100. Start Again, with John Hastings & Gideon Haigh

MILESTONE EPISODE: The Grade Cricketer has worked one behind square to bring up its 100th Podcast, but will a circuit and chop ensue? Meanwhile the MCG is cancelled for trying new things, stirring nostalgia for the days when Australian pitches actually lived up to their personalities, and reminding us you should never try and be someone you’re not. The Australia v New Zealand test series is fast approaching: will we respect our “nice guy” trans-Tasman rivals, or just embrace our inbuilt alpha reflex and sledge them Brad Haddin-style in WC2015 (while dying inside)? The WBBL is done and dusted with the Brisbane Heat going back to back, so why are we talking about captains who bat 8 and don’t bowl? Because Australian society dictates that somebody's success must always be painstakingly minimised, that's why. GUESTS: Friend of the show Gideon Haigh calls in to discuss the inherent meaninglessness of two-test series – and how Warner’s 335* usurped the actual series itself – and Australia negging New Zealand between 1946 and 1973-74. And John Hastings, who will be guesting at the TGC Melbourne Show (27-28 December, Corner Hotel) calls in to briefly discuss his journey from Hawkesbury's Benson’s Lane to the International stage, and his penchant for getting the baggy green out at home after a few beers (and artificially weathering it to make it look well-worn). ASKTGC: We respond to a 22-year-old struggling to overcome his uncle’s smug references to his vastly superior cricket career, draw The Great Gatsby parallels to accidental prohibition-era champ lexicon, and of course, there’s another fucking question about Dads. Thanks again to our friends at @BudgySmuggler for their huge support in helping get us to our 100th Episode.   We’re performing live across Australia in 2019. Our dates:   Brisbane – Princess Theatre, Thursday November 21, 7.30pm (with Jason Gillespie) Adelaide – Rhino Room, Saturday November 30, 12pm (with Shaun Tait) Melbourne – Corner Hotel, Friday December 27, 7.30pm (with John Hastings) Melbourne – Corner Hotel, Saturday December 28, 7.30pm (with John Hastings) Sydney – Comedy Store, Friday January 3, 7.30pm (Richard Chee Quee) Sydney – Comedy Store, Saturday January 4, 7.30pm (Richard Chee Quee)   Tickets at https://gradecricketer.club/upcoming-events   ***   We do events, too. If you have sporting entertainment needs and prefer material sourced after 1975, please talk to us. We’ve performed across Australia and the UK, and love telling stories from clubland, or interviewing those who tell them even better. Contact [email protected] for more details.   ***   We have merch, namely Stubby Holders, and Smugglers. Head to https://gradecricketer.club/shop for the specifics   ***   Big thanks to Jarryd Biviano @thefifthcreative and Julia Dowe for our podcast art, Toby Shain for the voiceovers + fake ad production, and Adrian Leung for our intro tune.   ***   Email the show at [email protected]   ***   We’re able to do all of this thanks to the fit, intelligent, enterprising people at Budgy Smuggler. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.