# South Africa Test Tour Diary: Episode 3 - The Australian Man

An episode of [The Howie Games](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1146329262), 14 Oct 2026, 28 min.

Audio: https://enrichment.soundstack.com/4vjqq8/episode.flightcast.com/xipyoyo2vqpa7fuggxkorwfb.mp3

Test cricket heats up, and Howie finds himself going global! From a catch-up with Matt Renshaw after a historic knock, and an emotional look at what Nic Maddinson has been through, to an early-morning breakfast and a proper deep dive into the art of slip fielding with Nathan Lyon, there’s plenty to get stuck into. We break down the craft, hear different voices from around the game, and give you a front-row seat to life inside the tour. Then, Howie becomes “Australian Man” on global television, and the story takes off FAST. How did it happen, what was the reaction back home, and why is everyone on the ground calling him Australian Man? Plus, Josh Hazlewood produces a career-best six-wicket haul, and Howie catches up with the Bendemeer boy himself. Three Tests. Three cities. Three weeks. The cricket, the characters and the unexpected moments keep coming. Come along for the ride! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

## Transcript

[0:02] A listener production.
[0:05] And I am in some good company.
[0:07] I've got Kaya Zondo and The Australian Man.
[0:09] The politicians now can quickly rewound, ready for play.
[0:20] Morning, morning.
[0:21] It is 8.48am on Sunday the 11th of October.
[0:25] You can hear the grand announcer in the background.
[0:27] We are at the Kingsmead ground.
[0:30] Just reflecting as we're about to have a chat to Matt Renshaw.
[0:35] I haven't read the papers back in Australia as yet, but the significance of that innings.
[0:39] To see it live, day one, we're 6 for 124.
[0:43] It's been a massively built-up series.
[0:44] We could have been bowled out for 150.
[0:45] The man batted...
[0:49] Old school and new school all in one.
[0:51] It is an innings of great significance, hopefully storied in the history of Australian cricket as a fantastic knock overseas up against it.
[1:01] He's such a fantastic story.
[1:02] I'm pumped to have a chat with him.
[1:04] But to see it live and see the reaction from the commentary box and when Hashim Amla talks about the brilliance of an innings, you know it's pretty good.
[1:14] It's pretty good.
[1:17] Well, yesterday we witnessed a knock of tremendous significance for the individual and the team.
[1:22] Matt Renshaw, the day after, congratulations on a phenomenal knock.
[1:25] Nine years and 280 days, they tell me, since this moment occurred.
[1:30] What does it mean to you and your family?
[1:32] Congratulations, mate.
[1:32] Thank you.
[1:33] Thanks Howie.
[1:33] Yeah it's pretty special.
[1:35] It's been a long time coming.
[1:37] Probably didn't think I'd be in this situation after a couple opportunities after that but yeah it's pretty special to be able to help the team out in a pretty important test match.
[1:49] The emotion of the 100 was obvious for all to see.
[1:52] Did you have doubts that you would get back to this point and how have you dealt with the ups and downs along the way?
[1:57] Yeah, definitely.
[1:58] I think I had an opportunity in 2023 and sort of didn't take that with some tough tours.
[2:06] But yeah, I think after that, I think I just sort of had a look and went, yeah, I want to try and play my cricket this way and not stress about if I'm going to play for Australia again.
[2:14] Probably wasn't thinking about playing for Australia again, never mind making a Test 100.
[2:18] Yeah, really special to sort of prove that what I'm doing is working, the way that I'm thinking about my life and my career is going really well.
[2:26] It's a great description.
[2:27] Have a great day in the field.
[2:28] And again, congratulations to you and your family, Matty.
[2:31] Right-o.
[2:32] We are ready to go.
[2:33] That's a great catch.
[2:38] That is brilliant.
[2:40] The anticipation in that.
[2:42] Oh, Steve Smith, what a talent.
[2:44] What a talent.
[2:51] Oh, well, well.
[2:53] That is some catch.
[2:54] Oh, goodness me.
[2:57] Yet again, it's Steve Smith.
[3:01] He is something else.
[3:02] Oh, look at these shots.
[3:11] He's a genius.
[3:11] Liding takes the wicket.
[3:13] You'll see the replay of Smith moving as the shot was played.
[3:17] And that is from another planet, that type of work.
[3:20] That was nice, man.
[3:22] Thanks, Brad.
[3:23] High on the bat.
[3:26] Doesn't get enough.
[3:27] Hedge swallows it.
[3:28] Another one goes down South Africa.
[3:30] They're in all sorts and the Aussies are on top.
[3:32] Hazelwood breaks through.
[3:34] Up to the stump.
[3:34] And that's the end of the innings.
[3:36] Well bowled by Webster.
[3:38] Well handled, Pat Cummins.
[3:41] Steve Smith takes yet another catch.
[3:43] That'll go into Mark Harry's podcast, I'm sure.
[3:48] Both are brilliant.
[3:53] Oh, morning, morning.
[3:54] It is Monday the 12th of October.
[3:56] It is 6.23am.
[3:57] The sun is shining in Durban.
[4:00] Hectic days at the Test match.
[4:02] I'll explain a little bit later on as the series goes about how hectic it is.
[4:05] But this time, he's always one of the great parts of the day, aside from the cricket, is breakfast.
[4:15] Morning, morning.
[4:17] Room 413 for me.
[4:18] Thank you, mate.
[4:19] Appreciate that.
[4:20] Enjoy your breakfast.
[4:22] I will enjoy my breakfast.
[4:23] What's the best thing to eat today, do you think?
[4:25] For me, it's the bacon.
[4:27] The bacon, right.
[4:28] I'm going to load up on bacon, brother.
[4:30] Have a great day.
[4:32] There you go, bacon and sausages is the recommendation, so I'll be hitting that.
[4:36] Probably a bit easier on the sausages, but more to report from the ground, some more thoughts, and I think we need to discuss Steve Smith's catching, don't we?
[4:43] It might have been late in Australia, but, by gee.
[4:47] Oh, mate, two of them.
[4:49] Vavuma and Verena reverse sweeping, and Smithy's there and snaffled them, so we need to get stuck into that today.
[4:54] Maybe in the pregame.
[4:55] Might get a run in the pregame.
[4:57] All right, we'll report from the ground.
[5:01] It is now 7.30am in the morning, and I don't know what my chauffeur's doing here because we might miss the meeting.
[5:08] Holy traffic, Batman.
[5:10] Nico, what have you done to us here?
[5:13] We need Robin the boy one day to fly us over.
[5:15] We do.
[5:18] This is not ideal.
[5:19] No, particularly as everybody's on the double yellow on the left here breaking the law, but I haven't got the guts.
[5:24] No, no, let's just... We'll get there in time for the meeting.
[5:29] We saw Steve Smith and you called the record.
[5:31] It's not easy for you to say that.
[5:32] No, it's not.
[5:32] It's time of the morning.
[5:34] You called the record-breaking test match catch to pass Joe Root.
[5:39] And Steve took some crackers yesterday.
[5:41] Now we have big information.
[5:43] Steve Smith has just broken the world record with a blinder.
[5:47] The world record.
[5:48] He's gone one ahead of Joe Root.
[5:50] So with two supreme catches, he's gone level with the world record and now holds it.
[5:56] Let's have a discussion.
[5:56] You've seen a lot of cricket.
[5:59] The best slip fielder you have seen in the game of cricket.
[6:03] It's a long and winding road, this one, but I reckon we've got 40 minutes to discuss it as soon as the traffic you've put us in.
[6:10] Well, for Australians...
[6:12] are up there.
[6:14] I mean, it's shocking for you to look at me now.
[6:17] It's me to tell you that I saw Bob Simpson.
[6:20] Jeez, you're an old bastard.
[6:21] I knew you were old.
[6:22] I didn't know you were that old.
[6:24] You hold it well.
[6:25] Oh, magnificent catch by Simpson.
[6:27] What a fine catch.
[6:29] Left-handed there.
[6:30] He's a fine strip fieldsman.
[6:33] So that's Alan out, Colt Simpson, Bell, Beno for 10.
[6:36] England, 189 for 8.
[6:38] Simo was remarkable and probably has taken the best slip catch I've ever seen.
[6:44] Where was that?
[6:45] I think it was 61 at Old Trafford.
[6:48] Jeez, you are old.
[6:50] But I wasn't.
[6:50] I didn't see it live.
[6:51] Okay.
[6:52] Um, Mark Taylor's exceptional.
[6:55] How brilliant.
[6:59] Isn't that one of the best brilliant things you've seen?
[7:04] The skipper.
[7:06] has hurled himself away to the right and taken a sensational catch.
[7:13] Ian Shubble was good.
[7:14] I'd put Mark Taylor exceptional and I would put Mark Waugh and Steve Smith sort of in that genius bracket.
[7:21] Let's go!
[7:24] What a catch!
[7:25] Mark Waugh, that was a genuine late cut off the top edge and he caught it as clean as a whistle.
[7:32] That was just a pure reflex job and what reflexes they are.
[7:35] And then Jacques Callis really just dropped so few.
[7:42] So there was, you know, in a way he attracted less attention to himself.
[7:46] Because he just took it.
[7:47] Yeah.
[7:49] What a take that is.
[7:50] Jacques Callis.
[7:52] That's a great catch.
[7:54] Pure and simple.
[7:54] That is a great catch.
[7:56] Ian Botham was very good, actually.
[7:59] Edged and taken by Ian Botham at second slip.
[8:03] Comfortable cash there for both of them.
[8:06] I think there's more attention paid to the technique of slip fielding in Australia than anywhere else that I've been in the world.
[8:14] Growing up, I think the best slip fielder I've seen is Junior.
[8:20] He was just so classy and the collar up, and he had that technique where he'd watch the ball.
[8:25] Even when Warnie was bowling, if he was a short leg, he'd watch the ball come down.
[8:29] But just after seeing Smith...
[8:32] I reckon he's right up there.
[8:33] He's right up there with Junior.
[8:35] Alright, okay, the traffic's moving.
[8:37] Push on.
[8:38] Thank you, Nico.
[8:41] Marnie, best slip field you've ever seen in all your time in cricket.
[8:44] I mean, it's going to be really surprising.
[8:46] Steve Smith is the one I've played the most with.
[8:50] I think he just topped Michael Smith.
[8:53] So send that to Junior.
[8:55] Ta-da!
[8:56] Sundarason, best slip builder you've ever seen in the history of the game is...
[9:02] Without batting him out, it's Steve.
[9:04] Yes!
[9:07] Best you've seen, Polly.
[9:10] For South Africa, I would go, Brian McMillan had the biggest mitts you've ever seen.
[9:13] When he put them together, it was like an eternity.
[9:15] It was impossible to get past him.
[9:17] Best you've seen.
[9:19] Jacques Callas was the best.
[9:20] Never dropped a catch.
[9:21] You know, it could be anyone.
[9:22] It didn't have to be a South African.
[9:24] Dee Waitley, best slip for you that you've ever seen.
[9:26] No, this is not even a debate.
[9:28] It's a rhetorical question.
[9:29] It's Steve Smith.
[9:30] He is now inventing catches that have never been taken before.
[9:36] going Aussie, Steve Smith.
[9:37] Steve Smith?
[9:37] And right from the word go, at 18 years of age he slid straight into the slips and he's alive.
[9:41] Oh!
[9:42] Oh my god, what a grab!
[9:46] Steve Smith to his left!
[9:48] Incredible!
[9:53] Let's go inside the Aussie camp and catch up with Mark Howard, who has Nathan Lyon with him.
[9:58] Nathan, great to see you.
[9:59] You are now alongside Steve Smith, 65, court Smith, bold line, which is second most combo in the history of Test cricket.
[10:07] You're probably not aware of that, behind Moorley and Jaya Warden.
[10:10] Tell us about Steve's catching yesterday, especially on those reverses.
[10:14] Yeah, he's pretty special, isn't he?
[10:16] He is.
[10:18] He's obviously a deep thinker.
[10:20] He's a problem solver.
[10:22] And I've been very lucky to have him there pretty much all my career.
[10:26] So as a bowler, when you stand at the top of your mark and you look up and you've got Alex behind the stance, but then you've got Smitty at first or leg slip.
[10:32] Whichever way it is, you get a lot of confidence.
[10:35] And it's a freaky nature to be able to do those type of things.
[10:40] Who's the best slip field you've ever seen?
[10:43] spithy.
[10:43] Nath, great to see you.
[10:44] Best of luck today.
[10:45] A fantastic day for cricket and again, well batted.
[10:48] Well done, mate.
[10:59] Morning, morning, it is 8.15am of day four of the Test match.
[11:04] Criticism in modern sport in the media comes pretty thick and fast.
[11:09] I understand as someone that works in the media that everybody has a certain role to play.
[11:14] and experts have to give their opinion especially in modern media to get cut through because if you're a little bit bland you don't get the next headline you don't get the next clickbait story you don't get the relevant piece that's written about in the paper so it's probably a discussion for another day i'm getting sidetracked but the analysis of sport now is harder
[11:37] and more edgy, I reckon, in Australia than it's ever been.
[11:42] And probably the bloke that copped the brunt of this in the lead-up to the Test series was Nick Maddison.
[11:48] To be fair, it wasn't directed at Nick.
[11:50] It was probably more directed at the selectors and the integrity of the process through the Sheffield Shield.
[11:55] But people forget, in a Test match, he was panned after the first innings.
[12:01] There's two innings.
[12:02] Anyway, as I said, I'm getting sidetracked.
[12:04] The point of all this is I have the privilege of speaking to Nick this morning, which I'm about to do now.
[12:11] Really looking forward to it because he's a fine man.
[12:14] He's got a story and a half.
[12:16] Let's go chat with Matto.
[12:19] The safari continues today with a man with an incredible cricket story to tell, Nick Maddison.
[12:23] Maddo, there's a lot to get through.
[12:25] It's been a whirlwind, I guess, for you, but take us back sort of a year and a half.
[12:29] Some people know your story, others don't, but you've got crook, mate.
[12:32] Yeah, so it all happened pretty quickly at the end of the season.
[12:35] Yeah, I ended up getting diagnosed with testicular cancer and it was a bit of a journey over a few months throughout the winter.
[12:43] How worried were you about it?
[12:44] At the start, not too worried, to be honest.
[12:47] You had the surgery and all was pretty clear and then a few months later when it spread is kind of when you start to worry a little bit more.
[12:53] So what's that conversation like?
[12:55] Oh, pretty much just in at the doctor's surgery and just kind of said that, yeah, scans haven't showed up all that positively and, yeah, I have to go in for chemo starting next week and it's a bit of a whirlwind and, yeah, a bit of a blur, to be honest.
[13:08] I don't remember too much of that week, but, yeah, once you get in there, it's obviously a pretty tough couple of months, but coming out the other side of it, it's, like I said, it's a bit of a blur.
[13:16] You don't remember too much of the details now and, yeah, got back into cricket kind of pre-Christmas last year, which was nice as well.
[13:23] And where did you think, there's a lot going in, but I guess cricket is the,
[13:27] furthest thing from your mind at that point mate you got a young family there's a bit more on your plate yeah definitely there's um there's quite a bit going on at the time my wife was pregnant with our second as well so she yeah shouldered a lot of that load um and yeah quit her job to kind of manage things around the place and look after me which was um something i'm forever grateful for um at the time i think the aussie boys were in the west indies and um yeah my sleeping patterns were a bit all over the place so it gave me something to do at 3am in the in the
[13:54] Like you said, it's nice to get back to playing again.
[13:56] It does feel like quite a long way away, but in all honesty, it wasn't really that long ago.
[14:02] Who rang or texted and said, hey, by the way, Matto, we want you to come to South Africa and you might need to dust off that magnificent cap again?
[14:09] Yeah, it was obviously a surprising call to get.
[14:12] But yeah, I spoke to George and then kind of within 24 to 48 hours I was on the plane.
[14:17] So it all happened really quickly.
[14:19] I was just going about my business preparing for another Shield game and then, yeah, got the call.
[14:24] So it's obviously one that you're really excited for.
[14:26] And as shocked as I was, yeah, really happy to be here and to be involved again.
[14:30] Obviously two innings in a Test match and I think some people sometimes forget that.
[14:35] You go out to open the batting.
[14:36] I think a lot of us thought you'd bat five, but you walk out to face the new ball.
[14:40] What are your thoughts and reflections on that?
[14:43] Oh, it was obviously a tough start.
[14:46] Marco Jansen's a tall left-armer and the ball was seeming a bit, so it's always a challenge at the top of the order.
[14:51] But I felt like... Obviously, I was disappointed with how it played out and I missed a few of my pads, missed a few cut shots, and then you get stuck down that end.
[14:57] And, yeah, the result wasn't great.
[15:00] But, yeah, I felt like I was...
[15:02] that balance, right?
[15:03] You're trying to stick to your plan, but also not do anything too rash just because you haven't got off the mark.
[15:07] And like I said, I was disappointed with probably the lead up and a couple of balls I should have scored off.
[15:12] But that's cricket.
[15:13] Like I've been playing long enough now that it doesn't always go to plan.
[15:16] And I think it was just, you know, settling down in the field.
[15:19] Game slows down a little bit once you're out there and I'm trying to make the most of the second innings.
[15:31] It'd be fair to say, Matto, there was a lot of discussion about your position in the cricket world, but from all reports, you got some feedback after you dismissed pretty close at home.
[15:41] Yeah, yeah.
[15:42] So, yeah, phone call the next morning to home, the young fellow, Augie, was... How old is Augie?
[15:46] He's almost four.
[15:47] Right.
[15:48] So, yeah, he was up watching, and the first thing he said to me was, I saw you got out and all the stumps fell over.
[15:52] It was really funny.
[15:54] lightens the mood a little bit and um yeah obviously when you're away from family and you can get caught up in i guess a little bubble sometimes and when you you know feel like you're under a bit of pressure uh from missing out in the first innings to hear that's always nice and yeah you realize that at the end of the day i'm just really lucky to be here and just try to make the most of that opportunity in the second innings i love that mate you're so well spoken family's a great leveler
[16:13] I think there was a lot of discussion around selection.
[16:16] It wasn't relating to you.
[16:18] It was relating to selection.
[16:20] Sheffield, Shield, people have got strong opinions.
[16:23] Were you able to block all that out before the second innings?
[16:25] I'm sure it creeps in, though.
[16:27] Yeah, definitely.
[16:27] How did you see it all?
[16:28] Stuff you definitely like.
[16:29] It's pretty hard to avoid, isn't it, at this day and age?
[16:32] Stayed off my phone as much as I could, to be honest, and just tried to go about preparing.
[16:36] I've heard whispers I knew a week before that I was playing, and that's, yeah, not true.
[16:40] I found out probably a similar time to Matty Renshaw that, yeah, a day or so before the game that that was the way the team was shaping up.
[16:48] I just tried to go about preparing as I was playing, obviously not knowing what role I'd be playing at the time, but I just tried to prepare for everything.
[16:55] I think I've batted anywhere from 1-7 in shield cricket over my career, so I feel pretty equipped to do most roles when called upon.
[17:04] This series is generating tremendous interest back home.
[17:07] And when you went out in the second inning, it was late.
[17:09] It was late.
[17:10] And I was amazed how many messages, and I wanted to relay this to you, how many messages I had from mates at home, cricket fans, saying, I'm not going to bed.
[17:17] I want to stay up.
[17:18] And I want to see Maddow smack them.
[17:19] Like, there was...
[17:21] reported is all the negativity.
[17:23] But the public, there was so much positivity and love for you.
[17:26] And that first ball, bang, four.
[17:28] Short, pulls and pulls well.
[17:30] And he's away, Nick Maddison.
[17:31] 33 balls without a run in the first innings.
[17:34] Four off one in the second.
[17:35] How much of a relaxing is it?
[17:36] Yeah, it was.
[17:37] I think I went out there.
[17:38] I was just thinking, I've just got to get bad on this regardless of where it is.
[17:40] And luckily, you get a bit of a loosen first up from the big fella who's probably a bit tight and, yeah, tried to get a bumper to loosen things up, which was a huge relief for me.
[17:49] But, yeah, like you said, there's probably some negative comments around, but most of the support I've got from guys within this squad, within state cricket, friends and family as well, has all been super positive.
[18:00] So, yeah, that's kind of what I tried to take out there and just relax a bit and, yeah,
[18:05] You know, I've done it a long time.
[18:07] It's just putting it into place at this level.
[18:09] You smoked him.
[18:09] Just a couple more because I know you've got to get ready for the warm-up.
[18:12] It was great to see you make runs.
[18:14] Just two more questions for you.
[18:16] To put the baggy green back on, like you had that early test experience as a young man.
[18:20] Did you think you'd get this chance again?
[18:21] And what does it mean, whacking it back on?
[18:23] Probably not at this age.
[18:24] I think when I was down in Melbourne, I was kind of called upon to be a replacement player or you're in the squad or on standby for a few tours.
[18:32] And that was kind of when that kind of passed.
[18:34] And I missed that opportunity, I think, the start of the shield year back when I moved to New South Wales.
[18:38] Had a pretty lean start to the year when I thought there was maybe a position there.
[18:41] And after that, I probably thought, yeah, it wasn't something that would happen again.
[18:45] Yeah, like I said, super grateful to be here.
[18:46] To be able to...
[18:47] It was a bit of a mad dash the day after the phone call to get my passport and get my hat from home.
[18:52] But, yeah, I think having it sit in the locker there every time you walk into the change room to have a look at it and then pull it on in the field.
[19:00] And this group as well.
[19:01] It's, like, obviously been well-documented, the age of the squad, but it's a lot of guys that I've played with and against my whole career.
[19:07] My under-19s team, Hayes Wooden Stark, opened the bowling as well.
[19:09] So that's always nice to come into a group that's really familiar.
[19:13] And he'd all, he'd send you a bit of positivity, say, Dad, you smacked him this time?
[19:16] Yeah, yeah, he was pretty happy.
[19:18] I think all he cares about is when you hit sixes.
[19:20] So he had another bit of a laugh that two stumps fell out this time.
[19:24] He was in good spirits this morning when I spoke to him, and now I'm really excited to watch you on TV.
[19:29] I appreciate you chatting with us, mate.
[19:30] I know there's been a lot of interest.
[19:31] It's just great to see you having success.
[19:33] Hopefully you get a test match win.
[19:34] But, mate, I think the cricket fans in Australia are loving seeing you back in the side doing well, mate.
[19:40] So thanks for the chat.
[19:40] No worries.
[19:41] Thanks.
[19:42] Nice.
[19:43] That's confidence, authority, and maybe an awkward bounce for Stubbs.
[19:47] It allows the boundary to go through.
[19:49] Great shot again for Maddinson.
[19:51] It's the intent that he's come out with from last night and this morning.
[19:54] Anything wide, he's going to throw his hands at it, and that's a great strategy for him and for Australia.
[20:00] Wonderful!
[20:01] From Einrichtung here!
[20:04] And right at the Stubbs, a steering yorker.
[20:07] to end what has been a wonderful fighting effort from Maddison, considering everything that he's had to face in this test.
[20:15] The last ball of the day's play.
[20:16] Australia have dominated one ball for South Africa to survive.
[20:22] And they do.
[20:24] But it's Australia's day.
[20:26] South Africa will resume tomorrow morning, 9.30 local.
[20:29] Big days played, 10 wickets, 383 runs and a fair clip from the Australians.
[20:33] A few moments later.
[20:36] And I am in some good company.
[20:38] I've got Kaya Zondo and the Australian man.
[20:42] Good to have you join us.
[20:44] Here in Australia, sports commentator Mark Howard is a household name, but in South Africa, on their Test cricket coverage, sadly, that's not the case.
[20:54] And the Australian man, good to have you join us.
[20:57] Ah, the look on Paul, how his face said it all.
[21:00] How's that?
[21:01] The Australian man, good to have you join us.
[21:05] The Australian man, good to have you join us.
[21:08] And he is the Australian man.
[21:09] I love the nod, though.
[21:09] I like the real nod.
[21:10] Yep, I'm well known.
[21:11] The next Melning.
[21:15] Another edition of the diaries.
[21:17] So in the words of hunters and collectors, I woke up this morning from the strangest dream.
[21:22] Didn't happen, did it?
[21:23] Turned on my phone, 426 direct messages, 78 messages from friends back at home.
[21:32] Not one message, not one, about the cricket.
[21:38] Morning mate, how are ya?
[21:40] Australian man, good morning, how are you bud?
[21:42] I can only imagine what your phone's had in the last 12 hours.
[21:44] What are you talking about Harps, I've got no idea what you're talking about.
[21:46] Aussie man.
[21:47] Australian guy.
[21:49] Good morning Australian man, how are you doing mate?
[21:52] I'm good, I'm good.
[21:53] I'm good, thank you.
[21:53] I'm good mate.
[21:54] Thank you.
[21:54] Australian man, what you got for me?
[21:57] You think it's funny too do you?
[21:59] How are you the Australian man?
[22:02] Oh, the Australian man, how are you?
[22:05] I'm not the first person that said that to me today.
[22:07] And thank you for your message this morning.
[22:09] Piss off.
[22:10] I got a speech for the first time in my life yesterday.
[22:14] What happened?
[22:15] Someone said to me, how do I not know the person that said it needs to be?
[22:19] How am I calling them the Australian man and not Mark Howard?
[22:25] Do you know how many messages I had overnight?
[22:28] I'm sorry.
[22:30] You don't need to be sorry.
[22:32] You do not need to be sorry.
[22:33] You have gone viral in Australia.
[22:35] You are beyond famous.
[22:37] And every mate I've got thinks you're the first person to call me the Australian man this morning.
[22:43] Did you even change your profile?
[22:45] For the podcast, yes.
[22:47] You're a star.
[22:49] I'm sorry, guys.
[22:50] I didn't do it on purpose.
[22:51] I love this guy.
[22:52] I know his name.
[22:52] Trust me, I know his name.
[22:54] What is it again?
[22:54] Mark Howard.
[22:55] There we go.
[22:56] You're straight in there.
[22:57] There we go.
[22:59] JB Bill with Daisy Thomas.
[23:01] This is Triple M's Rush Hour.
[23:02] Every single Australian cricket I saw them in the morning, how are you going to the Australian man?
[23:06] There's not much of a crap to talk about.
[23:08] Every Australian in the crowd will walk by, how are you going to the Australian man?
[23:12] But the one that got me is this little bloke called Kegiso at breakfast that checks you in every morning.
[23:17] Little Salad Rindu, massive smile, lovely, lovely man.
[23:20] I've been talking for the last three days.
[23:22] He's going to say, Kegiso413 said, yes, I know the Australian man.
[23:26] I'm like, oh, come on.
[23:30] She was a bit taken back by it.
[23:31] She's a lovely, lovely lady.
[23:33] And I said, listen, in Australia, this will be the greatest thing ever.
[23:37] Don't worry about it.
[23:37] She said, I've got much coverage in Australia.
[23:39] I'm like, no, no.
[23:42] It went viral.
[23:45] South Africa doing well.
[23:47] Hung in there this morning.
[23:49] Partnership continues to grow.
[23:50] It's up to 48.
[23:53] Good morning to everyone here.
[23:55] I'm the Australian man.
[23:56] Joining me is Hashim Amla.
[23:59] And Mark Nicholas, morning to both you fine fellows.
[24:02] Good morning, I'll send you a minute.
[24:05] Bowled in!
[24:06] Hazelwood!
[24:07] He's so accurate, he's so persistent, and he gets the big breakthrough.
[24:12] Jansen departs.
[24:13] Seven down.
[24:15] Big wicket.
[24:15] Bounces!
[24:19] Catch taken!
[24:22] Arm in the air, and the big boy from Bendemir's got five, and South Africa are reeling now.
[24:31] Straight up in the air, catch taken.
[24:34] Hazelwood finishes with six wickets and Australians take a 1-0 lead in the series.
[24:42] Let's get downstairs to Mark Howard.
[24:46] Josh, congratulations, your best test figures.
[24:48] Six for beating some work in India a while back.
[24:51] Tell us about the day.
[24:52] Congratulations to you and your team, mate.
[24:54] Thank you.
[24:55] The Saffars, they dug deep.
[24:57] Markham, classy player, so it was hard to dislodge, but I think we just had to stick at it.
[25:02] We knew that new ball was sort of around the corner after lunch and it was going to do a few tricks on a deteriorating wicket.
[25:07] The one that was a standout for me, very similar ball that knocked over the middle stump of Jansen, similar length, hit the gloves of Harmer in front of his nose.
[25:18] There was a few sort of cracks and plates starting to open up a little bit and that was, I guess, around seven or eight metres.
[25:22] So I was just about running into hitting that thing with that bit harder ball.
[25:26] Things were going to happen, so...
[25:28] Yeah, lucky enough to get one to shoot and one to jump.
[25:30] So, yeah, kept me in play.
[25:32] And yourself, mate, you looked incredibly fit out there.
[25:34] Obviously, frustratingly, you've missed a lot of test cricket, but you look slim, you look fit and you look fast.
[25:38] Yeah, things are going pretty well.
[25:40] I still think, you know, before that Darwin test, we did a lot of work, a big training block there to sort of, I guess, get ahead of the eight ball and pay dividends down the track, which is, I guess, now, and played a bit of one-day cricket in between to keep things ticking over.
[25:51] And, yeah, everything's feeling pretty good.
[25:53] Still a lot of cricket to come, but right now, feeling good.
[25:56] I think when I mentioned the big boy from Bendemir had taken his fifth wicket, the South Africans were like, what are you talking about?
[26:01] Would the pub, and I think it was 10 past 10 local time back in Australia, PM, would the pub still have been up for them to be watching or shut down early?
[26:08] No, no, that'd just be a Friday night if it was still open.
[26:11] No, not on a Tuesday.
[26:13] Opens early and shuts early usually, so everyone to bed by then.
[26:16] This is obviously only one of three.
[26:17] What happens now?
[26:19] You head down the road tomorrow, get a bit of time off, and then straight back into it?
[26:23] Yeah, pretty much.
[26:24] Yeah, it's a quick-ish turnaround.
[26:25] I think four days in between, so bowlers won't do a great deal.
[26:28] They'll just be loosening up maybe two days out and try and squeeze in a bit of golf and probably a bit of gym and get things back together for the next run.
[26:35] Cheers, Joss.
[26:35] Congratulations.
[26:36] Thanks, mate.
[26:36] Appreciate it.
[26:40] Hello, how are you?
[26:41] Good.
[26:42] Can I just check out a 413?
[26:43] Thank you.
[26:45] Surname Howard.
[26:47] Morning, morning.
[26:47] It is 7.29am on Wednesday the 14th of October.
[26:52] The first test is done and won.
[26:54] Congratulations to the Australians from the position they were in at 6 for 124.
[26:58] Renshaw superb with his stack of runs and wickets.
[27:01] But the thing that stood out yesterday, Markham and Bettingham, they were digging in and there was thoughts in commentary.
[27:07] Can they hang on?
[27:08] But...
[27:08] Stark, Cummins, Hazelwood and Lyon.
[27:10] They are just relentless.
[27:12] One little crack and they pile through it, which is obviously what Big Joshy did.
[27:16] So congratulations to him as well, to the entire team for their access throughout the entire week for the Diaries.
[27:22] We're superb, so appreciate that.
[27:24] Today is a travel day.
[27:26] So more on that in the next episode of the Tour Diaries.
[27:30] No doubt there will be some adventures along the way.
[27:32] By the way, Monday we've got a Formula One special.
[27:35] So anyone that wants to get into sports journalism, loves Formula One or storytelling, check that out on Monday.
[27:42] And then next Thursday, the next edition of the South African Test Tour Diaries will be coming your way.
[27:52] Loved it.
[27:53] Loved the first test.
[27:54] Loved the people I got the opportunity to commentate with.
[27:56] I think we need to hear from some more of them in the next episode.
[28:00] But until then, look after yourself.
[28:04] And as always, from the Australian man to you.
[28:08] The Australian man.
[28:09] Good to have you join us.
[28:10] Wow, didn't that get big?
[28:12] Peace and love.

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