The Final Word with Ryan Campbell

We've done a lot of interviews by now. There are times, once in a while, when you sit down with someone and just know that they're ready to speak. They have things to say, and we just need to invite it.

Ryan Campbell was one like that. 

Not many cricket people have a more varied story. A wicketkeeping-batting pioneer alongside Adam Gilchrist, a part of Australia's greatest era, an early retiree, a life in Hong Kong that culminated in playing for a second country, years coaching and forming close bonds with a third in Netherlands. 

There was his near-death experience this year, and the after effects of coming to terms with something he can't remember. There are the links between having a young family while looking after a varied group of young cricketers. There is his Dutch career ending in Australia at a World Cup, coming full circle with the triumphs and frustrations of his playing career, as he works out what might be next. 

Audio is here. That was Season 13, Ep 5.2. There was also a pre-episode that ended up going for too long. 

Tim Paine is annoyed

Season 13, Ep 5.2: So we've split off this half episode, in which upcoming book releases from Tim Paine and Faf du Plessis re-open recent unpleasant episodes, as Geoff and Adam convene in our home town of Melbourne.

Audio is here.

Your Nerd Pledge number this week:
2.99 – Tim Harding & Dannish Babar.

Story Time 110 – Teriyaki on a Thursday night

This week, an abandoned Adelaide department store takes centre stage, along with another City of Churches link to a pioneering family from Gujarat. We have 5-a-side goalkeepers, the West Gippsland Cricket Association, and Boris Johnson pulls out.

Your Nerd Pledge numbers this week:
3.37 - Alex Veljanovski
2.30 - Sebastian Greers
13.62 - Andrew Lowcock
1.43 - Matt Keane
5.50 - Joel Burton
16.10 - James Ralston

Audio is here.

The T20 World Cup Daily

Up the top is a video from Bharat and Geoff at the MCG for India-Pakistan, a packed match in which Geoff was called up at the last minute when Jonathan Agnew was deemed to sick to do BBC commentary. We've been shooting these every night, and occasionally the next morning when circumstances demand. You can find those shows in the feed, of course, and if you feel like hitting some buttons on the YouTube channel as well then it all helps placate the algorithm. 

We're also back working with CBUS Super, which TFW old hands will remember as the first ever sponsor, covering the World Cup Daily in 2019 and helping us come up with the concept of The Final Word Hall of Fame. 

Off to Brisbane for both of us tomorrow, for a flying visit, then Adelaide after that. We're looking at doing a live recording in Melbourne two days before the final, on November 11.