Test Match Special - Sciver-Brunt on T20 World Cup Final: "You don't want any what-ifs..."

Episode Date: July 4, 2026

Nat Sciver-Brunt chats to Henry Moeran looking ahead to the World Cup Final against Australia. Plus, the thoughts of 2017 World Cup winner Alex Hartley and BBC Sport's Matt Henry.

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That's a good bad billionaire from the BBC World Service. Listen now, wherever you get your BBC podcasts. The TMS podcast on BBC Sounds. Hello, welcome to the Test Match special podcast from Lord's Cricket Ground, which will be hosting the final of the Women's T20 World Cup between England and Australia. Over the course of the next half hour or so, we'll be hearing from the England captain Matt Siverbrunt

and getting the thought of World Cup. Cup winner Alex Hartley and BBC Sports Matt Henry. The TMS podcast on BBC Sounds. Well, sitting here in the Harris Garden just behind the famous old pavilion, things are building up in quite a big way, Alex. We've got Rita Rora performing here tomorrow and there's all sorts of staging getting ready and I should think for you a few memories coming back actually of nine years ago. Yeah, might make me remember.

the occasion a little bit better, mighten it, when we come in tomorrow and the crowd starts to build. But I've just tried to get into the ground now and got stopped because there was three trucks coming in and out there, they're bringing the Rita Aurora stage in, apparently. And then I thought, oh, you know what, instead of walking around, I walk across the outfield. One of those days where you're not allowed to walk across the outfield, you've got to walk around because there's a big occasion tomorrow. So, yes, things are building up, and there are a lot of stressed people at this ground today. Are England going to be part of that contingent of stressed people, Matt? Well, we just, as you know, we just spoken to Natsyva Brunt.

She spoke to you, Henry, and she did a press comment. I generally thought that was the most relaxed and happy. I think I've ever seen Nats of Abrant in a press conference. She's not a... I enjoy speaking to Nats of Abrundt a lot, and she has a lot of interesting things to say, but you never sense that it comes naturally to her, and she's sometimes quite nervous around interviews.

I thought she seemed so relaxed there, which is very encouraging from a day out of a World Cup final. She said on Friday, actually, how drained she felt after the semi-final on Thursday, She'd done so much to get back fit for that game and then had to play a really important role with the bat as well to get England through against South Africa and up to a score. And I was listening yesterday to her saying that.

I was a little worried that you're saying you're drained after a semi-final with such a quick turnaround today. And she kind of put, from that side of things, put those worries at ease, for me at least today because I thought she seemed relaxed, she seemed content and happy in herself. She was making a few jokes about how it's going to be different this time compared to 2017 where I know you guys, I'd have to try to watch Save and Private Ryan didn't you?

And then I had to cancel it because you realised it was going to go on too late. I don't think with her old to Theo now, 18 months, her son. I don't think she's going to be watching Save and Private Ryan tonight, but maybe a few kids' TV shows and then off to bed. I do not remember having to watch Saving Private Ryan. Was that like a whole team thing? I think you planned to watch it, put it on. Heather Knight told us this earlier a month or so back.

you tried to put it on, we're going to, and then someone checked that it runs on for three hours and then decided against it, I think, as I was told anyway by Heather. I've got no recollection. Maybe I didn't get the memo, maybe I was having to live room and chill in my room. Right, let's hear from the England captain then.

I spoke to her here in the Harris Garden a little while ago and got her thoughts ahead of tomorrow's big game. Eve of the World Cup final, Nat, how are you feeling? Feeling good. Yeah, I'm obviously excited about tomorrow and just had a hit. So, yeah, I suppose prepared for what's to come. We'll get the boring stuff out the way. How's the fitness after the other night?

Yeah, good. Good, yeah. Happy to, I suppose, be able to bat anything like that and do a bit of running as well. So, yeah, really pleased to get through that game. Nine years on from 2017, are the memories flooding back of that experience? Yeah, I think they will do tomorrow. Walking in the ground this morning as well, yeah, I guess obviously we've trained here a bit already throughout this tournament. Obviously played a game here, but yeah, being back for the finals has a little bit of a different feel to it.

So, yeah, it feels good to be here. In terms of the differences between now and then, that felt like a huge moment in terms of as almost a one-off. Is this a bigger game, do you think, because of the fact that it comes at the end of what has been a tournament that's broken records? Yeah, I think so. I guess where women's cricket was in 2017,

to where it is now has also been a huge leap. And I think the game tomorrow, I think, show that. And so, yeah, I guess being able to be part of that and everything that's happened already in this tournament, we know it's been a big deal. I think from the outside, we don't really know sort of from the outside how it's looked or felt, but yeah, certainly from our point of view playing in it and being part of the, you know, record-breaking crowds and some exciting games. Yeah, I suppose we felt that. As a tournament, Ignat have had immense success.

Was part of the job getting to this final, just because of the fact as a home country, you really want to be there and be in that sort of showpiece event at the end of it, is a little bit of the pressure off? I guess the first part of the job, well, the first part of the job when we qualified for the semi-finals, was done and then making it to the final, yes. I mean, obviously, we'd want to win.

and, you know, get over the line and, you know, be the ones to be holding that trophy at the end of the game. But being part of hopefully a huge spectacle tomorrow, I think we'll feel partly like with one. Yeah, hopefully people can take in every moment that they can during the day and create some really special memories. Hopefully we'll see a full pavilion. hopefully yes um yeah i've seen a seen a call to to the members to to get down or you know get lots of guests in or whatever it is um yeah i mean hopefully we see a full stadium you'll be very aware of the fact that australia and the last time that you met as sides were a very different place to you in terms of that score line in the away ashes series

do they hold any fear um i think the the the personnel that we have now is quite different. Maybe not in who they are, but where we are as a side and what we've worked on. Yeah, I think the feeling around the group certainly is different from the Ashes' trip. I mean, I'm sure lots of people have tried to forget how we felt. But I guess as a team from then, we needed to move forwards and take the learnings from that trip. but we'll see a lot of hard work needed to be done and yeah I think where we've got to now

and the performances that we have shown so far in this tournament I think has shown how much how far we have come what are those changes as a team is almost the identity psychology amongst the individuals yeah I think I guess more confidence in our skills so probably training those skills more or hard I suppose the winter, I guess, you know, in the immediate winter that we've just had, people were doing different things.

You know, some people were playing T20 in different countries around the world. Some people were training and upskilling. But, yeah, I guess where we've got to is, you know, a group of really confidently, these skilled cricketers. Certainly, batters are willing to, you know, stick to their strengths and be really brave about that. that. You know, bowlers have taken on different deliveries and taken on, you know, trying to upskill their execution of what they want to deliver and the thinking around field placings and things like that. So I think, like it is obviously a skill development bit, but also tactically, you know, how we can use different things as well. So, yeah, I think we've worked on a lot,

I guess. What's your message to those players, for those of you that were part of that squad in 2017, about approaching tomorrow? I think just creating the best memories we can. Remember the messaging before the final was trying to enjoy the occasion. We've made it to the big game, but I guess try to be grateful that we're here and try and be really present in everything that we do. So I'll be trying to do that again and trying to,

you know, at different times, taking the noise, taking the crowd, and use that to hopefully my advantage or, yeah, I guess just throughout the day trying to focus on what's in front and have the blinkers on it. When you leave Lords tomorrow, hopefully from your point of view with that trophy in hand, but if not, you know, who knows? Sport can be a funny thing, but what is the one thing you don't want to look? back on and I think we didn't do that right. What is the thing that you have to sort of be aware of

that you have to just make sure you get spot on? I guess it's probably reading the conditions as clear as possible. I guess we've obviously played against the West Indies here a week or a half ago or whatever it was. But yeah, I suppose just making sure that we know exactly what to expect from the wicket that we're playing on and then, yeah, I suppose, switch into that mode of the right decisions about shots or deliveries

or, yeah, opposition that we're playing against. So, yeah, I suppose it's a really crickety thing, but that's what we're here to do. And, yeah, we wouldn't want to leave that unturned. And just finally, and ensuring there's no regrets? Yeah, of course. Yeah, I think, yeah, you don't want to have any what-ifs, I suppose. And you know, if you're feeling confident, take on the shot or take on the delivery that is maybe higher risk, but high reward as well. Yeah, I guess just really keep that communication high throughout, you know, the order or the game or the day.

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She does sound quite relaxed to me. I think having been here before and knowing what it takes in World Cup finals will be a benefit. I mean, had you played as part of this squad hypothetically? I mean, I do remember it was sort of terrifying as a concept even for the women's game to be trying to sell out Lords in 2017 and all of those things that came with it. Well, the fact we had to do a stadium tour, so we all got used to being here. And we'd all been here before because we just didn't play at Lords. and now, luckily, because of the 100 and international fixtures, the girls do play here.

So it's not as daunting as it was in the past. I highly doubt Alice Capsie and Sophie Eccleston have gone around their museum today just to get a feel of what Lott is like. They've played here plenty of times. England against Australia is a fixture, Alex. We've seen a lot of in recent times. We've seen England have success in the 23 Ashes. We've also seen them have a honking old time in Australia, losing 16-0.

She says that they're a very different side. between now and then, will there be scars? Some players will have scars, obviously, and high-pressure moments being knocked out of World Cups. There will be some scars. But I don't think that makes much of a difference because this team have played so different to what we've seen in the last two years.

They do look a completely different side to that side that got booted out by the West Indies in Dubai in that T-20 World Cup. So I think there will be scars against playing in Australia. Of course they will, but there'll also be so much confidence in the turnaround they've had in quite a short period of time. Matt, what's your overall wider perspective of where England are compared to that team? Yeah, I'm...

If you go back six weeks ago before the tournament, I had England as maybe four favourites for this tournament behind definitely Australia, India and then maybe South Africa as well. In the way they've played since then, and obviously now they're in the final, they're heavier favourites than South Africa and India. but I was thinking two weeks ago in England are really impressing me here and have really seemed to have they've got it right off the field you may have read the piece that I did a couple of days ago about how their fieldings improved and that has significantly improved they were so much better

and the sort of the prime example of that was the semi-final against South Africa they're so far ahead of where they were with that sort of thing than where they were in the ashes so that has definitely improved they seem a sort of a calmer team they seem a team that They've not been put them to loads of pressure so far, but when they have, like Nats of a Brunt and Heather Knight in the semi-final, like when someone gets out early and Danny White Hodge stands up and gets a 50. Because don't forget, against Scotland, wasn't it? They lost a wicket first ball.

You could stutter in those situations, but England didn't. They seem to be coming through the trickier situations. Australia could apply a far trickier situation in a final, but they seem in a better place to be able to manage those situations, and I think a lot of that has to come down to the influence of Charlotte Edwards as well. Yeah, I agree with that. She looks like she's enjoying it as well, Charlotte Edwards, almost as if there was a sense of, this is really fun.

We're playing at Lord's or the Oval and we're at a World Cup semi-final, the way she ran onto the field with a big smile on her face the other day. I don't know, it just looks to me like they're not playing with fear. And they always, you know, every sport team says, oh, we can't play with any fear. It looks like they're not playing with fear to me, Alex. And that's what you want them to carry on doing into tomorrow. A World Cup final at Lords, the home crowd behind you. You almost have that 12th man of the crowd,

because there's not going to be very many Australian fans in. I highly doubt. Most people will be here supporting England, so you want them to carry on having fun. You want them to soak up that pressure. But, yeah, one of my favourite moments of this World Cup was seeing Charlotte Edwards run on the pitch to celebrate a wicket. Yes, there was a drinks break,

and there was a clear plan or a little bit of brilliant captaincy from Nat Siverbrunt to keep Lindsay Smith on to get rid of Wolf Park, but we've actually got a past players group that's got loads of past players in it, and I just said, have you ever seen a better thing to happen in English cricket than the head coach Charlotte Edwards running on to celebrate a wiki? It was incredible. Can I ask Alex, do you think, do you get the impression that Charlotte, you played with Charlotte at the beginning, or were around squads with her at the beginning of her career? Do you sense that she's a different character now? I just asked Nat this as to whether she was there. You're not in the dressing room now.

certain suggestions that she's a bit more mellow now. She could be quite, she was an intense character at that point during her player career. She wanted very high standards and would drive the standards of the team. Do you think she's different now? I think she still has very high standards and still drives the standards of the team, but I think probably in a less fiery way, in more of a relaxed way and more of a way that I guess a grown woman would do rather than a woman playing international cricket,

where ultimately you do have to be very, very selfish. It's a selfish sport to be involved in. It's a team game, but it's very individual as well. So, yeah, I reckon she's learnt throughout her coaching career to sort of mellow out, but still be able to drive those high standards. It seems to me that the culture around the squad and around the side, it just feels like it's in a more professional place. I don't know.

And that actually there are a group of grown-ups that seem to be developing. I mean, we had loads of conversations when Heather Knight was thinking, or we were wondering when Heather Knight was going to call it a day as captain about who would be the next obvious leader and actually you're starting to see that thing that you get with Australia where I think there might be three or four candidates here that could end up being quite good captains. Not me, it's Charlie Dean who's been part of it.

I think Heather Knight got the rough end of that though because there were such young girls, young women playing cricket when Heather was in charge and throughout that Ashish series and the World Cup when Heather was in charge. And then obviously a couple of years later you have developed Charlie Dean because Heather wasn't available to captain the London Spirit because she was injured. So Dino took her over. You've got Danny Gibson now captain in at Sunrises Leeds.

And that helps, isn't it, when you've got domestic players playing high-level domestic cricket and captain. Yeah, of course. And then all these players are so much older. You know, Freyke's no longer a 17-year-old. You know, she's a lot older. I don't know how old she is now. But, you know, Sophie Eccleston is a mature adult now rather than just, I guess, not a teenager. but a young 20-year-old that is the world's best

and sort of going about a business with a little bit of ignorance. Now she's really, really switched on and knows her own game. So I feel for Heather because she was captored in kids, all like youngsters within their cricketing age, and now they're all a little bit more mature and a little bit older. I definitely agree with that. I've had a few chats with people around the England team and the two names that, as well as Charlie Dean

and as well as Nats of a Brunt, obviously. Danny Gibson is one that comes up from a leadership perspective. I was told something interesting actually that before the camp when England went to South Africa this winter, when they didn't have any matches, they weren't played intra-squad matches in South Africa. And Danny Gibson

ended up captain in one of those games. I think Nat came home because there was some personal issues, so Danny Gibson captained in one of those games. And she'd never done a pre-match captain interview before on the field. She'd never ever done it. So Sky, our colleagues on TV, were out there filming, and Ian Ward was out there,

and they were doing pieces with it. So England asked, can you treat this as if it's a proper, like a proper match and do, like, so Ian Ward, as he does on TV all the time, he's out there doing the captain's tosses, just so Danny Gibson will get experience of it. So that happened then, so Gibson's developing like that has been a captain,

and then the other name I've heard a lot, and I was very impressed with, and I spoke to a couple of weeks back, is Alice Capsie. I agree. Alice Capsie has grown so much over the last 18 months or so. I think we've always known she was immensely talented. We saw her in the 100 here actually as a 16 year old, didn't we?

She got that 50 for all of Vinciples and she's brilliant. I spoke to her a couple of weeks ago and I thought that is one of the most impressive, just the way that you talk as a young 21-year-old cricketer, I believe she is, yeah, one of the most impressive interviews and press conferences I had dealt with. And it says a lot about actually how Charlotte Edwards has created leaders, created the right culture, and also just quietly, Nat's of a brand as well. Yeah, I also think they're just an honest team now. Do you don't think they were?

No, we talked about the fitness in the field, and they threw it back in our faces, and now they've accepted it, and they've got better and they've got fitter, their fielding's improved, so no, they weren't, and they are now. I think that makes a huge, huge difference. Honestly, every time you look at the comments at the end of a BBC Sport match report or live text, they always say, fielding was so much better, they never thank Alex Hartley. I don't want to thank you, I don't want to thank you.

I have a job to do, don't know, so I was being honest. And look, it was a horrible time for the girls involved and for me. But everyone moves past it. Everyone's moved on. And they are. They are a better side. They're so much better now. And the way they're playing, that isn't enough for me rather than an apology.

Well, that's very good of you. What about Australia then? Because they are, of course, phenomenal and six-time winners. They're always a favourite. Are they infallible? Yeah, Australia are the elephant in the room to the conversation we've just been having out there. We're feeling very positive about how England have played and with good reason because they've been very, very impressive.

The only problem with that is Australia of being equally, if not, even more impressive with the way they've played. They haven't won at the last two World Cups. They didn't win the 50 over World Cup last year. They didn't win that one in the UE before that in Dubai. So it feels strange that a barren spell, the two tournaments is a barren spell suddenly, isn't it? But it does feel like that a little bit for Australia, and they are motivated.

They feel slightly different as a camp. They're now under Sophie Mollonews leadership. I asked at least Perry about that in a press conference a few games ago, and she was talking about how Mollonu is such a people person, and she knows the right moments to say things. People might have seen a clip on social media of Mollonieu coming in to do some sort of funky aerobics in sort of an 80s disco outfit

which is, I'm not sure you to see Meg Lading do that, but maybe, who knows, Alex maybe, or Mike Brealey. Or Mike Brearley or maybe Alyssa Healy either. So it's a different sort of camp or more, I mean it's hard because they're not in there, but it feels a very upbeat camp at least. A very...

They're just still very comfortable in each other's company and they are playing very good cricket, as they often do. They've got young players at the top that haven't won World Cups yet, people like George Oval, who hasn't really fired in tournament. Phoebe Litchfield, who has not won a World Cup. Annabel Sutherland played in 2023 when they won in South Africa, but only played one game, I think, off top of my head

in that tournament. So it's almost been a little bit of a quiet evolution of that team, and it could very easily be the moment that they come good as well, just as it could be for England. Australia is still a dominant team, and they're a very threatening team to play against. They are the best team in the world, but they do have weaknesses. They're a very different team to what they were when Meg Lannin was captain and they have like Matt just said they have developed there's been a little bit of a change players coming in players coming out but the way they have played throughout this tournament England have had all the headlines they've had all the attention which is good for Australia because they've kind of gone under the radar they are

also unbeaten and if England are to win they are going to have to be at their very best can't of course they can yeah they can but you just can't slip up against Australia you can't have a period of ten balls where things go wrong and you start to panic and you lose your head or you can't have a period of ten balls where you don't squat any runs. You know, because Australia will capitalise on that and they will make you know that you are behind the game. So for England to win, I think they had a complete performance against South Africa. Yes, it was that partnership that got them over the line between Nat Siverbrunt and Heather Knight. Nobody else really chipped in, but that showed that you could still get 170 without

contributions from others. They are going to need a very similar performance, if not more runs on the board. It feels as though they do have to be kind of flawless, maybe. And as you go through a tournament, you expect your challenges to get bigger. You know, football teams find that at the World Cup, obviously. And England do need to be at their best. But you sort of sense they could do it.

Yeah, I think so. I'm more confident, and I think England feel more confident. The sense I get from England, and again, chatting to a few people, that they feel they can't have done any more to this point. They're as confident as they're ever going to be going into a final against Australia. It is now just about putting it out there on the field on Sunday

and whether they deliver under pressure. We saw India had Australia three down in that chase, didn't they? In that, chasing 170. Australia were three down, and they still won that with an over to spare, with Ash Gardner and Elise Perry coming through, and that's before you even got down to Annabelle Sutherland and all the rest below her.

So the strength of Australia is fearsome. there will be a massive, massive challenge. England are playing well enough to win, whether they will, who knows? I can't work out. England are underdogs going into tomorrow. There's no doubt about it. But they kind of not because it's a home World Cup. England have never lost a home World Cup.

Everyone's expecting them to win. So it's like, yes, there are underdogs when it comes to skill and playing against Australia, but it's a home tournament. So everyone's like, well, England are not going to win, surely. And at least Perry said that as well. She tried to, I don't know whether she was trying to pile the pressure on as you do in press conferences, but she said, we asked, are your favourites? And she was like, oh, well, I thought England would be given there at home and that sort of thing.

So there are always games in these sort of situations aren't there. And there's a piece on the BBC website today that our colleague Fion's written about whether England have mental scarring or anything and how hard that is to do with coming back from a 16-0 Ashes defeat as was. So we'll see. England say they aren't thinking about the Ashes, that they're just happy to treat this game in its own right as a World Cup final. I think that is probably the way to go, rather than trying to have any extra motivation from the Ashes. You can't think about that series.

I think there's such a different team now. And also Australia are a very different team. No, Alyssa Healy as part of things. And things have moved on for both sides in actually quite a short period of time. So the hope will be that we're not having conversations about whether England needed a stroll. between Bondi and could you, or through Little Venice or whatever it might be. Where the game has won and lost, Alex, toss, how important is that going to be? Not as important because it's an earlier start, isn't it?

So the floodlights won't take full effect, it won't be dark. Runs on the board in World Cup finals are incredibly important. But then again, we know a lot of teams would prefer to chase throughout this World Cup. So I don't think the toss is as important as it could have been if it was a 630 start. but where the games won and lost is who holds their nerve for the longest for me. I always think with Australia they're most vulnerable when they bat first and don't think they've got to really push it and they're sort of comfortable with a good total without being a totally match-winning one.

Yeah, I just wonder with that when you have George Ovales Opener and Phoebe Litchfield is your number three, whether that will ever happen. I know that has been an issue in the past, but those who are so attacking, I wonder whether you would ever get into a world where they are not fully going for it. Obviously, you could get those two out early and then that might happen. Absolutely, early wickets has not really been England's strong point in this tournament.

They've done well in the power play, but even the other day against South Africa, South Africa got to 43 for none, I think it was, final over the power play before they got that wicket of Laura Woolvart. So, yeah, the wickets will be important. Alex, I remember speaking to you standing behind the back of the pavilion. remember that interview? No.

What do you remember from the World Carfoy? I told you, half of my life, if not a 70% of my life, I forget about. I don't know what's wrong with. I would have hoped meeting me would have been such a marvellous, poignant moment for you. I did do it into Jeff Lemon and Adam Collins,

I remember that one. Yeah, there you go, there you go. Thank you very much. It's a massively different landscape now, though, isn't it, Matt? Let's be honest. I'm just sort of finished by talking about the event itself, and yeah,

have Reacherora is going to be here and, you know, global pop stars and all that sort of thing. But it doesn't feel like, goodness me, women's cricket, international lords, and oh my word, they're going to sell it out. It's not like that, like it was nine years ago. Definitely. And I quite enjoy the fact that we are beyond that point that we don't need to. Things are impressive and you flag them when they're impressive, like record group stage crowds or record crowds at the Oval like we got the other day.

And you mention them when they happen. But we're at a point now where they're not the story. expected and the cricket is the story and I think that's what England have done so well and there'll be plenty of time for discussion after this tournament about what success it has been and what success looks like and they've always had this tough battle with the football World Cup going on at the same time and I think everyone would be very happy at lords that the football England's match against Mexico has not been moved forward because I think that was going to cause a lot of problems if that was the case of people whichever team wins getting their moments in the

limelight if England was starting in the football street afterwards. But yeah, we've got a lot of time for that sort of thing. Tomorrow and what I've enjoyed is that the cricket has been of very good quality and has rightly been celebrated for that. What would be your advice, Alex, to those players that haven't been through a World Cup, final at Lords, home crowd, everything else. From what you learnt that day, I hope you can remember some of this now, what would you say to those players?

Embrace it, enjoy it, soak it up, soak up the atmosphere. But then as soon as you cross the line, switch off, because you do, the crowd is loud and they are proud, but you almost do ignore it when you're out in the middle and you have a job to do. And when you're singing the national anthem at the start of the day, have a look around, look for your family, look at everybody that's singing that national anthem,

they're all on their feet and they're right behind you as players. So that's the moment to enjoy it. And then as soon as the five-minute bell rings, yes, you can still enjoy the cricket and you can still enjoy the atmosphere, but switch on. And they do not want to be leaving the ground with regrets? No. And I don't think they will.

Whatever happens tomorrow, they have played a brilliant way throughout this World Cup and I hope the occasion doesn't get too much. I can't imagine that it does. And, you know, whatever happens tomorrow, they have made everybody proud. They've played brilliantly throughout this tournament. Yeah, I fully agree.

I think it's not a free hit because I know that word's been thrown out for me. It's not because a World Cup final can never be. You want to go and win the tournament. But I feel like we have seen things are changing with this England team, they were in such a difficult place after the Ashes and when Charlotte Edwards took over, that there wasn't that much belief around the team. I feel like that belief is very much back because fans, we felt it at the Oval the other day, people really do believe

in this team again, and I think that is quite important, and I don't think that will change depending on what happens in the final, because I think they've shown that they are a very competent and very effective team. We shall wait and see. Thank you very much, Alex. Thank you, Matt. Test match special is on air on Sunday afternoon at 3pm. So do look out for us on Sports Extra on BBC sounds and across the BBC.

Loads of material on the website as well to get stuck into previewing the final, looking back a little bit at the competition and also assessing the England-Australia rivalry too. So much to enjoy there. And on BBC Sounds, make sure that you subscribe to the Test Match Special Podcast. Hit that subscribe button, push your notifications on, and you will never miss a thing. Thanks so much for joining us. We'll speak you soon. The TMS Podcast on BBC Sounds.

Five Live Sports. So here's the first ball of this series. All the cricket you laugh. Check, Relby W. Ouch. Lips on BBC Sounds. Smash. Straight back.

Down the ground, this girl. Here ball by ball coverage of the biggest competitions on the domestic and international circuits. It's a ball cricket and it's the huge one. Jeez, horse. Settled out of it. Cricot on Five Live Sport. Oh, blipping every ball of this.

Listen on BBC Sounds. He's widely recognised as one of the greatest footballers in history. He's won the prestigious Ballandeur Award five times. He's the all-time leading goal scorer in professional football. And according to the Bloomberg, Billionaires Index, he's the first active footballer in history to achieve billionaire status. Guess who we're talking about yet? That's right. Good Bad Billionaire is exploring the life and fortune of football icon

Cristiano Ronaldo. That's Good Bad Billionaire from the BBC World Service. Listen now, wherever you get your BBC podcasts.