Season 17, Ep 28: We've been excited about the 150th anniversary Test scheduled for 2027, so it was deflating to see the news that Cricket Australia have planned for it to be day-night. A range of specious arguments will try to cover for the fact that it's about the overseas TV market. Also this week, some Champions Trophy wash-up, Steve Smith's ODI retirement, South Australia on track for a domestic double, while the Shield final might be moved to Adelaide Oval if the logistics can be pulled off. Also this week Sabina Park won't have lights in time for their own pink-ball Test in Jamaica, the regional women's T20 World Cup qualifiers are coming up with our favourite Brazil team involved, and perhaps the first case of a player being dismissed in cricket for having fallen asleep.

Your Nerd Pledge revisit this week:

1.04 - Michael Fallon

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A variation on our Book Club, this time we turn to film with a man well known to Final Word listeners, Tony Wilson. We change sports too, to (round ball) football. Why? The tale of Ange Postecoglou is fascinating one, and the influence of all-time great Ferenc Puskás - when they combined together at South Melbourne in the ‘90s - is central to it. With Cam Fink having shot and edited Ange and the Boss, who has also worked with us on many Final Word mission, this felt like a perfect fit. A joyous story with Melbourne migration at its core.

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Champions Trophy Final, India v New Zealand, Dubai: A tournament tailor-made for Indian success has ended with just that, the best team getting the trophy they came to the UAE for. The Black Caps earned themselves a route to victory with their spinners after dark, but they just didn't have enough runs. Daniel Norcross and Danyal Rasool recap the Dubai decider.

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Champions Trophy Final preview semi-final, India v New Zealand, Dubai: The time has come. A tournament on a platter for the men in blue, they simply must stick the landing against the Black Caps, right? Andrew Fidel Fernando is at Dubai Sports City, and having heard the pre-game press conferences, he's with Daniel Norcross to preview the big one!

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It's Story Time, our walk through cricket history via your listener quiz challenges. This week, we're obviously going to end up at Shane Warne's sideline as a handyman, but before we get there it's going to be a meander through several facets of the career of someone who ended up on the wicket tally right behind him, and another of somebody who should have had a Test tally closer to those two than the number he ended up with.

Your Nerd Pledge numbers this week:

1.27 - Peter Newbould

8.96 - Lesley M

6.00 - David Martin

4.90 - Miranda Debeljakovic

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Champions Trophy 2nd semi-final, New Zealand v South Africa, Lahore: What a performance from the Black Caps with the bat, storming into another ICC trophy decider against India. At Lahore, we have Danyal Rasool from cricinfo, and he's joining Cameron Ponsonby.

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Season 17, Ep 27: While the Champions Trophy semi-finals happen around us, Adam and Geoff try to stay focused on the rest of the week's matters at hand. Jos Buttler finally gives up the eternal sadness of England captaincy, Matt Kuhnemann gets cleared by the University of Western Australia (don't start with us), Cam Green is held back from the Shield, David Boon joins the CA board, Jimmy Anderson signs up for The Hundred, and Australia's women gear up for yet another tour of New Zealand.

Your Nerd Pledge revisit this week:

5.74 - Jacob Norton

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Champions Trophy 1st semi-final, India v Australia, Dubai: Australia changed their blueprint and their attack but neither quite worked as India did enough with the ball and had too much depth with the bat, advancing to the final with Virat Kohli front and centre. In the thick of things at Dubai Sports City for us, it's Daniel Norcross with Andrew Fidel Fernando.

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Champions Trophy Day 13, semi-final preview: Everyone is where they need to be for the final stages of this tournament, with Australia's configuration the main point of interest - the underdogs by any measure in Dubai against India on Tuesday. From there, it'll be South Africa and New Zealand duking it out in Lahore on Wednesday. Might it be the Proteas against the men in blue as it was in last year's T20 decider? Daniel Norcross and Andrew Fidel Fernando have plenty to chew over in their preview of what is to come.

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Get 20% off your cask of MacIness scotch whisky! ICCWHISKYCRICKET20 is the code, email [email protected] to get the ball rolling.

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Champions Trophy Day 12, India v New Zealand, Dubai: We knew who had made the final four of this tournament, but now - after India flexed their muscles in an impressive bowling performance against New Zealand - it's clear who gets who in the semis. Daniel Norcross and Andrew Fidel Fernando are on duty for the final game of the group stage in the UAE.

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Get 20% off your cask of MacIness scotch whisky! ICCWHISKYCRICKET20 is the code, email [email protected] to get the ball rolling.

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Champions Trophy Day 11, England v South Africa, Karachi: South Africa have successfully made it through to another semi-final, annihilating Jos Buttler’s sorry side on his final day in charge. To work through it all, we have Danyal Rasool at the National Stadium in Karachi joining Cameron Ponsonby.

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Get 20% off your cask of MacIness scotch whisky! ICCWHISKYCRICKET20 is the code, email [email protected] to get the ball rolling.

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