No Balls: Alex arrives in India with World Cup fever!

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Al We've got to issue a swear warning because you are an absolute potty mouth.

Not another one.

And you need to remember that your grandma listens to this.

She does. She also abuses me on social media.

But don't worry, we beep it out.

So your kids can listen.

And Grandma Jean. First ball castled.

Now I'm celebrating crossing. That one was for Crossy. That was a beautiful delivery. The wobble ball again from Kate Cross. And that is such an important wicket. Kate crossing for the hat. Trick ball. Oh, so wide.

Hello and welcome back to no Balls of Cricket podcast with me, Kate Cross and you, Alex Hartley. Hello from India. We had a gorgeous studio, new look studio, which was mega. And everyone saw it on in Sky. If you've not looked at it, go and look at it. And now we're back on Zoom.

Now we're back on Zoom. I've got a lovely hotel room, though. It's massive, it's vibrant. Yeah. The curtains are amazing. I Woke up at 1pm Crossy, like blackout. The blackout, but jet lag. Doesn't exist.

Doesn't exist. Yeah. You text me saying, I Woke up at 8am and woke up at 1pm on your first day. Yeah.

And then last night I just slept all the way through till 20 past 1. I was like, the podcast.

Oh, my God.

Podcast in 10 minutes.

Yeah, but you were watching the golf.

The golf was so good.

It was so good, wasn't it? I know we're not allowed to talk about golf, but it's the Ryder cup, so everyone just shut up for a minute. I love Shane Lowry. I'm gonna just say it. I just. I've always loved him, and I was really glad he got the moment because we were texting, like, who on earth is gonna get this half a point for us? And I'm so glad it was Shane Lowry because he looks like the ultimate team man.

Yeah. My favorite player is Tyrrell Hatton. I just love him.

Yeah. Nice. Is it his name?

No, it's his swear words. And when he hits a shot and he turns around to his cad, he's like, don't lie to me. Tell me the truth. Have you ever seen a worse shot than that?

Right. Probably enough golf for us, because how are you? I'm gonna ask first today.

Are you feeling all right?

How are you doing? Are you okay? Are you okay? How are you? Stop asking me. Are you okay?

Yeah, I am. I'm really good. Thank you. I'm really good. I am in India. I got here on Saturday. It took me 27 and a half hours because it was just a disaster of a journey.

The journey was a disaster. But you've also had a few issues leading up to the flight, didn't you? Did I tell everyone.

What was wrong with me? What did I do?

You didn't have a passport until the day before.

Oh, yeah.

Yeah.

So I had to give my passport to the embassy. We spoke about it on the pod, I think. And I couldn't go on holiday because the embassy had my passport. Anyway, Wednesday, I'm packing my bags and I'm talking to you, and you're like, have you got everything? I was like, no.

You're like, well, what have you not got?

I was like, I haven't got a passport. You're like, what do you mean? I was like, the embassy have my passport.

So when we recorded the podcast on Tuesday, you kept getting a phone call while we were recording. You were just ignoring it. And then you're like, oh, my God, that's my passport trying to get delivered. So you'd miss the delivery on Tuesday. Then they turned up on Thursday.

Was it?

Or Wednesday.

So they. Well, they. I rescheduled it for Wednesday. And then I remembered we were playing Calls, more importantly.

Yeah, that's it.

More importantly. So I rescheduled it to Thursday and then thought, that's cutting it fine. Cause I actually leave Thursday night. And then ended up you being poorly. Wednesday, I was in the house all day. Anyway, could have got it delivered. It was fine. It turned up Thursday morning at 10:00am yeah.

And then you got it and you open it up and you look at your visa and it's wrong. It's wrong visa. Just the fact that you've. When I've said that stuff leading up to your journey, your actual flight was a bit of a shambles. The fact that you've completely forgotten about that probably goes to show how chaotic your life is. Because that feels like a normal thing. Whereas if that was anyone else, it'd be like, okay, I'm probably gonna have to change my flight to India.

Yeah, yeah. And you messaged, saying, are you still going? I Was like, obviously, yeah, of course.

Yeah, I'm just going on the wrong visa, no problems.

But yeah, yeah, I'm here. So the problem with my visa because everyone's gonna be like, well, what's wrong with it is the fact that I needed multiple entry so that I could do the first games in India in Guwahati, then go to Colombo and do the games in Sri Lanka and come back to India to finish the tournament. At the minute I've only got a single entry visa which I've obviously used to get into the country.

So yeah, they're a bit like coupons, aren't they? You can't just keep coming in and out. You gotta have that visa that's got the multiple entry. So anyway, you're going to Sri Lanka and staying there at the moment, at the minute, yeah.

Which isn't a bad thing, I suppose.

Nice, nice. Two weeks in Colombo on the BBC.

Yeah, no, it's getting sorted. The visa is with the powers above.

Nice. Okay, so the reason you're in Guwahati is because you're going to be following the England girls round.

I am indeed. I am indeed. Their first game is here on Friday but I am obviously gonna do the opening game as well. So yeah, I literally just do the England games and a couple of others. So yeah, I've been in Guwahati since Saturday. They play Friday. Got obviously all the pre match stuff and the pre event. I was doing all my research yesterday. I can't believe it's another World Cup.

I know. Another one? No, another one. Well, not. These come around every four years so it doesn't actually feel like that.

Well this one because it's a 50 over World Cup. But I can't lie, being in India very much feels like a T20 vibe because that's what T20 cricket is just here all the time.

Yeah. And also you've got to remember the last World cup was a year late because of COVID So it's actually only been three years since we were in New Zealand. So that's probably why it feels like it's come around pretty quick.

That's very true. Very, very true. But yeah, crossy, I'm happy, I'm giddy. Someone said to me the other day, oh my God, your skin's so clear. And I was like, my skin's always clear. But thank you.

Maybe you just look clear.

Yeah, maybe I've. Do you know like you've got that, that filter on? Yeah, I've got, I've got a happy filter. On cross here, I have.

Nice. Let's leave it that way.

Yeah, let's leave it that way. How are you?

I'm all right. Yeah, I'm all right. Thanks, El.

Everyone asks me how you are and I just keep going. She's okay.

Yeah, she's fine. I will be fine. I just want to say a quick thank you to everyone because obviously the last podcast we did was a bit of Nobles Whiplash and everyone just has been amazing and the messages that I've got were really, really lovely. So thank you to everyone who got in touch because it was very sweet of you. So thank you.

Our fans are just so cute. The best in the world.

So cute. Really, really sweet. Thank you also to the guy who has sent a letter into the ECB saying that I need to have my contract reinstated. I'm not really sure that we needed to go that. That far. I'm not. I'm not sure. I'm not sure.

Loyalty. Yeah, loyalty.

Yeah.

That was my dad.

Yeah. Thanks, Dave. Yeah, no, no, I'm all good. I. Do you know what? Last week was an absolute car crash for me as well, because we were meant to play golf. I was going to have, like, my. It's kind of like my only week off after the season because I'm. I'm going to be back training again this week and I somehow picked up this, like, gastro bug and I was so, so, so poorly and it literally wiped me out for the whole week. So the one week off that I've had, I was in bed, basically, not able to do anything. But I only just managed to get to see you before you flew. So. Yeah, yeah, not great, but it's okay.

No, you text me Tuesday night, being like, just to let you know, I've just thrown up, so I'll let you know about golf. And I was just like, yeah, yeah, whatever. I'll see you tomorrow. You'll be fine. And then you text me at 3am going, it's been six hours, I'm not playing golf.

God, it was relentless. Relentless. I'm not going into it because it was disgusting. So, moving on, we have got a World cup to talk about because it starts, like you said, six times already on tomorrow.

Yes. On Tuesday, the 30th of September.

Nice. So opening game.

Opening game, India, Sri Lanka. Every ball, by the way, is on BBC Sounds. Every ball of every game.

Nice.

Which is why we're here. We're not here on holiday.

Who's your team? Who have you got?

We've got me, Dan Norcross, Henry Moran and Theon Wynn. We've got a great team, good team. That's our commentary team for the, the whole duration of the England games. So sorry, if you didn't want me on the airways. You got me. Yeah, yeah. India, Sri Lanka, tomorrow. Obviously Sri Lanka is co host of the tournament as well because Pakistan cannot travel to India. So Sri Lanka co hosting a tournament in Colombo, which is an odd one in itself because then Sri Lanka fly to India to play games and Pakistan are in Sri Lanka to play games.

I'm not sure how I feel about that. I obviously, I understand the whole India, Pakistan thing, but I don't think it should affect another team. But then I was going to say host team then, but Sri Lanka have kind of come in and saved the day last minute, haven't they, by offering, offering their services and their grounds up. But I still, I'm not, I'm not sure. I'm not sure that it sits all that right with me.

What, so you're saying Sri Lanka should just play all their games in India?

No, they should be able to play them at home if it's their home World cup as well. But then like, I did just realize that it's kind of come in last minute that they're, it's also their host venue. So. Yeah, yeah. I do think bigger picture though, there has to be some way that we can get around this whole India, Pakistan thing. Like it's, it's starting to really be bigger news when it shouldn't be. It shouldn't overshadow the tournament, should it?

No. And then obviously India won the Asia cup yesterday against Pakistan and refused the trophy. Didn't accept the trophy.

So. Yeah, I didn't even know they were playing, you know. How did you not.

There's so much.

Because you said you were watching cricket and I was like, what? Cricket's on?

Yeah. And I was like, the Asia Cup Final, India, Pakistan, Pakistani winning.

I missed it. Completely missed it.

Yeah.

But it was a golf game yesterday, that's why.

Yeah, that's true. But yeah, no, so opening game, India, Sri Lanka. Great opening game for India, let's be honest. Playing Sri Lanka.

Yeah. Yeah. So the way this world. Well, for everyone that doesn't know the way that this World cup works, everyone plays each other once, don't they? So it's a genuine like round robin of games. It's not, it's not two groups or anything where best of the groups play each other. It's. It's round robin. So I feel like that's why this World cup is always the one that you want to win because it's like the ultimate prize almost because you've beaten everyone if you win that trophy. So. Yeah, it's not like everyone.

Yeah. I had to do my predictions yesterday on the World cup and I've gone Australia to win, obviously. I say obviously. Excuse me. England beat them in a warm game yesterday. So I'm not gonna lie, a bit of a shock. I was shocked. Can't lie, I was shocked. But I've got Australia win. India second, England third, South Africa fourth, New Zealand. Then I've gone Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, bottom. Okay, so I think Bangladesh might surprise us.

Yeah. But then I, I think these tournaments are all about batters in form and I know that, I know the whole classic like bowlers win your trophies, but batters win your games. But the thing with Sri Lanka is if Chamari Attapattu is at that tournament and she is in the mood, she can beat people. Like she can do it herself almost because she's that destructive a batter. So I think it's probably more of a taller order in 50 over cricket actually. But I do think that her on her day is better than a Bangladesh in good form throughout the tournament.

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. No, I do agree, but it's also like she won obviously, Sri Lanka game. She got 117, 2017, didn't she? Or something ridiculous. I don't know, I just, I just think she's gonna have to bat for 35 overs if Sri Lanka are gonna win.

Yeah, that's true. Yeah.

Against the big teams.

I think this is, I think I've seen a lot of chat. Obviously the captains did their like captaincy panel thing the other day, so I've been seeing a lot of quotes and stuff and I think Healey actually hit the nail on the head and she was like, I think this could be the closest tournament today. And it doesn't necessarily, it does feel like there's probably a top, top five in the tournament, but it still feels like of those top four and five, anyone can beat anyone. Which is, yeah, obviously how you want, how you want it to go and how you want a World cup to be. Yeah, to be kind of positioned before you go in.

Yeah. And obviously England winning yesterday against, oh, Australia is going to give them so much confidence moving forward into the tournament where I actually think, well, I personally looked at England's warm up games and said, right, play New Zealand in Abu Dhabi, they'll be fine. Then they play India, probably win that and then they'll play Australia, probably lose that, which won't be ideal going into the tournament, but because they've won all their games, it's all about momentum and confidence as well.

Interesting that you say that they'd probably win the India game because that for me was one of the harder ones of those warm up games because obviously India at home are difficult to beat and we lost to them in the one day series over in England. So it's interesting that you just had confidence that they were going to win that.

I know, it's weird, isn't it, how it all works, like how different people get different feelings about different games.

Yeah. But I think there was a lot of stuff again, chat online about England beat India that day, but Smriti didn't play and I don't think Harmon played. I think Deep2 literally just came on and bowled and then went off the pitch. But they, they beat them comprehensively that day. It wasn't like a close game where, like, you know, it was, it was a comprehensive victory. So I think you're right. I think they'll gain so much confidence in terms of the prep leading into the tournament. It's probably the best that it could have been for them and the most confidence gaining that they could have got from it all. So they start against who on Friday?

South Africa.

South Africa. So that's a tough opening game, but sometimes you want it to be a, like you want it to be a hard game to start, to almost get you into the tournament. So I'm sure they'll be absolutely full of confidence going into it.

The one thing that obviously they haven't had is a practice game here in Guwahati. And let's flip it back to us and make it about us, Crossy. Because Guwahati is our home of cricket.

This is where we. That was where we played our one game together, wasn't it?

Our one and only game has been right here in Guwahati. And I have such a cute picture of us. And in fact, those podcast fans from way back when, like the absolute start. That was our podcast thumbnail. Me and you and Guaherti.

Yeah, it was. Yes, it was. It wasn't our thumbnail for a long time. Because I remember you made the thumbnail, didn't you? And you actually just wrote on it, no balls. No good graphic went into it. It's just you writing no balls. But yeah, that was our one game. That was when you and Anya chased one of my balls. Yeah. Come on, Come on.

Come on.

Neck down to third and you chased it down. Anya pulled out this amazing diving stop and you picked the ball up with one foot either side of the boundary rope. So it went for four anyway.

Was it off you?

Yeah, that makes it so much better. That is what made it look so much better, because it was off my ball and I was like, oh, for God's sake. I can't even be mad because she's my best mate, but come on.

I remember getting an absolute rollicking in the dressing room after the game from the head coach.

I was like, so sorry. Yeah. And you actually didn't know you'd done anything wrong, did you? You were like, no, I've just flipped it back in. I was fine, but. Yeah, but you can't be on the other side of the boundary rope.

I was like, well, good bit of fielding that for Anya. Well done, girl. I'll pick up.

I remember the crowd being really good there. I remember we were getting like, 10,000 people watching, and that was 2019, maybe 2018. So it feels like hopefully the crowds will be really good there.

I'm so glad you said the same, because I was saying that the other night in the bar, everyone was like, have you been here? Oh, I've played a couple of games here and the crowds were amazing. I swear, there was like 10,000 people. And everyone's like, really? And I was like, yeah, it was loud, it was busy, it was brilliant. So, yeah, they've sold. They've sold a lot of tickets for tomorrow's game and they've also got a tribute act of somebody really famous over here, died a few weeks ago, so they've got an hour's worth of his music before, but it's gonna obviously bring a lot of people in.

Wow.

It was the fourth biggest funeral ever behind Michael Jackson. I can't remember loads of. Really, Diana? Yeah, it was the fourth biggest community of people coming for a funeral in the ever.

Wow. Well, sometimes that's what you need, isn't it? Sometimes a little bit of entertainment. Why are you laughing? I don't know why you're talking to me about funerals. Finished that.

And you went, sometimes that's what you need. Tell me you're unwell without telling me you're unwell.

Oh, back to the World cup, your predictions that Australia are going to win it.

Yeah. I just think they've been so consistent for so long. Like, they've been that team to beat for such a long period of time. And I know India is a really tough place to Play, you know, and they've got different types of soil where they're going to do different type pitches or different types of things. They've also got grounds where there's a mix of the two soils. But I just think they're such a good team, they adapt well. They've got nine bowlers in their starting 11, so they've got options. But I do also think that on England's day they can beat anybody.

Do you know what you say Australia have nine bowlers. They actually have like nine all rounders in their team. I think that's what makes them such a prolific team, doesn't it? So yeah, like you said, they've got options. But what I loved about England's warm up stuff was it, it was Natsu a brunt in one game who scored some runs. But like Alice Capsi finished a game off yesterday and I think actually, and you think about 50 over World Cups, like that's the kind of contributions that you need almost everyone to have a game. You can't just really like we're saying Atapatu has to win it for Sri Lanka. Like you can't just have one player standing up. And so the fact that Capsi scored some runs in the and chased down what was a relatively decent score, wasn't it like she ended up 88 not out. But it looked, I didn't watch the game but it looked like with maybe three down for not many and then she's able to have a partnership with Emma Lam and create something like that. So I feel like that's the kind of stand ups that you need from your players to go on and win big tournaments like this.

And how good has Emma Lam been this just this year? Oh my God.

She just cannot, I don't want to jinx her, but she just cannot stop scoring runs. It's actually I've never ever Nona Batter being this much form for this prolonged a period of time, like it's frightening.

I know. It's like she's just been amazing. I had to do my ones to watch for the BBC and you know, some players pick themselves like Australia, Phoebe Litchfield, Sri Lanka, Atapatu Fatima Sana, Pakistan. And it was like, okay, so that's the brunt for England. I was like, no, I'm alone. I was like, I, I can't keep picking Natsuma Brunt. We can't keep relying on her. And I was like also I would love to see Lammy at the top of the order. It's not going to happen. She's going to be in the middle if she plays. But I'd love to see her at the top where she scored most of her runs all year. She's just. But she's had this role now at the top where she's scored thousands and odd runs for Lanx and she's played really well for England. She slipped down to the middle and she's like, yeah, fine, I'll just get another 70.

Yeah, she is. She's obviously. I would love to know the ins and outs of how she's managed to do this because, like, I think if. It's classic, isn't it? If you could bottle up form and sell it, every single cricketer on this planet would buy it off you and you'd be a millionaire. But, yeah, she just looks so calm when she's at the crease and that's something that I think she's. She's obviously worked so hard and I've not actually had the conversation with her, so I don't want to put words into her mouth, but it does just look and that. So we finished the One Day cup last week and Catherine Bryce scored that century against us in the semi final and she still finished like a good hundred runs behind Lamy, who's missed probably three, four games with Lancashire. So it's like that's how good her season has been.

And I think credit to Lamy because she lost her England contract and she's come back and she's just been like, all right, I'll be happy.

Was that this time last year? Yeah, I think it was a year ago, wasn't it? Yeah. And then she jumped back into the domestic setup and just as looked probably better than ever.

Yeah, yeah. No, I think Lammy's going to be. Going to be key for England, actually.

I hope so. I hope so.

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I have got.

A question for you about the World cup and I know you do, you know, with like franchise cricket now and you play with people where you play for RCB and the superchargers. So you have been heavily involved with the Australian girls and you've become really good friends with them. How? Because I never had this as a player, because I never played franchise cricket. Really? How is it, then, when you're watching them play for their country?

I mean, you used to. Obviously used to watching them. I think what you get now is, like, this added sense of. It's not respect. Respect is the wrong word, but, like, almost admiration. Because I. When you watch Australia play, years and years ago, I used to be like, oh, they're just so good, and it's so annoying. Whereas now, when you've played with, like, Belzy's a really good example. Annabelle Sutherland, like, she is one of the most meticulous cricketers I've ever come across. How she trains, how she thinks about the game, her attention to detail in everything that she does, like planning a game of cricket. So it's not surprising to me now how successful she is.

Yeah, but do you want her to be successful? Because I watch her and I'm like, I want her to. I want her to do well, but I don't want her to do well against England.

Well, you obviously want England to win. Like, that's. You want all your mates in that team to go and do well and obviously bring a trophy home. Because I was just thinking when you said about Australia winning it, Australia winning it is probably not the best thing that could happen for women's cricket. India winning it would be amazing. England winning it would be amazing. South Africa winning it would be amazing. Like, Australia. We've kind of done the Australia era now, so it'd be amazing if someone else could come in and win this trophy. So you always want your team to.

Do well, but I saw the other day. Sorry to interrupt you. I sent it. Here you go. So the World cup started in 1973 that England won, and since then, England and Australia have won it every single single time. Bar New Zealand that won it in 2000.

Yeah. So for the gate, for the good of the game, we need Australia not to win it.

Yeah.

I just think you can understand now why. And it's also the same for, like, England. Like, I can see why Belly's having so much success at the minute. I can understand why Lindsay Smith's doing well because I've played in teams with them to understand them as people more and understand, like, what their games are looking like at the minute. So. And, like, Glenn is a really another brilliant example. We need to shout her out on this podcast as well, because she hasn't been that much involved with England this summer and then gets the call up to go to. To go to the World cup and then takes A five for in a warm up game against Australia. So, like, you just know how hard she's worked to get that performance. So, yeah, I think that that's probably what I mean. Around when you've played with overseas players and you kind of see their success, you. It then becomes not as surprising or you're not as annoyed by it because you just know how much hard work has gone into it.

Thinking, what can I say? Yeah, no, I understand, I understand. I just think now it's like I see all the girls and it's like.

Oh, how are you doing?

Amazing. I've been following you like, blah, blah. Like, I see someone like Nick Carey that I played with for Welsh Fire and it's like, I love to see you smashing it. I'd love to see you really happy. But can you stop doing well against the teams that you know?

Yeah. But it also gives you a better understanding of weaknesses as well. So, yeah, for the girls that have played with any of the Aussies in the hundred, they'll have been bowling at them for three weeks during that tournament in the nets. And then you kind of can understand a little bit if they do have weaknesses, what they might be and how you can expose them. So I think it makes the game better and I think it makes it more fun. Fun when you play against those players because there's an element of like the personal side of it that you can. Not in like a mean way and sledgy way, but just you can have fun on the pitch and it gives you a better understanding of each other.

Well, I'm very much looking forward to the World cup. And we will bring you every ball, every game, BBC Sound. And we'll bring you a podcast once a week.

We will. Right, Al, just because we're talking about a World cup, it'd be rude, obviously, not to mention the fact that you were involved in a World cup final. And Jack has tasked me with a little quiz for you to see how well.

Hang on a minute, hang on a minute. Because you don't like surprises and they've been banned from this podcast. So why are you now surprising me with this?

Because it's a World cup quiz.

Okay.

That was easy. So it is. How well does Hartley remember the World cup win? Okay, so the questions we're going to start with are quite easy and then they're going to get a bit progressively harder. Al, if you don't score 10 out of 10 on this, you need to get in the bin.

Okay?

Okay, number one, who did you play against?

India.

Ding Ding. One point. Where? Number two. Where was the match played?

What?

Who took six wickets for England in the final?

It's England's hero. It's Anya Shrubsall.

How many wickets did you take?

Two.

Two. Good. Which England player who's played a fairly significant role in this World cup scored England's only half century of the match?

It's got to be Nat, hasn't it?

Nat's of a brunt. Correct. Okay, so you're five out of five at the minute. Which recent Nobles guest had a four ball duck? Oh, clues in the question.

Yeah, but who've we had as guests? I don't even know who we've had as guests. I know poor Fran Wilson got first ball duck.

She's not been on this podcast.

No, that's where I went to.4 ball duck. Recent podcast guest. We've only had Australians on. Do you know what? Because you know, I didn't really wash the pine. Who got a four ball duck? I'm gonna have to go through the team.

Just think about who's been on Nobles recently. We've literally had three guests recently. Two of them have been Aussies.

I don't know who we've had on the podcast.

Just quite a big name. Probably the biggest we've had on the podcast.

The biggest name we've had on the podcast.

Comfortably. Right. This is painful. You've got it wrong. Smriti Mandana.

Oh, I was thinking of the England girls. I wouldn't have known she got a full ball duck anyway.

No, but you could have known that she was quite a big name on our podcast.

Yeah, I was thinking of the England girls.

Okay, number seven. Who was the other England player not to bat besides you?

Danny Hazell.

Anya Shrub. Soul. Okay, so you're. You started well. You were out the traps quickly. You're five out of five and you're now five plus seven.

Danny, Hazel didn't back because she didn't play.

That'll be why. Sorry, Danny. Shout out to Danny. Number eight. Who were your wickets?

Harmon Preet, Core.

Yep.

And the wicket keeper. Yeah, it was the wicket keeper.

Shushma Verma. Can we give her that, Jack? Yeah, we're giving it that. Okay, number nine. How many runs did you go for?

50. Because I remember someone in the crowd went, oh, my God, you just went for 56 in a world cup final. And I was like, right, I got. I got a winner's medal. 50? Yeah, I'm gonna say 56.

58. 58. Oh, Jack's just come in saying you can have two either side. The answer. Okay, so he's giving you that. Bit generous on my part. So 2 for 58 off 10 overs you had. And finally. What? You're never gonna get this. What was the score when. So we'll give you two either side again. Maybe five either side. Actually, what was the score when you took your first wicket of the day?

Oh, come on. I don't even know how many we were defending. What was the score when I took my first wicket? So Harmon was in. She was on 50 odd. So I'm gonna say 140 for two.

That's remarkable. But it's wrong. 138 for three. Oh, that's a great effort. So that it was 138 for three when Harmon got out. Yes. Good effort, Al. So you got 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. I think I'll give you that last one. 8. 8 out of 10.

Do you know what? It could have been a lot worse.

It could have been a lot worse. That's quite impressive, because if you asked.

Me what we were defending, I wouldn't have had a clue.

I think. Go on.

What do you defend in 210? It was low.

Two to eight.

Perfect. See?

See, I can't imagine getting that in a World cup final. Now you'd be like, oh, we've gone off to ball. Well, yeah, especially on the pitch. We were a bit like that.

We were a bit like, ooh, ooh. Could do with a few more on the board.

But it's a final. Anything can happen in a final example.

Cycley runs on the board. Four ball, duck for Mandina. Hopefully she has a few more of those in this one.

Yeah. You were gonna answer Elise Perry to that?

No, I was gonna. I was like. I didn't have a single name. I was firing blanks. Cause I was like, we haven't had any England girls on this podcast for a good two years.

No, we've not. We're not. We'll have to try and get to them, Al. I'm real conscious that we've talked a lot about cricket here, which is unlike us. Sorry for anyone that actually comes to this podcast looking for something other than cricket. But. But we have got a couple of emails, so should we finish on them?

Yes.

Shall we go upstairs with everyone that's at the World Cup? All the umpires.

Did you see the ICC video with the umpires?

No.

Go on their ICC Instagram, please. Everybody do it and everybody reshare it, because it's brilliant. It's all the umpires. Like checking into their flight and being like, wait, play on.

Isn't that nice? I hate stuff like that. I hate cheesy cricket anecdotes. Hate them.

But Sue Redfern, checking in, going, goo a hearty please.

Nice. Right, We've had a couple of emails. One looks very intriguing. I'll let you do that one. So I'll do the first one. Molly has emailed saying hi to you both, randomly scrolling and pressing play again. The episode I landed on was from 31st August 2023. This is a great game. She's just going through Noble's episodes and just pressing play and seeing which one it is.

Love that.

The roundup of the hundred final cross. His first year with the superchargers. Kate, talking about what an ick it was that the Oval Invincible's men were wearing their full kit out at the club. Okay, I take that back because it's a thing.

You did that. You did that.

Everyone does it. It's a thing. I just hadn't won anything, so I didn't know that that's what you're meant to do. Yeah, you're meant to do it. You are actually meant to stay in your kit, which made me laugh a lot. You know why, right? Crossy amused listener, Molly. Yes, thank you, Molly. Thanks for pointing it out. But do you know what? When you've won something, the last thing you're thinking about is going, getting a shower. Obviously you're not going to want an ice bath, so you're just in your kit and you stay in your kit and you just want to drink so you don't bother getting changed. So. I get it. Oval Invincibles. I wholeheartedly apologize for calling you out two years ago.

I think it would be odd if you turned up to that after party not in your kit as well.

Do you know what? I actually got really annoyed at our staff on Sunday at the. Because we stayed at the Hilton, on the ground at the Utility bowl and we all went to the bar and all our staff disappeared and came back five minutes later and they were showered in, like, jeans and casuals. And I was like, what on earth are you doing? Why are you not in your kit? And I got really eggy at all of them. Little did I know that two years ago I absolutely slated a team for doing it. But anyway, Oval, thanks for inviting us to your after party this year as well.

Thanks, Oval. Thanks, Oval Icks. I think we need to bring them back because I've just got so many. So many icks.

Okay, we can do an ick. I'll pop that on my sticky note. Think of some icks.

Do an ick episode. Okay, we've had one here from Mike on WhatsApp, which is. Yeah, good to know. Perfect calendar for behind the bar in the slug and mullet. Which is true. It's the world's greatest mullet 2026 calendar.

That's. I mean, that's a solid mullet.

It's not a mullet. It's got hair longer than mine.

That is a solid mullet. That's.

No wonder he's on the COVID.

Do you know what I never quite understand? Obviously, girls have long hair and it's. It's a thing. It's more of a thing for a girl to have long hair than it is for a boy to have long hair. But boys hair, when it's long always looks amazing. Like, really well kept and, like, shiny and glossy. And I'm like, why is mine so dry and lifeless? When. Yeah, like, what do you do? What's the secret, boys? Because. Email us, please, on noblespodcastbc.co.uk.com I bet.

It'S because they don't wash it.

Oh, it will be a bit grim.

They'll wash it with, like, shower gel. That's what it'll be.

Yeah, or like fairy liquid or something. Okay, all right. But email it in if it's good. If it's. If it's that you don't wash your hair, don't tell us. We don't need to know that.

Don't need to know that. Grossly.

You can email us on noblespodcastbc.co.uk.

Noballspodcastbc.Co.Uk it's so good.

They've said it twice. You can also WhatsApp us on 0333-301-231826.

And you can text us on 8 double 1. Double 1.

Start both your messages. Either text or WhatsApp with no balls or one word, please.

Yes, please and thank you. Crossy. I miss you all day.

Oh, okay.

England's opening game. Your birthday. Great day.

Hopefully England can get a birthday win. Good luck to everyone playing in it. I obviously will be supporting the girls. I hope, hope, hope they all have an amazing time and do really well. And I'll be watching.

Yes, yes, yes, yes. Come on, the girls. If it's ever gonna be a year, it's gotta be this year.

This is the year. Come on. Where's the next one, by the way?

Oh, you're asking questions. I don't know the answer to Crossy.

Bye bye everyone. Welcome to the Team behind the Team a new podcast series in partnership with the Open University where we'll be showcasing the people, the tools and the techniques to help athletes and teams reach elite level. Like all elite sports, it's a pyramid.

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It's not just my vision, this is.

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What is this? This is not the way I see the game.

The Team behind the Team with Katie.

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