Null and Void

Welcome to Null & Void Episode 222 – your weekly dose ofsporting highs, heartbreaks, and heroic feats!This week, we celebrate a seismic moment in cricket historyas India’s women clinched their maiden World Cup title, defeating South Africa in a thrilling final. With Deepti Sharma’s five-wicket haul and Shafali Verma’s all-round brilliance, the Women in Blue lifted the trophy in front of a sellout crowd in Mumbai.Meanwhile, it was another tale of frustration for England inrugby league, as the Kangaroos sealed the Ashes series 2-0, leaving the hosts fighting to avoid a whitewash in the final test at Headingley. Despite passionate performances, Australia’s class proved too much once again.And finally, we tip our hats to Steve James, the 66-year-oldretired banker who just completed 200 marathons in 200 days, running 5,240 miles around the British coastline. From stormy weather to blistered feet, Steve’s epic endurance challenge is a testament to human spirit and resilience.All that and more – right here on another magnificentepisode of Null & Void!

The ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 is down to its finalfour. We look back on the final pool games, and look ahead to England facing South Africa, and hosts India taking on unbeaten Australia.With just four races left in the F1 Drivers’ Championship, Lando Norris’ thrilling win in Mexico means the McLaren driver has now taken top spot ahead of teammate Oscar Piastri.Rugby League’s Ashes returned after 22 years, but it was Australia who dominated at Wembley. A 26-6 win over England saw Reece Walsh and Angus Crichton shine,leaving Shaun Wane’s squad searching for answers before the second Test in Liverpool this weekend.Team GB racked up 14 medals at the Track Cycling World Championships in Chile. With standout performances from Josh Tarling, Anna Morris, and the Archibald-Leech duo, Britain’s cyclists started the build up for LA 2028.All this and more, right here on Null & Void.

England’s women clinch a narrow win over India, in Cricket’s Women’s World Cup- powered by a superb 109 from former captain Heather Knight. The win puts the three lions into the semifinals with two games to spare..In football Ange Postecoglou is sacked by Nottingham Forest after just 39 days – where did it all go so wrong for Big Ange?In NFL The Denver Broncos staged a remarkable comeback against the New York Giants – going from 19-0 down at the start of the final Quarter, to winning 33-32 with a decisive field goal as rhe cloak turned red.And in rugby league, Toulouse and York Knights join Bradford Bulls in earning promotion to the Super League for next season.

This week, we’re serving up a packed show full of drama,surprises, and sporting milestones from around the globe.We start with the Rugby League Grand Final-and Hull KR have done it! In front of nearly 69,000 fans at Old Trafford, they stunned Wigan Warriors with a dominant 24–6 victory, completing a historic treble. Mikey Lewis was electric, scoring the opening try and earning the Rob Burrow Award for player of the match. In the Women’s Cricket World Cup South Africa stunned India in a thrilling upset, while England’s Sophie Ecclestone spun them to victory over Sri Lanka with a masterclass in bowling.We say a big farewell to a Lioness, as Millie Bright, a stalwart of England’s defence, announces her retirement from international football. In one of the most extraordinary stories tennis has seen, Valentin Vacherot, ranked 204th in the world, came through qualifying and defeated Novak Djokovic in the semis before beating his own cousin Arthur Rinderknech in the final of the Shanghai Masters. Vacherot’s win makes him the lowest-ranked player ever to win a Masters 1000 title. Our guest section this week sees the return of Barry Wood,our very first guest from Episode 1, who joins us to ask listeners for their help in his passionate campaign to save the artefacts and the iconic Redgrave & Pinsent statue in Henley, following the closure of the River & Rowing Museum.

At the Women’s Cricket World Cup, play was bizarrely haltedduring the India vs Pakistan match—not for rain, but for a bug invasion! A swarm of insects forced players off the pitch and brought out the fumigation squad in one of the strangest stoppages we’ve seen.In golf, Gavin Bourne hit two holes in one in the first round of a competition in Droitwich. The odds of this happening are over 67 million to one, and we’ve brought you two in one year!!It was a golden week for Team GB at the World Para AthleticsChampionships in New Delhi. Hannah Cockroft led the charge with a triple gold, while Aled Davies and Dan Pembroke defended their titles in style. And in rugby league, Hull Kingston Rovers are still on trackfor the treble after a gritty semi-final win over St Helens in the Super League Play-Offs. We preview their final – a rematch of last year’s game against Wigan.We also have football, rugby union, tennis and a new recordat the Cardiff Half Marathon.

Welcome to Episode 217 of Null & Void, where sport delivers drama across every discipline.The Red Roses lifted the Rugby World Cup at Twickenham,powering past Canada in front of a record 81,885 crowd.We are joined by golf expert Andy Wild to take us through how Europe silenced a hostile New York crowd to win the Ryder Cup, with nerves of steel and a touch of class.Crystal Palace stunned Liverpool with a 97th-minute winner,ending their perfect start and climbing to third in the Premier League.And in Rwanda, Tadej Pogačar conquered brutal climbs to win his second straight world title at the Cycling World Championships—held on African soil for the first time ever.We have lots more including Rugby League, Tennis, Cricket and more. A truly World Champion episode!

This week on the Null & Void Sports Podcast:The Red Roses storm into the Women’s Rugby World Cup Final, we preview the drama and rivalries of the Ryder Cup, and pay tribute to legendary cricket umpire Dickie Bird. Plus, medal winning performances at the World AthleticsChampionships as Georgia Hunter-Bell claims silver whilst Keeley Hodgkinson and Katerina Johnson-Thompson take bronze.

First up this week, we cover the Women’s Rugby WorldCup Quarter Finals, where the top four teams—England, France, New Zealand, and Canada—powered through to the semis. France edged past Ireland in a bruising battle, but the headlines were stolen by flanker Axelle Berthoumieu, whoapparently mistook Aoife Wafer’s arm for a baguette! The bite went unnoticed during the match, but World Rugby sank its teeth into the incident afterwards, handing Berthoumieu a 9-match ban.Then, to cycling in Spain, where the final stage of La Vuelta a España was abandoned in extraordinary scenes. Pro-Palestinian protesters brought the peloton to a halt in Madrid, forcing organisers to cancel the stage and podium ceremony. Jonas Vingegaard was crowned champion,but not in the way anyone expected.We also pay tribute to a true warrior of the ring. Theboxing world is mourning the tragic passing of Ricky Hatton, aged just 46. We reflect on his legacy and memories of him as a youngster.And finally, a moment of pure golfing chaos at the BMWPGA Championship—Adrien Saddier’s ball took a detour into a spectator’s hood, saving him from a watery hazard. We’ll talk about the bizarre, the lucky, and the laughter that followed.We also have all the latest from tennis, cricket, rugby league and the Athletics World Championships.All that and more, right here on Null & Void.

This week we start with the US Open Tennis Finals,where Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka etched their names deeper into tennis history. Alcaraz claimed his second US Open title and Aryna Sabalenka went back-to-backThen it’s over to the Women’s Rugby World Cup where England, Canada, New Zealand, and France all won their final games to top their pools with perfect records, the stage is now set for quarter finals full of promise and powerhouse clashes.From the pitch and track we finish with the pebbles—as wehead to Easdale Island for the wonderfully quirky World Stone Skimming Championships, where technique, flair, and a bit of luck decide who skips to glory.And finally, our Football Correspondent Billy Carr returnsto share his thoughts on England’s new era under Thomas Tuchel, and previewing the Premier League season—from tactical shifts to title predictions.We also have all the latest from England’s cricket seriesagainst South Africa, the start of football’s WSL, Formula 1 from Monza and cycling’s tours.So whether you're here for the finesse of tennis, the ferocity of rugby, or the fun of stone skimming, or any of our other sports - Episode 214 has something for every fan.

This week on Null & Void, we’re serving up a massive dose of sporting excitement!Cricket’s Hundred Finals delivered fireworks at Lord’s, as the Oval Invincibles clinched their third consecutive title in style, defeating the Trent Rockets by 26 runs. Will Jacks smashed a blistering 72, while Nathan Sowter spun his way to Player of the Match with 3 crucial wickets. And in the women’s final, the Northern Superchargers claimed their first title, with Annabel Sutherland sealing the win with a six in front of aroaring crowd of over 22,000.In the Women’s Rugby World Cup, seven of the eight quarter-final spots are locked in. England, Scotland, Canada, New Zealand, Ireland, South Africa, and France are through, with the final spot hanging in the balance between Australia and the USA after a thrilling 31-31 draw. It all comes down to this weekend’s pool deciders.At  Flushing Meadows, the second week of the US Tennis  Open is serving up serious drama. Novak Djokovic is into the semis after a hard-fought win over Taylor Fritz, setting up a blockbuster clash with Carlos Alcaraz. On the women’s side, Naomi Osaka is back in form, Jessica Pegula is through, andAryna Sabalenka advances after Marketa Vondrousova’s injury withdrawal.We also have the latest from the Premier League football,the Grand Final of Athletics’ Diamond League, the Dutch F1 Grand Prix and Cycling’s Vuelta Espana. This episode has something for every sports lover. Tune in and get your weekly fix.

We begin in Sunderland, where the 2025 Women’sRugby World Cup roared into life at the Stadium of Light. A record crowd of 42,723 witnessed hosts England deliver a commanding performance in the tournament’s opening match against the USA. The other home nations were in action, with Scotland winning their vital pool game against Wales, and Ireland opening with a win over Japan. Over in Atlanta, Tommy Fleetwood finally claimed his first PGA Tour victory-after 164 PGA Tour starts, 44 top-10 finishes, and six runner-up heartbreaks. And what a way to do it. Atthe Tour Championship, Fleetwood delivered a composed and clinical performance to finish 18-under par, winning by three strokeIn cricket, the race for the Hundred play-offs is into the final week – we’ll break down the key fixtures, latest results, and what each team needs to do to stay in contention.And with the US Open now underway, we’re joined bytennis coaches Justin Cook and his daughter Libby, who bring their expert analysis on the early games, British prospects, and who they think could go all the way in Flushing Meadows.So whether you’re courtside, pitchside, or tuning in from home – this is your all-access pass to another great week in sport!

We bring you another great helping of all the top sports- and a load more beyond.First up, the Premier League season kicked off this weekend, with big wins for Man City, Spurs, Forest and newcomers Sunderland shocking West Ham.In Rugby Union we preview the Women's World Cup, which starts on Friday evening with England v USA. We run the rule over the teams and also highlight players and teams to look out for.Keeley Hodgkinson won her first 800m track race since her Olympic final success - recording a season's world best time. At the other end of the age spectrum, runners are setting records and still clocking the 5kms at the ages of 97 and 101!In tennis, Jannik Sinner faces a race to be fit and well enough to play in the US Open, starting this weekend, following his withdrawal due to sickness from the Cincinnati Open that handed the men's final to Carlos Alcaraz. In the women's event, Iga Swiatek finally overcame a gutsy performance by Italian Jasmine Paolini to won the final.We also have the latest from cricket's 100; golf's BMW Championship, rugby league and the latest issues to befall Salford, and cycling world record being broken twice in a record.

We start this week’s episode with a look back as CrystalPalace added the Community Shield to their recent FA Cup win, following a penalty shootout win over Liverpool.In rugby union, England’s women crushed France 40-6 in aWorld Cup warm-up. Six tries, total control, and a statement win from the Red Roses, just two weeks out from the start of the tournament.In golf, Justin Rose overcame the horrendous conditions andhaving to double up on his final rounds, to beat Tommy Fleetwood in a playoff thriller at the St. Jude Championship. The win gives the 45 year old veteran automatic qualification to this year’s Ryder Cup squad.NASCAR’s rising star Connor Zilisch broke his collarbone falling off his car in Victory Lane while celebrating his Xfinity Series win.We also have the latest in rugby league, where Salford Reds’players met on the bus before a record defeat, as the chaos continues at the club. Meanwhile we have all the drama from cricket’s Hundred and One-Day Cups, and the amazing story of Victoria Mboko delighting home fans as the teenager won the Canadian Tennis Open, beating her childhood hero Naomi Osaka. Another brilliant episode!

The fifth and final cricket test between England and India finished in excitement as India edged England by just 6 runs at The Oval, to level the series 2–2. The final twist? Injured bowler Chris Woakes, arm in a sling, walked out to bat in a last-ditch effort. It was cricket at its cruel and glorious best.In Sydney the British & Irish Lions’ dream of a historicclean sweep in Australia was washed away—literally. A lightning storm halted play mid-match, and when it resumed, the Wallabies surged to a 22–12 victory in the final Test.Meanwhile Mimi Rhodes stole the show at the Women’s Open with one of the most bizarre aces in golf history. Her tee shot on the par-3 fifth ricocheted off Stephanie Kyriacou’s ball—already inches from the hole—and dropped in for a freak hole-in-one in a snooker style rebound.We also have the latest from tennis, rugby league, women’s Tour de France and athletics’ British Championships – whilst in a departure from our usual “Get a Grip” format, we ponder where it’s all gone wrong for Newcastle United this summer with players leaving, wanting to leave and even being left behind!

In this episode, we celebrate a weekend of sporting glory!The Lionesses made history by winning the UEFA Women’s EUROs, for the second successive time.  Meanwhile, the Lionsroared to victory in a gripping second test against Australia, sealing series in the most dramatic manner. And on two wheels, Tadej Pogačar didn’t let a herdof diseased cattle derail a masterclass performance in winning the Tour de France for the fourth time!We also have the latest from cricket, Formula 1, Golf,Tennis, Rugby League and even Gaelic Football!Our guest this week is the creator of the “Lioness Fanzone”social media site, and England super fan Zoe Bond – who joins us after a 57 hour round trip back to Basel to be there for the final AND make it home in time for the Lionesses’ victory parade in London. Zoe chats us through  the big moments of the tournament- both on and off the field -  and what this victory means for the women’s game in England.Another fantastic episode. Grab a brew and join us for theusual analysis, banter and bold opinions!

We kick off with a look back at the British and Irish Lions' powerful win over Australia in the first test, and look forward to their second game in front of a 95,000 packed MCG.In football England's Lionesses are now just one win away from defending their title, after a late equaliser in normal time and a late penalty rebound in extra time saw them overcome Italy. They now go on to play Spain in Sunday's finalAs the Tour de France enters its final few days we marvel at the stage wins of Tadej Pogacar and the resilience on Mont Ventoux that are moving him towards his fourth tour title.We have Tennis from Washington, where Venus Williams not only returned to playing after a 16 month break from the sport, but also became - at 45- the second oldest player to win a Women's tour title.From triathlon we have a world record - with the longest ever single effort triathlon that went for 515km around Northamptonshire!And an update from regular contributor Mike Dinsdale shows that Henley (and Mike!) don't need the regatta for more riverside escapades!

We start with Tennis, and a look back at the fantastic Wimbledon finals weekend – where Iga Swiatek swept to a 6-0, 6-0 win in the women’s final, and Jannik Sinner won anexciting men’s final against Carlos Alcaraz.England’s Lionesses turned round their poor start in the Women’s Football Euros, answering their critics (Andy included) with resounding 4-0 and 6-1 wins over Netherlands and Wales. This sets up a cracking quarter final with the yetunbeaten Sweden.The Cricket Test Series between England and India is turning into one of the all time greats. The third test at Lord’s had both sides wrestling the advantage across all five days, before England finally secured a 22 run victory. It was a welcome return for fast bowler Jofra Archer, playing his first test for four years due to injury.The Lions continued their build up to Saturday’s First Rugby Test against Australia with a 48-0 win over an Australian/New Zealand invitational team. Scottish winger Duhan Van Der Merwe pushed his case for a place in the match day 23 with a well taken hat trick of tries.We also have the latest from golf, as players build up to this weekend’s Open at Portrush; a new rider in the Yellow Jersey in the Tour de France; Rugby League and changes in Formula 1 at Red Bull after the shock sacking of Christian Horner.

We start episode 205 with the Women’s Euros football, and the England Lionesses’ 2-1 opening loss to France, that leaves the reigning champions in danger of going out at the group stages after just one game.The Lions continued their rugby tour of Australia continued,with the tourists clocking up a big win over Queensland Reds and a laboured win over New South Wales as they build up to the first test against the Wallabies on 19th July.We bring you the results from the Netball Super League Finalas London Pulse prevented Loughborough Lightning winning 3 consecutive titles with a 53-45 win at the O2 arena – we also look back at the success that revamping the league has brought to the game in terms of interest, support and finances.The Tour de France kicked off in Lille, and we have all thelatest as pre-tour favourites Remco Evenepoel, Jonas Vingegaard and reigning champion Tadej Pogacar battle out for an early advantage.With Henley Royal Rowing Regatta having taken place lastweek, we have an update from Mike Dinsdale. Mike usually does a lot for the show behind the scenes, but this time he has shared with us his thoughts from the week, and what makes Henley such a great, quintessentially English tradition.And on the theme of great English traditions, with Wimbledon underway it is only right that we are joined by guest, pro tennis coach Justin Cook. Justin looks back over the first week, and the effect that the heat has had n some players, as well as picking out highlights from the early rounds and sharing his predictions for the title contenders.

We start Episode 204 with the news that England’s youngLions have won the Under-21 Euros in Slovakia, with an extra-time win over Germany. Meanwhile the Lionesses signed off their Euro 2025 preparations with a 7-0 friendly win over Jamaica in Leicester.In Rugby Union the Lions had their first game on Australiansoil, overcoming a shaky start to run out 54-7 winners over Western Force. Their happiness was tempered by loss of scrum half Tomos Willima , the Welshman being ruled out by a hamstring injury. Ben White of Scotland now steps up toreplace him.Wimbledon has started this week, so Tony runs the rule overthe hopes of the British contenders and picks out the ones to watch.In cricket it was a record defeat for England’s Women intheir T20 match against India – meanwhile in the County Championship it was records of another kind at Surrey – not just for the most expensive pint of beer (£8.50!!) but also in scoring 820/9 after being put into bat by Durham.And in netball we had the Super League semi-final, withLoughborough Lightning keeping alive their hopes of a third consecutive title with a 69-57 win over Manchester Thunder. Lightning will not play London Pulse in the final at the O2.We also have the latest from golf, athletics, rowing, Formula 1 and rugby league. And in “Get a Grip” Andy talks Lions eligibility and Australian Commentary!

We kick off this week with Rugby Union, as the British andIrish Lions head off to Perth to start their tour of Australia. They arrive after an opening defeat against Argentina in Dublin in a game that was a superb performance by Los Pumas, and will have given the Lions coaches some challenges to ponder.In Tennis it was Queens Club where Tatjania Maria fromGermany shocked fans, as the qualifier became the first women’s winner at Queens for 52 years, as well as becoming the oldest female player to win a WTA tour event at 37 years of age. In the men’s event, Carlos Alcaraz again playedbrilliantly to add another title to his collection.In Cricket, England chased down 371 to win an enthrallingfirst test against India at Headingley. After India had dominated with the bat on day one it had seemed unlikely, but with Josh Tongue bowling through the Indian lower order in both innings and centuries for Ollie Pope and Ben Duckett,England stayed in the fight before the final day’s excitement. We also pay tribute to former England and Gloucester fast bowler David “Syd” Lawrence, who passed away from Motor Neurone Disease aged just 61.Our guest this week is golf pro and regular contributor, AndyWild. He joins us to look back at the exciting US open on a very tough Oakmont Country Club course, where winner JJ Spaun from the USA was the only player to score under par for the week. Andy also casts his eye forward to next month’sOpen Championship from Portrush, as well as offering some tips on playing well in the heat (including his own, unique hydration tips!).Another fantastic episode.