Book review: The 50 Most Ridiculous Ashes Moments by Dan Liebke and Alex Bowden, foreword by Pat Cummins Great book, apparently www.kingcricket.co.uk/book-review-...

This is the last episode of our run. Threads are tied together.

Here's a puzzle for late-night test match listeners. Who's missing from this group of not-so-merry men? 🏏🦆😀 @georgedobell.bsky.social @norcrosscricket.bsky.social @wisdencricket.bsky.social @acscricket.bsky.social @zaltzcricket.bsky.social

The greatest innings ever played in a boxing day test match at the MCG was Alan Mullally's 16 in 1998. Discuss. A puzzle below to consider whilst you draft your discussion papers. Festive cheers to one and all! 😎🦆🏏🎅 @georgedobell.bsky.social @norcrosscricket.bsky.social

Six wickets in one day fall to legside catches at Adelaide! I can't help but to recall a horrible pre-lunch moment in 1991 and the silliness which preceded it. Here's to a good day's night. 🏏😁 @georgedobell.bsky.social @norcrosscricket.bsky.social @melindafarrell.bsky.social

I yearn for the days when English medium pacers were outgunned by fiery Australian quicks. Vice versa is much more depressing. A puzzle below in homage to some hapless dibbly-dobblies of yesteryear. Enjoy the game, if you dare! 🏏 @georgedobell.bsky.social @norcrosscricket.bsky.social

This week in "The off-season as WW2 timeline is Pearl Harbour." www.kiaoval.com/nightwatchma... per @norcrosscricket.bsky.social

The Gabba 1998: I couldn't get a ticket for the first day and spent it in a nearby bar drinking beer with Syd Lawrence. Great fun! I hope everyone who's there 27 years later is having as good a time. A puzzle below for the night owls. 😎🏏 @georgedobell.bsky.social @norcrosscricket.bsky.social

I know there's a test match about to get underway in Brisbane. And it's crucial and all that. But I can't help thinking about a man with a firecracker square cut and a wonderful moment I was lucky to witness 34 years ago. Enjoy the game! @norcrosscricket.bsky.social @georgedobell.bsky.social

A new episode of World of Telly is out now. This week we take a look at the political sitcom Whoops Apocalypse, which aired on ITV in 1982. Available now wherever you get your podcasts. A video version of this episode will be out next week.

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐊𝐄𝐓 𝐂𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐒 𝐏𝐎𝐃𝐂𝐀𝐒𝐓 𝐄𝐩𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐝𝐞 𝟐 🔊 The traditional stages of Ashes grief 🔊 Expected leaves 🔊 Driving "on the up" 🔊 Cricket's leading absolutists @norcrosscricket.bsky.social @tickerscricket.bsky.social @danielgallan.bsky.social 🧢 Charlie Reynolds

Episode 2 of Cricket Cliches is out now as we try to define ‘on the up’, get in a tangle about ‘expected leaves’ and crown Ebony the Queen of ‘absolutely’ everything. pod.fo/e/35bb95

So the first part of ‘make history by coming back from 2-0 down’ is nearly accomplished. And they’ve bought an extra three days to work out how to boss the Brisbane test for three days and still lose.

But despite today’s score being 295-19, someone will be complaining about over rates.

OK, I have no idea where to start. England undeniably batted pretty poorly after lunch, but that was a relentless bowling performance. It’s why people are really giving them a chance.

This is Harry Brook’s highest professional score in Australia, beating his previous best of 22. Look, it’s something.

Oh wow. What happened to chasing? Have we hurtled straight to Bazball 3.0?

Ashes Fever! At an unhappy hunting ground for English tourists, will ultra positivity herald a change of fortune? Or will the hype be followed by hiccups? Here's a puzzle to remind you of the pace and bounce! 🏏😎 @georgedobell.bsky.social @geofflemon.bsky.social @norcrosscricket.bsky.social

Made it to Perth (aka Hot Croydon) and it’s really rather pleasant this time. My cab driver knew nothing about The Ashes. I fancy it’s no more than a brief honeymoon period before the remorseless abuse begins, but I’m going to take every win I can get.

Yep, CRICKET CLICHES is coming – with regular episodes throughout the Ashes – in the masterful hands of hosts @norcrosscricket.bsky.social, @nickmiller79.bsky.social and many more... To get involved (and please do get involved): cricket.footballcliches.com

Tony’s granddaughter Aine is a genius and is literally performing on the radio right now. Give it a whirl. www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

People will understandably focus on Rodrigues’ 127 off 134 but this was a proper chase. Literally everyone else had a higher strike rate and Gosh, Deepti and Amanjot between them smashed 65 off 41 at the death. It was a consummate team effort.

Well, that was fun. #indvaus

You may or may not like Marina Hyde, free speech and all that, but this is the definitive takedown of Pochin’s bile www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

This is a lovely thread by my very dear friend about my uncle who died yesterday. The ‘teaching an actor what Eastenders is before he got a part in it’ anecdote is a very cherished memory.

Perry c. Bates b. Tahuhu 429 WODI caps and 107 years old between them.

I’ve been fantasising about a targeted Twat Virus for about 30 years. Around about the time I realised Keith Joseph was probably responsible for the irreversible (without a targeted Twat Virus) breakdown of healthy civic norms.

Steve Cram still has the power to bring you up short. ‘Femke Bol is so popular with fans, with athletes and with meat promoters.’

Oh my goodness, my wife has just spotted that David Lammy has the same voice as Bargain Hunt’s Thomas Forrester.

Excellent turnout for Ashley Giles at our latest @fairfieldbooks.bsky.social event in Vauxhall. Interviewed wonderfully as ever by @norcrosscricket.bsky.social 👑🇪🇸

Equalled the total posted in the very first List A match - 65 overs a side - which was played at Old Trafford in 1963. static.espncricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1...

Well, that was magnificently silly. Highest score in matches between full members. Shame that Salt and Buttler won’t get the chance to do that on Finals Day. Tomorrow.

TMS legends John Arlott and Alan Gibson both stood for The Liberal Party at General Elections. I am all in with Binners.

No, as it turns out.

Does the ‘three wickets in the power play’ rule apply if there are only 59 balls left after the power play?

I’m not entirely convinced that this name gives me confidence in the consequences of consumption. #nottingham

Golden silence! When Bradman got his last innings duck, the radio commentator paused . . . paused . . . paused . . . It was brilliant but today he’d be fired! (Thanks to @norcrosscricket.bsky.social for alerting me to this a couple of years ago!) #theashes

A great day out at Wormsley, for the Lord's Taverners charity match between @thefinalword.bsky.social and @zeroduckspod.bsky.social . David Gower umpiring, and an increasingly pissed @norcrosscricket.bsky.social commentating.

My dad’s war diary featuring VJ Day. He was a signalman in the Navy, stationed at this point in the Far East. I hope ‘celebrations at night’ was doing a lot of heavy lifting.

And to make matters even weirder, the first no ball was initially called wide before the square leg umpire upgraded it to a no ball. He should really have 0 off 0. #justiceforcameronsteel

A fascinating weirdness has just occurred at the end of the Surrey v Glamorgan match. Cam Steel came in with 3 balls remaining. 4 runs to get. First ball is a no ball. Which counts for 2 runs in this comp. 2 to get. Free hit. Another no ball which Steel lofts into the deep and is ‘caught’. 1/2

Vincible. Somewhat earlier than is optimal.

A video version of our latest podcast episode is now available on YouTube. Join us as we watch Nathan Barley and please like, subscribe and comment if you enjoy it. Peace and fucking. Believe! youtu.be/yGvSOnKJ68o

A good day to repost the puzzle below. I was privileged to watch every ball of Graham's 114* at Trent Bridge and his 138 at Edgbaston 4 years later. A wonderful cricketer to be celebrated. @kiaoval.com @georgedobell.bsky.social @norcrosscricket.bsky.social @zaltzcricket.bsky.social

We begin the 3rd day of an Old Trafford test match with not one over bowled so far by a specialist off spinner. Jim would, I think, not have approved. Here's a puzzle dedicated to the most noble form of bowling. Have a great day everyone! @norcrosscricket.bsky.social @georgedobell.bsky.social

What a glorious listen it was to hear @norcrosscricket.bsky.social go to town on my nerd pledge in @finalwordcricket.bsky.social Story Time 233. Surrey! Australia! New Zealand! Glasses! Siblings! Posh idiots! I couldn't have asked for more. Perhaps see you at Old Trafford on Days 2 and 3 sir 👌🏻

The Put-Em-In Roadshow now visits Manchester! I was out of the country for the Battle of Lord's, but here's a little puzzle to commemorate the courage displayed by those who faced the prospect of batting for 2 overs before the close! 🏏😎 @georgedobell.bsky.social @norcrosscricket.bsky.social

This is a marvellous evisceration of ‘Quisling traitor’ Gubby Allen. I’ve just read it out loud to my portrait of Douglas Jardine and he thoroughly approved.

A piece in which I get to mention the most iconic moment of Kevin Pietersen’s career: his 2014 appearance on the Graham Norton Show with Taylor Swift www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/m...