Test Match Special - No Balls: The Cricket Podcast - You've always got us...

Episode Date: May 18, 2023

Cricketers Kate Cross and Alex Hartley have both had testing weeks and discuss it all. Plus, reflections on England's Test squad announcement and MAshes and WAshes build-up

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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. Hello and welcome back to No Balls, a cricket podcast with me.

Alex Hartley and you Kate Cross Alex you are still in your Lancashire kit I am indeed Talk us through it Straight off the bus Straight to the studio baby It's 9pm I know what are we doing

This is like past our bedtime But when the studio calls We come running The studio answers We answer We answer to the studio So we're back second week in a row We did

How many episodes Not in a studio 4,237 We didn't do that many We did, actually, someone out there will know this. So if you do know how many episodes we've done, we'd love to know it. Anyway, we did loads, not in the studio. And now we've done two in a row.

Well done, me and you. And the BBC, thank you. Yes, a bit strange, though, because there's a TV to my left, and I can just see me and you on the TV. It's great. I actually didn't know I was on it and just snotted everywhere because I'm a bit of full of a cold, so sorry about that. Big week this week, Crossy.

Yeah. Well, I wrote it down so that we didn't forget to talk about it, because we always do. It gets to this week and we always forget to talk about it. But it's Mental Health Awareness Week. It is indeed. And what better on Mental Health Awareness Week, for me and you to do a podcast because we know how many people we have helped over the last few years. And also we've helped each other, I think.

Especially recently. Especially recently. I actually think I might cry in this episode, so I'm sorry if I do, but it has been a tough week. I think I've cried on the podcast before, so now it's. It's your turn. Oh, God, it's one after the other, isn't it? How are you?

Yeah, I'm good. I'm very up and down at the minute, aren't I? We've been chatting quite a lot. And I'm really flat. And I went for a meeting with Sophie from the PCA. And she said, I've never seen you this flat before. And I was like, I don't know what's wrong. I don't know why I'm so flat because life is great.

Yeah, so I'm a bit up and down. Today I've had a great day. And I think it's because I was captain in Lancashire again. Really? Oh, that's great news. I didn't know you'd captain. You enjoyed it? Loved it.

Absolutely loved it. I was like, why did I ever step down from being captain? This was great. But I think I'm just up and down at the minute with, I'm always so busy with work and balancing cricket and work and commentary. And at the minute it's just cricket. And I think I've been putting far too much pressure on my cricket and it's making me really flat.

So I'm trying my very best at the minute to just enjoy life. But it's quite tough. It's especially tough when you tell yourself to enjoy something, isn't it? You can't just like snap your fingers and enjoy something. You have to remember why you enjoy it. And Thunder have had a really tough start to the season. I don't think anyone really can hold their hand up in that dress room and say, I'm loving this. No. No. No. And we've just played two warm-up games today and lost both again. After the first warm-up game, we were bowled out for 117. Well, no, we got 117 and 20 overs. We weren't

even bowled out. And they chased it down in like nine or ten. So, we've really, we were, one. Well and truly had our pants down. Yeah. Second game, we're a little bit better. In fact, we were so much better. We then still lost, but we lost in the right way rather than the wrong way. So I'm feeling a little bit more positive. We've had some good tunes on. I'm ready for the podcast.

Journey back and you're straight into the studio. We're still a bit out of breath. How are you? Yeah, I am not good. This is probably where I'm going to cry. I've just had a really bad week. I thought I was over this illness and it's come back with a vengeance

so this is my seventh relapse of it now and a bit like you actually I think the highs of it well they've not been like highs but I've been okay I've been able to train and come to cricket and it's been tailored to me and getting back into fitness and stuff

but the lows have been like really drastically low and I think when you're playing sport and you get pulled out of sport because of injury you understand but at the minute because it's like illness based and every day is completely different

and I'm just really struggling with that. So you say it's back. We thought you'd got rid of this parasite. We had seven rounds of antibiotics. Nine. Nine rounds of antibiotics, but it's not quite dead yet. Yeah, it's really strange.

So I got to a point where I said the stool sample that I dropped off with the really embarrassing story last week. They did a PCR test on it, a bit like a COVID test, like a swap test. And that was really highly sensitive. So if there was this parasite in my system, they would have found it. on Tuesday this week

that result came back as negative so I thought crap well literally crap because now I was like I don't know why I'm so poorly well you had a bit of a relapse on Monday didn't you yeah Monday Tuesday today

Wednesday haven't been good days at all like not got out I didn't get out bed on Monday barely like leaving the flight when it's bad I'm like not leaving the flight it's like severe like you've just crippled and so yeah

today was actually a better day because they've tested me again and they've found it again. It's still growing inside me. So it's the most resistant little bugger that I've ever, that they've ever come across. And I've now actually, I'm watching a taxi driver drive up from London with some more medication for me. And this is hopefully the final one.

So it's hard to say this, but the end is kind of in sight, you think? Well, that's where it's, I found it really difficult because I've thought that nine different times now. So I'm trying not to not be hopeful But I'm also trying not to get my hopes up Because I know that when I relapse It's really quite a dark day

So I've missed a full week of team building Up in the Lakes with the England team They've all gone up there and done what looks like Loads of fun stuff But probably when you're actually in the depths of it And getting thrown off cliffs, ab-sailing and stuff You're probably not enjoying it But when you're missing out on big team events like that

I think it's just made me realise That we're really close to the summer now and we've got an ashes not far away and I'm very much not ready for it and still really ill. Yeah, I guess when this whole thing started back in Mumbai we were saying Crossy you've got so long until the summer like please don't worry if you're out for two or three weeks it doesn't matter

but it's been 12 weeks now. This is like week nine coming on to 10 of symptoms but yeah I probably had it for a couple of weeks before that before it started showing so it's just been pretty relentless And I think, like I said, you can't liken it to an injury because you see little small stepping stones with injuries or you can get back to batting, then you can get back to running and then I've just not been like that.

When I've been good, I've actually been able to come and train. And, yeah, like I said, it's been tailored and I've not done everything. Everyone's done in a training session, but I've still been able to be part of it. So, yeah, it's been a really tough week. And ironically, it's coincided with Mental Health Week. Well, it fits in quite nicely, not nicely,

but it's the same as a mental illness. So like you're saying, when you're injured, you can see what's happening. I mean, two of our girls dislocated fingers today, so you can actually see that they're physically injured. But with mental health, it's one of those that you can't see, and people sometimes don't understand. And I guess with your illness, unless they're watching you go to the toilet, you can't see it.

And people are like, is Crossi okay? And I'm like, I don't know how many times I can answer that question for you anymore. It's really tough. And I think as well, the good days that people are seeing, and I'm on a cricket pitch and I'm able to bottle 10 overs and, you know, I'm able to cope with the demand of that. But then the bad days that no one sees are like, like I said,

I didn't leave my flat for three days. The only time I left my flat was to go over to Liverpool today to go and visit a tropical disease specialist lab to drop more samples off. Didn't run into the neighbour, thankfully. Still haven't run into him, thankfully. So, yeah, it's been tough. But I think the reason that I wanted to talk about this on the pod today

because I probably should have cancelled this because I'm like not been well enough to do much this week, but I thought it was really important that we came and spoke about mental health awareness week because, like you said, we've had so many messages about people that we've helped in the past. Even like the messages that we've had in the last two weeks about talking about toilet troubles, people have been like, this is really important because it's your health and people need to know what is normal and the Bristol Stool Chart should be something that we probably talk about a little bit more often. So yeah, I just, I guess everyone's

going through something, aren't we? And we've always said, make sure. you ask you mate twice. Don't just ask them once, ask them twice if they're okay. And especially this week, mental health awareness is so much better than it was, but this week is one where you really drive

everyone's ability to talk about it and understand it a little bit more. So what do you say? Happy Mental Health Awareness Week. Merry, happy, merry mental health awareness week. And for the first time ever, I reckon we're both struggling at the same time. So congratulations us.

We actually normally pass it on to each other, don't we? Yeah, it's normally like we're not both struggling at the same time, But it's also like, I would text you the other day. I was like, crossy, help. And you're like, I don't have the capacity to help right now. I was like, I just need, I was crying at the time. I was like, I just need an hour to calm down and then I'll ring you.

But you were great this week. You just came around to my flat. Didn't give you a choice. You didn't give me a choice. You just came around and sat with me. We didn't even watch TV, did we? We didn't even barely talk. Well, no, that day, and you were like, I'm not okay.

I was like, I just knew you needed somebody. and I was like right it's going to take me 10 minutes to get to your house and I was only there for an hour and a half but you just was like I don't want to be on my own and that's credit to you for saying that and for anybody out there that is struggling this week

there are always people that will come and see you if you ask for the help and also like the biggest thing and I even felt it this week and I know that this isn't true but I felt like I was going to be a burden if you came you were at the pub with your mates you left them and the last thing that anyone who's like shoe on the other foot no one ever thinks that you're a burden

never and so if you mates going through something just just do what you think's right and it's often the right thing to do isn't it yeah of course it is and crossy you're never a burden it was actually really good because I went to watch lester with harry at the pub and i hate football and lester were losing i was like i'm actually really happy to get out of here maybe we need one of those emojis that's like what's the right word like the emergency

Emody, if you send that, I'm like, I'm really ill, I need you to come around. And also, Crossie, you will always come above Harry. Like, let's be honest. To be fair, the podcast is top of the tree at the minute, though. It is. Both of us, like, it's dark outside. I know. It's middle of the summer.

I can't believe it. It's 21 minutes past nine. It's our bedtime. What are we doing? Yeah, so always ask you make twice. I'm not going to ask you twice because you said you'll get upset. But we've both opened up. But, yeah, just reach out, guys.

There's all the charities out there, mine charity. One of the things that I've actually got back into doing because I knew that I wasn't in a good place was doing my headspace, doing my meditation. Just the little things that you know help you then, just do them. And fingers crossed, we can all in a week's time not feel as crap. Yes.

Do you know what you once said to me? Mental health is like when you're going through a bad spot, it's like a tunnel. Some people's tunnels are longer than others. Yours has been a very, very long tunnel. Mine's been one of them where you go through the mountains where you actually go through loads of tunnels at different times. But you're going to get out and there's going to be a beautiful sunrise or sunset.

Sunset, you're a sunset girl. I'm a sunset. There's going to be a beautiful sunset, some green grass, some blue lake, and you're going to be like, oh my God, it's all been worth getting through. Yeah, getting through. I was going to say it's not been worth having this. No. Three months, but.

Have you got anything on your sticky note? Yes, I do. I do. We've ticked off mental health awareness. well done us, we've not forgot. We should probably mention that there's some big cricket stuff coming up. The washes and the mashes. I was talking about the island test.

Oh, what? The mashes and the washes, yes. Can we just, we've got a bone to pick with, I reckon the press, actually, before we get into this. We mentioned this last week. It's actually happening now. People are really, really using the washes and the mashes. So when messaged us on Instagram, Michael, saying, in question, should we? pronounce washes to rhyme with mashes or washes? Now washes. It's washes because otherwise

then it'd have to be moshes. Moshes. And it's not moshes. It's the mashes. Washes and the mashes. Yes. Yeah, some big cricket starting. And your girls have had a team building weekend this week or team building week this week. They've been up in the Lake District doing God knows what. I was really excited to hear about it, Crossy. I know. Well, we saw Matt Mason, our bowling coach on Sunday, didn't we? I had a little bowl. And yeah, he was like, I can't wait to hear Crossy talk about this on the podcast. Well, he said to me, he was like, this is going to be really tough. We're going to put them through their paces. There's going to be a lot of learnings. And I was like, oh my God, Crossy's the perfect person to unravel all this. But we don't know

what they've been up to. I don't know. I've had a few updates from Heather. She's been texting me every day to check in on me bus. But yeah, she's just been sending me various pictures of staff in wetsuits. Oh, yeah. I did see Belly put on her private Insta, never want to wear a wetsuit again. Yeah. So I can't update you. We'll have to get someone on to talk about it. But in Mashie's news, the men's test squad for the island test got picked.

And there's been a bit of controversy. There has. And there's been obviously poor Joffre Archer. Oh, you actually don't know what he's going through. Like that is tough. Just the poor bloke and just this reoccurring stress fracture in his elbow, it just won't go away and he's built himself up to play

in the mashes and he's so excited and he's ready and he wants to represent England he's only played 13 tests and he's out for the whole summer it's crazy isn't it like I think as a cricket fan myself and I saw that he'd gone over to the IPL

I was like he's back if England are letting him go to the IPL then he's fit and he's rearing and he's ready and then you see he gets injured again and you just wishing it's nothing serious and then it comes out that he's out for the whole summer again So we're sending him loads of love. He probably doesn't listen to this podcast, let's be honest.

He's got free time to come on now. Yeah, maybe we'll slide in. Do a bit sliding in. Where are you at with the folks' best, though, situation? Right. Okay, I don't hate it. I really, really don't hate it. And so I can see why he's not in the 15.

So I can see why folks isn't in the 15. Because if there is an injury, you can just say, get up to Headingley. Yeah. And he'll be there. So they have that, I guess, that buffer with the squad. So they don't have to have a backup wicketkeeper in the squad because there's one in the country already

and he will go in a heartbeat to wherever the team is. And he's still playing cricket because he's not in the squad. So he's not missing out playing any T20 blast. I think we'll be in by then. Exactly. So he's still going to be. Good prep for the test. Yeah, still going to be playing cricket.

I just feel really bad for folks because everything England has asked him to do, he's done. And he's been brilliant. He is the best wicket-keeper in the world. He has got a brilliant average. He's got an average of about 38, 40. Everything they've said when he steps up, when England are in the shit,

you know, he's been there, he's got them out of that. But then Johnny Birstow, think how good he was last summer. He was just the world's best, wasn't he? Gosh, he was unbelievable. He was unplayable. So for me, you have to play him.

He was unplayable. He wasn't unplayable because he didn't fall. Well, yeah. He was... Really good. Very good. Excellent. So for me, he has to play.

And all these people saying, oh, well, you know, you have to have a specialist wicketkeeper. You don't have to have a specialist opening batter. What? You do? Of course you do. Yeah.

It's like you said, it makes sense with the way that that test team is moving forward. You could understand why it's done. It's just so savage on folks because, like you said, he's done everything that he's been asked. He's done it really well.

And he is, unfortunately, just not as destructive as best, though. And that's the crux of it. Where do you sit with it? Would you have had folks in? No. I actually wrote down my first seven and I had Birsto in that. I think I'm the same.

I'm the same. And I think, oh, in fact, I saw Zach Crawley's interview with the BBC yesterday. Loved it. Didn't see it. He's basically saying, I'm not on Twitter. I'm not on Instagram. I don't see anything that the punters are saying. I don't see anything that the general public are saying,

this team backs me. Baz and Stokes back. me, therefore I back myself. The only time that I let myself down is when I'm putting too much pressure on myself. Yeah, and he said whatever I do see, I don't care. Yeah. Yeah, I thought that was really, it actually made me want to delete Twitter for a day? Yeah. Well, a week. He said that is it Ronnie O'Sullivan, the snooker player, is his hero? And he's like, he's punchy. Yeah, he is punchy. He is punchy? He is punchy. That doesn't look like the kind of lad to be punchy there, does he? No. Looks like he'd give you a good hug. Yeah, but I reckon he'll throw a good punch as well now.

Yeah. So yeah, I mean, I'm really excited for the international summer to start now. It feels like we've played a lot. Well, we've not played a lot of cricket because it's rained. Some cricket's been going on for a while, but we've not had any international cricket. So I'm really excited for it to start. But we can't not talk about the washes. No, we have to talk about the washes. Taunton have put on extra tickets for their match because they'd sold out the ODI. How? Where are they put in the extra tickets? They're going to put up another stand, aren't they? Or do whatever they need to do.

Yeah, baby. Love it. Anyone going to Taunton, little spoiler alert, we've got a little bit of news, haven't we? I forgot about this. Yeah. Okay. Do you want to do it? I think we can't give all the details because it's not set in stone yet.

But... We are doing a... Live show. We're doing a live no-balls from Taunton before the Ashes game there. And we're actually doing one just before the test match as well. So, yeah, baby. Yeah, I mean, we can't give you any more details at the... the moment because we don't have them.

Yeah, we've not actually messaged Somerset back yet, so I should do that. You do that? I'll do that. Do it tomorrow because it's midnight now. Yeah, we need to know your dates first. That was it. Yeah, we were waiting on me.

But exciting. I've never known women's cricket be talked about the way that this washes is being spoken about. And it's all because of this two ashes. Ashes Square that's on social media. They've done it so well. Pictures of Jimmy and Wongie together

in like they've merged the photos together. Stokes together, obviously, natural. Duh. We actually do call you Stokesy though, and we have spoken about it on the podcast, but for anyone that hasn't heard it, because I know we've got loads of new listeners, you once had a really good hit out in the middle. Yeah, where were we? I can't remember. And you came off and you said, now I know what Ben Stokes feels like. I just was like, I don't often have those days with the bat, and I was like,

I just understand what he feels like when he's in control of the game now. And so you and Ellie started to call me Ben Stokes, didn't you? Yeah, and then you said, I feel more like Uncle Ben, the rice guy. Anyway, so exciting. Please let us know if you're going to come and watch. Someone's printing a T-shirt off with me on and Hawaiian shirt. I think we need to get one with you on it. Okay, someone else do that.

We love the bucket hat that someone made last year, didn't we? That was great. We did. I'm excited to see Australia's squad. I'm excited to see your squad. Obviously, none of it's being announced yet. I don't know that squad, so it's not like I'm keeping it secret. I just don't know.

Easy for England to name three different squads. Australia will bring over a massive one. Their A team are coming over as well. Yep. Just a really, really exciting time to be a bloody female. And it's not that far away now. No, it's not. It's really scary.

Yeah, I know, especially when I've got parasites still living in me. Crossie, we could cage you up for six months and you'd still be able to hit the top of off. Thank you. Anything else on you're sticking out? Yeah, while we're talking about cricket, which is a bit obscure that we've done it for this long, there were some changes to the rules. Did you see them?

Yes, I did. So our screenshot, I'm so prepared this week, you can tell I've been ill, can't you? I can tell you've had nothing to do. I know BBC One's TV schedule from 9am to 5pm off by heart. Go quickly. No, I can't. How embarrassing. So, yeah, the rule changes are there's no longer a soft signal from the umpires.

Love it. Yeah, you were anti-soft signal, weren't you? Yeah, yeah, I am, because it was all so secretive. So it'd be like, can we go upstairs, please? Yeah, they did do that, didn't they? They did it down by the crotch, like as if no one would see it. Yeah. Not out, not out.

Yeah. Don't tell anyone, but don't think it's out. It wasn't the soft signal. It was the secret signal. Yeah. Yeah, I think that's a good thing, isn't it? Because there's a lot of discussion around TV being able to make things look different, and it's not conclusive, or it is conclusive or whatever, so.

So the soft signal was there in case the technology failed. So if the technology failed, then the umpires had the last call. But I've never seen the technology fail. So it will definitely happen this summer. It will definitely fail, won't it? There was something about helmets having to be worn, but then also runs off a free hit. So runs scored off a free hit when the ball hits the stunts

will count as run scored to aid consistency. So you're facing a free hit. in the ODI, it hits your stumps, you get absolutely castled. You get the runs for it. Love it. What about World Cup final, two to win off the last ball, and there's been a free hit, so you can't get out, and you just leave it and run.

Yeah, you could. Yeah, you could. And it hits the stumps and goes off in any direction. So as a bowler there, are you thinking I need to avoid hitting the stumps? I've not thought of it in that much detail, actually, but I think we will see that happen, you know. I reckon we'll see a little, leaving run?

I think they could be. Because it could ricochet past the keeper. Exactly, yeah. So you could then win off default basically and the batter would

score the runs. And anyone thinking England won the 2019 will come from default. I don't bring it up. Have you got anything on your sticking out?

No. Well, I've got loads. You can tell her Benil. Just wanted to give you a little bit of company actually because we had a lot of people saying that they also thought it was a

side screen. Yes. BBG being one of them. She was like, oh, is it not? So many people were It's either side screen or side screen So yeah I just thought I'd give you a little bit of company

Thank you I really appreciate that Because I that video clip actually went pretty massive On the BBC channels You collabed I did I had to message them Because the one they wanted to collab with me Was the story, the embarrassing story

And I just messaged being like guys I'm so sorry but it's a no I can't collab on this No balls can but Kate Cross can't Yeah that is true The last thing that I want to just talk about On my sticky note is a screenshot that I sent to you from my time hop

a little while ago and it made me laugh out loud so this was from four years ago our score are from Lanks sends like landmark occasions through to us didn't you? So four years ago

the week's milestones were Wait, I was 29, 8, 765 so I'd been playing cricket for 12 years at this point for Lancashire 12 years for Lanks the highest team score was versus Surrey which was 242 for 9 Georgie had a highest individual score versus Surrey.

Kate personal best career figures of four for 14. Kate, first player, to take 50 catches. Last but not least, Alex reached 50 career runs for Lankish. I'm sorry, Mitch. That's not a milestone. I've been playing for 12 years, and it took me 12 years to get 50 runs.

I want to know what you're on now. 54. No, you hit her four the other week, so it's at least 58. I actually got a 20 odd a couple of years ago, so I must be on, I must be nearing 100. Maybe the milestones around the corner. 50. Like, what do you think he was thinking?

Oh, well done, Alex. She's got to career 50 runs. I think it is a little dig at you. People do that in one innings. Yeah. It's taken me 12 years. I was buying at nine at one stage. This is the first time I've laughed all week.

Amazing. This podcast does do a good thing. It does. It does. Shall we have a little wander upstairs? Yes. We shall. Yeas.

You can pick this week because I think I picked Sue last week. You did. I'm going to do it. I'm going to bite the bullet. I'm going upstairs with Alex Moore. Yeah, nice. It's about time. It's the start of the summer.

It is. It is. and we'll see his beautiful, sexy face in no time. Tailenders. Much more than just a cricket podcast. Lusely cricket-based, meaning we very rarely talk about world cricket. Yes. But when we need to, we can do.

Boy, can we deliver. As England's greatest ever bowler, you don't need to do this podcast, but why do you? Welcome to Tellendez, a loosely cricket base. Thank you, having us, Tallinn's, New City, Cricket, base. With podcasts from me, G-Force, him, Felix White, him, Jimmy Anderson, matchintender, talk, distantly. Tail Enders. Listen on BBC Sounds.

I've got Instagrams, I've got tweets, and we've got emails. I'll do emails, then. Ladies, I was catching up on your podcast and heard the great news that you were winners, lots of times. I love listening to you both. I'm an old bloke with me dog, and you are very well. welcome company. Please don't be surprised that you've won. You deserve every accolade. And yes, even though I'm an oldie, I worked out how to vote for you. You're good people you are. That's from Graham D and Tilly Me Dog. Oh, cheers Tilly Me Dog.

Tilly me dog and Graham D. Thank you. That's a lovely email. Here's one for you, Crossie. Would you man cad somebody if it was the only way you'd win the ashes? No. No. No. What? Crossie, you threatened to mancad four times in a row at Old Trafford. Yeah, but I didn't do it. I'll never mancad. So it's an empty threat? If I'm man-card, oh, I shouldn't say this, should I? Yeah, of course I will.

Every time. Yeah. I won't. I can't. If you see me man-card, mental health awareness week needs to come thick and fast because I'm not well. Okay.

Would you? Yeah. To win the ashes. We've won it since like 2013. You'd have all that controversy. I know there shouldn't be, but you'd have all that controversy around it. And you're telling me when I'm lifting the trophy going,

I don't think you've got that in you, you know. No, I probably don't. You'd miss the bales you. You'd be that person that gets it wrong and miss the bales. Adam Zamp, I do it wrong. There's one here called Bristol Stoolchart. Hi, Kate and Alex, it's Luffy's mum here. Love listening to the pod, but never thought you'd be discussing the Bristol Stool Chart.

As an infection prevention and control nurse, the Bristol Stool Chart is part of my everyday life and talking about poo is the norm. Kate sounds like you are firming up Type 4 is my favourite to teach because it's all about the S's smooth, soft like a sausage or a snake Hope you are soon free of your parasite Sending much love and that's Selina

Luffy's mum Oh Luffy's mum Luffy will be well embarrassed Luffy's going to hate you Selena But thanks so much for getting in touch My son was born on Monday Still don't have a name Any suggestions

Wow Congratulations Dougie I love the name Dougie I heard today that there's not many baby with Vernon's around anymore. Paul's? Yeah, but you don't want a baby for. Vernon?

Vernon. Think of Vernon K. That's the only Vernon. It was Vernon K's radio show I was listening to. Yeah, okay. Dougie. Do you? Teach me how to Duggy.

Teach me how to Duggy. Yeah. Alex. Yeah. Diverse. Is a boy? Very 2023, if you call you something, Kate. Kayden.

Kayden. Kayden. Kate. Caten. Kaden's a great name Let us know Keep us updated on that I might as well do all these

Because it's my topic This one's called When You're a 10 but your shit is a 6 Dear Alex and Kate I think we can all see why Kate Suddenly wanted chat up lines And you can add this to your list Are you a good bowler

Because you've bowled this maiden over They put a vomit emoji next to that And then simply present the below cake is an icebreaker to explain why you're creeping about with a test tube full of... I can't fail, so nappy up and best of look. Cheers, Andrew. And then they've sent the Bristol stool chart in. Oh, but it's a... It's a cake. Wow. I don't know how I feel about that. Like a number four. Paul's the good one. Four's SSS. S.S. Yeah. Sausage snake.

Don't have to answer this if it's too personal. But how does it work with accommodation with the 100. Crossy, now you're playing for Leeds. Do you have to live at Leeds or can you commute every day? I probably could commute every day, but I'm going to go and live over there. I think they put us up in a hotel or apartments. I actually did my first appearance as a Superchargers player on Sunday. Yes, you did. I went to the Leeds Marathon. Honestly, one of the most unbelievable days I've ever been involved in. Yeah? It was the Rob Burroughs Marathon and Kevin Sinfield, King Kev was just, he's been unbelievable with Rob Burroughs. and he raised all this awareness and all this money. And it's been, it was just amazing.

We saw him run past pushing Rob in his wheelchair. He carried him over the finish line. Brought a tear to my eye. It was just so, so emotional seeing it. And there was me, Reese Topley and Bess Heath that giving out medals at the end of the marathon, which is exactly what every Leeds person would have really wanted when they were doing all that training all winter.

Somebody did run past you and then go. Oh my, my God. It's Kate Cross. and ran back and asked for a selfie. And asked for a selfie, yeah. So his maritime time would be 20 seconds worse than it would have been. Yeah, I'll take that time. That can be for me.

Rees Tolley was fantastic to watch when he turned up because he was like, oh, it's just like being in Emmerdale. Because he's never been in the north before. He hadn't. He'd not been to Leeds. Shut up. And he really fancied a change, he said. Apparently you've got a good taxi story for me. Yeah, I do.

It's thrown Reese Topley under the bus, actually, but here we go. So we got a taxi. it's really busy, it's Marathon Day, and Uber's were so busy that I was like, you know what, I've actually got a local number from when I was at uni here, I'll try it, so I rang them. They said, yeah, we'll be there in 10 minutes, so I've already, like, got a bonus point with the guy that was organising it. Then it was cash only, but we didn't know this until we got there,

like, what's cash only these days? I thought people didn't do cash anymore. No one carries cash anymore, do they? So it's £10,000, but we'd had to kind of go around the houses because all the roads were shut and the drop-off point we wanted to get to, you couldn't get to directly. So we're in there longer than we needed to. So 10 pound 90.

Noity, baby. 10 pound 90, but we've got a tenor. So we give him a tenor who's like, you owe me 90p. So we're like, we've not got it. We don't carry cash. Like Josh, he's like literally right, running through his wallet and he finds 35p. He's like, here you go, mate, will that do?

No, you owe me 90p. So I forgot to say it. Like, can you take us to a cash point then? So he's like, well, yeah, but it'll cost you more money. So I was like, well, that's fine, but we can't pay you otherwise. So we're going to have to go to a cash point for 90P. Well, 65 p? 65p yeah

and then we're like actually 55p yeah you're doing quick mass then 55 p and then Josh is like actually let's just just ask someone just ask if we can borrow quid so Reese Topley

who's just been signed for 125 grand in the 100 gets out of this taxi and just goes can I borrow a pound to this person who's just about to start the marathon and they were like I've got no cash on me no so I had to go up to a lady in a car

knock on the window and be like I'm really sorry this is really embarrassing So any chance I could borrow a pound. But I've also just signed for $32,000 in the 100. Yeah, we really didn't need to be asking people for money at this stage. And she was willing to give me a pound. And then the tax driver drove off. Oh.

So embarrassment on both our parts and just hilarious as well because... 55P. Yeah, 170-odd grand between us and we couldn't fork up 90 feet. Buff listener I've got here. Gidee, ladies. your pod, although I probably shouldn't. Maybe it's a guilty pleasure. Cheers from Ozzy Shane, who's a buff Aussie, mulleted grandpa. P.S. I grew up at the MCG and it's definitely a side screen. Yes, the buff grandpa. Muleted grandpa. My eight-year-old daughter,

Annabelle, is playing for an under-11's boys team, assuming you have both played for boys' teams as well when you started out. If so, what would be your biggest tip for her? She's a bowler, medium pacer. Thank you. I feel like we do this one quite a lot, don't we? It's just, A, you keep enjoying what you're doing, make sure that's always at the forefront, even though we said you can't force enjoyment. But just always try and bowl straight.

Like even in professional cricket, bowling straight is a really good tactic. And don't let the boys bully you into thinking you're rubbish. Was that the point of the email? Did they say that's happened? No. But quite often as a female, this is what happened back in my day, is the other team they must be rubbish

they got a girl yeah you would like to think views have changed a little bit since then wouldn't you yeah I thrived off it though I loved

if I heard a comment like that I was like well I'm gonna prove you wrong I'm gonna be like you're gonna be crying into your dinner and you know what every single person

that you ever meet from junior cricket who played against you when you were younger always says she got me out that's my claim to fame they always say it

you'll be the one wicket that they'll remember like no they won't remember Joe blogs getting you out they'll remember you getting them out and you won't remember them

Exactly. They will always remember it. So just thrive off that, be competitive, do the basics really well, and hit the stumps. Nice. Simple. Couldn't say it better myself. It's exactly what we told Thunder at the end of the day. That's where we're at. We've got a few that say thank you, but this one says bowling question. Hi Kate and Alex. I was running if you'd be able to help me with this question. I'm a right arm leg spinner and don't have the googly variation. So when facing left handers, I get hit for more runs. because my deliveries are on their pads and they can just whip it away or they're wide. I was wondering where you would try to pitch it so that you've got the best chance of getting them out.

I really like the podcast and thank you both for all you do. Best of luck for the season with the thunder and for both your respective hundred teams except against the spirit. Looking forward to seeing you, Kate in the ashes this summer and hearing you Alex on the commentary. That's from Bailey. Don't come over the wicket to a left-hander,

come around the wicket so that every dismissal is then in play. So you're keeping your LBs in, you're keeping your bodes, your snicks, everything. But my advice is you're turning the ball into the left-hander if it's turning, of course. So pitch the ball just outside off-stump, and I mean just outside off-stump, so that it goes on to hit the stumps. This is basically you, isn't it, your left-arm spinner? Left-arm spinner.

So I would always look to target, pitch the ball on-off stump, and it turn and hit middle and leg. And that's keeping the stumps in play. and if they get hold of you, set your field, always have a square, a cow along on. Easy. And then if you're bowling straight, they've got to take a risk by taking you off the stumps to go through the offside, straight anywhere really, haven't they? Exactly.

Keep the stumps in play. Always keep the stumps in play. Be great. This is Marcus. Alex, have you pondered retirement? Yes, yes, I have many, many a times. I think I've spoken about it a lot on this podcast. And I think every game you've played this summer you've come off going,

and I'm going to retire. I know, but then I'm like, no, don't do it. Yeah. Keep going. Keep playing. Keep going because I started as a little 12-year-old girl, and I loved cricket. And the only reason I play now is because I love it, or I'm trying to love it again. So, yes, I have pondered retirement, but I know right this very second is probably not the right time to call it a day.

Good answer. I think we'll talk about that one day, won't we? Will you announce it on here if you do retire, do you think? Yes. Nice. I'm retiring. I'm joking. That's it.

Good, we can go and have some beers. I'm retiring from this podcast. Yeah, it's 10 o'clock, man. Have you got any more? I've got so many more. Crossy, when you were younger, what was your dream job? I always wanted to work in a library because I don't know if you probably never went to a library when you're a kid, but they always did something really cool where they scanned the book through.

Yeah. And I just wanted to, I actually volunteered at my school library. So on a Wednesday I stayed later and worked at my school life No you didn't How many friends did you lose I've got loads of friends actually Alex You have and I see your friends

Probably more than my friends You do at the minute don't you Yeah Good question what did you want to be A footballer Really really really really Really wanted to be a footballer Because of the skill of the game

Or because of the lifestyle I was just good at football Were you? Yeah I didn't have you down as that Yeah, left winger. Burnley, Blackburn, you name it, done it all. I also went in the net and quickly learned I can't be a goalkeeper.

Couldn't reach the crossbar. Yeah. So the ball just kept getting hit over my head. I let 10 in, 10 in a game. We lost like 10 too. It's a bad day for a keeper. They probably should have swapped the keeper halfway through the game, but you never know. My emails are all just thank yous now.

Have you ever felt like slapping the umpire during a match? No. I have many of times so my old action and I'd be like can you move forward please and if they wouldn't move forward

I'd be like no I'll hit you because my arms go out and they not move forward I would purposely then give them a whack and then they moved I actually have just remembered that I've got a funny story to tell

another one it's not my story though this time and it was one that kind of slipped through the net on our Instagram because we do go through all of them don't we? Hi Alex and Kate, Alex, I'm sorry to hear that you're mentally in a bad spot.

This was from the 2nd of February. And I'm still in a bad spot. Still not in a good place. I'm glad you've got somebody like Crossy checking in on you. Being in a full on depression is awful. I've got an ick for you. I love that they've just gone from being in a full on depression is awful to go in straight into an ick. Because the best way to help depression is to laugh.

If you don't laugh, you'll cry. Yes. Yeah, and I've cried. We've cried a lot this week. I've got an ick for you. People who go for a run and finish at a coffee shop and come in drenched in sweat and then get a coffee. I used to work at a Starbucks back in the day

and there was a running club that met and finished at our store. One guy in particular wore a pair of running shorts like Steve Coogan wears as Alan Partridge with one of those little internal mesh pockets mere centimetres from his junk. And he'd always pull a $5 bill out there and I would always have to give him a free coffee. Thanks for the great podcast and big love from Toronto.

Oh my God. A millimeter from his junk. Maybe that guy realized that he was always going to get a free coffee if he pulled a fiver out of his... I've done that a few times, like, not often because I hate that feeling of being sat somewhere when you're like really sweaty. And the first thing you want to do after a run is...

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Me right now. I didn't shower at the ground. You've still got mud on the back of your jumper, by the way. He must have dived in the warm-up or something. I'm a diver now. I actually dived to stop this, and I've got a little boo-boo. Can you see?

So I'm at short fine. First over of the game, second over of the game. Wide ball gets hit to me and I'm like, where we're in? Dive, full length dive, hit me on the wrist. The seam cut my wrist. Wow. It was bleeding.

I was like... Is it bleeding? Is it bleeding? I was like, I can't believe I'm bleeding from a cricket ball. Well, I'm not surprised. Those seams are sharp in the first couple of over. Yeah, saw that. When I've not bowled for a while when I start bowling with a new ball,

I cut the inside of my finger because it's like you're trying to rip down the side of it. Yeah, all the skins come off my finger. probably can't see it. But yeah, going back to it, I wouldn't do that now. I wouldn't, I'd always shower and then meet someone for a coffee. I wouldn't run to a coffee shop. I don't run very often. No, I can't run at the minute.

Well, yeah. Are you ready to talk about it? Why not? You laughed at me. You laughed at me. Maybe two weeks ago in this podcast, you were like, yeah, I'm really ill, but at least I've not pooed my pants. I didn't laugh at you for that.

I said I was really proud of myself for that. And you were like, you did it not so long ago. When I came around on Monday, you were like crying and you went today was the day and I went what I don't understand you're like it finally happened I did I would yeah there's not there's not much more detail I can give than that other than that happened so you told me off for washing my knickers and keeping them what have you done with yours they're in the bin no I actually didn't have knickers on I say what is he I was in sweatpants

because it's just easier to take off one night in my clothing than two when you've got what I've got Yeah, so are they in the bin? No, I'll wash them. There we go. You told me not too. Yeah, no, I'm all four just washing them.

Everything else has been in the bin. Literally wear a pair of knickers once, put them in the bin. Yeah, I'm not surprised. Gosh. What a note to end this on. Right. Should we make this our last? Yeah.

Would Alex Hartley swap her World Cup Winners medal for another five years as an England regular. I thought that was a really good question. Who's it from? Darren Hayward. Darren, would I swap my World Cup medal? Nice phone case, by the way. Thank you.

My best friend bought it for me. By mistake. Yeah, she bought herself. She's done this so many times. I do it all the time. Honestly, I've never known a woman, never learned from her mistakes. So Al's got the iPhone pro and I've not, and I've always seemed to buy a pro-sized case. So I get free phone cases.

A max. Would I swap Yeah, sorry, I interrupted that My medal for another five years As an England regular Let's think In that five years You've got a washes

Probably two washes We're going now, five years now Yeah, so you could have two washes That you could win 50 over World Cup again That you could go at 40, 20 World Cups probably And a Commonwealth Games in

Australia Look, it's going to be a hard no, a firm no, because what if you don't win any of that? And then I've like... Yeah, but that's the... I don't have... Gamble. Yeah. If you'd have asked me that, probably two years ago, I'd have said yes.

I'd have said, yeah, I thought my career would be a lot longer than it was. I'm gutted that it's finished the way it has. Obviously, I'm just not good enough anymore. Whereas now, although I would love. like to play cricket for England. I don't have the desire to put in the hard work anymore and it takes a lot of hard work, dedication, sacrifice. And I'm not willing to do that, especially for another five years. I'd be 35. You would be 34. Turning 35. Yeah. But you wouldn't be funny. That's like that thing where you're like, how old are you? I'm 34 next year.

Yeah, but how old are you? I'm 14 months. Yeah. Yeah, that is fair. It is a tough question. I think if you'd got asked that question when you lost your contract I think your answer would have been different I think now that you've been you've not played for England for how many years? 2019 was my last year. Four years now.

Five years next year. So yeah it's really difficult when you've not been in that mindset for a long time I think isn't it? And I'm like sort of out that mindset now you know I'm coming to the back end of my career I'm just trying to enjoy my cricket and I'm not saying I wouldn't enjoy playing cricket for England

I probably would love it and I get jealous sometimes of when you're on tour and I'm on tour and you're doing all the fun things and you're with the team and I'm like I'm just here on my own doing my own thing but I know how much you're sacrificing to be there and I'm not willing to do that anymore that's fair, it's a good answer

also you then wouldn't be Alex Hartley World Cup winner and double podcast award winner you'd just be Alex Hartley double podcast award winner. And I don't think I'm getting a job on TMS for that. Maybe. You've got to... They've got... They've got...

They've got... They always go, Alex Hartley, World Cup winning. They can't go, Alex Hartley... Could have been. Could her, would or, should have? But she swapped it for five years more. That would be a good story to go into TMS day with... Would, wouldn't it?

Yeah. Should we finish you there? I don't know how long we've done. It feels like a long one. How long have we done, please? Oh! We're in trouble. Okay, we've got to finish that.

Bye. Email us. Don't forget you can email us on. No Bullspodcast at BBC.com.com. No balls podcast at BBC.com. It's so good. They've said it twice. Oh.

Didn't like that. That was weird. Remember, guys, if you don't have anyone... You have us. And we're sending all the love to everyone because everyone is going through something and remember to ask you mates twice. Are you okay?

Are you okay? No. No. Okay. Goodbye. Bye. And cross strikes in the first over. It's what England we're looking for.

Hartley balls. Down the track comes scoring. This time she connects. It's either six or out. It's six. Need more than 90 minutes. Hello and welcome to Football Daily. Can't get enough cricket chat.

Welcome to Tail Enders. My name is Greg James. This is a cricket podcast for the cricketing curious. Fascinated by Sports Darkside. An improbable lo-fi crime nearly brought Formula One to its knees. This is Sports Strangest Crimes. We've got Sounds for that. It's more than just the game.

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