The Grade Cricketer is a pen name for an Australian comedy troupe who focus on sport, particularly cricket. The troupe write books, create video and audio podcasts, do live sports commentary, as well as interviews and live shows. The currently active members are Sam Perry and Ian Higgins. Dave Edwards was part of the team until 2020. They were friends who played 1st and 2nd grade cricket in Australia and began a Twitter account as @gradecricketer, whilst promoting their mantra “quit cricket, get massive”. They subsequently wrote books and columns and host a podcast."117. A Natural Vector of Disease, with Tim Bresnan, Stephen O'Keefe and Jonathan Wilson", The Grade Cricketer, Podcast Jul 6, 2020.
Podcast The Grade Cricketer Podcast is presented by the team during the Australian cricketing summer, and is a comedic, satirical take on the cricketing world. There have been eight seasons since the promo episode was released in October 2016. Music is provided by Adrian Leung, with cover design by Julia Dowe. The podcast is released in both audio and video formats.
Interviews Episodes often include guest interviews, and the format regularly involves one interview with a cricket journalist, and a further one later on with a current or former player. These always begin with some form of the question "What's your relationship with Grade Cricket?"; whilst the player interviews end with throw-downs, in which the presenters ask ridiculous, long-winded questions, to which the guest can often respond only with a binary yes/no answer. The most frequent guests, also known as "best friends of the show", are Adam "Collo" Collins from the journalism world, with ten appearances, and Ed "Ted" Cowan from the players with six (also the first guest, having to re-record his interview after a technical mishap - this has now occurred twice).
AskTGC The last section of the podcast normally involves answering questions submitted to The Grade Cricketer via social media, (the Twitter hashtag being #askTGC, hence the name). These questions are often incredibly long, leading Higgins to sometimes refer to the section as their "short story competition", but also sometimes little more than a statement followed by "thoughts?", and regularly concern topics such as alpha-ing, father-son relationships, social status within clubs/teams, retirement from the game, and other general advice relating to the world of amateur cricket.
Advertisements Over the course of the podcast run, advertisements for various products, both real and imaginary tie-in ones, have been inserted, voiced by Toby Shain and, occasionally, the hosts themselves. Products include:
Fake products/services
Chop King Cologne: a fragrance inspired by the concept of the Chop King, with the tagline of "reek of runs without hitting them" The Grade Cricket Rehabilitation Centre: a centre for reintegrating former grade cricket players into normal society Reno Rampage: a parody of a Renovation Rescue-style show, specifically aimed at renovating grade cricket clubhouses Bravago: a parody of travel company Trivago Alpha-Ade: a fictional sportsdrink, parodying Gator/Powerade
Real products/services OLED TVs: a parody of David Warner's advertisements for the same product during the 2016/17 Australian home summer series Grade cricket The Grade Cricketer: Tea and No Sympathy (2017)
Cricket News Upon bomb shell cricket news that local English cricketer 'Brian Devine' dubbed "Clicky Ponting" was caught imitating a bat on ball edge noise by clicking his fingers as an opposition player would play and miss at a delivery, The Grade Cricketer's Sam 'JT' Perry and Ian 'Tits' Higgins took matters upon themselves and reached out directly to the English cricket club to offer aid in seeking legal representation. Source's close to the two believe their stance is pro-clicking and seeking alternative cheating accusations and stories amongst the cricketing community, Perry stating "The cricket community are like pigs rolling in mud when it comes to ingenius exploits" https://www.msn.com/en-au/sport/cricket/australian-podcast-stars-offer-to-fund-clicky-ponting-in-any-legal-action/ar-AA28UTom?ocid=BingNewsVerp
Books The Grade Cricketer (2016) Tea and No Sympathy (2017) The Grade Cricketer: Alphas, Champs and Chop Kings (2025)
Podcast Episode List +Season 1 2016/17 summer# / titleGuest(s)The Grade Cricketer Podcast promo -1. Selection Night, with Merv HughesMerv Hughes2. Summer Begins, Ed CowanEd Cowan3. Gut Feel, with Brad HoggBrad Hogg4. The Collapse, with Brendon JulianBrendon Julian5. Down The Barrel, with Rob QuineyRob Quiney6. The Renaissance, with Brad HaddinBrad Haddin7. Hands, with Stuart MacGillStuart MacGill8. Hard Day's Night, with Gideon HaighGideon Haigh9. The Christmas Double, with Chris Rogers and Ryan CartersChris Rogers & Ryan Carters10. SCG Day 1, with Dirk NannesDirk Nannes11. SCG Day 2, with Geoff LemonGeoff Lemon12. SCG Day 3 -13. SCG Day 4, with Brittany CarterBrittany Carter14. SCG Day 5, with Andrew JonesAndrew Jones15. What Now? with Brett Geeves, Mickey Edwards and Will PucovskiBrett Geeves, Mickey Edwards & Will Pucovski16. Indian Horizons, with Sam, Dave and Ian -17. Awards Night, with Richard HindsRichard Hinds18. Season Finale, with David Hussey and Bryce McGainDavid Hussey & Bryce McGain +Season 2 2017/18 summer# / titleGuest(s)The Grade Cricketer Summer 2017/18 promo -19. Going 'Round again, with Ed CowanAdam Collins & Ed Cowan20. #ThanksCricket, with Pat CumminsAndrew Wu & Pat Cummins21. Voluminous Runs, with Brett GeevesWill Macpherson & Brett Geeves22. The Overseas Pro, with Dan NorcrossAdam Collins & Dan NorcrossThe New Fragrance, by TGC -23. Club Presidents, with James SutherlandIzzy Westbury & James Sutherland24. Middle-Aged Levers, with The Betoota Advocate's Clancy OverellTom Morris & Clancy Overell25. Their Heads Met, with Chris RogersWill Macpherson & Chris Rogers26. Rig-o-saurus, with Mark ButcherMark Butcher27. Always Look Good, with Mike AthertonAdam Collins & Mike Atherton28. Everything's Binary, with Simon Katich and Gideon HaighGideon Haigh & Simon Katich29. Doesn't Matter How You Get 'Em, with Trent WoodhillTrent Woodhill & Will Macpherson30. Labor Omnia Vincit, with Jarrod KimberJarrod Kimber31. SCG Ashes Day 1, with Ed CowanEd Cowan & Will Macpherson32. SCG Ashes Day 2Adam Collins33. Do You Remember Me? with Jackson Bird and Ryan CartersRyan Carters & Jackson Bird34. Don't Touch It! with Steve O'KeefeAndrew Walton, Izzy Westbury & Steve O'Keefe35. Season Finale (Part 1), with Mitch Marsh and George BaileyVithushan Ehantharajah & Mitch Marsh35. Season Finale (Part 2), with Mitch Marsh and George BaileyGeorge Bailey36. Alpha Wars, with Merv HughesAdam Collins & Merv Hughes37. Going Tropicana, with Ed CowanDan Brettig & Ed Cowan38. "But What's He Like As A Bloke?"Adam Collins39. Alpha Meltdown, with Ellyse PerryPeter Lalor, Ellyse Perry & Dr Tim Sharp40. The Beta Era, with Damien FlemingAdam Collins & Damien Fleming41. They Were Friends, with Trent CopelandPaul Kennedy & Trent Copeland +Season 3 2018/19 summer# / titleGuest(s)42. The Australian Way, with Ed Cowan and Gideon HaighGideon Haigh & Ed Cowan43. Doctors Hate Him, with Jason GillespieAdam Collins & Jason Gillespie44. Australian Test Captains, with Steve Waugh and Tim PaineTim Paine & Steve Waugh45. Sixty-Odd, with Adam GilchristDan Brettig & Adam Gilchrist46. Head Honchos, with Kevin RobertsKevin Roberts47. Playa, with Usman KhawajaUsman Khawaja48. Huge, If True, with Brad HodgeRichard Hinds & Brad Hodge49. Cop That, with Alyssa Healy and Gerard WhateleyGerard Whateley & Alyssa Healy50. Double Up, with Will SomervilleBrittany Carter & Will Somerville51. Monday Circuit, with Matt RenshawGeoff Lemon & Matt Renshaw52. Moving The Deck Chairs On The Titanic, with Jim MaxwellJim Maxwell & Peter Lalor53. Into The Wilderness, with Mel McLaughlin and Moises HenriquesMel McLaughlin & Moises Henriques54. The Secret Knock, with Steve O'KeefeBen Horne & Steve O'Keefe55. I Hate it So Much, with Jason Sangha and Adam ZampaJason Sangha & Adam Zampa56. Popezilla, with Lloyd PopeLloyd Pope57. Problem Solved, with Glenn MaxwellBen Jones & Glenn Maxwell58. #AskTGC Special -59. Season Finale, with Rob Quiney and Cameron WhiteDan Brettig, Rob Quiney & Cameron White +Season 4 2019 World Cup & 2019 Ashes# / titleGuest(s)60. How Good Is Australia, with Ed Cowan (World Cup Special #1)Dan Brettig & Ed Cowan61. Land of Hope and Glory, with Will Pucovski & Izzy Westbury (World Cup Special #2)Izzy Westbury & Will Pucovski62. Tournament Opener ReactionsWill Macpherson63. Decent Gas, with Shaun TaitAli Martin & Shaun Tait64. It's AliveVithushan Ehantharaja65. That's What A Coulter-Nile IsAdam Collins66. Walking Like A Dude, with Niall O'BrienAdam Collins & Niall O'Brien67. Next!Mel Farrell68. Chris Woakes Bats 3 -69. Kashmir, with Ryan HarrisVithushan Ehantharajah & Ryan Harris70. Eoin Morgan Hits More Sixes Than You Ever Have -71. Warner's 166 Problems -72. Lasith Malinga's Rig Destroys England, with Mark Butcher Mark Butcher73. England's Deep-Seated Psychological Vulnerability -74. Catastrophic Permutations, with Kurtis Patterson Kurtis Patterson75. Australia May Never Lose Again -76. Salads Everywhere, with George Bailey George Bailey77. England Are Here -78. Thursday Showdown, with Chris Lynn and Dan Norcross Chris Lynn & Dan Norcross79. Barefoot, with Ellyse Perry Ellyse Perry80. Smashed -81. Oh. My. God -82. Asterisk, with Alex Carey Alex Carey83. Shower Politics, with Cameron Bancroft Cameron Bancroft84. Steve Smith Makes Me Feel Safe, with Marcus North Marcus North85. "Congratulations Jofra", with Peter Siddle Peter Siddle86. Marnus! with Trent Copeland Trent Copeland87. All Roads Leeds To, with Marnus Labuschagne Marnus Labuschagne88. This Is Very Raw, with Tim Bresnan Tim Bresnan & Dean Wilson89. To Old Trafford, with Doug Bollinger & Steve Waugh Doug Bollinger & Steve Waugh90. Too Good, with Chris Rogers Chris Rogers91. Fin Dean Jones92. The Boys of Summer, with Pavel Florin Pavel Florin