Does Jason 'Dizzy' Gillespie have the thirst to coach again?

Plenty to catch up on after a huge month of MLC cricket for Dizzy!

- England coaching and Ben Stokes dramas... could Dizzy be the answer?

- Aussie test selection - did the selectors miss an opportunity to blood youngsters?

- Why the MLC is such a great competition

- Why would anyone go and watch the Renegades this year?

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:37

Welcome back. Still not out podcast. It's been a month. I can't believe it. And a lot has happened in the last month. Diz and I have got lots to catch up on today. But nice to be here. Thanks for listening as always. Deez, welcome back to Australia, mate. Good to have you back. Thanks. Thanks for having me, mate.

SPEAKER_00 0:53

It's great to see you, mate. It's been far too long.

SPEAKER_01 0:55

It has, it has, and you've been off gallivanting around the States.

SPEAKER_00 1:00

MLC? MLC was brilliant. Seattle Awkers. We didn't get to the next stage to the playoff stage, but played some really good cricket. Probably a little bit inconsistent, but you know, we had a couple of batters that are in the top run scorers in the tournament. We had three of the top five wicket takers. So we, you know, we did some good things. But yeah, and and the tournament was actually really close, Trap. Like all the teams were within sort of two to four points of each other from first to sixth. So it was a close competition, great competition. MLC. Can't speak highly enough of it. I mean, cricket is still developing in the US, but um, but there's a lot of positive signs and a lot of um a lot of good people putting a lot of time and effort into making cricket a real uh real success over there in America. It's great.

SPEAKER_01 1:51

Most importantly, uh, you know, did you have fun? Did you have a good time? What what did you what did you get up to in your spare time? How do you what are you doing a day off in the in the States?

SPEAKER_00 2:01

Oh look, um we stayed in Dallas, we stayed at this nice hotel and it had a like a galleria, like a mall near it. So I'd just go window shopping and just have a look around and just just see everything that offered. America, everything's so big in America, there's so many things. I mean, I'll tell you what I was blown away by in Texas. So we're in Dallas, in Texas, and they have you know, like the the trucks, a bit like the Toyota Hiluxes and that, but but they haven't, but they have actually these little badges called the and they have Chevies and stuff like that, but they have Texas Edition, and I swear they're 25% bigger than anything that you have. They are enormous. I I did get a photo that I sent to the family of just how big these trucks are. I was standing next to it, and it was taller than me. It was like a yeah, um, just one of those like pickup trucks. Um, just quite extraordinary. But but look, great fun. Um, really enjoyed it. The cricket was excellent. Um, the franchise, the Seattle Lawkers, I can't speak highly enough of them. Uh, everyone involved in the franchise was absolutely brilliant. And uh the the coaching staff, the players, uh it was just fantastic. So I had a really good time. It you know, or you know, in part got I suppose a bit of my love back for coaching, to be honest. Um, great out. I was an assistant. I I was an assistant coach, um, so didn't have to worry about all the telling players I'm in or out of the team or you know, um selection issues, things like that. Um it was literally just back to the the basics of just you know helping the bowlers improve and get better. And yeah, that was a lot, it was it was different for me, but a lot of fun.

SPEAKER_01 3:38

I'll cut that up, I'll send that to Rob Key in the England hierarchy and uh and see if our man gets the gig uh over there, but no, we'll talk about that a little bit later in the in the show. Um, how about the final of the MLC? Oh, came down to the final ball. Oh, that was crazy. What a way to finish, though. Last ball, one run victory, Washington Freedom. Obviously, the I'm sorry, the the the unlucky side with with Steve Smith.

SPEAKER_00 4:04

Yeah, but I suppose the most frustrating thing from our point of view, the Shadow Orcas, is that the two teams that made the final, we played them both twice. We beat Washington Freedom twice in the group stage, and we beat the LA Night Riders once in the group stage. So that probably just shows how close the competition was. Um and yeah, just a little bit of uh disappointment that we couldn't progress further. But look, fair fair crack to LA Night Riders. They uh they they shut it down in that the final stages. Uh it was it was a great, great game, um, great stadium, Oakland Coliseum, where the Oakland A's used to play. Yeah, and they're hoping to really make that a home of MLC, um, which would be absolutely brilliant. That'd be cool. Yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 4:47

Now, like I said, a lot has happened in the last month. A lot's happened. We need to cover off on a few things, but obviously, you're the man about town, you've you're on your uh fast bowlers cartel podcast. So I just wanted to cover off a few things. We're gonna we're doing a month in a minute. A month in a minute. So I'm giving you a few topics. Um, one of them's a relatively sad one to start, but um a minute on it on each of them, I guess in in your thoughts. Obviously, the the sad passing of Sar Garfield sobers. Um tell us a little bit about how that hits home for you.

SPEAKER_00 5:22

Yeah, look, obviously, very sad. Um what a wonderful pioneer for the game. Um, obviously played here at South Australia, which is uh which was huge, helped South Australia get the flags. I I got to meet uh Sigarfield uh once back in 1993. I went on a a tour that was sort of run by Glenell Cricket Club, and it was basically open to anyone in club cricket that go along. And I was 18 years of age, and we went to Florida and then we went to Barbados. And I remember we we checked into our hotel in Barbados and just thought I'll go exploring and walk down the street and found this little um rum hut, little little small little bar just on the side of the back street of this road in Barbados. Walk in, sit down, and um guy who came with me um turned to the gentleman that was sitting there um just ordering a drink and said, Oh Sigarfield, come and say hello to Jason and and Michael, the other guy that was with us. And it was Sigarfield Sobers, just sitting there in a beach bar in Barbados, just down the street from our uh our accommodation, and uh so I got to spend an hour talking to Sigarfield Sobers, so that was a great memory, yeah, but wonderful cricketer, um, one of the best. You you ask anyone that watched him play, and they say he's the best cricketer that's that's ever played the game. I know there's lots of debate and discussion over who uh what, there's a lot of modern greats, but you ask anyone who watched him play, they said he was the greatest.

SPEAKER_01 6:53

Yeah, hard to argue with that. Yeah, hard to argue. Uh great memory there, no doubt. Brendan McCullum. You know, we've we've spoken that your love for coaching's back. We'll talk a little bit about the future coach uh a little bit later on. But Brendan McCullum, how it went down. I mean, we thought it was probably gonna happen at the end of the ashes, didn't we? So the fact that it went on into the English summer probably just sort of dragged out the inevitable.

SPEAKER_00 7:17

Yeah, I think it certainly did drag out the inevitable, and I think that's just put England in a in a tricky spot, the ECB in a tricky spot now. Um so they've got to find a new coach, uh, going obviously the Pakistan series coming up, and then the their winter, our summer leading into Ashes cricket, so that they need they need a new coach. But uh how how it's all seemed to be handled probably hasn't been the best, in my opinion. Probably could have been handled better. I think you touched on it just then. Uh End of the Ashes probably seemed like the right time, and then let's get a new coach in and allow that person space and time to get into that role because I think the the timing of it, especially with the big ashes series coming up, and the one-off test in March, if you remember, uh in um in Melbourne next, early next year, March next year. Yeah, it just the timing seemed odd. Um and yeah, it's gonna be interesting to see which way uh the ECB pivot on that.

SPEAKER_01 8:24

So, how much do you think the Ben Stokes Gus Atkinson incident impacted Baz McCullum's future? Because it wasn't a great look for the culture of the team.

SPEAKER_00 8:35

Oh, it it's it it's almost a straw that broke the camel's back, isn't it? Um look, and there just seems to be this whole regime, it just seems there hasn't been a lot of dotting of the I's and crossing of the T's. Like if your captain doesn't know the specifics of a curfew, then how's the rest of the team meant to know? How's the the you know uh greater uh squad meant to understand? So there's definitely been a miscommunication or a complete lack of communication around there, and I and I I think that's unacceptable. And um yeah, it just seems this this whole ECB thing, they they haven't dotted the I's, they haven't crossed the T's, there's there's no clarity. Um and because there's no clarity in their game style, it's a it's a it's a one-way street, isn't it? Like it's let's just go out and entertain. I mean, what does that mean? Like, is there where are the parameters? What does entertainment mean? I mean, entertainment to you probably means something different to me and something different to Joe Public out there. Yeah, um, we're all I suppose entertained in different ways, and I think the way this England test site over the last number of years have gone about it, it's almost as if they've felt like they're the saviours of Test cricket.

SPEAKER_01 10:03

Yeah, it's been shocking.

SPEAKER_00 10:04

And some of the dialogue, the nonsense that have come out of that dressing room, the the chat, um it's it's as if they're the messiahs. And you know, I'm not sure that messaging's been quite right. I I think in their defence, I think their intentions have been good. They they they want to they want to entertain people, they they want to think, but I just think the way they've gone about it and it's holier than now. They're you know, they're all high and mighty. I I think that hasn't sat well with people, especially when they haven't been able to adjust and adapt their game when the situation has demanded it. And that's where I think they've been very they've been one-trick ponies. Yes, on you know, benign surfaces that are offer nothing to bowlers, um, the batters, well, any team can come out and slog and smack the ball everywhere. But what when when there's a little bit of turn or where there's a little bit of up and down bounce or a bit of sideways movement, a bit of swing, they've been found wanting and they haven't been able to adjust. It's as if the game plan is, oh, if it's doing something, let's just slog, let's just slog more. And hope for the best. And hope for the best. That that that seems to be what the game plan's been, and it clearly hasn't worked. It's worked, you know, to an extent when the conditions have been perfect, but you know, I think it's been detrimental to bowlers in England as well, because they're playing on these surfaces that clearly favour you know aggressive batting, you know, slogging on benign surfaces. Um it's almost as if if you're a bowler in the UK and don't care. We only care about scoring heaps of runs because we think that's what entertainment is. That's how I've interpreted it. Ben Stokes.

SPEAKER_01 11:53

Now I think he's I think he's got a track record of being a Silk. Right. Um you look at some of the Ashes series, you look at, I mean, you only have to look back as far as the Johnny Besto um incident at Lord's, and and then in that Ashes series as well, the amount he went on about that one washed-out contest that they would have won the series if uh if that if the rain didn't come in that third uh. But the rain did come. The rain did come, and they drew the series and Australia retained the and there's lots more examples of it. I think his exit from England cricket was the ultimate sook up. He was a selfish captain, and um the way that he spoke to his team around I've been to the well this many times for you guys to, you know, for this team, like I've done this for you guys, now you guys give it back to me. It was just all about him. And I know there was a couple of people who didn't like the fact that that video was actually released about him telling the team about his retirement, but um I I mean I've I've always struggled a bit to stomach Ben Stokes, but um I think that was probably the the straw that broke the camel's back for me. But yeah, you might have a little bit of a different.

SPEAKER_00 13:11

Well look, I I I understand where you're coming from, and you know, I think there are elements where I think some things Ben has said and done. I think there are some things over his journey, which most players would they would take that back. Um, no doubt. And you've you've highlighted a couple of examples, but look, I'll I'll defend him a little bit here. I I'm not I'm not sure. I think this whole thing about the curfew and that, I think that was a straw that broke the camel's back. I I said that about McCullum's tenure, and I think that was the straw that broke the camel's back for Stokes' involvement in in England cricket. And I I think my take on it, it seems to me that Ben has felt very let down by the hierarchy at the ECB. Um now, whether that's that's communication issues, whether it's Rob Key, Brendan McCullum. I mean, these guys are the leaders of English cricket, right? And something as simple, and never mind the fact that curfews are stupid, but something as simple as communicating expectations on players outside of playing hours and a midnight curfew, it it should be very, very simple. But the fact that the England captain wasn't even clear speaks to me of a massive um communication issue, a massive absence of trust. And I I think the number one dysfunction of a team, number one, is absence of trust. There's no trust, forget anything else. Everything else can go by the wayside trap. Absence of trust, number one dysfunction of a team, and I think that trust after that incident and the ban of him and Gus Atkinson, he it's just a big F you to the ECB, and he said, I'm going out on my terms. Yes, it it may come across, may have come across as a bit selfish, but I think he was at the end of his tether, and he's just gone, no, I'm gonna do this my way, and this is gonna be a big F you to the ECB. That that's how I've interpreted it as an outsider looking in. I've got no inside knowledge or uh inside workings of the ECB or the England cricket team, but as a as a cricket fan, as an outsider looking in, that's how I've interpreted it.

SPEAKER_01 15:34

So I've got a feeling he might try and make a heroic comeback for the Ashes next year. 100%. Yeah, it's gonna happen, isn't it?

SPEAKER_00 15:40

Uh look, and I I just think this whole him playing for Durham now in the 50 over comp, obviously the ECB are putting all their eggs in this the hundred ball cop basket, and yet the headlines are all being dominated by Ben Stokes playing 50 over cricket for Durham in a competition that the ECB have clearly not given a shit about. Right? Ben Stokes is playing in that comp. I quite like in a funny way. I quite like what he's doing there. Um and yeah, I look, I think a change of hierarchy. Um I know McCullum and Stokes have both come out publicly and said there's no um no issue between them as a as as captain coach and uh as a leadership group, but there's clearly something that's gone on there, and how much involvement has has Rob Key had in that. It's been really interesting to note Ben Stokes has not said a word about Rob Key in his whole time in this whole thing. So I don't know whether it's him or Richard Gould, the the the head honcho of the SCB. There's so many moving parts that we don't, as punters, as outsiders, we don't understand.

SPEAKER_01 16:51

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 16:51

We can only speculate, as we are doing sitting here on the pod. Right. Can only speculate, but I'm not I it just doesn't feel like there's the tightness and the camaraderie there that maybe there was uh there once was.

SPEAKER_01 17:06

Yeah. I'm gonna move into the big bass space for this one, and and just a just a quick one. I'm gonna paint a picture for you and let me know how you're how you're feeling in this situation. Um 15 years ago, or I think how many, how many BBLs are we up to? 15? Something like you decided you're a renegades fan, and you bought all the gear, and you're on board the Renegades brigade. Uh you've got franchise players like Aaron Finch that you you love, and you've had superstars come through the club like Dwayne Bravo, and you've idolised for the last 15 years. Then you're told that they're not gonna be there next summer. But they are well now they now they are. Um no one knows what they're doing there, but they're gonna be there. Um how as a renegades fan, uh how how well sorry, I'll repitch this. How are the renegades gonna pitch to the fans to get out and watch their games this year? They're not. They're not.

unknown 18:10

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 18:11

How? They know. I I think that there might be a bit of a nostalgia piece, might be um that this is the last hurrah. So maybe they have to sell it that way because I don't see how they can sell it any other way. Yeah, they're basically what they're they're white the cricket victoria wiping their ass at the Melbourne Renegades. Let's let's let's not beat around the bush. Yeah, um, the they've inserted a coach for one year. Yeah, Luke Ronke's come in, he he's been announced as the coach, um, great player for Australia and New Zealand, and he's making some really good strides in the coaching space. He's he's doing a wonderful job. He's had a number of different jobs in coaching, and he's doing a great job, uh, Luke. And it's a good opportunity for him, no doubt. Um, you know, to be able to be a coach of a BBL franchise is is you know, very it's a it's a great honour, right? So he'll he'll see that and take that opportunity with both hands. But deep down, he'll know this is a one-year gig. Um, Cameron White's been moved from the renegades to the stars. Pete Moores has been moved from the stars head coach to director of coaching. Um what's that role? For it comes over for what six weeks a year. Like, so I'd be interested to see what what that role actually entails. Um so you know, I I suspect that they've just decided they wanted Cameron White to coach in the BBL still, yeah. So I would just move him across here. So Krieg of Victoria, it's it just seems all over the shop at the moment. Um, and I think they were banking that they could move forward really quickly and sell a stake in sell the renegades, and that obviously there's been a stumbling block between Krig of Australia and the ACA, and so that's what I think left Krig of Victoria in a bit of limbo. So this is probably the I suppose the outcome of this limbo is this situation we're finding um the big bash in with the renegades and the stars, and um yeah, it's it's it's weird. Let's be honest, let's not beat around the bush.

SPEAKER_01 20:21

It's weird. Good or bad for the BBL if the renegades take the title this year?

SPEAKER_00 20:26

I I don't think it matters, yeah. To be honest, uh look, I think it'd be a nice um nice way to bow out, so to speak. But I mean the renegades will be in the BBL. I just I'm pretty confident they just won't be called the Renegades. Yeah. Um they'll be some team named after whoever buys them, um, and where they play is another matter. They're not they're not at Marvel this year, so they're sharing the MCG. So they've got the MC, they've got two games at the MCG, two home games, two games at Junction, and one game in Chennai. Yeah. Um that's a whole other conversation to have as well. Um, but yeah, it's interesting the way that's been done, and I'm sure Cricket Victoria are just doing the best they can based on the situation because I'm I'm sure they assume that they were gonna get an influx of investment, they can rebrand, they can do that whole rebranding, and there's talk of it because they've registered the trademark Melbourne Rangers. Yes, uh, that's the rumors. So look, let's see where that lands. But I I think I think cricket victoria probably it's all they could probably have done, to be honest. Um, I think they're the the whole stalling between cricket of Australia and the ACA has probably forced their hand.

SPEAKER_01 21:41

Yeah, I agree. Um Aussie Test Squad just been released this week. Yep. 13 players for the two tests, which is a smaller squad than they've um used in the past.

SPEAKER_00 21:54

I mean, it's two tests, they don't need any more than 13 on the ground there. I mean, it you know, we're we're in Australia, so if they need reinforcements, they can call them up. Yes, it's it's not as if you're in South Africa or in the UK, you need a couple more players available uh should illness or injury you know hit. Um but I like the squad. Um, there's been some discussion over the guys that have missed out, like Michael Nisa, probably I think everyone acknowledges he's probably a a tad unlucky, just um, but at the end of the day, um when Josh Hazelwood's available, he comes back in. That's fair. It is as simple as that.

SPEAKER_01 22:35

It is. Um Maddie Red. Sure, I was surprised I thought he would get in the squad. I probably thought that he would get in ahead of Josh English just purely because of the way I I felt like they were moving him through the white ball squad to get him back to Test cricket. Um, because I felt at the time when he was picked in the white ball squad, he wasn't an obvious pick, but then he's been so good in both T20s and one day internationals, yeah. And so I felt like he's he's presenting himself really well and he's um he's playing beautifully on the international stage. I just thought it was the time to get him back in there, whether he was going to take a spot or not was a whole nother question. But it looks like they're doubling down on Cameron Green and Bo Webster in the same side, yeah. Um, and Josh English will sort of sit outside as that reserve batter and uh keeper.

SPEAKER_00 23:32

Yeah, look, English is an interesting one. I mean, uh there's there's no doubt that George Bailey, Andrew McDonald, and and the hierarchy rate Josh English highly, and rightly so, he's a he's a quality player, yeah. Um and from all the information I have, he's brilliant around the group, he's he's a he's a great team player, he's a great, he's a great leadership um qualities. Um so he's someone they want in and around that group. And I I don't disagree with that. I think I think he's fantastic. Um I mean the the if Cameron Green and Bo Webster play in the same 11, um it looks to me the only way Inglis can get into that side is if he gets in ahead of Marus Labochan. Yeah, that's how it looks to me. Um I like the fact they've stuck with stuck with Jake Weatherall. Yeah um I I think the whole of the Northern Territory would have kicked up a stink if if Jakey wasn't in that squad. Um so look, he'll play, there's no doubt about that. He'll be given these two test matches for sure. I think it was inevitable he was going to get selected for this uh top end tour when the contract list came out, yeah, and he was on that contract list. Um, so I like that from George Bailey and the selectors. Um let's let's let's give Jake Weather an opportunity. I identified him over the last couple of years who's scored good runs in tough conditions, particularly down in Tassie. Yeah, he's earned the right, give him some give him some time, and you know, I think that's a good thing. Um, because he can succeed at that level. There's no doubt about that. He's he does have the game, he's got a couple of little technical things that crept into his game last year that maybe just needs to sharpen up, and I'm sure he's been working on those. Um, but look, expect Jake Weatherald to uh to on I'm I'm predicting a good summer for him.

SPEAKER_01 25:23

Well, it was interesting. I listened to George Bailey's press conference uh when he selected the squad, and he spoke a lot about Jake Weatherald and the combination with Travis Head. And whilst Weathers wasn't always putting the big scores on himself, he may have been there on 20 when Travis Head was there on 50, and all of a sudden Australia are none for 70. And in a low-scoring series, they're off to a great start. Um so it it's as much about the combination as it is Jake himself, and he had a couple of he had that decent performance against the Pinkball in Brisbane and a couple of other starts that look quite.

SPEAKER_00 26:03

And it helps Jake as well. Obviously, him and Trav are good mates, yeah. Um, you know, he's he's played alongside Travis for many years at South Australia, yeah. Um so that familiarity um with with with someone would be good for Jake. Jake Jake can be a bit bit nervous and and bit anxious. So to I suppose have Trav there at the other end just being Travis, nice and chilled, yeah. Talking absolute dung out there, I'm I'm sure. Um, and just having a smile on his face, having a laugh would actually not just Jake, but I I reckon every batter in that Australian batting order, they they love to bat with Travis Head. Yeah, because it's just so chilled out, he just walks up. Hey, hey young, what are we doing for dinner tonight? Should we go to that place down the road? Yeah, uh down yeah, yeah, let's do that. Alright, then watch the ball and walk back to it. He would keep things as simple as that, yeah. And and that that's a skill in itself because you think the expectation you have 50,000 people around you watching, you've got millions on TV, and to be able to just park that, just be nice and relaxed and focus on you know some other things and keep it light out there, I think is a skill in itself.

SPEAKER_01 27:16

It is so 20 potentially 21 tests over a 12-month period. Yeah, it's been spoken about a lot. Um I found it interesting they went straight to their full strength squad against Bangladesh.

SPEAKER_00 27:29

Um, I thought they might try and extend that break a little bit, but I think it highlights how important Australia put put a focus on the World Test Championship because every single test has something on it. So um yeah, I think there's been some commentary in some quarters that you know could Australia in this series of maybe given some opportunities to some other players uh know it, but I I think that will happen organically. 21 tests in such a short space of time, it's it's very unlikely that all the players you might get a few of the batters play all those test matches, but it's very unlikely that the bowling group will play all those games. Uh the all-rounders, you know, I I think it it'll take I think it'll take about 18 players to get through um to get through this 21 test period. Um and and that that's not not necessarily a bad thing. Um that's that's just the reality of the situation.

SPEAKER_01 28:27

Yeah. Um I was gonna I was gonna say, I think it's underrated as well, how important the World Test Championship final is in terms of warm-up for the Ashes. Like how good is it? They get to play a high-stakes test match in English conditions before the Ashes starts. If they don't make the World Test Championship final, they'll play a warm-up game against the England Lions. We'll go through the schedule, it's just been released. But I think that's a huge advantage. You saw how well the Australians started the last Ashes series in England. They had a 2-0 lead. Now they won that test that particular uh World Test Championship final against India and obviously had confidence, went in with form, won the first test, and then held on to draw the series. But I think that's an underrated part in it, and why they would another reason why they would find it so important, because they want to be there not only to win the World Test Championship, but also to get that extra test match in ahead of the ashes. I think it's so important.

SPEAKER_00 29:29

Yeah, particularly in the modern game where there's not a lot of tour games and preparation. Uh, we see a lot of centre-wicket scenario practice now as opposed to actual tour games. And and that, I completely understand that. Put put the coach's hat on. You understand that because the the tours are so condensed these days. I mean, back in the late 80s, early 90s. I remember the 93 Ashes tour. Matthew Hayden scored a thousand first class runs on that tour, didn't play a test match. Yes, because you'd play two county games between every two games, two county, two against two counties before all the tests, and then you'd play one to two games, county games between each test match. So Matty Hayden scored a thousand runs, and he couldn't get in the side because Michael Slater got that opportunity to be the opening batter and a partner Mark Taylor. So Matty Hayden got to play all the tour games against the counties, smacked a thousand runs. That doesn't happen anymore. Um, so they have to do centre wicket scenarios and maybe a game 14 on 14 so that everyone gets a hit or everyone gets a ball. And that's all fine with the centre wickets and stuff like that. But I've always believed that first-class games as preparation are very good because players they'll be putting in because they know it goes on their stats, their first class stats. Yeah. Whereas the centre wicket scenario doesn't. Um, but I understand the logic. Um, so this World Test Championship match final, if they make it a good hard five-day test match, what great preparation for an Asher series.

SPEAKER_01 31:08

So good, so good. So the Ashes series since this starting at Trent Bridge, uh, which is a bit of a bit of a change. He obviously haven't had too much luck with Trent Bridge in recent times.

SPEAKER_00 31:16

I'll tell you what I'm excited about as well, Trav. Gillespie Sports, travel and events. Yes, we are going. I am hosting a tour to there. We're doing the first three test matches. So Trent Bridge, Lords, and Birmingham. Uh Edge Bastard. Nice. It's gonna be unbelievable. We're we're we're all full up. We're all ready to go. All ready, so it's it's exciting. I can't wait. I'm debating. We we might be getting another tour host to help me because we've got a big big group. Yeah, um, so yeah, we're really excited. We we did the Ashes 2023, we did Edge Baston and Lords. Um, and Lords was that if you remember the test match, the infamous Johnny Bearstone, um, Alex Carey situation. Um, so yeah, looking forward to this Ashes series. I think it's gonna be an absolute cracker, and uh yeah, let's see what happens.

SPEAKER_01 32:11

That's gonna be huge, and then Southampton and the Oval to finish that series. So it's a big schedule. Like I said, 21 tests if they make that uh final. So we might have a look at in our next pod, have a look at the players that we think might get used in an in-match over that over that 21 test. Yeah, definitely. Oh, look, I I think we said you mentioned about 18 players all the time.

SPEAKER_00 32:30

I reckon, yeah, I reckon we we I mean we can safely assume the 13 there now, plus you'd expect Michael Nissou would be um certainly involved. So that's 14 at least. Um yeah, I reckon there's going to be a couple of smokies that maybe maybe haven't played yet, um, or maybe haven't really been thought of. Yeah. I think yeah, I think that could that could definitely happen.

SPEAKER_01 32:53

Huge. What's happening for you the rest of the the week and the month and the the year, mate? You've you're starting to figure out your summer schedule.

SPEAKER_00 33:00

We've maybe had the summer schedule going. I mean, obviously we had a bit of a chat off off uh off camera about you know potentially doing a few shows going throughout the summer. Um, you know, we did a great one last year, didn't we? We did the Wando Vale Cricket Club. Yeah. Great night. We actually had the did the pod live in the in the uh at the at the function and then followed it up with a few stories.

SPEAKER_01 33:26

Stories that we can't tell on the pod.

SPEAKER_00 33:27

Well, we yeah so you're gonna have to book us. Yeah, so that was a lot of fun, wasn't it? It was great fun. So yeah, if you're keen to have us come to your sporting club, please just get in touch with the great man here and we'll uh we'll make it happen. Yeah, we certainly will. But yeah, but look, um just trying to get my diary sorted. Um obviously got um a big summer of cricket with the ABC and starting up in Darwin uh August 13th. So Darwin and Makai, the two tests against Bangladesh. So um really looking forward to to getting back with the ABC crew. Um, I'm actually going to South Africa. I know you are so jealous. Gillespie Sports. Again, we're we're heading over um doing the three tests, also doing um a safari. We're going to in Cape Town, we're gonna go up Table Mountain, but we're also and get this, we're gonna go to Vic Falls. We're gonna sip a Zambezi beer on the Zambezi River. Yeah, good. Like I did that last time. Yeah, I feel like I've seen a photo of the Zoom. One of the great experiences of life, you know, hippos in the water, you see elephant um, you know, on the on the side of the banks of the Zambezi River, you got Zambia over here, you've got Zimbabwe here, uh, you've got the falls just over there. Um just one of the most beautiful places. Zimbabwe, can I tell you? It's one of the most I was fortunate enough to, as a family, we lived there for a little while. Yeah, when I was in my early days of coaching. I genuinely believe it's one of the most beautiful countries in the world and some of the best people I've ever met. And uh they're just just wonderful down-to-earth people. Um, I urge everyone you should you should go and visit Zimbabwe if you get a chance. It's a beautiful, beautiful place. So any spots left on your tower? Uh no, I think we're full again. We're full again. Um, but if you do need to if you do want to inquire, uh reach out to Paul Treglone here at Glesby Sports and um we'll see what we can do. Or get in touch with Trav, he'll he'll put you in the right. I can put you in touch with me or whoever. But but yeah, look, going there, and I'll be doing some work with the ABC while I'm there as well. Um little bit of work with the Fast Bowling Cartel podcast, um, which is exciting. Um Flemmo and Pidge, it's you know, we started it just a bit like you and I, just an opportunity to hang out as mates. Yeah, and it's just sort of just growing and growing, and uh it's a lot of fun, mate. And to because when you it's really interesting, Trav, when you're like you're playing and you're traveling and you're on tour with your with your team 10 months of the year, everyone's really tight-knit. Yeah, and then you either retire or you get dropped and you're out, and then the guys that you you're with 10 months of the year, you don't see them, no, and so you you don't get to hang out with your mates, and um, and I think a lot of sportsmen actually find that quite difficult at times. And uh, I know I certainly found it a bit of a challenge towards a back end of my career and the end of my career, and you know, but your mates that you've sort of been travelling the world with for a decade, all of a sudden you might see them once every couple of years or whatever, so it's a it's just a bit different. So tough life having those memories, isn't it? Well, well, yeah, I'll give it a rest, but but you know what I mean, but yeah, um, but yeah, the I suppose the podcast is a bit of a platform, bit of a vehicle for us to not only catch up as mates, but talk about things we love. And you know, you know, for me on that pod is just hanging shit on batsmen um and talking cricket and having a bit of a laugh. That's right. And like what we do here, we you know, we talk about the game, we you know, we we touch on a bit of local sport, which we we haven't necessarily done today today, but that's okay. Um there's been yeah, because it's been too long. So we we promise we'll be more we we won't leave it another month. Yeah, uh that's right. Yeah, and I blame Trav completely. Yeah, uh he's a pain to get in touch with him, he ignores all my messages. I leave voicemails, Trav, where are you? Yeah, and just ignores him. I'd send him a text. The blue ticks don't come up for about three days, so I go, oh well, doesn't like me anymore.

SPEAKER_01 37:32

Mate, you've you've finally figured it out. It's it's been a while, it's been over a year now. You've finally figured it out. So I figured it out. No, well, um, on that note, we'll never do an episode again, so it's been great. We'll catch up again in a couple of weeks' time. For sure. We're gonna we're looking at some different stuff that we might do ahead of the Bangladesh test as well, might look it into some live streams, so make sure you keep an eye on the socials for that.

SPEAKER_00 37:57

So maybe any ideas that anyone has, please please get in touch with the great men. Yeah, yeah, you know, if if any ideas that you have, we're we're open to suggestions on how we can grow this, oh, make it better and improve.

SPEAKER_01 38:11

If people want him shirtless for an episode, he'll he'll absolutely let's not scare people.

SPEAKER_00 38:16

Let's not scare people. All right.

SPEAKER_01 38:17

I do mine, that'll scare people, but you thank you for listening. We've gone off topic there with uh today's pod, but uh, we love your support on the Still Not Out Podcast. We'll be back again in a couple of weeks' time, and like I said, big series against Bangladesh. We'll be looking to get into the live streaming game as well. So keep an eye on the socials at StillNot Out Podcast, and you can find us just about everywhere. Have a great one. We'll see you soon.