The Golden Age of Cricket Podcast

Of all the cricketers who played during the so-called Golden Age, none incite the intrigue in fans today quite like Sydney Francis Barnes. He was a tall, fit opening bowler blessed with a catalogue of unplayable deliveries. Those writers in the mid 20th century who looked back on this period with rose coloured glasses, often found the cantankerous, win-at-all-costs attitude of Barnes to be at odds with the supposed spirit of the age. For Edwardian Britain, which elevated the amateur gentleman to a lofty playing status, Barnes’ professional attitude to playing - and ultimately not playing - first-class cricket led him to have more than a couple of run ins with authority. Today, we’ll attempt to better understand the personality and cricket career of a man who is still regarded as one of the greatest bowlers of all time. 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 ABOUT ANDY SEARLE: Andy Searle is, arguably, the most prolific publisher of cricket books in the UK. A graduate in history from the University of Lancaster, he specializes in the Victorian and Edwardian era. A cricket tragic from the age of five, despite his family having little or no interest in the sport, he has spent the last 50 plus years as scorer, player, administrator, writer, journalist and reporter on his favourite pastime. As someone who became a victim of class distinction during his early playing career, Sydney Barnes became an early hero of his. For the last ten years he has lived in the Balkan mountains in Bulgaria - where he has helped to establish a cricket club - with his large family of dogs, cats, goats, chickens and pigs. An accomplished wicketkeeper/batsman, he still thinks that one day the England selectors will turn to him, despite being 63 years of age. In 1997, Andy published his book 'S.F. Barnes: His Life and Times'. 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 Part 2 of this episode on Australian cricket legend Billy Murdoch, Tom and Murdoch's biographers, Richard Cashman and Ric Sissons, discuss his captaincy tactics, his friendship with WG Grace, his legacy and delayed inclusion in the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame. Richard Cashman is a sports historian based at the University of Technology Sydney. He is the author of 12 cricket books as well as his memoirs, Cackyhander: Writing on Cricket, Sports History and the Olympic Games. He has won the Australian Cricket Society Literary Award on three occasions: for his book on Australian cricket crowds, and his biographies of Fred Spofforth & Billy Murdoch, the latter co-written with my other guest. Ric Sissons grew up in England, playing and watching cricket in Derbyshire. He is the author of eleven cricket books including The Players, which won the English Cricket Society’s Silver Jubilee Literary Award in 1988. His most recent books are: The Glory & The Dream: The 1903-04 MCC Tour of Australia and the so-called Golden Age; J T Tyldesley in Australia; And – with Peter Schofield – When the Kangaroo met the Eagle. The 1913 Australian tour of Canada and the United States. In 2019, Richard and Ric published Billy Murdoch: Cricketing Colossus. Visit Walla Walla Press for a copy. If you'd like to support Tom and this podcast, you can donate $5 by buying him a coffee. Visit: https://www.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.

Billy Murdoch was a colossus of Australian cricket in the 19th century. He captained Australia in its first victory on English soil giving rise to the Ashes, and as a stylish but determined batsman, he scored the first triple century in Australia and the first Test double century. He’s often been called Australia’s answer to W.G. Grace. But he courted controversy too. Bankrupted in his 20s, he secretly married the daughter of Victoria’s wealthiest gold miner without his permission. He emigrated to England in 1890, as he and his wife aspired to make it in Edwardian society, often living beyond their means. He even played a solitary Test for England in South Africa. But what do we make of Murdoch’s cricketing legacy today, and is he unfairly forgotten? In this episode, we look at the backend of Murdoch's life & career as it falls within the 'Golden Age', and for the first time on this podcast I welcome two guests to discuss a subject: Richard Cashman is a sports historian based at the University of Technology Sydney. He is the author of 12 cricket books as well as his memoirs, Cackyhander: Writing on Cricket, Sports History and the Olympic Games. He has won the Australian Cricket Society Literary Award on three occasions: for his book on Australian cricket crowds, and his biographies of Fred Spofforth & Billy Murdoch, the latter co-written with my other guest. Ric Sissons grew up in England, playing and watching cricket in Derbyshire. He is the author of eleven cricket books including The Players, which won the English Cricket Society’s Silver Jubilee Literary Award in 1988. His most recent books are: The Glory & The Dream: The 1903-04 MCC Tour of Australia and the so-called Golden Age; J T Tyldesley in Australia; And – with Peter Schofield – When the Kangaroo met the Eagle. The 1913 Australian tour of Canada and the United States. In 2019, Richard and Ric published Billy Murdoch: Cricketing Colossus. Visit Walla Walla Press for a copy. 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.

This episode of 'Short Leg' is Part 2 of Tom looking back on the famous 1st Test at the SCG of 1894, in which Australia hosted Andrew Stoddart's England side. The match is often credited with being the first great match of the new era, and one that saw many new records established. 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.

This episode of 'Short Leg' – a new series of short episodes re-living the great matches, innings or moments of the Golden Age – discusses the famous 1st Test at the SCG of 1894, in which Australia hosted Andrew Stoddart's England side. The match is often credited with being the first great match of the new era, and one that saw many new records established. CORRIGENDUM: Thanks to my friend Roy Pierce for pointing out that Andrew Stoddart was not the first and only Englishman to captain both the national cricket and rugby sides. A.N. 'Monkey' Hornby also achieved this rare feat. I stand corrected. 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 Part 2, Max discusses Tibby's prowess as a batsman, his involvement in the infamous 'Big Six' dispute of 1912, his career as a stretcher bearer in the First World War, and the mystery surrounding his death at the Battle of Beersheba in October 1917. ABOUT MAX BONNELL: Max is a lawyer and writer from Sydney. He has published around 20 books on sports history and legal topics. He played grade cricket for about 20 years for Western Suburbs and Sydney University, plus a season in the Birmingham League. Max is a life member of the Sydney University Cricket Club and the Sydney Cricket Association. In 2012, Max co-authored (with Andrew Sproul) a biography on today’s subject, titled: Tibby Cotter: Fast Bowler, Larrikin, Anzac. 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.

If cricket fans know one thing about Albert 'Tibby' Cotter, it's likely to be that he was the only Australian Test cricketer to have died in combat during the First World War. But as his biographer Max Bonnell explains, there was much more to the life and career of the Australian fast bowler. In Part 1, Max details Tibby's early life, his rise to international fame, his habit of bowling short-pitched deliveries to the English, and his rather unorthodox bowling action. ABOUT MAX BONNELL: Max is a lawyer and writer from Sydney. He has published around 20 books on sports history and legal topics. He played grade cricket for about 20 years for Western Suburbs and Sydney University, plus a season in the Birmingham League. Max is a life member of the Sydney University Cricket Club and the Sydney Cricket Association. In 2012, Max co-authored (with Andrew Sproul) a biography on today’s subject, titled: Tibby Cotter: Fast Bowler, Larrikin, Anzac. 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.

To mark his sesquicentenary (28 January 2023), we release Part 2 of this episode on the life and career of Montague Alfred Noble (1873–1940), middle-order batsman, early exponent of swerve bowling, and Australia’s twelfth Test captain. Once again, biographer Peter Lloyd joins host Tom Ford to discusses Monty's life and career, including Noble’s qualities as a captain, his relationship with cricket crowds, the SCG Grandstand named in his honour and his legacy today. Furthermore, we dissect Noble’s Test, First Class and Grade statistics in detail. Peter’s self-published Limited Edition book Monty Noble: Cricketing Nobility (2022) was much sought after. Good luck finding a copy! ABOUT PETER LLOYD: After a long and wide-ranging career as an academic and consultant in public health, drew on his life-long passion for cricket literature and turned to writing. In 2020 and 2021, in collaboration with Peter Schofield, he produced two self-published pictorial narratives on Victor Trumper and Don Bradman, with the former awarded runner-up in The Australian Cricket Society Book of the Year. Turning to the 'Golden Age’, in 2021 Peter self-published a biography of the NSW left-handed opening batsman Warren Bardsley, which was subsequently announced last August as the ACS Book of the Year. 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.

To mark his 150th birthday (28 January 2023), we launch the podcast with a double episode on the life and career of Montague Alfred Noble (1873–1940), middle-order batsman, early exponent of swerve bowling, and Australia’s twelfth Test captain. For this episode, biographer Peter Lloyd joins host Tom Ford to discusses the challenges he faced writing the first full-length account of Noble’s life, his early cricket career, the various controversies surrounding Noble’s bowling action, and how exactly we should address him (Monty? Alf? Mary-Ann? MAN?). SUPPORT the Podcast by buying Tom a coffee here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/GoldenAgeOfCricket In Part 2, Peter discusses Noble’s qualities as a captain, his relationship with cricket crowds, the SCG Grandstand named in his honour and his legacy today. Furthermore, we dissect Noble’s Test, First Class and Grade statistics in detail. Peter’s self-published Limited Edition book Monty Noble: Cricketing Nobility (2022) was much sought after. Good luck finding a copy! ABOUT PETER LLOYD: After a long and wide-ranging career as an academic and consultant in public health, drew on his life-long passion for cricket literature and turned to writing. In 2020 and 2021, in collaboration with Peter Schofield, he produced two self-published pictorial narratives on Victor Trumper and Don Bradman, with the former awarded runner-up in The Australian Cricket Society Book of the Year. Turning to the 'Golden Age’, in 2021 Peter self-published a biography of the NSW left-handed opening batsman Warren Bardsley, which was subsequently announced last August as the ACS Book of the Year. 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.

Welcome to ‘The Golden Age of Cricket’, a podcast which explores one of the most fascinating eras in the history of the game. Loosely defined as the twenty five years immediately preceding the outbreak of the First World War, the so called ‘Golden Age’ (1890—1914) saw some of the most legendary cricketers of all time: WG Grace, Victor Trumper, CB Fry, Monty Noble, Wilfred Rhodes, Warwick Armstrong, KS Ranjitsinhji, Hugh Trumble, Sydney Barnes, Archie MacLaren, Clem Hill, Gilbert Jessop and many, many more. Join me, Tom Ford, as each episode I invite a guest to discuss a player, series or event from the Golden Age, in an attempt to resurrect this often forgotten chapter of cricket history. This is the antithesis of most cricket podcasts which focus on the modern game, and is for anyone interested in learning a little more about one of cricket’s most fascinating periods. Save or subscribe to the podcast now so you’ll never miss an episode.