Mark Wood, Mattchin’s Match and More than 10

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0:47BBC Sounds, music, radio, podcasts. Hello and welcome to Tailenders. Thank you for having us on Tailenders, your weekly loosely cricket based podcast. Oh, a new tagline, is it? Yeah, I've got it in my head because I was in Dublin yesterday and the lighting engineer, Andy, shout out, go well, cheers. That's what he said to me. And he revealed his jacket and he had a hashtag Tellings World United. So you got a t-shirt on, which I want to expect in Ireland. So, yeah. Huge, huge go well to Andy. Huge go well to everyone who's making the Maccabees tour happen. Huge go well to all our Irish tailenders listeners as well.

1:25We don't give enough love across the pond to them. Can I quickly say another I'm going well, it just popped into my head. There was a guy in the crowd, I would say probably mid-twenties, who took it upon himself during the show. Quite a serious rock show where we're trying to bring emotions and proceedings. He just presented me with his phone with a picture of chilli on it for about 40 minutes. Thank you to whoever that was.

1:53This is rock and roll. It's serious stuff. It's just such an in-joke that I didn't know. I didn't know how to explain it. There wasn't any point stopping and explaining it to everyone. That's the sort of thing you'd have to explain to your rock and roll friends as well on stage with you. They'd be like, Felix, what was the guy with the chilli all about? It's like when Jimmy's a bit embarrassed in front of his friends of us. I saw a lot of people feeling in that moment. A similar thing happened the other day when um the listeners to radio one if if we have them on with movie stars and stuff we sometimes get them to do sort of little games and stuff with movie stars they will come on and they'll reveal something that i've told them in confidence but to to hollywood's a-list so the other day they would they were telling austin butler and um zoe kravitz that i sleep with just a t-shirt on them no bottoms right so i was like no this is between us don't tell don't tell the a-listers this is like they're gonna think i'm weird but like between us this is a nice thing you're in confidence is to about seven million people a morning yeah but i trust i trust i trusted those guys i i don't i don't trust the hollywood a-listers they're not they're not they're not they're not like us they're in a different they're a different world they're little snakes they are they are little hollywood slugs anyway welcome to tell lenders it's g-force it's felix It's matching Tendorka.

3:19Jimmy Anderson is on his way. He's currently turning it up to 100 on the bus back from, I don't know, somewhere. So he'll be here. It's like an episode of Speed. Where was he last night? He was on my TV last night. Oh, he was on your TV, was he? Where was he playing? Was he playing? Trent Rockets, he was playing last night. Did he play? He did not play. Did not play. Oh, well, then there's a lesson for you, selectors. Yeah. Yeah, there'll be a lesson to you. so we'll chat to Jimmy about the 100 in just a bit we'll talk about um matching Tendulkar we'll get to that in a second actually he's been playing a lot of cricket I mean he's played more cricket than any of the rest of the tailenders you're playing more cricket than Jimmy at the minute I've played more cricket in the last week than I have for the last seven years it's taken its toll I bet it has well top level sport does do that to the human body we will get Jimmy on to do some more Mark would I lie to you we'll have you go Wells we'll have your correspondence of uncertainty.

4:17And we'll do some more amazing little yearns, the things that you yearn to do if you are a professional cricketer. Not the big stuff. We're talking the minutiae, the little bits, the stupid stuff, the stuff that no one really thinks about when they're growing up and wanting to be a cricketer. But then when you grow into it, you're like, yeah, but it's not scoring 100. It's not getting five wickets. It's calling for a review and being right it's being on the boundary while you're warming up and the rest of the crowd you know does exactly what you do that sort of stuff so Matt should we talk about your your cricket so you did a cricket holiday which my mum found out about because she saw it on Instagram so you were on Willacombe Beach and did people turn up people did turn up it was it was nerve-wracking because I put it out on Instagram I wasn't sure who was going to turn up if anyone I felt like a bit like going on a blind date you know I put the wickets in I wasn't sure and people did show up we had like a rolling cast of about i don't know 10 to 15 10 10 to 13 i'd say which is enough you're six to eight yeah you're because you're about to say 15 but then i was like maybe not 15 so is it 10 to 13 or is it 10 to 13 look we had fires and it was the inaugural one so it's gonna start off small you know from small acorns great things will grow yes and this is i'm hoping this will be an annual thing now.

5:42So I'm opening it up to other beaches. Have you guys seen Ballad of Wallace Island? Oh yeah, it's that. With Tail End of Tim Key. That's just reminding me when he asked how many people at a gig and he goes, less than 10. It's just you, isn't it? Come to the gig. Just me and my mum. That is a great recommendation for all Tail Enders, that film, by the way. With Tail End of Tim Key, so that's not our context either. Really, really special film. Yeah, but I love beach cricket. It's my favourite format of the game now, I think. The conditions are leveller. You know, the wicket can change from one wave to the next.

6:20You might have like a wet dog or a small family with boogie boards walking through at any point. Or a wet family. You just have to adjust in the moment to those playing conditions. I think a wet dog is a cricket in terms, isn't it? Do people call it a wet dog? No, is it a sticky dog or something? the Australians call like a pitch of like you literally mean a wet dog don't you? I mean like a wet dog that's just run out of the seat. We know there's one thing we know about matching. He's very literal. So when he says a wet dog, he's imagining a wet dog. But yeah, next you're invited next year for next year's event.

6:56Oh, when is it? But I think it's a little bit beach cricket. I'm completely with you. You and Felix famously have played beach cricket in Grenada slash Granada before. I've been trying to get everyone to go to that pub in Ely on the east coast of Scotland because they got a beach cricket pitch which is really beautiful it's a lot it is a lovely thing because you are at the mercy of the and look let's not forget you're king of the sea that's your natural environment exactly and we all went for a swim afterwards and then we went to the pub oh come on nice it's a perfect day it's perfect day it's a perfect day it was a great day yeah and then to continue my cricketing career I then on Monday before you do that how many people came to the pub was it between 10 and 15 what was it it was it was more than one how many people in the pub

7:46more than 13 more than 13 but less than 15

7:52sorry magic go on mate you keep going then then i went and played on monday in a charity cricket match for uh final word versus zero ducks podcast none of you guys can make it well no because I was you know Fiat's on tour Jimmy's playing cricket and I was I was broadcasting to the nation I'm sorry about that and I just couldn't get there in time there was no I would love to have played it looked it was a great cast list it was it was it was your it was your Jeff Lemons it was your Adam Collinses it was your Toby Terrence it was your Dan Norcrosses it was your Stephen Finns it was it was your Kate Masons your David Gowers your David Gowers it was the cricket media multiverse it was like cricket podcast Comic Con yeah move for cricketing royalty I thought it was amazing I was really really sad to have missed that because it was Zoltzman was bowling and you got a few runs didn't you?

8:44I got a few runs I got more than 10 less than 12

8:52it's weird do you know what it's very strange for hearing Matching talk about any number higher than 5 because up until today I thought that Matching knew that 5 was the most you could get of anything I know And let's pause as we welcome the greatest fast bowler of all time, James Anderson. Hello. Hello. Hi, James. Hello. By the way, we were really sad to have missed you last week. I know you were feeling a bit under the weather, but we had a nice time with Butch. I don't know if you've listened to the episode, but he was on Good Form and Wheat, and you were greatly missed. Are you okay now? Oh, thanks, Greg.

9:29Thanks. I haven't listened to it. I don't know if I've mentioned this before, but I very rarely listen to an episode of his tale. Yes, yes, yes, yes, of course. I should give it a listen because I'm not on it. So I'll actually enjoy listening to that one. Hey, come on. One of the things that you would like is the Hansi Cronje documentary that Butch has fronted. That's what he was on talking about. It's very, very good. I think you'd really like it from a cricket nerd point of view, but also from a crime point of view. Oh, yeah, it's a good story, isn't it? Well, not a good story, but it's a bad story, but it's an interesting one.

10:03Yeah. And I'm also interested in how you pronounce Cronye as well. Cronye. Cronye. Cronye. Cronye. Hansi Cronye. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But it's very good. It's a good podcast. And Mark Butch was excellent last week. So you've just joined us, Jimmy, as Matching is telling us about his charity cricket match appearance at Wormsley. Can I tell you about this? This is a really interesting fact about Worms. Have you ever played at Wormsley Cricket Ground, Jimmy? I have, yes. That's where Andy Callick called me a c***. Really? Yeah, it's a beautiful setting, isn't it? It's horrible, but you don't expect it there.

10:38Really interesting fact about that. It's in Buckinghamshire, right? And it's owned by Sir John Paul Getty from the Getty dynasty. Oh, nice. No, Getty, the Getty family were once the richest family in the world, right? And John Paul Getty was an American billionaire, right? and in the 80s he sat in his caribbean penthouse and he's suffering from depression and insomnia and who knocks on his door who leans over the fence only buddy mick jagger oh and mick jagger goes john paul do you want to watch some test cricket and mick jagger had had test cricket vhs videos flown over to his caribbean island and then sits there with this billionaire John Paul Gay and cures his depression by just sitting there explaining test cricket to him for weeks on end then John Paul Gay falls in love with cricket Mick Jagger and Mick Jagger and becomes cricket obsessed then comes over to the UK builds the mound stand at Lourdes what?

11:43with his money his 1.6 million infiltrates cricket and then on his Buckinghamshire estate which is the Wormsley ground he builds this lush cricket ground and creates the lord's slope in it builds that in and so yeah that that's how like in terms of like butterfly effect Mick Jagger knocking on his door like 40 years ago to cure his depression fast forward 40 years I'm opening the batting on his estate having Toby Tarrant but he held some zingers at me it's like how mad is that well it's all all of it's mad until the last bit which would have done that at a different ground yeah I was in that setting oh you were in that oh I see what you mean so you so so what do you think's the mad bit you think the mad bit is that you are sort of connected to John Paul Getty and Mick Jagger or that the yeah do you think it's madder that that happened all those all those things had to fall in place for me to be opening the baton there.

12:46Looking like WG Grace. Exactly. And did you bat like WG? He did. Baton is difficult, isn't it? Baton is difficult. And he did bat like WG Grace. I've seen a shot on his Instagram where I think it's Matching's only shot. And look, we won't condemn Matching for that because there's been players at the highest level who have seemed to have had one shot. I'm looking at you, Dom Sibley. I'm looking at you, Alistair Cook. And Matchins is a sort of hack through mid-wicket to anything. He sort of whips it like he's slaying corn in the 50s. Yeah. I also had Phil Brown, the photographer, Dudley Patapus, just sledging me constantly, stood right by me, calling me all the names under the sun, saying I shouldn't be there, which is quite intimidating.

13:35But I did find, Jim, I was going to ask you some questions about this, because the fielding, I'm not an unfit man. I can play a bit of football, play a bit of paddle. I've climbed a few mountains in my time. We did 30 overs and I was knackered after that. I didn't do much fielding. I probably batted for over 10 minutes. It takes its toll on the body, doesn't it? Yes, mate. It's ridiculous. I was aching all over. The question is... I don't know what the question is. You're just talking at me. Cricket's tiring Why do you get chubby cricketers? It's a good question It is a good question I think the fielding element It's a lot of standing I think standing in the field is actually Harder than people give it credit for It does take its toll But you're not really running too much Are you?

14:32But you get chubby footballers As well, case in point Sat right in front of me not professional though not professional yeah the other question is i found really not difficult but when you're fielding there's a very small chance the ball's going to come to you but you have to concentrate all the time so it's quite like a practice in mindfulness oh lovely do you do you ever get bored standing in the field or you constantly switch yeah no I do get bored at times, but the key is you shouldn't be switched on all the time. You have to switch off in between balls. But then once the ball's getting bowled, then you've got to be switched on.

15:11There's a skill in that. It's like a batter being at the non-strikers end. You switch off. And then when you're on strike, you're switched on because it's impossible to be fully focused for six, seven hours a day. Yeah. There was a brilliant bit on the 100 coverage where Will Jax was chatting to Ian Ward and Wardy was just probing. He was just probing a couple of questions about Will Jax. He took that incredible catch on the boundary. But there was this amazing bit where Will Jax was describing how, obviously he's played cricket for so long and Jimmy, I'm sure you relate to this, that he knows that if he's down at long off or long on, he knows the angles.

15:50And it's the same, like he knows where different bowlers are going to bowl potentially. So he's like, oh, look, Rayan Ahmed's going to bowl this sort of ball. So probably it's going to come my way a couple of times and over. And the way he talked about visualizing where the boundary was, where the catch was coming at head height, he knew obviously where his rope was so he could jump. In that moment, I don't know if you've all seen the catch. You should go and have a look at it if you haven't. But he collects it with one hand, plucks it out midair. As he's falling back over the boundary, he just lobs it forward.

16:19Sometimes you might throw it up and then your teammate might catch it. but there was this really good where he just, he has this sort of, I guess like he watches cricket like a video game. Do you get that, Jimmy, where you just, you sort of predict the angle and you know, you know your little zone that you're covering, I guess. Yeah, I think you have to, anyone who's half decent on the boundary has got to do that. You've got to know, because you're also trying to save two if it gets hit on the floor to you. So you're trying to stop them running two. So you've got to be maybe a little bit off the rope, but then you've got to know how many, how far away from the rope you are so you can get back in case there's a ball over the top.

16:54I think the biggest one is probably knowing the batter as well, what a batter's strength is. If a batter's strength is hitting over mid-on, then you know you're going to be in the game. If a batter's strength is scooping, then you've got to be in the game. You've got to be focused when you're in the fine leg and third man position. So it's something that's not really talked too often about. And I think that's why there's not many, well, I think there's probably more now, but there's not many like great fielders. There's, you know, teams still carry fielders and it's because guys don't particularly put as much focus into it as they should.

17:31So interesting. So that's what John McEnroe said. They used to be able to read the court like a probability, like loads of squares and like really quickly read the probability of where it's going to land. And so was Anthony Robinson as well at Fulham left back and he was saying how they all play chess. And it's almost like that, like you have to read three moves ahead all that stuff really helps and you never think about that do you when you're watching sports people but they're doing a lot of quick yeah well you think about it sometimes when you watch bowlers and when you focus on batters but on the coverage it was nice because the 100 is so obviously about athletic gymnastic acrobatic fielding that they really focused in on that particular bit of will jackson for the first time i heard a proper bit of analysis and almost like a master class of of course you've been watching that i know it's so but it's it's the you know it's the big one of the biggest parts of the game especially on in t20 cricket and 100 cricket but you're shit you're watching the bowler's shape you're watching the batter's shape obviously you are and i thought it was i thought it was a brilliant little bit of analysis so jimmy where are you and how are you i just got back to old trefford after nottingham 100 game which we lost i'm good you haven't played the last couple of games but have you when you have been playing were you turning it up to 100 I was trying my best yeah okay how are you finding the 100 how has it been playing in it what's it like it's good it's interesting for me like I'm just an interesting kind of because I've never done franchise cricket coming into a team where like I think we had seven or eight new players in this this team who've not played for this team before so trying to come together two days before your first game and then sort of build team like some team cohesion and figure out how you're going to play was quite interesting and it's an interesting dynamic.

19:22Do you have some getting to know you games for all the new players? Well it's a bit late now we've only got two games left. But no at the start did you do that? Did you go around and say like where you come from two truths and a lie? Not everything's a quiz in my life. We just have normal conversation and try and get to know each other. We've got a really nice email from a better London spirit do. well actually well jacks for the invincibles who felix and i are no longer co-chairs of that was our own decision by the way we decided on that we won all we wanted to win we got the silver and we thought we'll let someone else have a go now legacy speaks for itself plus we would i was informed that whenever it gets whenever they get you know bought or sold to pro equity then we would have been sacked anyway so we we sort of took our leave before we were pushed out um anyway Will Jacks was saying that because the team has been, the core of the team have been together for three or four years now, they don't have to do all that stuff.

20:20So they all kind of know each other. Anyway, speaking of the oval, email for Jimmy from Ben. Ben says, my 10 year old's journey to London today was spent playing Roblox and talking about Netflix Demon Hunters. Oh. Yeah. K-pop Demon Hunters, big show. Yeah, watch that. His return train ride was spent watching clips of Jimmy's best test match wickets. Ah. Nice. Have just been to see what I guess is the tail end as Derby over Invincibles versus Manchester Originals. As a man in his 40s, I would have put hundreds of pounds on the most emotional moment of 2025 being watching Oasis and listening to the crowd singing Don't Look Back in Anger back at Noel and Liam.

21:01Yet I sat sandwiched between my dad and my son, a trilateral generational series, if you will, and was suddenly moved to a feeling I was not prepared for. The biggest moment of the day was listening to a crowd singing back at a man who, like Oasis, was probably delivering the goods before most of the crowd was born. The Oh Jimmy chant was by far the loudest noise of the day, including the fireworks, and was sung by all around needless of whom they supported. I knew I had this love for Jimmy, and this reception is what is expected from home fans at a test match, but what other person in a sporting arena would get this treatment, even if the 100 is the charity shield of cricket competitions?

21:40You would not see Arsenal fans, for example, cheering David Beckham. Would they rise for Messi? No. Pele? Maybe in hindsight, but not while he played. Nadal? Not sure. Jonah Lomu? Possibly. In fact, never mind the sporting context. What person would get this love and respect if they walked into a room housing 20 ,000 people? Mandela? The Queen? Freddie Mercury from the band Queen? This list is debatable and not that long. I guess what my point is, is that I think Jimmy might actually have reached above the GOAT tier and is now actually immortal. Anyway, back to my boy who is just into the numbers, physics and tactics of the games as he is the ball hitting.

22:22But until today, it was short form cricket only. Yet somehow, after watching a man hit two not out in the hundred and not get any return from the ball, along with hearing people sing his name, he is now a full test match convert. Go well, Ben. Cheers. The immortal. How about that? Nice up. New fans coming along to it all the time. This is what we say, isn't it? The 100 getting people interested in test cricket. It's a gateway drug. Cool, isn't it? That is actually really lovely. That's sweet. It was an amazing reaction. I had that a few times this year at grounds that I wouldn't expect. And Headingley was probably the biggest one when I went out to bat Headingley in a T20.

23:04Oh, yeah. And then, yeah, the overall was nice. The reaction from everyone's been amazing. Even when I'm not playing, it's been nice. Jim let's stay at Headingley for a second we haven't discussed that that was incredible because I don't I can't imagine that's ever happened for a Lancashire player at Yorkshire to be given a standing ovation when they walk out or vice versa that must be a first yeah I'm not sure maybe Fred when he played if he played it might have happened for him but yeah it doesn't happen often which is it makes it really special and I've had quite a few obviously at the 100 there's quite a few young fans as we've just heard there.

23:41I've had quite a few go-wells from young tailenders, which is sweet. Love that. That's really good. Well, yeah, cheers to all who go well. And a cheers to all. Yeah, that's a lovely thing. You've reached that level of just affection from all cricket fans. There's no respect. There aren't many. There aren't many. There aren't many on that list, I'd say, where people are just like, oh, it's Jimmy Anderson. Oh. Well, thank you for that email, Ben. and a huge go well to your boy. I don't think you said his name in the email. He didn't. Just called him a 10-year-old. The nameless 10-year-old. Makes it sound like I've made the whole email up.

24:20I didn't. I didn't. I promise. Pop quiz. What's in your kid's lunchbox? At Whole Foods Market, they've already done the studying. Over 300 food ingredients are banned from their shelves. No hydronated fats in the peanut butter and no high fructose corn syrup in the cookies. And for sandwiches, there are no synthetic nitrates or nitrites in any of their deli meat. So you can pack lunchboxes with peace of mind. Get back to school ready at Whole Foods Market. From Taco Night in Tulum to Sushi in Tokyo, every bite is rewarding and post-worthy with MX Gold's four-times membership rewards points at restaurants worldwide.

25:01Wherever you dine, points are piling up. So bring your friends along for your next course. because it's not all about the posts. It's about the company and the memories. How can gold from Amex sweeten your next food moment? Learn more at americanexpress.com slash explore-gold. Terms and points cap apply.

25:23Here's an email about something that Felix discussed on the last podcast. Hi, GeForce. Hi, Sharknado. Hi, Jimmy. Hi, Mood. And hi, Felix. I bring good news. After his latest rehearsal with the Maccabees, I can happily confirm that me and my friend did not see the double fall post-chat. Though I cannot confirm if this was seen by the locals at the George Canning pub. He can rest easy knowing that we did not see him fall to his knees after being blessed by our conversation. In return for our goodwill gesture of clearing his conscience, all we ask is he sits us down with a pint at our next coincidental meeting.

26:03and that he puts on an unbelievable show this Sunday at all points east. Go well. Cheers. Kind regards, Adam and John. So, yeah, they didn't see you fall over. It's made it worse because I could have just gone under the cover and they've listened to the episode. Now everyone knows. Jimmy, you won't have heard that, but I informed everyone yesterday that someone stopped me. Adam stopped me outside a pub to say blah, blah, blah, the Macri's and Tailenders. And I said, yeah, thanks so much. and as I left, I fell over, but like fell over three times. Like, you know, when you're like half going and you sort of stop yourself, but then you keep going.

26:41I had to pick my cards up before and I was so mortified, but I didn't look behind to see if they'd seen me do that. Question to you, Jim. Have you ever done something like that? Have I ever fallen over? After receiving praise. Specifically. Not that I can remember. okay all right well thank you slows guys i will definitely i'll have a pint next time mine's a guinness and they want you to buy them a pint oh because because they have well they've just stopped me inside no you dropped yourself i'll get him a pint come on then jimmy i understand you have another round of mark would i lie to you yes i do come on then this this went down a storm last time you did it.

27:27Did it? Yeah, people love Mark, would I lie to you? Okay. What's Sharky appeared for? He's got the clips. Oh, okay. Are I faded up? Yeah, I think so. Yes, you are faded up. This is question number one. Oh. Sharky, by the way, while you're there, Everton rubbish, weren't they? Absolutely appalling. Absolutely appalling. Really looking forward to going on Sunday to the new stadium. Nice stadium, though. Nice stadium. Oh, yeah. Got a good stadium, though. How do you have a thought? Any other thoughts? Are you concerned now? Is there a little dark cloud above your head everywhere you go, like Charlie Brown?

28:02Well, as you know, there's always a dark cloud that follows me everywhere. Yeah. But I reckon we'll be all right. We'll be all right in the end. You know, mid-table mediocrity, here we come. And while you're here, Sharky, talk us about your cricket in exploits this weekend. Got seven. Played Saturday. I fielded for 40 overs. I never normally field. I normally keep fielding 40 overs. And to reiterate what I'm matching said, it's a bit knackering. dropped an absolute dolly fell a one on score loads batted seven disappointing Sunday 35 overs got 20 odd kept took three catches and a stumping so I was pretty chuffed with that Jesus Christ a stumping?