Forza Azzurri! 🇮🇹 TGC x the Manenti and Mosca brothers
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What does it mean for Italy to be in a Cricket World Cup?
Well, it's so fucking awesome to have Italia at a Cricket World Cup. The Azzurri. He goes. The Azzurri. And a good portion of their arrival at this World Cup is down to four blokes we're about to talk to today who have piled into one room onto one screen. We've got the Minenti brothers, Ben and Harry, the Mosca brothers, AJ and Justin. Now, I just want to say from the top, there's a lot of people who are going to do stories on these guys. They've done stories on these guys. There's going to be, you know, heartwarming stories about Italy and how good it is. And it's going to be a bit condescending and it's going to be a little bit, you know, like head patty. These guys shouldn't be treated like that in any way.
And I want to explain why. They have a particularly special relationship to the grade cricketer. Each of them are like famous, strong contributors to and former members of the Sydney Tigers Cricket Club in Sydney grade cricket, formerly Balmain. which is where I played the majority of my grade cricket, and it's a club that, if we're honest, is a club whose characters and culture formed about 90% of the original inspiration for the grade cricketer.
Who are the Manenti and Mosca brothers and their cricket background?
So we all share something in common of having played at this debauched place, and none of these guys deserve any kind of heartwarming conversation in any way.
Yeah.
I actually played with AJ. I'm sure he remembers it as well. So, AJ – oh, firstly, boys, welcome. Welcome to the Great Cricketer. Thanks, boys. Thanks for having us. Nice low octave voice there. Sydney Test Cricket. 75% of this chat, by the way, isn't about Italy. It's about Great Cricket. But AJ, former teammate, opens a batting for Italy or Italia. Happy for Giuseppe Burns' exit, by the way. But if –
How does grade cricket influence players' journeys to the World Cup?
If I could start with you, AJ, just an easy one to kick off. Do you think the ICC should punish Pakistan for boycotting the World Cup via Twitter? And what should those punishments be?
It's out of my pay bracket. I don't know what to say. Get to that. No, they shouldn't punish him, I don't think. That's all I've got for you, Ben.
Well, we can warm into it. Boys, everyone's going to want to talk about your Italian heritage, and we do too, and all that kind of stuff. But the real heritage here is... am I wrong in saying is Sydney grade cricket? I mean, can you tell us about your relationship? It's an old question we used to ask on the show, but like what's your relationship to grade cricket and what influence has grade cricket had on your arrival at the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka?
Yeah, it's had a big impact.
What are the challenges faced by the Italian cricket team in the World Cup?
Well, to start with, we wouldn't know each other, obviously, apart from our brothers. It's had a big impact on getting us where we are. It's taught us a lot of lessons, a lot of hard truths. As you know, Pez, it's a humbling game, great cricket. It brings you back down to earth very quickly, whether you played for Australia or whether you played in the fives. Everyone seems to be on the same level when they're playing. So, no, it's taught us a lot and it's brought us a fair way of the journey to get us to this World Cup skill-wise and probably the way we are off the field as well.
How are you guys off the field, Harry?
Yeah, we've had a few slaps on the wrist from the support staff. When we first started our first tournament, Justin, AJ and I went over to Finland and we've grown a fair bit since then. We were sitting down in the pub most evenings, having a few steins, and then we ended up finding ourselves in a karaoke bar until 4am. Pre-fixture. So now we're on the waters in India, not the tap water. But, yeah, now we're a bit more professional and just a couple of kingfishers in the team room now just to – seem like we're in the right place.
How did the team react to meeting Mario Balotelli?
Justin, I'll ask you. I mean, AC Milan, they used to be called AC Milan Cricket and Football Club. Football and Cricket Club, I think it was. AC Milan Football and Cricket Club. I want to know what kind of support you've had from the homelands back home. Have you guys been offered, you know, property in the Amalfi if you bring home the World Cup?
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What does it mean for Italy to be in a Cricket World Cup?
0:00–1:14
2
Who are the Manenti and Mosca brothers and their cricket background?
1:14–1:53
3
How does grade cricket influence players' journeys to the World Cup?
1:53–2:54
4
What are the challenges faced by the Italian cricket team in the World Cup?
2:54–4:16
5
How did the team react to meeting Mario Balotelli?
4:16–5:01
6
What is the vibe like within the Azzurri team heading into the World Cup?
5:01–5:44
7
What are the expectations for Italy's matches against top teams?
5:44–6:50
8
What reflections do the players have on their cricketing journey?
6:50–30:56
Speakers
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