbados Royals

Guyana Amazon Warriors I think it is and train big old night riders I think is the other team but yeah everyone's looking for it to it the teams look pretty good gonna have a couple of internationals in that haven't been released as yet. Oh.

But yeah, hopefully over the next couple of weeks, a bit more information is going to get released and, yeah, it should all come together really, really well. I can confirm I'm not going. That's only because you'll be playing the 100 out. I will have you for sure. Yeah. Helene, thank you so much for coming on the podcast.

I will see you Sunday night in Cardiff. Should we go on a night out? 100%. You know I'm always up for a night out. Right. I'll do the final. Whoever's played in that and I'll shoot to Cardiff and we'll go for a beer. I bet. That sounds good.

Thanks so much, Haley. And I'll see you at Old Trafford when we play you in the 100. Yeah, see you cross. I'll probably see you at the buffet in 10 minutes. Yeah, I've had lunch, but I'll go for my second one in a bit. Thank you, Haley. Thanks so much, Haley. Thanks, guys. See you.

I mean, we say it every week, but how good? Well, we've not had a bad guess yet, have we? Maybe we need to find a bad guest. Haley, what a gem, say it again every week, but I just thought she spoke really well. I think there's like, in the cricket world, you obviously just associate cricket with the West Indies, but there's that element of,

there would have been girls there that have not played international cricket before. So you kind of take that for granted when you just see them playing, because you see D.D. and you see Haley and, yeah. It's been good. I think I know what I'm trying to say. Yeah, I know what you're trying to say, and it's a good opportunity. And the fact that they're already thinking

about the next Commonwealth Games as well, because I bet you're not. I didn't, yeah, I didn't think about that. I did know it was in Victoria, though, so I did know that. Yeah, so it was a long one. And sorry, guys, it's been longer than unexpected, but she was just great.

Yeah. If you want to get in touch with us, you can slide into our DMs like Anna Harris. Yes. We're no-bore PCP on Twitter and Insta. Or you can No Ballers on No Balls Podcast at BBC.com.com.com.com.

It's so good. They said it twice. They said it twice. That was a bad one. See you everybody. Bye. See you for an emergency podcast when England win the gold on Sunday.

Whoop, who. From Pop World. Or an emergency when they win silver. We got Alice Capsie because she's great. Bye. Bye. 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.