Adam Collins

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Collins attended Lyndale Secondary College in North Dandenong before completing his final year of secondary school as an exchange student at East Aurora High School in New York. It was whilst studying Politics & History at Monash University that he first became involved in the Labor Party, joining the staff of Tim Holding MP whilst still a student.

Collins worked as a media advisor to Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and was on the staff of federal treasurer Wayne Swan. He also worked on the London 2012 Olympic Games and 2012 Paralympic Games organising committees.{{Cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/adam-collins/5042328|title=Adam Collins - ABC News|website=Abc.net.au|date=7 September 2017 }}

Adam co-authored Australian cricketer Glenn Maxwell's autobiography "The Showman".{{Cite web |date=2024-10-25 |title=Maxwell's Test dream: 'While there's still a glimmer, I'll keep going for it' |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/glenn-maxwell-s-test-dream-while-there-s-still-a-glimmer-i-ll-keep-going-for-it-1456886 |access-date=2024-11-26 |website=ESPNcricinfo |language=en}} The book received critical acclaim from prolific author and journalist Gideon Haigh, who stated, "The good thing is that Maxwell chose his co-author, Adam Collins, and editor, Geoff Lemon, wisely. They are badgers after his own heart. And for all Maxwell’s mercurial temperament and finger-tip feel for the game, he is disarmingly good at describing how he’s done what he’s done, and how he does what he does. Want to hear about his double-century against Afghanistan? You won’t get a better account than Maxwell’s own. It’s like having Phar Lap talk you through the 1930 Melbourne Cup. About Maxwell’s doubts and setbacks, meanwhile, the co-authors have shown commendable candour" {{Cite web |last=al |first=Cricket et |title=I Read Glenn Maxwell's Book So You Don't Have To.... |url=https://www.cricketetal.com/p/i-read-glenn-maxwells-book-so-you |access-date=2024-11-26 |website=www.cricketetal.com |language=en}}

After trialling working in journalism in 2015 and then going full time, Collins has written for publications such as Cricbuzz,{{Cite web|url=https://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/author/adam-collins/226|title=Stories by Adam Collins|website=Cricbuzz}} The Cricket Paper,{{Cite web|url=https://www.thecricketpaper.com/category/features/columnists/adam-collins/,%20https://www.thecricketpaper.com/category/features/columnists/adam-collins/|title=Adam Collins Archives |website=Thecricketpaper|date=19 September 2021 |access-date=23 January 2022}} The Evening Standard,{{Cite web|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/author/adam-collins|title=Adam Collins | Evening Standard|website=Standard.co.uk}} The Independent,{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/author/adam-collins |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180106211631/http://www.independent.co.uk/author/adam-collins |archive-date=2018-01-06 |url-access=limited |url-status=live|title=Adam Collins|website=The Independent}} ABC, The Daily Telegraph, the Cricinfo website and Wisden Cricket Monthly. Collins won the 2017 NRMA Kennedy Award for Outstanding Sports Reporting for a David Warner front page exclusive in the Sydney Morning Herald in which, during a pay dispute, Warner revealed Cricket Australia wouldn't have a team for the upcoming Ashes series if they didn't meet the players demands.{{Cite web|url=https://mumbrella.com.au/nine-reporter-wins-top-prize-kennedy-journalism-awards-464373|title=Nine reporter wins top prize at Kennedy journalism awards|first=Paul|last=Wallbank|date=12 August 2017|website=Mumbrella}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/australian-star-david-warner-says-pay-dispute-puts-ashes-summer-in-doubt-20170515-gw51tz.html|title=Australian star David Warner says pay dispute puts Ashes summer in doubt|first=Adam|last=Collins|date=15 May 2017|website=The Sydney Morning Herald}} For The Guardian in 2019 Collins wrote the story in which Nat Sciver and Katherine Brunt came out.{{Cite web|url=http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/oct/11/we-knew-it-was-right-cricketers-nat-sciver-and-katherine-brunt-get-engaged|title='We knew it was right': cricketers Nat Sciver and Katherine Brunt get engaged|date=11 October 2019|website=The Guardian}} In the 2019 edition of the Wisden Almanack Collins wrote the essay honouring Tammy Beaumont being named a Wisden Cricketer of the Year.{{Cite web|url=https://wisden.com/almanack/the-feast-after-famine-tammy-beaumont-wisden-almanack|title=Tammy Beaumont: From Rock Bottom To World-Beater | Wisden Almanack|date=11 May 2019|website=Wisden.com}}

Collins initially cut his teeth on radio via the short lived cult classic {{fact|date=March 2025}} show 'Believe The Hype' on Melbourne's SYNFM 90.7. Collins had helped create the guerilla cricket commentary website White Line Wireless with Geoff Lemon, amongst others, which Collins described as “alternative, quite sweary and silly”. In 2018 however, with no official broadcaster taking them, Collins bought the radio rights to the Australian national cricket team Test match series against Pakistan for a five-figure sum. He hired Geoff Lemon as a co-commentator, with Brendan Julian, Mike Hussey and Bazid Khan as pundits, and struck a deal to stream the commentary on the Wisden website.{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cricket/2018/10/05/trailblazing-broadcaster-adam-collins-australias-one-man-answer/amp/|title=Trailblazing broadcaster Adam Collins is Australia's one-man answer to Test Match Special|website=Telegraph.co.uk}}[https://www.abc.net.au/article/11345286] {{dead link|date=January 2022}} Collins said to the Sports Gazette “I realised I had the means at my disposal, albeit on the credit card, I’m not going to pretend I’m wealthy, I’m not. I knew there was a way of monetising it, commercialising it. I had a confidence we’d be able to secure the money back once we got the rights and once we had paid for all the talent, which was a very expensive process with my limited amount of money.”{{Cite web|url=https://sportsgazette.co.uk/theres-a-reason-why-people-who-listen-to-cricket-on-the-radio-call-it-the-soundtrack-to-their-summer-adam-collins-on-purchasing-broadcasting-rights-and-the-influence-of-new-me/|title="There's a reason why people who listen to cricket on the radio call it the soundtrack to their summer" — Adam Collins on purchasing broadcasting rights and the influence of new media|website=Sportsgazette.co.uk|date=January 2, 2019}} Collins has since continued to call ball by ball cricket commentaries for the likes of Talksport,{{Cite web|url=http://listen.talksport.com/indian-premier-league|title=Indian Premier League|website=talkSPORT}} Middlesex County Cricket Club,{{Cite web|url=https://www.middlesexccc.com/news/2021/04/middlesex-unveil-live-streaming-plans-for-2021-season|title=Middlesex Unveil Live Streaming Plans for 2021 Season|website=Middlesexccc.com}} Test Match Special,{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000ms5g|title=BBC Radio 4 - Test Match Special, England v Australia, the 2nd ODI from Old Trafford.|website=BBC}} and has also called international cricket in West Indies, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. For Sky Television in the UK, Collins has commented on men’s and Women's Test cricket and One Day Internationals,{{Cite web |date=May 4, 2021 |title=Exclusive: Sky To Show Live County Championship Match In Full In IPL's Absence |url=https://www.wisden.com/series/county-championship-2021/cricket-news/sky-sports-to-show-live-county-championship-match-in-full-in-ipls-absence |website=Wisden.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://cricket.lancashirecricket.co.uk/news/2021-news/roses-match-live-stream-to-be-broadcast-on-sky-sports-cricket/|title=Roses Match live stream to be broadcast on Sky Sports Cricket|website=Cricket.lancashirecricketc.o.uk}} whilst also featuring as a guest on Sky television shows such as Cricket Writers on TV,{{Cite web|url=https://www.skysports.com/cricket/news/12767/10959700/cricket-writers-on-tv-july-23|title=Cricket Writers on TV - July 23|website=Sky Sports}} The Debate & The Cricket Show,{{Cite web|url=https://www.skysports.com/cricket/news/12123/12053853/is-zak-crawley-englands-long-term-no-3-lydia-greenway-adam-collins-bazid-khan-on-the-cricket-debate|title=Is Zak Crawley England's long-term No 3? Lydia Greenway, Adam Collins, Bazid Khan on The Cricket Debate|website=Sky Sports}} as well as BBC Breakfast and BBC News.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0008cpk|title=BBC One - Breakfast, 09/09/2019|website=BBC}} Collins was part of the world feed commentary team for the 2017 Women's Cricket World Cup and for ABC Radio Grandstand for the 2017 Border-Gavaskar Trophy series.{{Cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/breakfast/adam-collins/7070016|title=Adam Collins|date=6 January 2016|website=ABC Radio National}} With Cricbuzz, Collins has been hosting video analysis since 2018 Harsha Bhogle and Michael Vaughan.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-videos/34999/indian-bowling-attack-was-at-its-finest-today-harsha-bhogle|title=Indian bowling attack was at its finest today - Harsha Bhogle|website=Cricbuzz.com|date=16 December 2018 }}{{Cite web|url=https://www.mxplayer.in/show/watch-the-ashes-2019/season-1/england-seem-to-play-better-when-they-are-prodded-and-criticised-michael-vaughan-online-06603331178b8fd3b0b42491db723417|title=Watch The Ashes 2019 Season 1 Episode 3 Online | The Ashes 2019 Clips on MX Player|website=Mxplayer.in}} In 2018 Collins was on for 1116 SEN as the 2018 Australian ball-tampering scandal unfolded.

In 2019 Collins and Geoff Lemon made a short mockumentary entitled The Holy Ground about Ben Stokes trip to Mbargo nightclub in Bristol.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/other-sport/australian-cricket-fans-make-pilgrimage-3354156|title=Cricket fans in 'pilgrimage' to Mbargo after Stokes' amazing summer|first1=David|last1=Byrom|date=September 27, 2019|website=Bristopost.co.uk}} In 2019 Collins was commenting for SEN on the denouement to the 2019 Cricket World Cup Final at Lord's between England and New Zealand which he described as a career highlight.{{Cite web|url=https://omny.fm/shows/the-final-word-cricket-podcast/world-cup-daily-day-46|title=World Cup Daily: Day 46 - The Final Word Cricket Podcast|website=Omny.fm}} Collins was named the 2020 Cricket Writers' Club Christopher Martin-Jenkins Broadcaster of the Year.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cricexec.com/2021/03/16/ecb-2020-domestic-cricket-journalism-award-winners-announced/|title=ECB: 2020 Domestic Cricket Journalism Award winners announced|website=Cricexec.com|date=March 16, 2021}}

Collins co-hosts The Final Word Podcast with Geoff Lemon. In 2020, the Wisden Almanack recognised The Final Word as the best cricket podcast in the world.{{Cite web|url=https://badproducerproductions.com/portfolio/the-final-word-cricket/|title=THE FINAL WORD |website=Badproducerproductions.com|access-date=23 January 2022}} He has also guested on the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast.{{Cite web|url=https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/sky-sports-cricket-podcast/id754700884|title=Sky Sports Cricket Podcast on Apple Podcasts|website=Apple Podcasts|date=10 January 2024 }} In 2020 Collins co-hosted, with Daniel Norcross, a 6-part documentary series on the history of cricket commentary called Calling the Shots which was made for the Pinch Hitter, which was a pop-up digital mag made during the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite web|url=https://omny.fm/shows/the-final-word-cricket-podcast/playlists/calling-the-shots|title=Calling the Shots - The Final Word Cricket Podcast|website=omny.fm}} He also co-hosted The Greatest Season That Was with Daniel Brettig and Shannon Gill.{{Cite web|url=https://omny.fm/shows/the-greatest-season-that-was-93/playlists/93|title=93 - The Greatest Season That Was Presents...|website=omny.fm}} The 2021 Wisden Almanack fulsomely praised Collins work describing Calling The Shots as “a slick history of cricket broadcasting that revealed, with Reithian ideals, everything from Brian Johnston’s conflict with Andy Pandy to Cricinfo’s battles with bankruptcy, and Big Brother. It cemented Collins’s standing as the doyen: his other shows, The Final Word (with

Geoff Lemon) and The Greatest Season That Was (with Dan Brettig and Shannon

Gill) maintained exceptional standards."{{cite book |author= |date=2021 |title= 2021 Wisden Almanack|url= https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/wisden-cricketers-almanack-2021-9781472975478 |location= London|publisher= Bloomsbury Publishing |page= 182 |isbn= 9781472975478}}

Collins is a supporter of Hawthorn Football Club.{{Cite web|url=http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/sep/30/what-led-me-to-buy-the-gigantic-blue-batmobile-from-the-1991-afl-grand-final|title=What led me to buy the gigantic blue Batmobile from the 1991 AFL grand final | Adam Collins|date=September 30, 2020|website=The Guardian}} He commented on the positive impact watching Victoria and Australia cricketer Dean Jones had on him as a youngster.{{Cite web|url=https://www.skysports.com/cricket/news/12123/12080285/dean-jones-was-a-cricketing-trailblazer-say-mike-atherton-and-adam-collins|title=Dean Jones was a cricketing trailblazer, say Mike Atherton and Adam Collins|website=Sky Sports}} Aged 18, Collins drove to the Australian Cricket Board’s headquarters to complain about the dropping of Mark Waugh from the test team.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thecricketer.com/Topics/news/my_favourite_cricketer_a_mark_of_greatness.html|title=My favourite cricketer: A Mark of greatness | The Cricketer|website=Thecricketer.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://junkee.com/letter-17-year-old-clever-half-self-abc-grandstands-adam-collins/73988|title=A Letter To My 17-Year-Old, Too-Clever-By-Half Self, By ABC Grandstand's Adam Collins|date=February 29, 2016|website=Junkee}} He now lives in North London with partner Rachel and daughters Winnie and Peggy. He is a relative of Australian novelist Joseph Furphy and Collins' father changed the family surname to Collins because Tom Collins was the pen name Furphy used.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2020/jan/05/cricket-south-africa-england-second-test-day-three-over-by-over-live|title=England build lead of 264 over South Africa after day three – as it happened|first1=Adam|last1=Collins|first2=Rob|last2=Smyth|newspaper=The Guardian|date=5 January 2020}} As well as being a member of the Australian Labor Party and British Labour Party Collins is a former chairman of the Victorian branch of the Australian Republic Movement.

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Category:Australian cricket commentators

Category:Living people

Category:Date of birth unknown

Category:1984 births

Category:People from Dandenong, Victoria

Category:Journalists from Melbourne

Category:21st-century Australian journalists

Category:Monash University alumni

Category:Australian expatriates in England

Category:People educated at Lyndale Secondary College

Category:Australian sports podcasters