Season 7, Ep 17: Less than two years ago South Africa crushed Australia 3-1. Since then they've had a dire World Cup and consistent Test losses, while the national administration has fallen into chaos. With England having just polished off a series 1-3 in Johannesburg, the show this week features Neil Manthorp to explain the situation in the Rainbow Nation. Also Geoff is back from holiday, Daniel Norcross has sent notes on our progress through World War II, and there's Nerd Pledge and the early rumblings of the approaching Women's T20 World Cup.

Thanks to our friends at Future Talent

The Final Word listener discount for Wisden Cricket Monthly is at bit.ly/wcmfinal

Send in a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword

Listen to past episodes at finalwordcricket.com

The Final Word is produced by Bad Producer Productions

Title track by Urthboy

Support the show: https://patreon.com/thefinalword

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Season 7, Ep 16: Daniel Norcross joins Adam Collins from beneath a Douglas Jardine portrait to discuss England's success in South Africa and Australia's tour that never should have been in India. More importantly, Dan Christian joins The Final Word to detail the considerable strides being taken to better integrate Indigenous Australians into this great game. 

Then back to the silly stuff: more Nerd Pledge, some additional phrases for our banned list and the finer details of Operation Mincemeat. 

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Season 7, Ep 15: Daniel Norcross steps in for Geoff to join Adam Collins for The Final Word's weekly dance around the cricket universe. From Mumbai to Melbourne, then over to Port Elizabeth, they've got you covered. Of course, this episode includes another rousing edition of Nerd Pledge.

Thanks to our friends at Future Talent

The Final Word listener discount for Wisden Cricket Monthly is at bit.ly/wcmfinal

Send in a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword

Listen to past episodes at finalwordcricket.com

The Final Word is produced by Bad Producer Productions

Title track by Urthboy

Support the show: https://patreon.com/thefinalword

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Season 7, Ep 14: After hammering New Zealand one final time, the pause button is hit on the home international summer. But that doesn't mean the cricket world slows down: a magnificent finish at Newlands was perfectly timed as the debate surrounding four-day Tests heats up. 

Before signing off, there's time for some Nerd Pledge before Geoff and Adam catch up with old friend Sunny Munn. 

Thanks to our friends at Future Talent

The Final Word listener discount for Wisden Cricket Monthly is at bit.ly/wcmfinal

Send in a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword

Listen to past episodes at finalwordcricket.com

The Final Word is produced by Bad Producer Productions

Title track by Urthboy

Support the show: https://patreon.com/thefinalword

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Season 7, Ep 13: You know what New Year's Eve means on The Final Word? It's time for our biggest show of the year. We have our Best and Worst of 2019. Our highlights and lowlights, and some of our best memories. An Adam Baby Update. Some more Nerd Pledge. Several arguments. One apology. A farewell to Peter Siddle. The Boxing Day Test, and the other Boxing Day Test (in Melbourne and in Johannesburg). Our hard-fought WBBL All Time Team picked from the first five years of the comp. And given the week's discussion over the future of the Boxing Day Test, an interview with Paul Sinclair from the Australian Conservation Foundation. There's a lot here. Laughter. Tears. Singing. Ring in 2020 with us.

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Season 7, Ep 12: It's Christmas Eve, and like last year with Harsha Bhogle, we decided to settle down around the fire (of Australia's merciless record-breaking sun) for a long chat with someone good at long chats. Mel Jones won World Cups and made an Ashes ton on debut, but has had an even more distinguished career in cricket after her playing days. In demand as a commentator and mentor worldwide, she has just joined the board of Cricket Australia to try to be a voice for good. A lot of fun and a lot of insight in this conversation. Merry Christmas.

The Final Word listener discount for Wisden Cricket Monthly is at bit.ly/wcmfinal

Send in a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword

Listen to past episodes at finalwordcricket.com

The Final Word is produced by Bad Producer Productions

Title track by Urthboy

Support the show: https://patreon.com/thefinalword

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Season 7, Ep 11: The ABC Investigations unit has just released its exposé of one of the biggest sports betting companies, whose name is all over cricket. This episode we speak to Steve Cannane, the Walkley-winning lead journalist on the case, about what he found. We also get to the Perth Test, the WBBL finals, Nerd Pledge, and a faint summer hint of a new segment.

Support the show: https://patreon.com/thefinalword

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Season 7, Ep 10: Look, it's true: pretty much all triple hundreds been made against dross bowling on flat pitches. They're still amazing.

The Final Word this week covers Warner's triple, Root's captaincy, New Zealand's likelihood of choking in Australia, the WBBL late-season frenzy, our Adelaide live show, and and whatever else we stumbled upon on the way.

Send us your Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword

Listen to all our episodes at finalwordcricket.com

The Final Word is produced by Bad Producer Productions

Title track by Urthboy: www.elefanttraks.com

Support the show: https://patreon.com/thefinalword

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Season 7, Ep 9: Three Test matches at the same time? Yes please. Adam and Geoff run the desert comb over Australia and Pakistan at the Gabba, India and Bangladesh at Eden Gardens, and New Zealand versus England at The Mountain, which the Kiwis won live while we were recording the show. Also, Harsha versus Manjrekar, which wasn't much of a contest, and the WBBL. And a closing tribute to Phillip Hughes, five years on.

Support the show: https://patreon.com/thefinalword

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Season 7, Ep 8: After handing down Steve Smith's ban, Cricket Australia took the unusual step of linking the player with Maurice Duffy, an Irish academic who describes his job as a 'mindset coach'. The pair worked together throughout that year and through Smith's remarkable Ashes series that followed. We caught up with Maurice to talk about how the relationship.

Also, our comprehensive Women's Big Bash wrap, a look at bans for James Pattinson and Em Smith, and a brief flirtation with Nerd Pledge.

Send us your Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword

Listen to all our episodes at finalwordcricket.com

The Final Word is produced by Bad Producer Productions

Title track by Urthboy: www.elefanttraks.com

Support the show: https://patreon.com/thefinalword

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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