Semi-finals are go...

We've already had one, and we're waiting for the next. It's Week 3 of November on The Final Word, and the last week of our World Cup coverage. Before our TFW Daily for India's win over New Zealand (audio here, video above) we started this week off with Adam's documentary history of the 1999 tied semi between Australia and South Africa. 

Episode 2 - The Oral History of the ‘99 semi-final tie

Was the 1999 ODI World Cup was the most interesting global tournament? With Dan Brettig (The Age) and Shannon Gill (Code Sports), Adam spoke with many of the key players and administrators across seven weeks. The first time around, the episode that you’re about to hear – The Oral History of the 1999 semi-final tie between Australia and South Africa – was the series finale, with some brilliant guests from both teams who took the field that fateful day at Edgbaston. Given we’re now at the semi-final stage again in 2023, with the Aussies and Proteas drawn to play once more – it made sense to pop this out now. Enjoy the detailed story of, perhaps, the most significant one-day international ever played.

Here's the episode. 

Meg Lanning, the best to do it

Season 15, Episode 9: In a way it's not a surprise, she's been around forever. And in a way it's a total surprise that Australia's captain of five World Cup wins is done by the age of 31. She has other things to do. Also this week, Sri Lanka Cricket arranges its own expulsion from the ICC, French cricket is under investigation for being too ooh la la, England plans become clearer with squads for the next men's and women's tours, and a feller took a quadruple hat-trick. Read it and weep. Plus some WBBL and Shield.

Your Nerd Pledge number this week:
11.80 - Simon Tamblyn

Here's the episode.

Story Time 158 – The great eccentric educator

This week, Adam has the tale of a truly bonkers and brilliant man, named Rollo on his birth certificate, who had an extraordinary career and shaped a great many cricketing lives as an educator. We also go back to 2009 - how is it possible Jimmy Anderson was leading the England attack in 2009? A different world. Geoff takes us back to a South African DOB who played as he was described and reflects on the South African side in the immediate aftermath of the Hansie scandal.

Your Nerd Pledge numbers this week:
3.30 - Callum Pirera
6.87 - Joel
2.02 - James Sprague & Andrew Cooper
2.22 - Ryan Sneddon

Give this little link a clickaroo.

Rollo Meyer gets autumnal.

If you want the VPN discount - we know it's naff, but we were actually both signed up to this one already and have found it good. The link is nordvpn.com/tfw.

And if you want your Glenn Maxwell for Australia shirt, they're here!

Happy second semi-final,

TFW