The Final Word goes to Brazil

Season 9, Ep 25: You may not associate Brazil with cricket. You may not know that 14 women recently won the country's first central contracts. But the game has been afoot in Brazil for some time, using innovative ways to help cricket take root rather than being transplanted from overseas, and in the process helping young Brazilians from disadvantaged places. It's one hell of a tale, and we're joined by national captain Roberta Moretti and Cricket Brasil head Matt Featherstone to tell it.

Also this week: Afghanistan work hard to win a Test against Zimbabwe, while also becoming an unlikely bargaining chip between Channel Seven and Cricket Australia. South Africa's women and England's men put on a stirring display in limited-overs matches in India. And our humble show passes the 2 million mark.

Your Nerd Pledge numbers this week:
4.00 – Andrew Gilbertson
2.47 – Jono Haylen
5.71 – Sukrit Munjal

This is that Stan McCabe statue that Adam keeps talking about, the one that had Steve Waugh modelling the hook shot.

Story Time 38 – The Dera Ismail Khan disco

We're now a serious chance to take a Final Word team to Pakistan next year, judging by the enthusiastic volunteers getting in touch, and it's all due to this episode.

Perhaps the greatest tale we have yet told on Story Time. Get ready to learn about the disco to end all discos. We also feature the hottest vigil, some cryptic clippers, the longest gun in the West, the best in women's Tests, more mathematics clues that we're not qualified to solve, another trip to 1930s India, the sunniest day for Northamptonshire, and a visit with our old friend SE Marsh.

The show is here. 

Your new Nerd Pledge numbers:
2.99 – Rob Taylor
2.85 – Debashish Biswas
3.37 – Martin Blackburn & Alex Veljanovski
1.13 – Matthew Jones
3.25 – Bruce Walker
2.36 – Mike Lea
1.48 – Duncan Davies, Sebastian Greers & Sam Ashworth

Plus revisits and confirmations.

It was a crazy week this week. Went past 2 million downloads in the last two years, and 600 of you beautiful lot on Patreon. The show is flying. Couldn't be more thankful.