Test Match Special - No Balls: …We’re back!

Episode Date: May 21, 2025

Alex Hartley & Kate Cross are back as a new era begins for England’s women with Charlotte Edwards as head coach and Nat Sciver-Brunt as captain.What was Alex’s experience leaving Pakistan following international tensions with India? What does Kate think of England’s new leadership team? And what’s the weirdest thing they’ve ever talked about during a match?Email us at: [e-mail]

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Anyway, if you don't like it, don't listen, but we beep them out. So your kids can listen. Cross. I'm doing round of wicket. Boulder, Boulder, leaving a ball alone, Litchfield. I think it's the wobble ball, and it just nips back. It jags back. It's the nipbacker. That is a beauty from Kate Cross, an absolute seed.

That is a beauty from Cross. Hello and welcome back to No Balls, the Cricket podcast, with me, Kate Cross. And me, Alex Halt. I thought you were going to go you first. No, no, of course. Of course we've watched the intro up. Crossie, we're in the studio. We're back.

I have forgotten how this podcast works. I think most people have. off the grid. We have been off the grid. We've been off socials. We've been off everything. We've had so many messages, which I can only say thank you to everybody.

But also the ones that ask me daily when the podcast is coming back. It's back. The reason we're doing it is because you, because you've pestered us so much. We're back. We're back.

Heather, stop pesting me. We're back. How are you? Yeah. There's a lot to unpack here, isn't there? I don't know. Where do we start? Today, I'm good. Good.

Today I'm very good. Leave it there. Been an eventful week. I've had a week off work, but pre-week. Yeah, pre-week. Yeah, we'll make some terms up as we go, no problem. How are you? Yeah, today I'm good.

Seven games of cricket deep? Eight. Eight. We're 60% through the Metro Bank season already and we're four weeks into the whole cricket season. It's mad. Top of the table, though. Second.

Good job you've done your research here. Who's ahead? I just presumed you've only lost two. North. Not North Ants. They've not got a theme in two-one. Hampshire. Hampshire. Hampshire a top. I don't know where North Ants it. It's a good start. It's a good start.

What have you been up to? I'm so excited. What have I been up to? I have been playing some cricket, some pain-free cricket. Yes. Yes. Yeah, that was a bit of a whirlwind, obviously. Came back from Oz. Had a bit, had like a four-week layoff from everything, really, to try and get the back sorted out. Did some intense rehab.

And then I'm still not allowed to play golf. golf, but I'm back playing cricket. So, you know, peaks and troughs. You're doing your day job. I'm doing my job, which is the priority. We always said bowling was the priority golf's, not the priority. And the rehab you've been doing, you've now just got abs of steel. So actually, what a little win.

Someone said to me, I got back from Oz, was in the gym at Old Trafford, and Lanksy's head head, head physio, Dave Roberts came in. And I was doing my rehab at the time. And a lot of back rehab, you have to have just sports bra on because you need to see the position of your back. because I'm in my sports bra, doing my rehab and he walks in and he goes,

I've got bad back to you, haven't you? So I was like, yeah, I've missed an entire ashes series because of it. And he's like, well, you know what they say about people with bad backs? Bad fronts. Brilliant. So I was like, oh, good.

I've got abs. Good. So yeah, we've been working on the old core. Been working on everything, really. But you're actually like flying? Doing well, yeah. I think it's funny, isn't it? Because when you have an injury like that

and you're so out of cricket and obviously it was a bit of a traumatic ashes series in general. personally and for the team but you don't know like honestly it sounds so drastic but I was like am I ever going to play cricket pain free again because it felt so like and what's the right word entrenched in my day to day life ingrained well I don't know just it just fell in there everything I did day to day was back pain well you couldn't even pick up your niece couldn't pick grace up you definitely couldn't pick me up they can't do that now um

couldn't put my shoes on. Everything was just surrounded by back pain. Everyone listening, just going to interrupt Crossy. Remember when she laughed because she had to put my knickers and socks on when I was domsy? It was a bit like that. Yeah, but yours was from muscle fatigue, Alex. Yours was from... Dix.

This was because my discs split in two. So, yeah, obviously, not to make it more drastic than it was, but you're just not sure how you're going to come back from it. And I remember sitting with Lauren Bell in the test match. and she said to me a year ago she was in a really similar place to me and she just didn't see cricket could ever be pain free again

and no back pain and then she was like look at me now I've just bowled 28 overs in a day and I'm flying so that obviously it has happened that way and I've come back to cricket

so it's hard to know what to measure yourself on do you measure yourself on performance when you come back or do you measure yourself on like oh actually I'm not in pain anymore and cricket is enjoyable again and it's definitely what you measure yourself on because I reckon if you look at your

first couple of games back now and watch it, you're like, oh, it's a little bit rusty there, obviously. Yeah. And now, every time, I'm looking at the scorecard the other day, you bowed six overs, one for eight. I was like, she's back. She is back. So, yeah, it's been really, really, really great

to be back with Lanks. And to start the season off in, like, you just throw, you've been able, I've been able to throw myself into the Lanks cricket, which sometimes you don't get to do. And the way that the fixtures have fallen, it's been really nice that we've had a big block of 50 over cricket. Obviously, from my point of view,

were probably prioritised 50 over cricket more over T20 cricket. So yeah, I've got no complaints other than not being able to play golf. Okay. And just quickly, congratulations, ODI Squad. Thank you very much. She's actually well and truly back, everyone. Like, well and truly back. Last time we had this conversation, I feel like it was just before the South Africa stuff

and I knew I wasn't playing in a game. And you were like, you'll play, you'll be fine. I was like, you never know, Al. And then I got injured. And I'm still like, you never know. So I'm just not going to say anything or do anything that risks it. but I'm looking forward to hopefully... Congratulations on being named in the 15.

Thank you. Thank you. Yeah. My life update. Yeah. Where are we up to? Well... You've been in Pakistan. Been in Pakistan for the PSL. Back with Moultan. Yeah.

Loved it. Love it. Had the best time. We lost nine out of ten games, came bottom of the pile. The worst team in PSL history, which is really unfortunate. It's not the accolade that you get. It's not the one you want. No, before this season, we were the most successful team in PSL history. What do you think?

What was different then? Because we were texting quite a lot throughout it. And I was like, what's going on? Because you've got the same team effectively. Not much has changed coaching staff-wise. So what do you think it was? It's really hard to put your finger on. I mean, in all honesty, we chopped and changed the team for my liking a little bit too

much because we never had a settled 11. We had lads out of form or didn't perform. So they just got swapped in and out. So, like, they never got to. to settle into games. Therefore, the overseas didn't perform because they were in and out. They didn't know what day it was

if they were playing, where they were at. I just felt all really unsettled. We played 24 players in 10 games. I feel like that season for Moultham sums up T20 cricket and competition cricket because when you get on a role winning, you can fly, but when you're in the pits and you're losing, it's so hard to get out of that rut.

The first game rattled us, absolutely rattled as a team. we got 234 for 3 in the first game and lost. Lost in the 19th over. But that's not unusual than the PSL, is it? Like 240 plays 240 quite often, they're quite close games. But then it did feel like after that you just struggled. Yeah, and then the last three games, we got 304 for 30. So it was, yeah, it was one to forget about.

And then obviously it was an eventful escape. Yeah. Which I've not spoken about actually. So I don't really know what I'm going to say about it, to be completely honest. but it was the weirdest. It was a whirlwind, wasn't it? I feel like we were talking about it and obviously there was the fear, I guess, initially,

but the not knowing how quickly things were going to escalate. But then also you just didn't have a plan, so you didn't know whether you were going to get home, whether you were staying in Pakistan, you just didn't have a clue what was going on. And it seemed to change every 30 minutes. Yeah, and it did like, there was at one point where it's like, right, how do you all feel?

It's like, well, I don't feel unsafe for my life. Like, I genuinely felt safe, but I was worried I was going to get stuck in Pakistan in a war zone because it was a war zone. There's, you know, there's missiles going off, there's something being blown up 50 kilometres away from where we were. The airspace completely closed for 48 hours, so we were actually stuck. I just played 24 holes of golf. My mum and dad are threatened.

Dad's trying to get a plane to get into Pakistan to come and pick me and the boys up, and I'm just playing golf. He was like, it's typical. So then the airspace reopened. getting any flights then it closed again and then the plane set off from Islamabad we got flown out by the army set off from Islamabad landed in Moultan picked us up and flew us to Dubai we flew at 20,000 feet rather than 35,000 feet so that we weren't we couldn't be seen on the radar so it's like we almost like snuck out of Pakistan which goes to show how serious a situation it was well the airport

that the Islamabad boys set off from got hit 25 minutes after they left the airport so it was all a bit of a whirlwind I think I saw it on the news probably the day you flew out because I remember saying to you it's not even made the news here yet like obviously got the inside information about what was going on from you but there was still cricket going on they were still talking about playing cricket in the IPL and the PSL and I was like at what point does cricket stop being a priority in these two countries and you actually you know think about the safety of the players and the people that are involved because a lot of your team just have to go home are going home and they're just staying in Pakistan and I think that's where I felt really guilty

because selfishly, I'm like, right, I need to get out. I don't want to be stuck here for two, three months. You don't know what's going to happen. Whether it's an extra week, I don't want to be stuck in a war zone. You know, I've got a family that are fretting at home that just want me home. You know, you're going, are you all right? Are you coming back? I don't know.

And we land in Dubai and obviously like a sigh of relief that we've got out. But then I like sit in my room and I'm unpacking my bag and I'm like, these lads are just going home. They live here. They're in the middle of it. And then, you know, someone's like, can you do an interview? I'm like, people have died. Yeah.

I said if you spoke to any of the local lads and you said, I've not wanted to message anyone in case something bad's happened. Yeah. And that's like, that's the severity of it, I guess. Yeah. I just didn't want to be like, hey, guys, just checking in is all okay. No, actually, I live on the border and something bad's happened to somebody. Or a family friend or whatever.

But there's been a ceasefire, touchwood, both competitions, the IPL, PSL. They've started up again, haven't they? started up again. Moulton didn't take any of their overseas back or coaches because there was no point. We only have one game left. Yeah. And you couldn't qualify. Yeah, we were down and out. So yeah, it's been a, it's been a strange one and I sort of been home for a week now and talking about it still gets my heart rate going a little bit because I still feel a bit guilty. Well, that's just natural, isn't it? It's a really unusual set of events to happen because it's like not to say that people in Pakistan would be used to this, but it's

really, really far out of what we're used to and what you're used to. So it's completely normal to feel that way. And had I've been asked to go back for the one game, I'd have said no, because I just want time to process what I've just been through. But my mum said yesterday, will you go back next year? Absolutely. Of course I will. I love the job.

I think it's amazing. You know, things haven't gone well for us this year. But actually, that almost makes it more exciting for next year to be able to build a better squad and, you know, have that relationship with players again. So, yeah, it's been a whirlwind. A whirlwind's probably the best way to describe it Yeah So we have been on a break

We were on a break We were on a break We want to say a massive thank you So we got in touch with our producer A couple of days ago And he said that basically all the emails Or 99% of the emails from January through Until today

Have all been about Are we okay Are we doing all right Please send on best wishes So they have all been sent on So thank you so much Obviously we put that message out and social media and there was so much love from all our fans.

So thank you so much. Apart from that one guy that said, what did you say? We need to do a podcast to tell everyone why we're having a break. Why, what do you mean? It's a pretty obvious why we're having a break. It's been a whirlwind. Yeah. For everyone that was thinking, like, obviously it was an anomaly of a tour.

Yeah. Everything that went wrong could have gone wrong. If you're thinking like the reason that we're not doing it is because of that, then you'd be absolutely right. But also, like, I said to you and my mum, like, imagine if we have a break, which will happen one day, because we are grown adults because we've had a family tragedy or something

and we're like, we can't do the podcast, I'm trying to get over this. Imagine if then we go, by the way, dad's dead. You have to, yeah, you have to. There was like this obligation. It was only one guy to be fair. But he was the one that wound us off. Everyone else was really lovely.

But yeah, there was this obligation that we have to let everyone know what's going on in our lives. But, I mean, it was quite... No, I've just got a thrush. I don't want to do the pod. No, you, we'd never do it. Good deal. I am very thrushy.

You're very thrushy. I just had made that on the podcast. I just lost my train of thought now. We are very open and honest, aren't we? It's normal, guys. So we had a break. It was, we described it as an anomaly, didn't we? It was a tour where it was just more things went wrong than could have gone wrong.

We obviously, as a playing group, we never anticipated that that would be the ashes that we prepared for. And I don't think you ever, as a professional sports person, prepare for a tour like that. And then obviously on the back of it there's been a lot of people that have lost their jobs. Yeah, which is real sad. Yeah, and Heather's obviously had to step down as captain because of it. So there was just so much going on and it just didn't feel like the podcast was the place to talk about it.

No, and we're not going to actually because we're looking forward. We're going to look forward. We're not looking back. It's in the past. It's gone. Forward, new captain, new coach, new faces in the squads. What do you think about the squads? really really happy

I think it shows that when you play domestic cricket and you perform you will get a call up because quite often it's been the same squads for a number of years no matter what happened

there might be one here and there that comes in goes out you know ADR's back Lammy's back yeah I know I'm happy it really should give a lot of the domestic girls the confidence

that if you perform at county level you've got a really good chance of playing for England which is absolutely how it should be and the way I've described the start of the summer for me personally obviously coming back from the injury so I felt like I had a lot of expectations on myself

but then you've got selection to think about as well but it's the first summer where I felt like county cricket isn't my preparation for international county cricket is my I've got to get selected to play international cricket which is absolutely how it should be completely I'm not suggesting that that's a bad thing, but I didn't have any sort of security that I've played X amount of cricket for England,

so I'm shooing to be in the squad, which is it put me under great pressure, which is what we've spoke about as an England team of maybe the areas that we've lacked is that performance under pressure. So it feels now like everyone's really got to play for their place, which again is the right thing. And that's something that Lottie was obviously very vocal about when she came in and that she watches so much cricket. I can imagine her at Hampshire, watching Hampshire, but with six other live streams going on. That's exactly what it's like.

So, like, every game that I've played, I've had a text offer to say, well done, well-batted, whatever. Oh, do you want to just drop that in? You've been batty well, have you? Scores and runs. Oh, have you know? Honestly, my Instagram post I've done today, more batting photos than bowling photos. Oh, well-batted. It's not well-balled as our frontline bowler.

It's well-batted as our number nine. Well, there's that record to get, isn't there? Still not got it. Anyway, so you just know that she's across everything And you can see that with how she was Braves coach And Hampshire's coach How she'd like unearth these players that no one had heard of From she'd be watching academy games

And she's got live streams coming out of her She must have about eight iPads Maybe she's sponsored by Apple But yeah she's just Paula Edwards sponsored by Apple That'd be a great sponsorship But yeah she's just across everything And she's just she's like admitted

She's the biggest cricket badger out there So she just knows what everyone's up to So it really feels like eyes are on you And I think that's what I mean about The first block that we've had Where we've been able to go back to our counties And play consistently And it's not just you dropped in

And got a couple of games It's you had eight games to go and How's that been different though To obviously prep previously it'd be like a camp Going into an international summer Has it been weird Being with your county Your main team

And then you're just going to pop in For the England games No, because we still hybrided a little bit So we did three England camps Prior to the season starting Yeah It's just I think just the way The Fixers has fallen

We've just had more games of cricket to go at Everyone needs to play more games cricket So it's a good thing I think last year There was maybe two or three county games You could have played before the season started Because I think our first international stuff Was May last year

So it just naturally fell a little bit earlier Or certainly earlier May Yeah, it definitely was Because I got back from New Zealand straight into the international store. Yeah. So I think it's fallen quite nicely in that respect.

And then I think we've finished the West Indies series around the 7th or 8th of June and then we've got three or four weeks before the India series. So you just know that you're going to be able to be released to go back and play your county cricket, which I think as a player gives you a bit more certainty about what you're doing and how you're getting your cricket. And I was really adamant with Matt, our bowling coach,

that I really wanted to prioritise my bowling overs to be in games and not at training. because I'm 33 I've trained and trained and trained but what I was lacking for the last six months is matches so I think I only played or I bought like 4.1

overs over the winter so yeah matchover that is. Good 4.1 overs. They were good. Yeah, it was good. So yeah I think it's been great and I think like said it gives everyone a little bit of you know the bit between the teeth to go out there and perform for the counties

and like Lammy's probably a perfect example of that. She lost her England contract in October last year. I've gone back and been a Lancashire player and then now is... Not even being a year. She's now the leading run score in the Metro Bank

scored 577 runs I think it was. She went over the 500 mark yesterday in her 8th day. She's going to be sat on that bench so happy in her garden. Oh, that bench, the MLAM bench. She's bought a new bench

and she loves it, she won't stop talking about it. So, yeah, it's been great and, well, I mean, we probably should have specified at the beginning for anyone that doesn't know. You've lived under a rock, but Charlotte Edwards is our new coach. And Nats of a Brunt. is our new England captain. And congratulations Nat and Catherine

on the birth of their little child. Yes, they've had a little boy. Theo? Yep. I really enjoyed. They've got their own podcast to have Catherine and Jack Brooks. And they asked Nat how she likes her eggs

when she said Frozen. Nice. Which really really made me laugh. No, I'm honestly really excited for the international summer now. It feels like a fresh start. It feels like a fresh start. I'll be nervous personally after

the ashes, I will be really nervous to see everyone, but it's a fresh start. I think on, like, sometimes when you have a new coach but the same captain or a new captain but the same coach, it kind of feels like some of the same themes could come out, but it does feel like we've got a really fresh start. And it's an exciting fresh start and almost feels like a bit of a new era. But it's also like, Lottie was my first captain for England. She gave me my cap. But look at the smile on your face as well. You're like, cricket. Well, everyone says, my mum's a really good example She's like oh does this new coach like you

And I was like well I hope so I hope so I mean she debuted me Which is always a great A great start I guess But that was over 10 years ago now And a lot has changed But it's it almost

Do you think she's like Oh god I debuted cross You're still playing Yeah probably Well that was Obviously I've never spoke to a lot about this But it felt like her Not being ready for the England stuff

came from still playing With a lot of the players And for whatever reason and she now feels like this is the right time to do it. And I remember seeing her interview where she said, Claire Connor gave her the call saying, would you do it? And you're not turning that down.

So she obviously feels ready to do it. And at a stage where the relationships that she had with us as players, and captain is different to her relationship she'll now have with us as coach and players. So, yeah, she just came back into love for though. And she was like, oh, it's changed. We've got new lights in the dress room. And I was like, yeah. So everyone's like giving her the tour of the new dresser room.

stuff and got a new floor in the indoor school um so it's it's been it almost feels a bit full circle quite nice and like i was thinking from a personal point of view like she debuted me but i would really like this to be like my last coach that i was good well she's definitely not going anywhere you would think for a while she might debut and sackia which is yeah it could happen yeah actually really could happen so um but she's really excited about my batting so that's all I'm bothered about. Yes. Yes. No, I'm really looking forward to the summer. Like you say, a fresh start. Fresh start with the podcast. Fresh start with life. Fresh start. I'm just kidding. Not fresh roots though, are they? No, I've not had my head up for a while.

T20 start tomorrow. Could be today when this goes out. Oh, yeah. I need to go to Canterbury. Yeah, you need to get yourself off to Canterbury. So three T20s against the West Indies. three ODIs against the West Indies and then back to the blast exciting so everything's joined now it's all like good that though in it it's amazing so I've got a little stat actually in my preparedness to do this podcast

so hypercourced evergreen hypercourced put a start up yesterday that after 31 games in this start of the metro bank 50 over cup the total live stream has surpassed last year's Rachel Hayhoe Flint trophy

which had 58 matches So in 31 games, we've already surpassed the stream numbers, which was 2.2 million last year. We've already had 2.5 million watching us play cricket. So I feel like I don't know whether that's because the counties have now merged and it's, you know, Surrey men, Surrey women, Lank's men, Lanks women. It just feels like there's a bit more of like awareness from cricket fans that women are now playing cricket. We've played majority of our games at county grounds. We've played a couple of our games at our outgrounds, our home games at Southport and Blackpool. play there as well.

Yeah, they are our standard outgrounds. So it's not like we're playing club cricket on club grounds anymore. It's just being taken a bit more seriously. That is so good. So yeah, I just thought that start was pretty epic actually. To say that we're only four weeks into the season. Well done, Beth Barrett Wilde.

Women's cricket. What woman? Yeah, that's good. Yeah, personally, played in Pakistan. Yes, you played a game. You played a game, staff game. You had COVID at the time, didn't you? Yeah, I did.

It was a real roller coaster of a trip. I got COVID. There was two earthquakes and I escaped to a war zone. You don't do things by heart No Yeah I played a staff game Against

Oxbridge United Which is Oxford and Cambridge Mixed Yeah I think most people know that Like together Four for seven She's back Yeah

You're in the draft 100 draft Well I'm playing a charity game For the ECB in the middle of summer She's back The comeback's on Nice You bow well

someone turned around one of the coaches went, you actually turn it I was like, I did this as a job, you know I did play professional cricket I was a professional cricketer I am a world gut winner Yeah, I didn't say that That's not like you

Should have It's not like you First episode of course We're going to mention it So we don't have sticky notes anymore We've got a professional Google doc Google document that comes up

Well this is Jack So Jack the new producer Who never got chance to be our producer Because we quit as soon as he came in Sorry Jack Really, really, was really so excited to be our producers. I've got some great social content. I've been in touch with these guests.

I'm doing this. It was actually so much more organised than Henry was. Shout out, Henry. I hope you doing well. Miss you, Henry. But Jack was amazing, and then we both hit rock bottom. Yeah. And the poor bloke just didn't get the opportunity.

And he was so good about it. Thank you, Jack. But we're kind of really organized now. So we've got to think, we're not good when we read off things. We know that. So we're not going to go too much off. the Google document but it has done

a really fun little bit for us has he? Yeah so whilst we've been away Siria Vashne has played in the IPL at 14

and not only has he played in the IPL at 14 he scored 100 14 14 14 so Jack has prepared us with some information

about what we were doing when we were 14 wow that's good so I was drinking vodka in the local park you actually were You actually were

I think this was maybe the age or round about the age I met you Yeah I'd have been about 14 I think Because you've been 12

Yeah Yeah So when I was 14 Don't ya By the Pussy Cat Dolls Was number one in the charts Do you remember Don't you wish your girlfriend

Was hot like me You might have been going to see Wallace and Gromit The Curse of the Wear Rabbit At the cinema Might not have been And the first episode

of Deal or No Deal was aired No! Yeah What a show What a show It's come back No it hasn't

It's back It's not with What's he called Neil Was he Neil? Noel Edmonds Noel Edmonds He was Mr Bobby Guy Wasn't he

Stephen Mulhern Mulhern Yeah We got it in our Anyway When I was 14 Beautiful Girls by Sean Kingston

Hey There Delilah By the plain white T's By the plain white T's And Eo I'm tired of using Technology

Why don't you sit down in front of me they were all in the charts yeah Mr Beans holiday and super bad super bad super bad we're in the cinemas

gossip girl and big bang theory first came on the TV plus Gordon Ramsey's kitchen nightmares that's crazy isn't it so we were I actually was playing cricket then I wasn't playing in the IPL obviously but that's mental 14 20 years ago basically

that's That is why we've genuinely reached our 20-year friendship last year, didn't we? Yeah, we did. We celebrated in Portugal, didn't we? Yeah, we did. With a group of strangers. That was odd. That was odd.

And we've also had some emails. Well, there's only two unpires we can possibly go upstairs with it. Do you know what? Right, it's actually really sweet. So we've got a WhatsApp group with Anna and Sue, haven't we? Yeah. It's called... Nobles?

Probably. We've got our 17 Nobles group. Yeah, there's too many, actually. There's one with Mountie. There's one with... Jack. Henry's probably still in one. No, we booted him out, didn't we?

We got rid of him this winter. It's been a bad winter for Henry. It's been a great. He's had a promotion. Yeah, but not from us. We've sacked him. We didn't sack him. But anyway, we booted him out the WhatsApp group.

So we've got this WhatsApp group with Anna and Sue. And Anna, I've never seen anyone more keen to replay our golf, our annual golf day that we've only had one of. And I was looking at the dates the other day. So she tried to get this date in for me. And I was like, Anna, I'm still not back to golf fitness. I've got to keep, you know, doing my research. had for my golf. She's trying to get

the next date put in. I love that. I know. It's we're all friends. So sweet. But everyone like puts their little like someone up with like, oh well umpired today Anna or someone's like well done on the ODI squad selection. It's really sweet. It's a really wholesome group. So yeah it's only fair that we go upstairs with them I guess, isn't it? Together. All four of us.

Have a little four ball. So it's like an old old podcast, not new. Old plane. Yeah, yeah. Nice. Some of these are from the vaults, Jack says. So Dave has said, I have a question. During my playing days, I used to field in the slips wherever possible, largely to enjoy talking nonsense,

which is a great incentive to keep catching them. And I'm sure even professional cricketers talk a bit of nonsense on the field. What's the weirdest thing you've chatted about on the field? Probably nothing I can say on the podcast. But I did once fart while bowling, which was pretty weird. Less nonsense talked about that, isn't it? It's just an embarrassing moment.

And I think Sue was an fire. Was she? The Joan's Super Force. Was it? I was falling at Fee Morris. Did a little... Right. It's hard to...

You do talk a lot of nonsense on the field. Yesterday. Good example actually yesterday. So the umpires now have got this new thing where they check your bats. You know they've got that like bat thing that you've got to slide your bat through and if it doesn't fit through, you now get docked points for it, but they do it at any time during the game.

So in international cricket, I feel like the third umpire comes in the dressery and gets a few bats and checks the bat sizes to make sure that they're not illegal bats. Or before you go out to bat. Yeah, but now you could have faced three balls and they go, can I check your bat? You've riddled that one.

So, yeah, so it's quite like, ooh, is this an illegal, but obviously you know your bat's not illegal. But yesterday we go out to bat, sorry, Durham go out to bat, so we filled in second. Susie Bates is overseas in for the, Durham girls and her bat doesn't fit through the hole but it's because she's got tape on the

very very bottom where she's glued the toe back together so it's just the tape that doesn't fit through then I get to feel that slip for Sophie Eccleston because Eve and Fee both were injured so I got to go in slip which she's always exciting so Susie's bat and she's got 50 and I was like Susie have you batted with an illegal bat the entire summer then or is this like the first time so I was really getting in Susie's ear about this illegal bat but we're both sponsored by New Balance, so I'd scored some runs in the first innings and she was like, I think I'd rather

use your pack. So it was quite nice, a bit nonsense, but quite, yeah, quite nice. But Jack's given us one of his experiences, which is nice for him to get in. In the BBC charity cricket... What is it about our producers always trying to get on the podcast? I'm surprised he's not phoned in. He did one of... He nearly

zoomed in, didn't he? So Jack's experience that he's nice... nicely put in for us. It's in the BBC cricket charity day last year he kept wicket very successfully but the square umpire was having an off day and um i kept asking the batters how much money they'd want to eat human poo before each ball

oh wow I don't know whose story's worse yours or his how much would you have to get paid genuine there's no amount of money in the world that you would get paid to eat human poo but how much like a Maltesea size like a little pellet

I'm not talking about this and I'll first go back Jenny's email does I have a question for you I love a bit of fresh fruit at hotel breakfast buffets and I've heard that the fruit in Australia tastes amazing Was it good?

Yeah What fruit would you always choose at a hotel buffet And what would you avoid? I'd always choose an exotic fruit At a breakfast buffet In Australia because you just know it's going to be better

I wouldn't eat like an apple Atopal at breakfast Oh like pineapple Is that exotic? Yeah pineapple, mango That sort of stuff Kiwi Kiwi taste so much better in Australia for some reason

Me and Crossie went on holiday to Dubai not so long ago and she told me to come to breakfast with her. So we did first time in 10 years. Not what happened. Basically what happened. You were playing golf and I was like, come on, come and have some brecky because I was going to get up anyway. So you came and joined me willingly.

And I was like, I don't know what to do. Yeah, that was a really weird 10 minutes because it was like you'd never been in that social situation before, but it was just breakfast. Yeah, and I was like, what do I do? Where do I go? You directed me towards the fruit. And I waited for the flies to eat it. You got some fruit and a yoghurt

and then you didn't touch any of it and you went and got a donut and a croissant. Yeah, and that was much better. Jenny says, however, no, she doesn't say however. She said, I hate grapefruit but love watermelon and pineapple. However, I never buy them at home, partly because they're too much faft to prepare and also because nobody else in my family is too bothered

and I can't eat a whole one by myself. That's where I think living with your parents used to be elite because your mum would buy a watermelon and cut it up. Yeah. I'm never going to Tesco and buying a watermelon and cutting it up. No. Also, oh my God, everyone should know about this. What?

Broke the bread knife. No. I've never seen a knife snapping half, but I dropped it on the floor. No. I'm washing it, obviously, after I'd washed it. Slid off my drying rack. It snapped. So my bread knife now is this long.

It doesn't even go through a bagel. I need a new bread knife. I've got a spare one at home. No, it'll be dirty. It would not have been washed for five years. well that serves right for cleaning it had it not been wet and slippery it wouldn't have fallen on the floor

this one's from Philippa I'm just watching the men's second ODI in India wow when was this when did the men play ODIs in India players stopped due to a faulty floodlight all I have been able to think about is the fact that the Alex Hartley floodlight at the Emirates Old Trafford

should have a permanent sparky to look after it to prevent the similar situation disturbing play Yeah, but I quite like the fact that I go on and off I can be turned on and off Do you know it was nice the other day I was watching the men play on the stream And I don't know either it's just this time of year

But your shadow was over the pitch Yeah, like cast onto the play Yeah, because it goes, the sun sets behind the point And you're that floodlight So you were just there on the pitch I was like, that's the Alex Hartley goodlight. I'm just ever present. Always in people.

Bit like that bird that you said goes on the pitch and gets rid of the pigeons. I've got pigeons again. Oh, you have? You've got another few eggs, haven't you? Come back from the PSL crossy. I don't... You had it before you went? No, I've come back to more.

Oh, no. There's eggs everywhere. There's poo everywhere. Genuinely poo everywhere. How much to eat it? Fiver. Classic. We got any more?

Yeah, we have got one more. This is from 13-year-old Alex, who's emailed. Love the podcast. I'm a long-time listener and second-time emailer. You guys are my favourite players and have inspired me to become a professional cricketer. I met you both two years ago and you signed my cap at Bradshaw Cricket Cup. I remember this girl. The cap is currently hung on my wall for me to see every day.

I've got one suggestion, two LBWs and one question. God, LBW is what a throwback. I love that our listeners are reminded us how to do this podcast. So my suggestion is when you go upstairs, does to do the emails shouldn't these surely be called e-bails? Yeah, sure Alex is after Jack's job.

Yeah. But my LBWs Kiwi coming up again. I eat the skin of kiwi fruits. So many people do this and it's so weird. I thought it was normal until I ate one with my friends. This is often how LBWs occur because... A furry though, aren't they? It'd be like eating this microphone. Like, just that little... That's how a kiwi fruit would sound.

It is, yeah. You wouldn't want to put that in your mouth. Yeah, but this is often how LBW has come around because you think you're doing something normal and you do something in front of your friends and they all go, what you're doing? My favourite pizza topping is pineapple, fine, which according to the internet, is not allowed on pizzas.

I don't think it's illegal. Yeah, people think pineapple and pizzas isn't allowed, but I love a bit of sweet and salty. Yeah, it's nice. And my question to you both is, who out of everyone you know has the biggest kit bag? Well, Tammy Beaumont, she makes it look the biggest. But I'll always defend the spare keepers in the team

because they've got a lot of kits cap. No, I'm sorry, because she's so small, the bag looks bigger. Oh, right, yeah, nice, nice. The biggest kit bag. They're all the same size, unfortunately, aren't they? Sarah and Smale's got a big one. We actually... She actually got in it.

We were playing at Edgefast in the other week, and she got in it and scared one of our coaches, which is always such a great prank. But yeah, she can lie in her So that's quite big For a small girl Yeah But again, she's got a big one

Wicketkeeper got lots of kit to take So I wouldn't I expect Sarah To have a big one It's the little ones It's always the unexpected We've also got a line here That says

When talking about the upcoming series I don't think we're meant to read The bit that's not in bold But when talking about the upcoming series versus the West Indies You'll never guess where you can hear Every ball of every game BBC sounds

Yeah baby If this podcast doesn't put you off Alex, she'll be in the TMS box for the T20 and ODI series against the West Indies. I will. I'll be there. Every single game, every single day. Half an hour on, half an hour off. Nice. So you know when to turn on and when to turn off. A bit like your floodlight. I genuinely don't know our podcast email for people to email in, but we need emails because we're back. It's no ballspodcast at BBC.co.com.uk. No ballspodcast at BBC.co.com. It's a good. Said it twice.

We are back. It's been enjoyable. I've really enjoyed it. I'm giddy. Oh, God. I need a poem. Why? We're back, everybody.

Bye. Love you, bye. See you next week. On BBC Sounds, this is sports, strangest crimes. From the man who tried to buy cricket. game, winner take off, 20 US million dollars. The kidnap of a super horse. It must have been terrifying.

Of course it was. How we got through a lot. It's an ill-advised errands changing F-1 forever. It will haunt the people involved for as long as they live. A trillion dollar takeover, which never took off. Broadsters of this level, they will never stop. The mysterious death

of a superstar cyclist. Entering the world of professional cycling was like joining the mafia. And teammates becoming bitter enemies at one of the biggest football clubs in the world. Betrayal, plots. We've gone beyond women's football in France. Sports, strangest crimes.

Listen on BBC Sounds. In Turkey, if you're willing to take a detour, you'll discover the food, even social media, hasn't got to yet. From Michelin Stars and Wine in Euler to traditional recipes, and the home of Baclava in the world. East. Discover the culinary capital of Gaziantep and talk to the locals. Every dish has its own story. Flavors, experimentation and tradition, Turkey has it all. Plan your detour at go-turkia.com.