England are 271/8 after Day 1 of the fift Ashes Test at The Oval. 

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Title track - Urthboy, Stories. www.urthboy.com / www.elefanttraks.com.

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Ashes Daily: The Oval Day 1

Cricket for everyone – your friendly guide to the world's strangest sport. Geoff Lemon and Adam Collins combine match analysis with irreverence, politics and cricket history as they follow the game they love around the world and run in-depth interviews with guests. You can support the show at patreon.com/thefinalword.

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It's Story Time, our weekly walk through cricket history via your listener quiz challenges. This week, a search for the greatest Welsh all-rounder, and another search for a run out of historical significance. We have a caller on the line sounds weirdly like Steven Finn, an unexpected link from Bradman to Murali, and a song of praise for the most swoon-worthy wrist position of all.

Your Nerd Pledge numbers this week:
10.00 - Anna Forsyth
4.00 - Amelia Vine
4.78 - Ed Barr-Sim
9.51 - Darragh O'Donovan

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Title track by Urthboy
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Story Time 178 – Wherever you go, there is Gary Pratt

Season 1, Ep 5: Reloading lost episodes from the early Final Word. Partway through a busy Australian tour of England in 2015, it was time to take stock of the short format. We started in The Cricketers pub in Cardiff, recording with Melinda Farrell after the Women's Ashes had just finished with three T20s. Two new women's T20 competitions were soon to start in Australia's Big Bash and England's Super League. So we spoke about the start of men's professional T20s in 2003 with Paul Robertson, the man who led that charge. Then we dropped in on journalist Peter Miller to talk T20 evangelism and look at the upcoming 50-over series between Australia and England men. On new recruit Jason Roy: "I think he'll do a pretty good job at the top of the order."
This season was originally recorded for the ABC - this is the extended edition, restoring removed material.

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Archive ep: The beginnings of T20 cricket, from a Cardiff pub

Season 16, Episode 6: One of our staples is to speak with Lawrence Booth, the editor of the Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack, on the day of its release in the Lord’s Library. In this, his 13th edition in charge, no punches are pulled. As he says in his editors’ notes, it’s clear that the future of Test cricket, beyond the wealthiest nations, really is at the crossroads. And as always, there’s so much more celebrating the year that was – forthright and thoughtful, the good book is doing exactly as it should.

Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword

Get your 10% discount on top-notch kit from Serious Cricket.
Use FINALWORD24 at checkout --> seriouscricket.co.uk

Get that sweet Nord VPN discount - nordvpn.com/tfw
Run or donate to the 2024 Edinburgh Marathon for the Lord's Taverners
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Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com
Title track by Urthboy
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Wisden 2024 with Lawrence Booth

Season 16, Episode 5: Deep into western Victoria, in the land around Harrow and Edenhope, was the home of the great cricketer Unaarrimin, more broadly known as Johnny Mullagh. We've told the story before of his 1868 Aboriginal team that toured England. Last weekend, Geoff headed to Harrow for commemorative matches between the veterans' Indigenous teams of Victoria and New South Wales. It was something special. Also this week, our county cricket updates, some rare multi-day domestic cricket for India's women, and our IPL wrap.

Your Nerd Pledge number this week:
7.64 - Satchmo Distel

Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword

Get your 10% discount on top-notch kit from Serious Cricket.
Use FINALWORD24 at checkout --> seriouscricket.co.uk

Get that sweet Nord VPN discount - nordvpn.com/tfw
Run or donate to the 2024 Edinburgh Marathon for the Lord's Taverners
All links at linktr.ee/thefinalword

Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com
Title track by Urthboy
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A new Indigenous gathering at an ancient place

Ben Bloom - Batting for Time: The Fight to Keep English Cricket Alive
Moreso by the year, the future of domestic cricket in England is up for grabs. Operating in a squeezed schedule at the same time franchise tournaments are changing the global landscape, the place of the County Championship and many of its clubs is complicated like never before. In 2023, Ben Bloom explored the underlying issues by interviewing 100 people in the thick of things. The result is this fine and important book, which has made headlines at the start of a new season. He spoke with Adam, appropriately during a county game, at The Oval in London.
Get the book: https://www.pitchpublishing.co.uk/shop/batting-time

Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword

Get your 10% discount on top-notch kit from Serious Cricket.
Use FINALWORD24 at checkout --> seriouscricket.co.uk

Get that sweet Nord VPN discount - nordvpn.com/tfw
Run or donate to the 2024 Edinburgh Marathon for the Lord's Taverners
All links at linktr.ee/thefinalword

Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com
Title track by Urthboy
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Ashes Daily: The Oval Day 1

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