It's Story Time, our walk through cricket history via your listener quiz challenges. This week gradually builds into one of our more absurd episdoes, as we get sunburnt on the south bank of the Yarra River with Nerd Pledge Sleuth Group member Glenn Finkelde. Glenn brings the tale of one of first-class crickets most substantial and poignant anomalies, among some appropriate loops back to previous MCG high points, and the tale of an original ant-fascist agitator who was very much our kind of guy a century ago. Your Nerd Pledge numbers this week: 2.22 - Tom Sloan 26.00 - Glenn Finkelde 2.00 - John Leather 19.19 - Michael Cooney Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Maurice Blackburn Lawyers - fighting for the rights of workers since 1919: mauriceblackburn.com.au Sort your super with CBUS on their 40th birthday: cbussuper.com.au Get 10% off Glenn Maxwell's sunnies: t20vision.com/FINALWORD Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Australia India Daily, 5th Test, Sydney review: A five-Test series comes to an end, as India and Australia extend their contest back to the size it once was in the 1970s. It was quite a ride, from the stunning opening day at Perth until the crash-bang finish in Sydney. Adam and Geoff run the rule over the series and think about the future for both teams. Come to the last show of our national tour! Sydney January 7 - with SIMON KATICH and GLENN MAXWELL Tickets at linktr.ee/thefinalword Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Maurice Blackburn Lawyers - fighting for the rights of workers since 1919: mauriceblackburn.com.au Sort your super with CBUS on their 40th birthday: cbussuper.com.au Get 10% off Glenn Maxwell's sunnies: t20vision.com/FINALWORD Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Australia India Daily, 5th Test, Sydney Day 3: After two series wins in Australia, the Indian team could not make it three in a row. Well, we already knew that before the fifth Test in Sydney, but they still could tied up the series and gone home with the trophy. By day three of the match, the pitch was getting even more spicy and the batting was anything but easy. It was down to who could wobble less in the closing stages, while the biggest story was the absence of Jasprit Bumrah. Come to the last show of our national tour! Sydney January 7 - with SIMON KATICH and GLENN MAXWELL Tickets at linktr.ee/thefinalword Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Maurice Blackburn Lawyers - fighting for the rights of workers since 1919: mauriceblackburn.com.au Sort your super with CBUS on their 40th birthday: cbussuper.com.au Get 10% off Glenn Maxwell's sunnies: t20vision.com/FINALWORD Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Australia India Daily, 5th Test, Sydney Day 2: Goodness us, you can't look away from this match for long. If it wasn't 11 wickets on day one, it was 15 of them on day 2, along with a debut 50 from one camp and a near-national record for fastest 50 from the other. Sixes rained but bowlers reigned, as a fast and furious contest gets as tight as can be on the last bend. Come to the last show of our national tour! Sydney January 7 - with SIMON KATICH and GLENN MAXWELL Tickets at linktr.ee/thefinalword Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Maurice Blackburn Lawyers - fighting for the rights of workers since 1919: mauriceblackburn.com.au Sort your super with CBUS on their 40th birthday: cbussuper.com.au Get 10% off Glenn Maxwell's sunnies: t20vision.com/FINALWORD Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Australia India Daily, 5th Test, Sydney Day 1: There won't be one point of argument today, there will be about half a dozen. Steve Smith's low catch, or was it? Washington Sundar's glove, or was it? Sam Konstas managing to get Jasprit Bumrah angry, and was it a terrible idea? All that and more, plus Scott Boland is still the Australian nation's beloved, and the Rohit Sharma decision has been made. Come to the last show of our national tour! Sydney January 7 - with SIMON KATICH and GLENN MAXWELL Tickets at linktr.ee/thefinalword Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Maurice Blackburn Lawyers - fighting for the rights of workers since 1919: mauriceblackburn.com.au Sort your super with CBUS on their 40th birthday: cbussuper.com.au Get 10% off Glenn Maxwell's sunnies: t20vision.com/FINALWORD Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Australia India Daily, 5th Test, Sydney preview: Beau Webster has officially banged the door down for Test selection, confirmed as the man who will debut, at Mitch Marsh's expense, in this vital final BGT Test. As for India, the information from the coach Gautam Gambhir is that Rohit Sharma isn't certain to play. Make of that what you will. Adam Collins has Tom Decent with him, on co-hosting debut, to review a fascinating preview day at the SCG. Also, a recap of their night at the Prime Minister's residence with the teams, where Sam Konstas stole the show again. Come to the last show of our national tour! Sydney January 7 - with SIMON KATICH and GLENN MAXWELL Tickets at linktr.ee/thefinalword Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Maurice Blackburn Lawyers - fighting for the rights of workers since 1919: mauriceblackburn.com.au Sort your super with CBUS on their 40th birthday: cbussuper.com.au Get 10% off the brilliant Maxi sunnies - the perfect Christmas gift t20vision.com/FINALWORD Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Season 17, Ep 18: It's a Final Word tradition. At the end of each year, we sit down and look at the things that worked and the things that didn't, the things that hurt and the things that healed. Also this week, our farewell to colleague Greg Baum as he finishes up his full-time job at The Age, the Bulawayo bat-a-thon, Docklands is Death Valley again, the women's Ashes squads are released, and a few other bits besides. Happy New Year. Come to the last show of our national tour! Sydney January 7 - with SIMON KATICH and GLENN MAXWELL Tickets at linktr.ee/thefinalword Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Maurice Blackburn Lawyers - fighting for the rights of workers since 1919: mauriceblackburn.com.au Sort your super with CBUS on their 40th birthday: cbussuper.com.au Get 10% off Glenn Maxwell's sunnies: t20vision.com/FINALWORD Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Australia India Daily, 4th Test, Melbourne review: It's the question the Indian captain wasn't asked after the Melbourne classic: should he hand over to Jasprit Bumrah for India's must-win encounter at Sydney? Adam has Bharat Sundaresan with him to consider this, whether Australia will have to change their XI, and plenty more, on the final night of 2024. Come to the last show of our national tour! Sydney January 7 - with SIMON KATICH and GLENN MAXWELL Tickets at linktr.ee/thefinalword Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Maurice Blackburn Lawyers - fighting for the rights of workers since 1919: mauriceblackburn.com.au Sort your super with CBUS on their 40th birthday: cbussuper.com.au Get 10% off the brilliant Maxi sunnies - the perfect Christmas gift t20vision.com/FINALWORD Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Australia India Daily, 4th Test, Melbourne Day 5: When a Test match gets inside the last hour on Day 5 with mutliple results in play, you know you've had a good time. So did everybody who showed up to the MCG, an absurd crowd of 373,000 people across five days. What a finish it was, with Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rishabh Pant stepping up, Pat Cummins never giving up, Scott Boland doing his MCG work again, and Nathan Lyon nipping at their heels. A brilliant end to the fourth Test. Come to the last show of our national tour! Sydney January 7 - with SIMON KATICH and GLENN MAXWELL Tickets at linktr.ee/thefinalword Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Maurice Blackburn Lawyers - fighting for the rights of workers since 1919: mauriceblackburn.com.au Sort your super with CBUS on their 40th birthday: cbussuper.com.au Get 10% off the brilliant Maxi sunnies - the perfect Christmas gift t20vision.com/FINALWORD Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Australia India Daily, 4th Test, Melbourne Day 4: Every time we think that maybe Bumrah's moments can't keep coming, the next one arrives. The MCG was rocking and rolling on Day 4, as the Test match swung one way and then the other, with Australia's lead in real danger of being well short. Now we're set up for a perfect last day. Come to the last show of our national tour! Sydney January 7 - with SIMON KATICH and GLENN MAXWELL Tickets at linktr.ee/thefinalword Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Maurice Blackburn Lawyers - fighting for the rights of workers since 1919: mauriceblackburn.com.au Sort your super with CBUS on their 40th birthday: cbussuper.com.au Get 10% off the brilliant Maxi sunnies - the perfect Christmas gift t20vision.com/FINALWORD Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Australia India Daily, 4th Test, Melbourne Day 3: One of the great MCG hundreds, on a day with a wonder that you might not expect if you just looked at the score. India were down and out after the first session, with Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja lopped off. What followed was an extraordinary display of character and skill from a pair of young players who will always have this day. Thanks to them, the match remains alive. Come to the last show of our national tour! Sydney January 7 - with SIMON KATICH and GLENN MAXWELL Tickets at linktr.ee/thefinalword Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Catch the Pro Kabaddi League next to the MCG on December 28 johncainarena.com.au/event/pro-kabaddi-league-melbourne-raid-2024 Maurice Blackburn Lawyers - fighting for the rights of workers since 1919: mauriceblackburn.com.au Sort your super with CBUS on their 40th birthday: cbussuper.com.au Get 10% off the brilliant Maxi sunnies - the perfect Christmas gift t20vision.com/FINALWORD Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Australia India Daily, 4th Test, Melbourne Day 2: Starting the day with the possibility of pressing an advantage, Australia went ahead and did so in grand style, with another big day for a resurgent Steve Smith. Meanwhile, Pat Cummins could do little wrong with bat or ball, Virat Kohli had another meltdown, and Rohit Sharma looks bereft of confidence or ideas. Come to the last show of our national tour! Sydney January 7 - with SIMON KATICH and GLENN MAXWELL Tickets at linktr.ee/thefinalword Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Catch the Pro Kabaddi League next to the MCG on December 28 johncainarena.com.au/event/pro-kabaddi-league-melbourne-raid-2024 Maurice Blackburn Lawyers - fighting for the rights of workers since 1919: mauriceblackburn.com.au Sort your super with CBUS on their 40th birthday: cbussuper.com.au Get 10% off the brilliant Maxi sunnies - the perfect Christmas gift t20vision.com/FINALWORD Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Australia India Daily, 4th Test, Melbourne Day 1: After all the build-up, the day delivered. Starting with Sam Konstas, who was even more spectacular than speculation might have suggested, before Jasprit Bumrah once again was the man for India to exert some influence on the contest. It was scorching hot in the field and on the field, especially when Virat Kohli clashed with his young opponent. Come to the last show of our national tour! Sydney January 7 - with SIMON KATICH and GLENN MAXWELL Tickets at linktr.ee/thefinalword Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Catch the Pro Kabaddi League next to the MCG on December 28 johncainarena.com.au/event/pro-kabaddi-league-melbourne-raid-2024 Maurice Blackburn Lawyers - fighting for the rights of workers since 1919: mauriceblackburn.com.au Sort your super with CBUS on their 40th birthday: cbussuper.com.au Get 10% off the brilliant Maxi sunnies - the perfect Christmas gift t20vision.com/FINALWORD Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Australia India Daily, 4th Test, Melbourne preview: Merry Christmas! We've never recorded a show on the 25th of December before but a BGT series poised as well as this requires it. Adam has Bharat with him, who has been at the 'G all week keeping his eye on the new man Sam Konstas while playing media peacemaker. Drive safe everyone, see you tomorrow! Come to the last show of our national tour! Sydney January 7 - with SIMON KATICH and GLENN MAXWELL Tickets at linktr.ee/thefinalword Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Catch the Pro Kabaddi League next to the MCG on December 28 johncainarena.com.au/event/pro-kabaddi-league-melbourne-raid-2024 Maurice Blackburn Lawyers - fighting for the rights of workers since 1919: mauriceblackburn.com.au Sort your super with CBUS on their 40th birthday: cbussuper.com.au Get 10% off the brilliant Maxi sunnies - the perfect Christmas gift t20vision.com/FINALWORD Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Merry Christmas, all. Continuing our Christmas series of sitting down with a much-loved cricket person, let's do it once again with Australia's greatest pure wicketkeeper, Ian Healy. Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Come to our last live show! Sydney January 7 - with Simon Katich and Glenn Maxwell Tickets at linktr.ee/thefinalword Catch the Pro Kabaddi League next to the MCG on December 28 johncainarena.com.au/event/pro-kabaddi-league-melbourne-raid-2024 Maurice Blackburn Lawyers - fighting for the rights of workers since 1919: mauriceblackburn.com.au Sort your super with CBUS on their 40th birthday: cbussuper.com.au Get 10% off Glenn Maxwell's sunglasses - great for Christmas gift t20vision.com/FINALWORD Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's Story Time, our walk through cricket history via your listener quiz challenges. This week, following on from searching for the biggest bastard in the game, we've instead found the nicest one. Or at least, that's our guess. Also, the tale of a man named Huge Massive (at least by us), a candidate for India's unluckiest batter, and somebody who was the best at most things but also the worst at one thing. Your Nerd Pledge numbers this week: 2.49 - Bernhard Sayer 2.62 - Rahul Venkat 3.10 - Will Day 2.06 - Darryl Richardson Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Come to our live shows! Melbourne December 22 - with RICKY PONTING and Glenn Maxwell Sydney January 7 - with SIMON KATICH and Glenn Maxwell Tickets at linktr.ee/thefinalword Catch the Pro Kabaddi League next to the MCG on December 28 johncainarena.com.au/event/pro-kabaddi-league-melbourne-raid-2024 Maurice Blackburn Lawyers - fighting for the rights of workers since 1919: mauriceblackburn.com.au Sort your super with CBUS on their 40th birthday: cbussuper.com.au Get 10% off Glenn Maxwell's sunglasses - great for Christmas gift t20vision.com/FINALWORD Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Season 17, Episode 16: It's been a tough entree to Test cricket, but it looks like Nathan McSweeney's time is up. For now. At least, that's the reporting, while we wait for the Australian camp to confirm. Geoff and Adam talk through another opening batting experiment. Also this week, the washup from England v New Zealand including Ben Stokes bowling himself towards more injury, the women's Test in South Africa, World Test Championship ramifications, Jason Gillespie's formal departure from the Pakistan job, and a cricketing world wrap from the Big Bash to Bulawayo. Come to our live shows! Melbourne December 22 - with RICKY PONTING (and Maxi) Sydney January 7 - with SIMON KATICH (and Maxi) Tickets at linktr.ee/thefinalword Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Catch the Pro Kabaddi League next to the MCG on December 28 johncainarena.com.au/event/pro-kabaddi-league-melbourne-raid-2024 Maurice Blackburn Lawyers - fighting for the rights of workers since 1919: mauriceblackburn.com.au Sort your super with CBUS on their 40th birthday: cbussuper.com.au Get 10% off Glenn Maxwell's sunglasses - great for Christmas gift t20vision.com/FINALWORD Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Australia India Daily, 3rd Test, Brisbane review: One day after a rare Test to actually span the five days - thanks to the weather rather than the hectic speed of play - there are various storylines bubbling along in the Australian camp ahead of Boxing Day. Biggest of all, though, the very strange mid-series departure of Ravichandran Ashwin. Much more has come to light about the champion spinner quitting the game, so we look at that, as well as his mighty career and why we enjoyed his work so fully. Come to our live shows! Melbourne December 22 - with RICKY PONTING Sydney January 7 Tickets at linktr.ee/thefinalword Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Catch the Pro Kabaddi League next to the MCG on December 28 johncainarena.com.au/event/pro-kabaddi-league-melbourne-raid-2024 Maurice Blackburn Lawyers - fighting for the rights of workers since 1919: mauriceblackburn.com.au Sort your super with CBUS on their 40th birthday: cbussuper.com.au Get 10% off the brilliant Maxi sunnies - the perfect Christmas gift t20vision.com/FINALWORD Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Australia India Daily, 3rd Test, Brisbane Day 5: It was wet, but it was wild. Rain kept playing its part on the last day at Brisbane, but not before an absolutely manic session that may have implications for the whole series going forward. Jasprit Bumrah can't stop being unbelievable, Australia have more questions to consider, and as if that wasn't enough, Ravichandran Ashwin announced a snap retirement. Come to our live shows! Melbourne December 22 - with RICKY PONTING Sydney January 7 Tickets at linktr.ee/thefinalword Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Catch the Pro Kabaddi League next to the MCG on December 28 johncainarena.com.au/event/pro-kabaddi-league-melbourne-raid-2024 Maurice Blackburn Lawyers - fighting for the rights of workers since 1919: mauriceblackburn.com.au Sort your super with CBUS on their 40th birthday: cbussuper.com.au Get 10% off the brilliant Maxi sunnies - the perfect Christmas gift t20vision.com/FINALWORD Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Australia India Daily, 3rd Test, Brisbane Day 4: God bless the follow-on! What could have been a fairly dull day of cricket between rain delays became a wholesome and delightful one thanks to one simple thing: a team trying to finish fewer than 200 runs behind another team. Whoever came up with that plan, a blessing on your head. Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins took on a huge job after Josh Hazlewood went down injured, KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja did the spadework, then it was all down to Jasprit Bumrah and Akash Deep. Come to our live shows! Melbourne December 22 - with RICKY PONTING and GLENN MAXWELL Sydney January 7 Tickets at linktr.ee/thefinalword Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Catch the Pro Kabaddi League next to the MCG on December 28 johncainarena.com.au/event/pro-kabaddi-league-melbourne-raid-2024 Maurice Blackburn Lawyers - fighting for the rights of workers since 1919: mauriceblackburn.com.au Sort your super with CBUS on their 40th birthday: cbussuper.com.au Get 10% off the brilliant Maxi sunnies - the perfect Christmas gift t20vision.com/FINALWORD Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices