The Golden Age of Cricket Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

With Part 2 of this episode of 'Short Leg', Tom Ford concludes the re-telling of Clem Hill's famous innings at the MCG against England in 1898, in which he scored a match saving, series-winning score, with the help of off-spinner Hugh Trumble. 

DONATE: You can buy Tom Ford a coffee! Every donation helps with production and inspires Tom to keep the podcast going. You can donate from a little as $5. Visit: buymeacoffee.com/goldenageofcricket

CREDITS:

Presenter & Producer: Tom Ford

All music used in podcast comes from the University of California Santa Barbara's remarkable collection of wax cylinder's from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, which are free to download and use. You can donate to the upkeep of these recordings via their website [https://cylinders.library.ucsb.edu/].

This episode of 'Short Leg' – discusses one of the most famous and, arguably, greatest Test innings of the Golden Age. Not yet 21, Clem Hill rescued Australia from a monumental batting collapse on Day 1 of the Fourth Test in Melbourne of the 1897/98 Ashes series. Along with Hugh Trumble, the pair put on a record 7th wicket stand to turn the innings, match and series.

DONATE: You can buy Tom Ford a coffee! Every donation helps with production and inspires Tom to keep the podcast going. You can donate from a little as $5. Visit: buymeacoffee.com/goldenageofcricket

CREDITS:

Presenter & Producer: Tom Ford

All music used in podcast comes from the University of California Santa Barbara's remarkable collection of wax cylinder's from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, which are free to download and use. You can donate to the upkeep of these recordings via their website.

In the second part of my chat with The Sunday Times cricket correspondent, Simon Wilde, we discuss Ranjitsinhji's batting style and how he changed the appearance of 'batsmanship', the fluctuating fortunes of his only Test tour - that to Australia in 1897-98, his dramatic drop in form in 1902, and his less than successful return to cricket in 1920 with only one eye. 

ABOUT SIMON WILDE:

Simon Wilde has covered five cricket World Cups and more than 250 England Test matches as the cricket correspondent of The Sunday Times. He has written 12 books, including the bestselling England: The Biography, which chronicles the story of the men's national team since 1877, and his latest publication is The Tour: The Story of the England Cricket Team Overseas 1877-2022. His biography Ranji: The Strange Genius of Ranjitsinhji was shortlisted for The William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award.

CREDITS:

Presenter & Producer: Tom Ford

All music used in podcast comes from the University of California Santa Barbara's remarkable collection of wax cylinder's from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, which are free to download and use. You can donate to the upkeep of these recordings via their website. 

Cricket correspondent for The Sunday Times, Simon Wilde, joins the podcast to discuss the life and career of the so-called 'Father of Indian Cricket' – K.S. Ranjitsinhji. Born in India in 1872, 'Ranji' – as he was universally known – arrived in England in 1888 to further his education, but took the cricket world by storm with his unorthodox but highly effective batting style. At the height of his success, he was as famous as W.G. Grace. But despite his 'magical' ability in the eyes of the British, he was plagued by many off-field issues throughout his cricket career, including financial complications and fighting for his right to become the princely ruler of a state in India.

ABOUT SIMON WILDE:

Simon Wilde has covered five cricket World Cups and more than 250 England Test matches as the cricket correspondent of The Sunday Times. He has written 12 books, including the bestselling England: The Biography, which chronicles the story of the men’s national team since 1877, and his latest publication is The Tour: The Story of the England Cricket Team Overseas 1877-2022. His biography Ranji: The Strange Genius of Ranjitsinhji was shortlisted for The William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award.

CREDITS:

Presenter & Producer: Tom Ford

All music used in podcast comes from the University of California Santa Barbara’s remarkable collection of wax cylinder’s from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, which are free to download and use. You can donate to the upkeep of these recordings via their website.

Gideon Haigh joins host Tom Ford in discussing the life and career of Australian cricket giant Warwick Armstrong. In Part 2, they dissect Warwick's Test debut, his adoption of leg theory on English wickets, and his numerous run-ins with the cricket establishment.

ABOUT GIDEON HAIGH:

Gideon Haigh has written close to 50 books and contributed to more than 100 publications, including The Times of London, The Guardian, The Times of India and The Australian. His 2001 biography The Big Ship: Warwick Armstrong and the Making of Modern Cricket was awarded the Jack Pollard Trophy.

CREDITS:

Presenter & Producer: Tom Ford

All music used in podcast comes from the University of California Santa Barbara’s remarkable collection of wax cylinder’s from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, which are free to download and use. You can donate to the upkeep of these recordings via their website.

Leading cricket writer Gideon Haigh joins the podcast. When it comes to giants of Australian cricket, there are few who stand larger than Warwick Armstrong. Described as the ‘WG Grace of the Antipodes’, he was an all-round phenomenon, who’s stature in cricket - both physically and figuratively - has rarely been surpassed. Emerging in the first years of the 20th century, he defied many of the game’s oldest laws and customs, played cricket to win regardless of its spirit, and stood firm against an emerging dictatorial cricket Establishment. When he retired after leading the all-conquering 1921 Australians in England, he was universally praised as a ‘champion of the game’. But it’s his early years as a lanky, defiant allrounder in the Golden Age of Cricket which concerns this podcast.

ABOUT GIDEON HAIGH:

Gideon Haigh has written close to 50 books and contributed to more than 100 publications, including The Times of London, The Guardian, The Times of India and The Australian. His 2001 biography The Big Ship: Warwick Armstrong and the Making of Modern Cricket was awarded the Jack Pollard Trophy.

CREDITS:

Presenter & Producer: Tom Ford

All music used in podcast comes from the University of California Santa Barbara’s remarkable collection of wax cylinder’s from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, which are free to download and use. You can donate to the upkeep of these recordings via their website.

There are few cricketers from the Golden Age who remain such an enigma as C. B. Fry. Captain of the England cricket team, footballer, world-record long jump holder, classicist, politician, naval captain, novelist, journalist, academic - there was no end to his talent. He even came close to becoming the King of Albania. English commentator John Arlott described him as 'probably the most variously gifted Englishman of any age.' On more than one occasion during his playing career, he was the undisputed best batsman in the world; yet he never toured Australia as a player, had questionable ties to some senior figures in Nazi Germany, and was troubled throughout his life by mental health issues, probably ignited by a less than ideal domestic setting.

In Part 2, Tom is joined by biographer Iain Wilton, and they discuss Fry’s relationship with some senior figures in Nazi Germany and how this might have been influenced by his younger brother Walter's death during the Great War, his mental health, his remarkable batting statistics, and his overall cricket legacy.

ABOUT IAIN WILTON:

Iain  has enjoyed a varied professional career in fields of politics, statistics and sport, including six years as the MCC's Head of Communications, at Lord's. He's now in the process of making a career change, after completing some professional exams to become an independent financial adviser, based in the Essex/Suffolk area, where he now lives with his family. More than 20 years after his biography C. B. Fry – King Of Sport was first published, Iain is now hoping to write, much later than planned, a second cricket book - this one focusing on the first Cricket World Cup, back in 1975.

Iain's early research and interviews are going well but, if any of 1975's competitors are listening, he says that he'd absolutely love to hear from you! Please contact Tom at goldenageofcricket@gmail.com and he'll pass the email on.

CREDITS:

Presenter & Producer: Tom Ford

All music used in podcast comes from the University of California Santa Barbara’s remarkable collection of wax cylinder’s from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, which are free to download and use. You can donate to the upkeep of these recordings via their website.

There are few cricketers from the Golden Age who remain such an enigma as C. B. Fry. Captain of the England cricket team, footballer, world-record long jump holder, classicist, politician, naval captain, novelist, journalist, academic - there was no end to his talent. He even came close to becoming the King of Albania. English commentator John Arlott described him as 'probably the most variously gifted Englishman of any age.' On more than one occasion during his playing career, he was the undisputed best batsman in the world; yet he never toured Australia as a player, had questionable ties to some senior figures in Nazi Germany, and was troubled throughout his life by mental health issues, probably ignited by a less than ideal domestic setting.

In Part 1, Tom is joined by biographer Iain Wilton, and they discuss Fry’s early life, his writing and batting style, and his relationship with his wife, Beatrice.

ABOUT IAIN WILTON:

Iain  has enjoyed a varied professional career in fields of politics, statistics and sport, including six years as the MCC's Head of Communications, at Lord's. He's now in the process of making a career change, after completing some professional exams to become an independent financial adviser, based in the Essex/Suffolk area, where he now lives with his family. More than 20 years after his biography C. B. Fry – King Of Sport was first published, Iain is now hoping to write, much later than planned, a second cricket book - this one focusing on the first Cricket World Cup, back in 1975.

Iain's early research and interviews are going well but, if any of 1975's competitors are listening, he says that he'd absolutely love to hear from you! Please contact Tom at goldenageofcricket@gmail.com and he'll pass the email on.  

CREDITS:

Presenter & Producer: Tom Ford

All music used in podcast comes from the University of California Santa Barbara’s remarkable collection of wax cylinder’s from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, which are free to download and use. You can donate to the upkeep of these recordings via their website.

Part 2 of our discussion on the life and career of cricket colossus Wilfred Rhodes (1877–1973). This episode dissects his transition from bowler to batsman (and then back to bowler), his domestic life, his famous return to the Test side for the final match of the 1926 Ashes series, and his retirement years.

ABOUT PATRICK FERRIDAY:

Born in London, he lived for many years in West Berlin but returned to England to work as a racing commentator in the early nineties. Since 2011 he’s written four books and published a number of others, via his own publishing group – Von Krumm Publishing. He now lives in Brighton where, in 2021, he wrote and published the long-awaited biography – Wilfred Rhodes: The Triumphal Arch.

CREDITS:

Presenter & Producer: Tom Ford

All music used in the podcast comes from the University of California Santa Barbara’s remarkable collection of wax cylinder’s from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, which are free to download and use. You can donate to the upkeep of these recordings via their website.

Records are made to be broken, but in all likelihood, those belonging to Wilfred Rhodes (1877–1973) will stand for eternity. His 4204 wickets across 1110 First-Class matches must be incomprehensible to modern cricketers, who split their time and effort across multiple formats. He played his first Test in 1899 alongside WG Grace and his last in 1930 at a time when Bradman was taking all before him. At 52 years & 165 days, he still holds the record for being the oldest person to play a Test Match. But his career was much more than just longevity and gigantic numbers.

ABOUT PATRICK FERRIDAY:

Born in London, he lived for many years in West Berlin but returned to England to work as a racing commentator in the early nineties. Since 2011 he’s written four books and published a number of others, via his own publishing group – Von Krumm Publishing. He now lives in Brighton where, in 2021, he wrote and published the long-awaited biography – Wilfred Rhodes: The Triumphal Arch.

CREDITS:

Presenter & Producer: Tom Ford

All music used in the podcast comes from the University of California Santa Barbara’s remarkable collection of wax cylinder’s from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, which are free to download and use. You can donate to the upkeep of these recordings via their website.