Episodes

Dec 15

In this episode of the show, Baldy, Jamie and Stu chat with Australian international Pete Handscomb about The Ashes and the ups and downs of his cricket career so far. We start the show by diving into Pete's experience watching the Ashes as someone playing first-class cricket and with a lot of connections on both sides. Has anything come as a surprise so far? How tough is the challenge as a batter of moving from English pitches to Australian pitches? And should we expect anything different from in Adelaide or Melbourne? As the conversation continues, we move to Pete's own Ashes experience and the extra levels of scrutiny that come from playing on the biggest of stages. There's plenty in here about mindset and approach, and how tough times led to a rethink that has paid huge dividends in recent seasons. Along with sharing the tough times, Pete also recalls the moment he first received his Baggy Green from long-time friend and current Cricket Victoria coach Chris Rogers, and the moment he scored his first Test hundred against Pakistan. With the fires still burning for an international recall, Pete talks about how the game has changed since his debut, looks back at the challenge of facing India in India on difficult batting surfaces and shares what he's learned about the leadership style that works best for him, plus a few young players to watch out for on the Australian domestic circuit, such as Campbell Kellaway and Oliver Peake. To round out the show, we run through our quickfire round that hits on a number of topics, such as Pete's favourite innings, the toughest bowler he's faced and the most talented cricketer he's ever encountered. All in all, it was a conversation we really enjoyed and we hope you will too. We'll be back in your feed after the Test matches between England & Australia and New Zealand & the West Indies. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro: Pete Handscomb joins the show 0:55 Pete's experience and thoughts on The Ashes so far 5:55 Challenges for English batters in Australian conditions 7:55 Could moving to Adelaide help England get back on track? 16:20 Pete's own Ashes experience from 2017 21:50 Working through the tough times 31:10 The drive to play international cricket again 35:15 How cricket has changed over the past 10 years 40:05 Baggy Green and first Test hundred 43:50 Leadership 47:15 Facing up to India in India in 2023 54:00 Young players to watch out for in Australia 56:40 Quickfire round - favourite moments and toughest opponents Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 13

In this episode of the show, Stu and Raj look back at the second Test between New Zealand and the West Indies, which saw the Black Caps take a 1-0 series lead at the Basin Reserve in Wellington. We start with our initial reaction to a game between two teams with a host of changes, that at times looked set to be closely fought but ultimately ended in a comfortable victory for the Black Caps. The New Zealand bowling attack comes in for praise, especially Blair Tickner, Jacob Duffy and Michael Rae, and there's also a conversation about the role of spin in the Test team going forward and the role Zak Foulkes can play once the ball stops swinging. As we bounce around a number of talking points, we chat about Mitch Hay's impressive debut, Devon Conway's recent form and how the Black Caps dealt with losing another fast bowler to injury early on in the match. To round out the show, we discuss the level of disappointment the West Indies must be feeling, a potential debut for Kristian Clarke and our hopes and dreams for the third and final Test at Mount Maunganui, starting 18 December. If all goes to plan, we'll be back in your feed in a day or two to bring you a conversation with Australian international Peter Handscomb, which is bound to include a bit more Ashes chat. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro: Black Caps v West Indies 0:40 Injury-enforced changes and nervous moments in the first hour 2:50 New Zealand's bowling performance - Blair Tickner 6:25 How NZ handled another in-game bowling injury 8:55 How does spin fit in to the Black Caps' Test plans? 14:45 Michael Rae and Jacob Duffy 21:20 Any concerns about Zak Foulkes? 25:15 Mitch Hay's impressive debut 30:15 Is Devon Conway back in form? 33:35 A disappointing performance from the West Indies? 38:50 Potential changes & hopes for the third Test Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 10

In this episode of the show, it's a full house as we look back at the second Ashes Test between Australia and England, which saw the hosts take a 2-0 lead after a comprehensive win at the Gabba. As per tradition, we start with the victors: first to praise Australia and then to attempt to understand why they've been so dominant so far - and where England have let themselves down. There's talk of key moments, of selection, of game management and much more as we bounce around a number of different talking points. As the episode continues, the conversation turns to individuals: Mitchell Starc's starring role in the series and his overall status in the Test game; Is Jake Weatherald looking like the long-term solution for Australia at the top of the order?; Joe Root's first hundred on Aussie soil; Alex Carey's performance with the gloves; criticism of Jofra Archer and whether England are actually learning from their mistakes. To round out the show, we look ahead to the options facing both sides for the third Test in Adelaide as injury ins and outs seem set to play a major role: Mark Wood and Josh Hazelwood out for the series, but Pat Cummins is on track to return. We'll be back in your feed at the end of the week with more from the cricketing world. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro: Ashes 2nd Test Review 1:45 Australia's dominant victory: more impressive than the first test? 3:15 Did we underestimate Australia before the series started? 7:00 Why are England not performing up to expectations? 19:40 Key performers: Mitchell Starc stars again 23:40 Nathan Lyon's exclusion & stats-based decision-making 27:20 Are England making tactical errors? 34:35 How much is the Bazball mindset contributing to these results? 37:35 Alex Carey's performance with the gloves 42:45 Joe Root's first hundred in Australia 44:40 Is Jake Weatherald a long-term solution at the top for Australia? 49:30 Selection questions for the third Test: Australia 53:20 Selection questions for the third Test: England 57:15 Quick predictions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 7

In this episode of the show, Baldy, Stu and Raj look back at the first Test between New Zealand and the West Indies, and give a brief shout out to Virat Kohli and a live reaction to the goings on in the second Ashes Test. With England and Australia still on the field at our regular Sunday recording time (check back in a day or two for our wrap of that match), we dedicated the majority of this episode to unpacking the West Indies' impressive rearguard action against the Black Caps at Hagley Oval. We start with a round-up of emotions after what proved to be a draining final couple of days in the first Test of the New Zealand summer. The Black Caps looked set for victory with the West Indies at 72-4 chasing 500+, but injuries to Matt Henry, Nathan Smith & Tom Blundell and an outstanding fighting effort from Shai Hope, Justin Greaves & Kemar Roach took the game into the final overs and secured a draw for the visitors. As we bounce around a number of talking points, there's also praise for Jacob Duffy, Tom Latham & Rachin Ravindra, we discuss the pitch and umpiring decisions, and debate whether the Black Caps still had enough chances to win or whether the West Indies should have put the accelerator down in the final session in an attempt to chase down the target. In amongst all of that, we speculate on the New Zealand lineup for the second Test and the prospect of potential Test debuts for Mitch Hay and Michael Rae or an SOS call-up to Kyle Jamieson. To round out the show, we there's a shout-out to Virat Kohli for his stacks of runs in the ODI series against South Africa, plus Baldy's live reaction to the news that Australia were on the verge of victory against England under lights in Brisbane. We'll be back in your feed in a day or two to review that second Ashes Test, then again next week with more from here in New Zealand and around the world. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro: Black Caps v West Indies 1:00 West Indies fight back to secure a draw 3:05 Black Caps injury crisis 4:20 Shai Hope, Justin Greaves & Kemar Roach dig in 9:25 Thoughts on the Hagley Oval pitch 13:00 Jacob Duffy's lion-hearted effort 16:10 What will NZ's bowling attack look like at the Basin Reserve? 23:15 Are New Zealand still favourites for the second Test? 24:10 Missed opportunities and DRS decisions 27:30 Rachin Ravindra & Tom Latham's big partnership 31:20 Should the West Indies have gone harder for the win? 34:20 India v South Africa ODIs - Virat Kohli is still good at batting 37:45 Baldy's live Ashes reaction Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 30

In this episode of the show, Binksy, Baldy and Stu look back at South Africa's 2-0 sweep of India, and look ahead to the upcoming series between the Black Caps and the West Indies, as well as the second Ashes Test. We start the show by discussing South Africa's dominant victory against India in the second and final Test of that series, which saw lower-order runs from Senuran Muthusamy and Marco Jansen backed up by impressive performances from Jansen and Simon Harmer with the ball. There's plenty of praise for the visitors, but why were they able to be so successful? Are they better than we thought? Was Shubman Gill's injury that impactful? And how much pressure does another home sweep pile on Gautam Gambhir? Next we head back to New Zealand, where we look forward to the Test series against the West Indies, which starts at Hagley Oval on Tuesday. It's a matchup that favours the Black Caps on paper, but how much have injuries impacted the strength of this Kiwi side? We talk through possible lineups, what's at stake for the likes of Devon Conway and Tom Latham with a big 12-18 months ahead, and the role Mitchell Santner could fill at number 7 in the batting order. To round out the show, we chat about the Ashes, with team selection in focus. Mark Wood is out for England, Pat Cummins isn't yet back for Australia and the Travis Head or Usman Khawaja to open the batting question still remains. Plus: could Nathan Lyon miss out, and should we even have pink-ball Tests at all in the Ashes? We'll be back in your feed next week to review the Tests and anything else that catches our eyes from around the world. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 1:10 India v SA Test series review: South Africa's statement win 10:50 Jansen, Stubbs, Muthusamy all step up 13:45 Simon Harmer's performance & do Indian batters have a weakness against spin? 22:25 How much pressure is on Gautam Gambhir? 30:30 Black Caps v West Indies Test series 32:15 Injuries and absences for NZ 34:35 Black Caps bowling attack 37:50 What's at stake for New Zealand as a team and individually? 48:00 Will this be Kane Williamson's last Test series at home? 52:00 The Ashes 2nd Test preview: will Travis Head open for Australia? 1:00:00 England selection questions and build up 1:03:30 Do we need a pink-ball Test in the Ashes? 1:07:10 Could Cummins still play? Would Nathan Lyon miss out? 1:12:45 Predictions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 23

In this episode of the show, Binksy, Baldy, Jamie and Stu look back at the first Test between Australia and England, which was action-packed but was finished within two days. There was plenty of drama in the lead-up to The Ashes, but that was nothing compared with the rollercoaster we saw on the field. Mitchell Starc started with a bang, England's pace battery hit back and it seemed like things were about to settle down by lunch on the second day with England one wicket down and leading by 99. But instead the action resumed, with the visitors crumbling and Travis Head's hundred powering Australia to victory within two sessions. We react to the emotion of the two days, then discuss the lineups and the pitch before highlighting key performers like Starc, Head, Ollie Pope, Jofra Archer and Marnus Labuschagne. We ask where it all went wrong for England, debate whether Travis Head's success could bring an unexpected end to Usman Khawaja's Test career, talk through potential changes for the second Test and plenty more as we try to process a game which moved through the gears at a rapid pace. We'll be back in your feed soon with more news and notes from around the world. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 1:45 Initial reactions to a wild two-day Test 8:35 Toss and lineups 14:00 Pitch conditions - too spicy or poor batting? 17:00 Key performers - Mitchell Starc's 10-wicket haul 21:30 Did England miss a leader in their bowling attack? 29:00 England's superb bowling on day 1 32:20 Travis Head's outrageous hundred 43:20 Was Jamie Smith out? 47:00 Is Usman Khawaja's future in doubt? 56:45 Do England's tactics need a rethink? 1:11:05 TNT coverage in the UK Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 19

In this episode of the show, Baldy and Stu look back at the first Test between India and South Africa, which saw the hosts take a 1-0 series lead at Eden Gardens. A quickfire Test but plenty of talking points as seam dominated day 1 and then spin took centre stage on days 2 and 3. Jasprit Bumrah's remarkable skills were on display yet again, Simon Harmer continued his good form and Ravindra Jadeja tore through South Africa's batting lineup in the third innings as the game sped to a conclusion. It all looked to be on track for an Indian win - until it wasn't. We talk about the quality bowling on show, what made batting so tough, the impact of the injuries to Shubman Gill and Kagiso Rabada, and whether India can bounce back at Guwahati. Plus plenty more! We'll be back in your feed later in the week with more news and notes from around the world. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 1:00 South Africa pull off a stunning victory 5:25 Simon Harmer's impressive performance 9:30 Were India's spinners outbowled? 13:15 Was that style of pitch the optimum surface for India? 20:25 Shubman Gill's injury & the pressure on India 31:00 Can South Africa make it 2-0 or will India bounce back? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 16

In this episode of the show, Binksy, Baldy, Jamie, Raj and Stu look ahead to the 2025-26 Ashes series between Australia and England. As usual, the Ashes hype machine has been in overdrive in recent months, but the cricket is finally (almost) here and the Top Order team are fizzing. We talk squads and potential line ups, key players and matchups, grounds and conditions, storylines to watch for and make our predictions for the series. How much will the Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood injuries hurt Australia? How excited are the English to unleash Jofra Archer and Mark Wood on an under-pressure Australian top order? Will Joe Root and Steve Smith imprint their class on the series? Will Nathan Lyon have an impact? Is it Scott Boland's time to shine? Can Harry Brook Bazball Australia to dust? Or will Marnus Labuschagne bounce back in a big way? And can Ben Stokes' boys etch their name into history on Aussie soil? Or will Steve Smith, Pat Cummins & co. inspire another victory for green-and-gold? There's all that and plenty more as we preview a series that's set to provide entertainment galore over the coming weeks. We'll be back in your feed regularly throughout this series to review/preview games and catch up on what's happening elsewhere in the world, including India v South Africa and Black Caps v West Indies. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 2:00 Potential lineups for first Test - questions for Australia? 14:55 How will England manage their seamers through the series? 23:55 Has Australia won the preparation battle? 36:25 How will Australia's top order respond to pressure? 48:50 Key matchups: Nathan Lyon v England's middle order 54:20 Jofra Archer, Travis Head, Harry Brook, Joe Root 58:10 Mitchell Starc, Ben Duckett, captaincy 1:02:20 What can we expect from the pitches? 1:09:20 Predictions: Who will win The Ashes? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 9

In this episode of the show, Baldy, Raj and Stu look back at the cricketing week that was, which saw NZ in T20 action against the West Indies, India win the Women's World Cup and Australia name their squad for the first Ashes Test. We also look ahead to an intriguing Test series between India and South Africa. We start the show by congratulating India on their Women's World Cup win, before moving back to New Zealand where the Black Caps are 2-1 up in their T20 series against the West Indies. There's praise for Matthew Forde, Ish Sodhi and Mark Chapman, plus questions about NZ's death bowling and what the T20 World Cup squad might look like if - and it's looking like a bigger 'if' with each passing day - injured players like Glenn Phillips, Finn Allen, Will O'Rourke and Lockie Ferguson do return. Next we head to India, where Rishabh Pant returns for the home side as they prepare to take on South Africa in what shapes to be the toughest challenge to date for the current World Test Champions. Can Pant and Dhruv Jurel play in the same XI? Is Keshav Maharaj the best spinner in the world? And will India simply be too strong on home soil? We round out the show with the latest Ashes news, which mainly involves asking Baldy his thoughts on the Australian squad for the first Test. Jake Weatherald's inclusion has generated most of the headlines, but will he actually play? And if so, what might that mean for Marnus Labuschagne, Beau Webster, Cameron Green - and even Sam Konstas? We'll be back in your feed next week with a full preview of The Ashes, plus some more news and notes from around the world. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 0:45 India win the Women's World Cup 3:10 Black Caps v West Indies: Matthew Forde impresses 6:00 Do NZ have a death-bowling problem? 8:00 Ish Sodhi bowling well 11:20 Is NZ's T20 World Cup squad any clearer? 23:15 India v South Africa Tests: Rishabh Pant returns 26:40 Will India be too strong? 37:35 The Ashes: Australia name their squad 39:10 Will Jake Weatherald make his Test debut? 51:45 What next for Sam Konstas? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 2

In this episode of the show, Baldy, Binksy and Stu look back at the past two weeks, which saw NZ sweep England in an ODI series, Rohit & Virat roll back the years, Women's World Cup upsets & South Africa win a Test away in Pakistan. We start the show in New Zealand, where the Black Caps beat England 3-0 in the ODI series after a rain-affected false start to the international summer. There were plenty of positives for New Zealand - Daryl Mitchell, most of the bowlers and Mitchell Santner's bat, to name a few - as they chased down the visitors' modest totals on three separate occasions. We talk about Zak Foulkes's composure, Kane Williamson's retirement from T20 internationals and ask if there's anything to worry about from an England point of view. Next we head to Australia, where the home side has been playing white-ball cricket against India, but inevitably the conversation turns towards The Ashes. Has Marnus done enough? Would they actually leave out Beau Webster? And is Josh Hazlewood the first name on the Australian teamsheet? There's also praise for Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli's unbeaten partnership in the 3rd ODI, which could well be the last time the two of them stride to the middle on Australian soil. Then it's off to the Women's World Cup, where we saw India end Australia's incredible run and South Africa reverse their opening-match loss to England on their way to the final. Batting was in the spotlight once again in our discussion of this tournament, with the hundred from Jemimah Rodrigues taking top billing. To round out the show, there's a brief shout-out to the South African men's side for defeating Pakistan in the second Test of their series, thanks in no small way to Keshav Maharaj and Simon Harmer as the latter brought up his 1000th first-class wicket during the match. We'll be back in your feed next week to discuss more cricket from around the world. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 1:40 Black Caps v England: slow start to the NZ summer 5:05 Plenty of positives for NZ - Daryl Mitchell 7:10 Anything to worry about for England? 12:20 Black Caps bowlers - Foulkes, Duffy, Tickner 20:25 Kane Williamson retires from T20s 24:00 Australia v India white-ball series/Ashes build up 44:25 Women's World Cup: Jemi Rodrigues ends Australia's run 56:20 South Africa v Pakistan Second Test Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 19

In this episode of the show, Baldy, Binksy, Jamie and Stu look back at a rainy week on the cricketing calendar, which saw England begin a T20 series against the Black Caps, Australia hosting India, Pakistan defeating South Africa, rain dent the White Ferns' chances at the Women's World Cup and the advent of a new format (that looks somewhat similar to an old format and a current one). We start the show at Hagley Oval, where the Black Caps hosted England in an incomplete T20I to start off the series with a stutter. There was talk about the return of Mitchell Santner, Jimmy Neesham's ability to make things happen, whether Tom Banton can turn domestic form into international success - and more moustache-related praise. Next we head to Australia, where at the time of recording it was also raining in Perth, as the home side welcome India for 3 ODIs and 5 T20s. We talked about what's at stake for the likes of Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head, there was some Ashes-based discussion and we asked for listener feedback about what Indian fans - and Rohit Sharma & Virat Kohli - would like to see in this series. After a quick detour to Pakistan to talk about Noman Ali's pearler to Dewalt Brevis and Shaheen Shah Afridi's yorkers, it's off to the Women's World Cup, where rain has put a dent in the White Ferns' semi-final hopes. Alyssa Healy and Laura Wolvaardt continue to pile on the runs for Australia & South Africa, but are England going under the radar? Or is their potential challenge about to drop away? To round out the show, we debate the merits of a proposed new cricket format - Test Twenty - which will see young players from around the world test its merits in January 2026. Is this format a gimmick? Or could it actually stick? Does it actually blend Test cricket and T20? Or is it just two T20 games in a row? We'll be back in your feed next week to discuss more cricket from around the world. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 2:10 Black Caps v England T20 series - key questions 17:45 Australia v India ODIs - what's at stake? 35:40 Pakistan v South Africa - home side takes 20 wickets again 39:05 Women's World Cup - England about to be tested 51:00 Test Twenty - what do we think? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 14

In this episode of the show, the Raj, Baldy and Stu look back at a busy week on the cricketing calendar, which saw India wrap up a 2-0 Test series victory against the West Indies, Australia's women continue to roll on in the World Cup and Sean Solia keep Samoa's T20 WC chances alive. We also look ahead to the upcoming series between the Black Caps and England, and provide a live update as South Africa take on Pakistan in the first Test of that series. We start the show in India, where the home side made the West Indies follow-on and looked set for another innings victory, before John Campbell and Shai Hope, with help from Roston Chase, Justin Greaves and Jayden Seales, dug in to make it much more of a contest this time around. We give credit where it's due to both Campbell and Hope, talk about Kuldeep Yadav's performance with ball in hand, take stock market updates on Dhruv Jurel and Sai Sudharsan, dish yet more praise on Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal, and look ahead to what's next for both sides. Next up we talk about the Women's World Cup, where the White Ferns have stumbled, Team India have lost two nail-biters and South Africa are charging again after their first-up loss to England. And yet again, Australia, thanks to contributions from almost everyone - including a fantastic hundred from Alyssa Healy - keep marching on. Back on NZ shores, we look forward to the Black Caps taking on England in three T20s and three ODIs - although injuries continue to linger. How will the bowling attack take shape? Can Jimmy Neesham take another step towards World Cup selection? Will Devon Conway find form? And how will Mitchell Santner and Rachin Ravindra slot back into the side? To round out the show, we give a shout out to Sean Solia and Ross Taylor for their efforts for Samoa in the T20 World Cup qualifiers, as well as discussing the in-progress Test between South Africa and Pakistan - another home Test for Pakistan that looks to be dominated by spin. Will this prove to be their best path to the World Test Championship Final? Or is it actually doing more harm than good? We'll be back in your feed next week to discuss more cricket from around the world. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 1:30 India v WI: West Indies show some fight as Hope & Campbell make 100s 13:50 Stock market check on Dhruv Jurel & Sai Sudharsan 20:50 Siraj, Gill & Jaiswal 28:45 Women's World Cup playoff race heating up 41:15 Black Caps v England 48:30 Samoa make the Super Sixes 52:00 Pakistan v South Africa update Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 5

In this episode of the show, the team look back at a busy week on the cricketing calendar, which saw Australia's men and women get the better of their New Zealand counterparts, India secure an innings victory in their first Test against the West Indies and Chris Woakes call stumps on his Test career. We start the show in India, where the home side demolished the West Indies by an innings in the first Test. An all-round bowling performance was backed up by hundreds from KL Rahul, Dhruv Jurel & Ravindra Jadeja and some nice catches in the field as India proved they are currently a class above the West Indies. There's talk of the visitors' batting woes, Jurel's future and some spin chat. Next up we talk about the Black Caps v Australia T20 series, which was disrupted by rain but saw Mitch Marsh steal the limelight as the visitors secured a 2-0 series win to retain the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy. There's praise for Tim Robinson's batting, Matt Henry's moustache and plenty of discussion around what we learned from this short series. At the Women's World Cup, Australia inflicted another defeat on New Zealand, but not without a few wobbles along the way. The White Ferns made inroads into the Aussie batting lineup, but it was Ash Gardner's quickfire century that proved to be the difference despite Sophie Devine's impressive response. We also talk about England's big win against South Africa and how that positions them for the remainder of the tournament. To round out the show, there's a quick word of farewell to Chris Woakes, who announced his retirement from Test cricket. We'll be back in your feed next week to discuss more cricket from around the world. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 1:25 India v WI: West Indies' batting woes 15:20 Plenty of positives for India 25:00 Black Caps v Australia: Mitch Marsh stars & Kiwi questions 43:40 Women's World Cup: Big wins for Aus & England 58:00 Chris Woakes announces international retirement & Baldy's black book Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 30

In this episode of the show, Baldy and Stu recap the India v Pakistan Asia Cup final and take a brief look at all the cricket to look forward to over the next few months. We start the show by talking about Pakistan's impressive start, with Farhan and Fakhar combining to reach a score of 113-1. And then the wheels fell off as a mixture of excellent spin bowling and poor shot selection led to the collapse of all collapses, which saw Pakistan crumble to be all out for 146. It wasn't all smooth sailing for India, though, who found themselves in trouble at 20-3 before Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson and Shivam Dube played their part in what proved to be an exciting final and one which saw India crowned as Asia Cup champions in 2025. Do Pakistan have enough building blocks for a 2026 T20 World Cup challenge? And is SKY's spot under threat? To round out the show, we make quick mention of a few things we're looking forward to in what shapes as an exciting finish to the calendar year in the world of cricket. We'll be back in your feed again soon to discuss the week that was, which should include India v West Indies, the Chappell-Hadlee T20 series and the Women's World Cup, among other things. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 1:25 Asia Cup Final: Pakistan's brilliant start 5:30 Did Pakistan show a lack of game awareness? 13:30 India in trouble early - enter Tilak, Samson and Dube 21:00 Is Suryakumar Yadav's India spot under threat? 26:20 An exciting few months of cricket ahead Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 28

In this episode of the show, Raj, Baldy and Binksy look ahead to the India v Pakistan Asia Cup final and the Women's World Cup, plus discuss England's squad for The Ashes and Quinton de Kock's decision to unretire. We start the show once again by talking about the Asia Cup, which is set to conclude with an India v Pakistan final. It's the game the crowds wanted, but will it live up to the hype? Can Pakistan learn from Sri Lanka's approach and push India all the way? Next we turn the The Ashes, as England named their squad this week. Were there any surprises? Any spots up for grabs leading into the first Test? And will it be strong enough to challenge the Aussies in their own backyard? To round out the show, we make quick mention of Quinton de Kock's decision to 'unretire' after Baldy drops off the video, before Baldy's voice returns to take through what he's looking out for ahead of the Women's ODI World Cup. We'll be back in your feed again very soon to discuss the Asia Cup final & plenty of other cricket that begins over the coming week. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 1:35 Asia Cup Final - India v Pakistan 10:30 England's Ashes squad 35:50 Quinton de Kock unretires 40:40 ICC Women's World Cup Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 22

In this episode of the show, Raj and Stu discuss India v Pakistan at the Asia Cup, the Black Caps' T20 squad to take on Australia, NZ A's tour to South Africa and the start of Australia A's tour to India. We start the show once again by talking about another dominant Indian performance against Pakistan in the Asia Cup - this time in the Super 4 stage. Last week it was two brilliant allrounders - Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel - who made important contributions for India, but this time the spark came from Shivam Dube, who slowed Pakistan's momentum after a rather sloppy start to the match. There's also more praise for Abhishek Sharma, as well as discussion around the controversial catch by Sanju Samson. Next it's a Black Caps focus - first the T20 squad named to take on Australia in the Chappell-Hadlee series, in which Mitchell Santner, Lockie Ferguson, Kane Williamson and a host of other key names are unavailable for the Kiwi side. We discuss how the NZ T20 side might take shape over the course of the home summer, with an eye to the ICC T20 World Cup in February. Is it a good thing that we can't name the Black Caps' best XI? Or a concern that so many roles feel up for grabs this close to a major event? To round out the show, first we give a big tick to NZ A's overall tour to South Africa. Things started slow with the white ball, and the final Test ended in a fairly subdued draw, but the likes of Rhys Mariu, Dale Phillips, Curtis Heaphy, Adi Ashok and Matt Fisher all made cases for higher honours over the years to come. We also quickly touch on Australia A's tour to India, in which we saw bat dominate ball in the first Test of that series, with Sam Konstas, Dhruv Jurel & Devdutt Padikkal among those to impress. We'll be back in your feed again next week to discuss more stories from the world of cricket, including the Asia Cup & more from New Zealand. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 1:05 India cruise to another Asia Cup win against Pakistan 3:05 Shivam Dube & the spinners 7:05 Are India that far ahead? Or are Pakistan in transition? 15:15 Sanju Samson catch, Nawaz run out 19:10 Black Caps name T20 squad to face Australia 26:15 Ish Sodhi, Tim Seifert, Mitch Hay 35:25 Rhys Mariu shines for NZ A in South Africa 45:30 Runs galore between Aus A & India A Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 15

In this episode of the show, Jamie and Stu discuss India v Pakistan at the Asia Cup, the white-ball series between South Africa & England, NZ A's tour to South Africa and the NZC casual contracts that leave the Black Caps with some tough decisions in the build up to the T20 World Cup. We start the show by talking about India's dominant performance against Pakistan in the Asia Cup group stage. We talk about India's depth and the balance that their two brilliant allrounders - Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel - provide, as well as the impressive contributions of the likes of Kuldeep Yadav, Abhishek Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav. Saim Ayub's bowling was a bright spot for Pakistan in what was otherwise a tough day at the office for Mike Hesson's side. Next we move to the final stages of the English home summer to discuss a damp end to the white-ball series against South Africa, which saw a return to form for England's batters in between the rain. After scores of 400 in an ODI then 300 in a T20, it wasn't hard to hand out praise, with Phil Salt and Jacob Bethell in particular our topics of conversation. We also look back at a full international summer from Jofra Archer and try to make sense of a very full domestic calendar. We round out the show with a Black Caps focus - first a NZ A performance against South Africa which put the likes of Rhys Mariu, Dale Phillips, Curtis Heaphy, Adi Ashok and Matt Fisher in the spotlight, before running through NZ Cricket's decision to hand out five casual contracts to Finn Allen, Tim Seifert, Lockie Ferguson, Devon Conway and Kane Williamson. Does Kane's inclusion mean we might see him at the T20 World Cup? And did you realise the NZ home international summer is only two weeks away? Finally, we mention Gary Stead's new gig in the Ranji Trophy, and shout out Leicestershire for gaining promotion in the County Championship. We'll be back in your feed again next week to discuss more stories from the world of cricket, including the Asia Cup & more from England and New Zealand - maybe even some Australia A v India A content. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 0:40 Asia Cup - India's dominant win against Pakistan 15:05 England's batters come to life against South Africa 18:30 Phil Salt's impressive performance 22:10 Jacob Bethell's hundred 26:30 Jofra Archer's home summer 29:15 England's disjointed domestic schedule 33:15 Mariu, Ashok, Fisher & more shine for NZ A 40:00 NZ Cricket's casual contracts 46:30 Gary Stead's Ranji Trophy gig & Leicestershire's promotion Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 7

In this episode of the show, Binksy, Baldy, Raj and Stu discuss the white-ball series between South Africa & England, NZ A's tour to South Africa and Ross Taylor's return to the international arena. We start the show by talking about South Africa continuing to impress across all formats, this time in a white-ball series against England. Aiden Markram at the top of the order has been well supported by a powerful and dynamic middle order of Matthew Breetzke, Tristan Stubbs and Dewalt Brevis as the Proteas surged to a 2-0 series lead. Throw in impressive displays from Keshav Maharaj and the rest of the bowling attack and South Africa looks a side that shapes as a strong contender for the upcoming World Cups. Turning our attention to England, we wonder whether Jamie Overton's decision to step back from Test cricket is a sign of things to come, and also assess where the holes are in this current ODI squad. The praise for the Proteas continues in the next segment as we talk about NZ's A tour to South Africa, as it has been a good week to be a Hermann brother. The home side took the 50-over series 2-1 thanks to runs galore from Rubin and Jordan, with Dale Phillips's 147 the shining light for New Zealand's batting display. To round out the show, we discuss Ross Taylor's decision to come out of international retirement to play for Samoa in the upcoming East Asia-Pacific qualifiers for the ICC T20 World Cup along with Sean Solia and the rest of the squad. Aside from it being a heartwarming story, it also raised a few questions for us about the international eligibility rules. Would it be good for the game to reduce the stand-down period? Or would that simply lead to manipulation? We'll be back in your feed again next week to discuss more stories from the world of cricket, including the Asia Cup as well as more of the South Africa series. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 1:00 England v South Africa - Proteas keep rolling on 4:10 England in a white-ball rebuild phase? 6:55 South Africa's depth looking good 11:00 Where are the gaps in England's squad? 14:30 Jamie Overton's decision to step away from red-ball cricket 20:20 NZ A v SA A - Good week to be a Hermann brother! 34:05 Ross Taylor returns to play for Samoa - should cricket's eligibility rules change? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 24

In this episode of the show, Binksy, Baldy, Raj and Stu discuss a range of topics from the cricketing news cycle, including: white-ball series between Australia and South Africa, NZ A tour to South Africa, England also scheduled to play the Proteas and the recent comments from Todd Greenberg about the future of Test cricket. We start the show by talking about Australia's mixed performances against South Africa and what both sides can take from a series missing a few star players. There's praise for Tim David and Dewalt Brevis, question marks over the Aussie bowling bench, while Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh and Cameron Green all score hundred on the night of recording. The conversation moves on to the NZ A tour to South Africa, which features a number of players who have already made their debut for the Black Caps. We're excited to see how young players like Muhammad Abbas, Rhys Mariu & Bevon Jacobs perform, as well as the chance it provides Zak Foulkes, Mitch Hay, Ben Lister and many others to continue pushing for more opportunities at the top level. Next it is off to England to discuss Jacob Bethell's selection as T20 captain against Ireland, before a brief introduction to Sonny Baker. Then we round out the show with our reaction to comments by Cricket Australia Chief Todd Greenberg about the future of Test cricket and the ICC working group that could shape what unfolds. We'll most likely be back in your feed again next week to discuss more stories from the world of cricket. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 1:25 Australia v South Africa series - have we learned anything? 21:05 NZ A tour to South Africa - Black Caps bench strength 32:15 English summer update - Bethell and Baker 43:25 Is quality more important than quantity for Test cricket? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 10

In this episode of the show, Binksy, Baldy, Raj and Stu look back at a run of dominant performances by the Black Caps in Zimbabwe, share a few more thoughts about the Test series between England and India, and discuss cricket at the LA Olympics as well as overseas investment in The Hundred. We start the show by talking about the two-Test series between the Black Caps and Zimbabwe, which resulted in heavy defeats for the home side. New Zealand ticked a lot of boxes, with debuts to Zak Foulkes, Jacob Duffy and Matt Fisher, plus impressive performances from the likes of Matt Henry, Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra and Henry Nicholls. We discuss what it all means in the context of Zimbabwe's own struggles, and ponder how Test cricket can grow while still ensuring the games remain competitive. The conversation continues with Raj and Baldy sharing their thoughts on the epic series between England and India. We talk the spirit of cricket, Mohammed Siraj, the England bowling attack and why it is a shame that both sides aren't heading straight into another Test series. To round out the episode, there's talk of the qualifying outlook for the LA Olympics cricket event, which looks set to features only six teams for the men and women. We also discuss overseas investment into The Hundred and how that could potentially change both the tournament and the global cricket calendar. We'll be back in your feed next week to discuss more stories from the world of cricket. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 1:05 Black Caps v Zimbabwe - what did we learn about NZ? 3:30 Zak Foulkes's impressive debut & NZ's bowling depth 7:05 Matt Henry continues to be world class 9:00 Did NZ make the right decision to declare? 14:05 Where to now for Zimbabwe? Two-tier WTC? 28:20 England v India: a hard-fought series 32:55 Mohammed Siraj & India's allrounder options 38:50 England's bowling attack for the Ashes 42:00 2028 LA Olympics qualifying 53:50 The Hundred: Overseas investment & another T20 window? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 5

In this episode of the show, Binksy, Jamie and Stu look back at an incredible finish to the Test series between England and India by reviewing the final Test at The Oval. We start the show by talking about a dramatic final day, which saw Mohammed Siraj emerge as the hero for India as the visitors secured a six-run victory to level the series at 2-2. There's plenty of praise for Siraj's heart and spirit both in this game and across the five Tests, plus a discussion about Harry Brook's dismissal and the key moments of this epic match. The conversation continues with a word on India's other heroes, such as Akash Deep and Yashasvi Jaiswal, plus a look at Ollie Pope's captaincy, the injuries and the viability of a five-Test series in this packed schedule, before we try to put the overall series into context by throwing around phrases like 'Best since the '05 Ashes' like they are going out of fashion. Then, as always, the English boys look ahead to the key questions in the lead up to the Ashes. We'll be back in your feed at the end of the week to discuss the Black Caps v Zimbabwe Tests, plus more stories from the world of cricket (and probably this England v India series). Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 1:20 Absolute scenes as India secure a six-run victory 7:35 Mohammed Siraj was outstanding 11:35 Was Harry Brook's dismissal the key moment? 26:20 India's other heroes in this game and series 29:25 Akash Deep's innings and Ollie Pope's captaincy 35:00 The injury toll and the viability of five-Test series 44:45 Where will this series will rank historically? 54:10 Looking ahead - England's Ashes questions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 28

In this episode of the show, Binksy, Jamie and Stu look back at the fourth Test between England and India, plus New Zealand's victory in the T20 Tri-Series final against South Africa. We also look ahead to the 5th Test in the UK and the Black Caps v Zimbabwe series. We start the show by talking about India's fantastic fightback on days 4 and 5 of the Test at Old Trafford, which saw the series remain at 2-1 with one match to play. There were hundreds for Shubman Gill, Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja, but also some controversy surrounding the conclusion of the day's play. Ben Stokes wasn't happy then, but he'd done plenty to earn his player of the match award, taking a 5-wicket bag and scoring 100 across the course of the Test. Joe Root was equally impressive, and Rishabh Pant's bravery stood out for the visitors. We round out the India v England conversation with a discussion about potential and probable changes the 5th and final Test. To finish the show, Stu chimes in to highlight the Black Caps' unbeaten run to some T20 silverware in Zimbabwe, which culminated in a dramatic final against South Africa. With 7 runs needed from 6 balls, Matt Henry stepped up and, with the help of two fantastic catches in the outfield, closed out the victory for New Zealand. In addition, we look ahead to the upcoming Test series against Zimbabwe. We'll be back in your feed next week to recap the England v India and NZ v Zimbabwe Tests. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 4:05 India's 4th innings fightback 7:00 England reaction 11:30 Was the pitch too flat? 21:10 Joe Root's brilliance 30:10 Ben Stokes's bowling and leadership 37:05 Rishabh Pant's bravery 42:30 Controversy corner 50:50 Changes and predictions for 5th Test 1:04:40Black Caps win T20 series against SA & Zim 1:08:40 NZ v Zim first Test starts Wednesday 30 July Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 20

In this episode of the show, Baldy and Stu look back at Australia's 3-0 Test series victory in the West Indies, which saw them produce a near record-breaking performance in the final match. We also discuss the start of the T20 Tri Series from a Black Caps point of view, with NZ back in action on the world stage. (Note the episode ends abruptly, as we lost the final 2 minutes of the recording, which was mainly Baldy talking about how fun it has been to watch Lhuan-dre Pretorius bat in his short international career.) We start the show by talking about Australia's performance against the West Indies. Three games, three wins, maximum World Test Championship points, but was it a good performance? There's plenty of talk about the batters, with Sam Konstas and Cameron Green mentioned, before we move to the bowling group to discuss Mitchell Starc's milestone match and the best bowler in world cricket who hardly ever plays, Scott Boland. To round out our conversation about this series, we ask where the West Indies can find some batters who can support their bowling group. With the Black Caps taking part in the T20 Tri-series against South Africa and Zimbabwe, we discuss New Zealand's first two matches and the depth they appear to be building in the T20 format. There are mentions for BJ Jacobs, Tim Robinson, Devon Conway and Mark Chapman, before the recording cut off just as Lhuan-dre Pretorius was being discussed. We'll be back in your feed next week to recap the 4th Test between England and India and more news from the Black Caps. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 1:15 Australia v West Indies: Worst 3-0 Test series win ever? 6:35 Cam Green a shining light for Australia's batting? 11:10 Mitchell Starc shines in his 100th Test 17:05 Scott Boland: hattrick hero who barely gets a game 25:10 West Indies 27 all out: where to from here? 29:50 Did Sam Konstas misfield on purpose? 34:00 Black Caps building depth in the T20 format Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 16

In this episode of the show, Binksy and Stu look back at an epic encounter at Lord's, which saw England go 2-1 up against India. We start the show by talking about the quality of the match and the emotions of a gripping 4th innings, in which Ravindra Jadeja almost played hero with the tail but ultimately saw the legend of Ben Stokes grow even further. The conversation then bounces around from India's missed opportunities to the quality of batting on display from KL Rahul and Joe Root, the return of Jofra Archer and the ongoing discussion around slow over rates and the Dukes cricket ball. To round out the show, we look ahead to the selection questions facing both sides for the 4th Test. Will Jasprit Bumrah play? Should India make more changes? A bump in the road for Shoaib Bashir and whether England will rotate their bowling attack in what shapes to be another fascinating encounter. We'll be back in your feed early next week to recap the Australia v West Indies series along with more England/India news and maybe even a Black Caps update. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 0:45 What an epic Test match! 3:55 Emotions of Days 4 and 5 9:20 The Ben Stokes legend grows 14:45 Did India play the better cricket for longer? 21:30 Will we ever fix slow over rates and the cricket ball? 29:30 Will Joe Root overtake Tendulkar? 35:20 Jofra Archer's return and England's bowling 42:35 Key selection decisions ahead of the 4th Test Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 8

In this episode of the show, the entire Top Order Podcast team gather to discuss the recent Test matches between India and England, and the West Indies and Australia — one which saw a complete reversal of the previous encounter and another that was déjà vu all over again. We start at Edgbaston, where a Shubman Gill masterclass and bags of wickets from Akash Deep and Mohammed Siraj inspired India to a comprehensive 336-run victory over England. We talk about India’s selection, Gill’s brilliance, how India’s seamers stepped up without Jasprit Bumrah, Jamie Smith’s star continuing to rise, what went wrong for England and whether either side needs to make changes for the third Test at Lord’s. In the second half of the show, we move to Grenada where Australia retained the Frank Worrell Trophy with a Test win in very familiar fashion to the first match of the series. Australia’s top order largely struggled, the middle-order dug them out of a hole, the West Indies threatened at times but ultimately the world-class Starc, Hazlewood, Cummins, Lyon quartet (backed up by Beau Webster) took the 20 wickets the Aussies needed to secure a comfortable victory in the end. In addition to all of that, we discuss a step forward from Cam Green and potential changes for the final Test. We'll be back in your feed next week to recap the third Tests between India v England and Australia v West Indies, plus anything else that grabs our attention. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 1:40 England v India - India make changes and deliver a big win 4:45 Shubman Gill's masterclass 7:10 Is it time for England to panic? 10:55 Did England get their tactics wrong? 14:40 Shubman Gill again 17:00 Mohammed Siraj & Akash Deep step up 20:40 Jamie Smith better than Adam Gilchrist? 28:20 Selection questions for both teams 43:40 West Indies v Australia - deja vu as Australia win the Frank Worrell Trophy 49:00 Sam Konstas and the Australian top order struggles 55:35 Beau Webster and Alex Carey 1:01:00 Changes for the 3rd Test? 1:06:25 Black Caps' Test squad named for Zimbabwe series Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 29

In this episode of the show, Baldy, Stu and Jamie look back at Australia's 'comfortable' win against the West Indies, discuss selection questions facing India and England for the second Test of their series, plus a short conversation about the Black Caps T20 squad for the tri-series also involving South Africa and Zimbabwe. We start the show by talking through Australia's win against the West Indies, which saw the visitors bat first and concede a first innings lead but still come away with a comfortable victory on the scorecard at least. To no one's surprise, there are conversations about Australia's top order once again, with Sam Konstas and Cameron Green in the spotlight, plus dropped catches, praise for the likes of Jayden Seales, Josh Hazlewood and Shamar Joseph across both bowling attacks, and also some DRS controversy that certainly bothered Roston Chase. In the second segment, we look ahead to the second Test between England and India at Edgbaston, mainly with an eye to selection. Jofra Archer has joined the England squad - will he play? And should he? Whereas India have a few questions to answer, particularly in the bowling department. Does England's win in the first Test mean Jasprit Bumrah needs to play the second? Do India need to be braver in their selection? What do they do with the 4th bowling option/number 8 - Shardul Thakur? Nitish Kumar Reddy? Kuldeep Yadav? Arshdeep Singh? To round out the show we briefly discuss the Black Caps T20 squad to face Zimbabwe and South Africa in the upcoming tri-series, which looks to favour an explosive top order of Finn Allen and Tim Seifert, and has no room in it for Devon Conway or Mitch Hay. We'll be back in your feed next week to recap the second Tests between India v England and Australia v West Indies, plus anything else that grabs our attention. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 0:50 A comfortable win for Australia? 1:55 Australia's top order struggles - Konstas, Green 11:40 Shamar Joseph and Jayden Seales shine for the West Indies 19:25 DRS controversy 27:10 Dropped catches 30:20 Australia's bowlers - Starc, Hazlewood 34:25 England v India - Jofra Archer added to England squad 42:30 What's India's best way to take 20 wickets? 52:10 Should India change their batting order? 1:00:05 Black Caps T20 squad - Allen & Seifert in, Conway & Hay out Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 24

In this episode of the show Binksy and Jamie discuss a captivating 1st Test at Headingley where a brilliant 4th Innings hundred from Ben Duckett saw England chase down 370. We'll be back in your feed to recap the first Australia v West Indies Test and discuss more India v England news. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 2:53 England's Historic Chase 6:07 Key Players and Strategies 8:54 India's Batting 11:58 England Bowling Effectiveness? 15:00 Fielding Standards and Catching 18:03 Looking Ahead to the Next Test Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 22

In this episode of the show, Baldy and Stu look ahead to the upcoming Test series between the West Indies and Australia. Fresh off a loss in the World Test Championship Final, Australia head to the West Indies with very little time to lick their wounds and a lot of questions hanging over their heads, particularly the batters. Steve Smith is injured (at least for the first Test), Marnus Labuschagne has been dropped and Sam Konstas looks set to return to the top of the order. We start the show with an explainer, then touch briefly on the West Indies side and what we might expect as a formula for victory over the course of the series. We talk about comments from Daren Sammy, the fast bowling trio of Jayden Seales, Alzarri Joseph and Shamar Joseph, the inclusion of Shai Hope and Brandon King and non-selection of Alick Athanaze and Joshua da Silva in what could be a much changed batting lineup. From there on, it becomes an Australian deep dive as we try to figure out what the selectors are thinking and whether the batting collapses against South Africa at Lord's were an anomaly or a sign of things to come. Will Sam Konstas get a consistent run of games? Can Josh Inglis take his opportunity and become a Test regular? And where should Cameron Green bat? We also discuss the Australian bowling group with an eye to the future - can Starc, Cummins, Hazlewood and Lyon make it through the full WTC cycle? Who are the next players in the pecking order? And does that even matter at this point? To round out the show, we make tentative predictions and then look at the World Test Championship fixture list to talk about who should be favoured and who has the best chance to be in that final in 2027. We'll be back in your feed soon to review the first Test between India and England, then again to recap Australia v West Indies. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 2:00 Dates and venues 3:25 West Indies squad news 10:30 Fall out after Australia's WTC Final loss - Labuschagne dropped 17:00 Has Beau Webster secured his spot? 20:55 Australia's top 4 - Konstas and Inglis come in, but for how long? 30:55 Other batting options for Australia in future 36:10 Australia's bowlers - how long can this fantastic group continue? 43:00 Series expectations 47:30 World Test Championship fixtures - who has the best draw? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 17

In this episode of the show, Raj, Baldy, Binksy and Stu look ahead to the upcoming Test series between England and India. We start the show with a short summary of what's ahead of us in this five-match series, before sharing what excites us most about India's tour to the UK. We discuss the unknown quantities of a visiting side led by Shubman Gill and missing the experience of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, plus England's strength at home in recent times. There's also talk about potential lineups, whether we might see a debut for Sai Sudharsan, a return for Karun Nair and the make up of England's bowling attack. We ask if India really need two allrounders in the side, whether they can they find room for Kuldeep Yadav, if Jacob Bethell will be in England's best XI and discuss our expectations for this new-look Indian batting lineup. To round out the show, we give our predictions for what we hope will be a series that makes for fascinating viewing over the next six weeks. We'll be back in your feed next week to review the first Test and any other news that catches our eyes. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 1:00 Venues and build up 2:50 What makes this series so interesting? 9:50 England's recent strength at home 12:20 England's potential playing XI for the first Test 14:55 India's lineup and selection questions 20:00 Preparation for both sides 25:15 Expectations for India in this WTC cycle 28:40 Series predictions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 15

In this episode of the show, Binksy, Baldy, Raj and Stu relive the rollercoaster ride that was the 2025 ICC World Test Championship Final, which saw South Africa crowned champions as they defeated Australia by 5 wickets at Lord's. We start the show with our thoughts, feelings and emotions from a game that swung back and forth and up and down across the three and a bit days of cricket. We talk South Africa's reaction, the mood after the first couple of days and the pitch conditions for this showcase event. As the discussion continues, we focus on the standout contributors, such as Aiden Markram, Kagiso Rabada, Temba Bavuma, Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc. We also look ahead to the next WTC cycle to ponder the big questions facing Australia and whether this title will propel South Africa to more and more success over the coming years. We'll be back in your feed very soon with a full preview of the India v England Test series, and then regularly as that series progresses alongside Australia v West Indies and other news. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 1:30 South Africa are the World Test Champions 5:00 State of play after Day 2 - Australia with their noses in front 8:20 Lord's surface and conditions 17:30 Kagiso Rabada, Pat Cummins & Co. show their class 22:10 Australia's batting fragility 25:10 Aiden Markram's heroics and how South Africa build on this win 31:20 Big questions for Australia for the next WTC cycle 37:30 Final words on South Africa's future and Temba Bavuma Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 8

In this episode of the show, it's a full house and a packed runsheet with RCB winning IPL 2025, the Black Caps naming a new coach and an updated central contract list, England announcing their squad for the first Test against India and preview of the World Test Championship Final between Australia and South Africa. We start the show by talking about the IPL final, which saw Royal Challengers Bengaluru defeat the Punjab Kings to take out the title for the first time in 18 years. There's praise for Krunal Pandya's match-defining spell, RCB's middle order and a generous backyard cricket invitation for Virat Kohli now that he's ticked another item off his bucket list. Next we move to New Zealand to talk Black Caps announcements, with Rob Walter named as the new head coach with the latest batch of central contracts offered shortly after. There's talk about the faith shown in Walter by NZC, Gary Stead's legacy, the uncharacteristically youthful look to the contract list and Devon Conway's future. We swing back to the UK to discuss another announcement - this time the England squad for the first Test against India. Gus Atkinson is out with injury and Jofra Archer's not quite ready, so does that leave England with enough bowling quality to take 20 wickets? And will there be a spot in the starting XI for Jacob Bethell? To round out the show, we discuss the upcoming World Test Championship Final between Australia and South Africa at Lord's. Who will open for the Aussies? Where will Cameron Green slot in? Can South Africa score enough runs to challenge? What should we expect from the pitch? Does the WTC have a scheduling problem? And who will win? We'll be back in your feed next week to review the WTC final and preview the India v England Test series. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 1:55 RCB wins IPL 2025 8:10 Where to now for Virat Kohli? 10:10 A word on the Punjab Kings 14:50 Rob Walter appointed Black Caps' coach 21:10 Gary Stead's legacy 27:00 Youthful look to NZ's central contract list 28:45 Devon Conway's international future 33:45 Adi Ashok in, Ajaz Patel and Ish Sodhi out 36:15 England's bowling stocks to take on India 43:15 Is there room for Jacob Bethell? 47:50 World Test Championship Final Preview 48:45 Australia's batting selection questions 59:55 Is South Africa's batting lineup a concern? 1:05:25 What should we expect to from Lord's? 1:08:55 Does the WTC Final have a scheduling problem? 1:11:45 Predictions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 1

In this episode of the show, Binksy, Raj, Baldy and Stu discuss an eventful couple of weeks, which have seen RCB win their way to the IPL final, England demolish Zimbabwe, Karun Nair strengthen his case for a Test recall, Shubman Gill named India Test captain and Copilot names its favourite podcast host. We start by talking about IPL 2025's most recent game, which saw the Mumbai Indians advance, ending Gujarat Titans' season in the process. Sai Sudharsan was brilliant once again, but ultimately it was another stunning delivery from Jasprit Bumrah that turned the match. We also discuss Royal Challengers Bengaluru's first appearance in a final since 2016, with Josh Hazlewood and Virat Kohli leading the way with ball and bat respectively. But will they face Mumbai or the Punjab Kings in the big dance? Next we head to England to discuss their recent victory against Zimbabwe. Was it the perfect way to start the summer? Is Shoaib Bashir the answer? Is there a way in for Jacob Bethell after Ollie Pope's huge hundred? And how many references can we make to songs by Sam Cook? India named their Test squad to face England, and it is filled with stars but has a very new era feel to it thanks to the retirements of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Karun Nair's made a strong case for inclusion against the Lions, Sai Sudharsan's New Zealand-based fan club is growing and Shubman Gill has been named captain. To round out the show, there's brief mention of the World Test Championship Final build up (full preview coming next week) and the Black Caps' coaching search, which looks set to be finalised very soon. We'll be back in your feed next week to review the IPL final, preview the WTC and any other cricket news that catches our eyes. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 1:10 IPL knockouts - Mumbai survive, GT out! 9:00 RCB into the final after demolishing Punjab 13:45 MI v PBKS - who will face RCB in the final? 20:40 England v Zimbabwe - did England tick all the boxes? 28:20 The Shoaib Bashir conundrum 43:50 India A v England Lions - Karun Nair staking a claim & England's depth 49:30 India's potential Test XI 51:25 Shubman Gill named India's Test captain as they start a new era 57:10 World Test Championship Final and NZ coaching update Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 18

In this episode of the show, Binksy, Jamie, Baldy and Stu discuss an eventful week, which saw the return of the IPL but not all its players, the Test cricket retirements of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, squad news galore and some potential candidates emerge for the Black Caps coaching role. We start by talking about the IPL's resumption and the players such as Jos Buttler and Mitchell Starc who have decided not to return or will need to depart for the playoff stages as the international calendar fills up again. Does previous form go out the window? And how will teams manage the disruption? Next we discuss the Test Cricket retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Was it the right time? What legacy have they left? How will they be remembered? Who will replace them? And does their departure put Test cricket in danger? We round out the show by bouncing around a couple of upcoming Test matches - England's first match of the summer, against Zimbabwe, and the World Test Championship Final between Australia and South Africa - as well as the latest reports emerging about the Black Caps' coaching search. We'll be back in your feed next week with more cricket news as the IPL playoff picture takes shape and England take on Zimbabwe. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 1:20 IPL resumption - player ins & outs & disruption 17:10 Rohit Sharma & Virat Kohli retire from Tests 20:45 Did they step away at the right time? 26:55 Legacy/How will they be remembered? 33:50 Who replaces them in the Test XI? 37:05 Is this a danger for Test cricket? 40:05 England v Zimbabwe 53:20 Australia & South Africa squads for WTC Final 1:02:45 Black Caps coaching search Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 5

In this episode of the show, Binksy, Jamie and Stu look back at week 6 of IPL 2025, which saw the top 7 sides break away, Vaibhav Suryavanshi score a 35-ball century, Mumbai demolish Rajasthan, KKR win a final-ball thriller, Punjab secure a crucial two points against LSG, England name their first Test squad of the summer, and plenty more! We start this week by talking about Sunday's double-header, which saw KKR seal a nervy 1-run victory against RR to keep their slim playoff hopes alive, and Punjab Kings take a big step towards the semi-finals with an impressive victory against LSG. We spend a long time discussing Vaibhav Suryavanshi's cover drive, as well as the skill and quality of Arshdeep Singh as the battle for the Top 4 heats up. From there, we move to Stu's claim that this tournament is tracking towards a Mumbai Indians v Gujarat Titans final. Ryan Rickelton joined Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav in the runs this week, while Trent Boult continues to take wickets alongside Jasprit Bumrah. For GT, it's the top 3 of Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan and Jos Buttler who continue to shine alongside their balanced bowling attack led by Prasidh Krishna. We discuss how IPL form could lead to Test opportunities, and whether the upcoming match between these two sides could be a preview of the big dance. One side who haven't been flying high in 2025 is Sunrisers Hyderabad, and despite their tiniest of tiny chances of sneaking into the playoffs, we decide it is time to bite the bullet and discuss what went wrong this season. The short answer is everything, but without Baldy there to defend him somehow the conversation turns to whether Pat Cummins is a marquee player in T20 cricket and how SRH could look to improve their bowling attack in 2026. We round out the show by talking some Test cricket, thanks to England naming their first squad of the summer to take on Zimbabwe in a one-off fixture. The boys evaluate the squad, noting Ben Stokes on the comeback trail, an injury to Jordan Cox, a potential debut for Sam Cook, Shoaib Bashir's inclusion and what bearing any of it could have for an exciting summer to come. We'll be back in your feed again soon with more IPL coverage. If you're enjoying our content then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 1:35 KKR v RR - thrilling finish keeps KKR's chances alive 5:50 Vaibhav Suryavanshi's cover drive 12:30 Punjab v LSG - Arshdeep Singh's swing helps Punjab to crucial win 22:50 Are Mumbai and GT the best two teams in the tournament? 39:00 What's happened to Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2025? 50:00 England's Test squad to face Zimbabwe 54:25 Why has it taken Sam Cook so long to get a chance? 1:00:15 Shoaib Bashir's role Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 27

In this episode of the show, Raj, Baldy and Stu look back at week 5 of IPL 2025, which saw Mumbai and RCB make their moves, CSK start looking to next season and New Zealand Cricket invest in Major League Cricket in the USA. We start this week with a check in about RCB. It's been a strange season for them so far - less hyped than previous years, struggles at home, but with a lot of the players in key positions all delivering on what's required. We talk about Virat Kohli's quietly impressive stats, Josh Hazlewood doing the business, Tim David's finishing, Krunal Pandya's key moments and whether it's time to load up on RCB stock before it is too late. From there, we move to Mumbai's charge up the table thanks to Rohit Sharma's return to form, Suryakumar Yadav's consistency, a bag for Trent Boult and a bowling attack that looks so much more complete now that it features Jasprit Bumrah. Then it's time to bounce around a few different topics - from the top 6 teams putting a gap between them and the rest, to left-handed openers like Priyansh Arya and Yashasvi Jaiswal, and the contrasting fortunes of teams like the Delhi Capitals, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Chennai Super Kings. We round out the show with a discussion about New Zealand Cricket's investment in MLC in North America. Is international investment in franchise cricket a glimpse into the future of the game? How will it work in reality? Who could it benefit? Could we ever see something similar in the IPL? We'll be back in your feed again soon with more IPL coverage. If you're enjoying our content then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 0:50 Is it time to invest in RCB & Virat Kohli? 6:35 Mumbai Indians on the charge 10:25 Net Run Rate and the top 6 breaking away 12:45 Can we put a line through CSK and RR? 14:30 Are the Sunrisers also done? 19:25 Do CSK need to look to the future? 22:00 Yashasvi Jaiswal's brilliance 23:35 Is 2025 the year of the specialists? 27:15 Priyansh Arya and the importance of composure 29:55 Why the hesitancy about DC? 36:15 New Zealand Cricket's investment in Major League Cricket Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 20

In this episode of the show, Raj, Baldy, Binksy, Jamie and Stu look back at week 4 of IPL 2025, which saw a host of close matches, a few low scores, highlights from Jos Buttler, Mitchell Starc, Yuzvendra Chahal, a debut for 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi and plenty more. We start this week by talking about the remarkable debut of Vaibhav Suryavanshi for the Rajasthan Royals. There's talk about what we were doing at 14 and the confidence of youth, but also about what a missed opportunity this week was for RR to get themselves back into the tournament now that Yashasvi Jaiswal is firing. From there, we bounce around from the chances of the Mumbai Indians to go on a winning streak, CSK doubts, super overs and close games, Mitchell Starc yorkers and RCB's Josh Hazlewood tactics. There's also praise for Jos Buttler and the way he's adjusted to life at the Gujarat Titans, excitement from the Auckland studio about wrist-spinners and Yuzvendra Chahal in particular, before we start yelling at clouds about robot dogs, obscure applications of the laws of cricket involving Heinrich Klaasen's wicketkeeping gloves and we update our tournament winner predictions as the tournament passes the halfway mark. We'll be back in your feed again soon with more IPL coverage. If you're enjoying our content then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 1:15 Vaibhav Suryavanshi's debut at 14 years old 8:30 Rajasthan's missed opportunities 12:05 Mumbai Indians poised to swoop 15:15 CSK's win papered over the cracks 17:25 Close games, super overs and the 180-run sweet spot 22:20 Mitchell Starc & Josh Hazlewood bowling well 25:40 Gujarat Titans - Jos Buttler & co. continue to impress 33:55 Wrist spinners starting to shine - Chahal, Varun, Kuldeep 41:15 Robot dogs, rulebook badgers & Heinrich Klaasen's wicketkeeping gloves 47:15 Tournament predictions at the halfway point Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 13

In this episode of the show, Baldy, Jamie and Stu look back at week 3 of IPL 2025 through a stock market lens. Who are we buying? Who are we selling? And what are we watching with our fingers poised ready to pounce in the coming weeks? We start this week with an injury update - and it's not been good news both on the field for the Kiwis Lockie Ferguson and Glenn Phillips, and in the podcast studio, with almost all of us suffering from one ailment or another. Once things do turn positive, it's the Gujarat Titans who are first to receive praise - in particular Sai Sudharsan and the consistency he's shown throughout the tournament so far. We also talk about Punjab's Indian core and the golden duck to century turnaround for Priyansh Arya. Dr Jamie takes us through the mindset needed to succeed across a long tournament like the IPL, in which you're bound to fail along the way - perhaps more often than you do succeed. Next we talk about the Sunrisers Hyderabad after Abhishek Sharma's outrageous 141, which saw them chase down almost 250 and maybe kick-start their turnaround. Is it time to load up on SRH stock? Or are there still worrying signs? Things get dark when discussion turns to CSK - the intent has disappeared, no one is scoring runs and not even MS Dhoni cameos can really get the crowd excited any more. Can they turn it around? Or is it already time to sell all our stock despite it reaching an all-time low? To round out the show, we detour briefly to talk about Harry Brook's appointment as England captain, we talk Digvesh Rathi's celebrations, Vipraj Nigam establishing DC's spin trio & Nicholas Pooran's six-hitting prowess as LSG continue to impress. We expect to be back in your feed later in the week with more IPL coverage. If you're enjoying our content then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 2:00 Injuries to Glenn Phillips & Lockie Ferguson 4:45 Gujarat Titans - batting consistency & Sai Sudharsan 14:20 Punjab Kings - Indian batting core & Priyansh Arya's hundred 19:40 Sunrisers Hyderabad - we're back, baby! Abhishek Sharma & Travis Head go boom 29:15 Chennai Super Kings - what on earth is going on? 40:30 Digvesh Rathi's celebrations & DC's spin trio looking good 43:10 Harry Brook named England white-ball captain 48:15 Lucknow Super Giants - Rishabh Pant & Nicholas Pooran Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 8

In this episode of the show, Baldy, Raj and Stu look back at the two white-ball series between New Zealand and Pakistan, which the Black Caps won in dominant style - 7-1 across the ODI and T20s combined. We start the show as we mean to continue, with huge praise for NZ and the depth on display during the two series, but also with a big question to answer: Were the Black Caps fantastic or was Pakistan terrible? As things get specific, plenty of New Zealanders are thrust into the spotlight. Jacob Duffy is now the world's number-one-ranked T20 bowler, Ben Sears took back to back five-wicket bags and Will O'Rourke continues to impress. On the batting front, we saw impressive debuts from Muhammad Abbas and Rhys Mariu, Mark Chapman continued to take his opportunities, Mitch Hay produced an innings of real substance and Tim Seifert blasted his way to the Player of the Series in the T20s. Who are we most excited about? And when might there be more opportunities for these players to shine? To round out the show, there's also a word for Neil Wagner's fairytale finish - a five-wicket bag to seal the Plunket Shield for Northern Districts in his final first-class appearance in New Zealand. Legend. We'll be back in your feed in a few days to continue our IPL coverage. If you're enjoying our content then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 0:25 Black Caps v Pakistan - were NZ incredible or were Pakistan not very good? 4:40 Fringe players and returnees step up: Seifert, Duffy & Chapman 9:30 Younger players show promise: Mitch Hay, Muhammed Abbas, Rhys Mariu 14:55 Will O'Rourke & Ben Sears 15:55 Michael Bracewell leads from the front 16:25 Do we like the return of uncontracted players? 19:30 What do the next 12 months look like for NZ? 21:50 Fairytale finish for Neil Wagner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 6

In this episode of the show, Binksy, Baldy, Raj and Stu look back at week 2 of IPL 2025 through a stock market lens. Who are we buying? Who are we selling? And what are we watching with our fingers poised ready to pounce in the coming weeks? We start on a positive note with praise for the Delhi Capitals and Rajasthan Royals for their performances this week, as well as a shout out to the mega auction player reshuffle that has led to an unpredictable start to the 2025 edition of this tournament. As we move through the episode we hit on a number of other topics: Can DC keep up their good form? What's happened to Travis Head and the Sunrisers Hyderabad batting lineup? Are the Chennai Super Kings confused? And is MS Dhoni part of the problem? Is the impact player rule leading to fewer competitive games? Will the return of Jasprit Bumrah change the fortunes of the Mumbai Indians? Why isn't the fielding better? Is it time to reinvest in pace bowlers? And much more! We'll be back in your feed in a day or two with a NZ-focused episode looking back at the two Black Caps white-ball series against Pakistan. If you're enjoying our content then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 2:10 Buying: Rajasthan Royals, Delhi Capitals & the unpredictable nature of the tournament 6:30 Can DC keep up this great form? 8:13 Selling: CSK - role confusion, batting struggles and MS Dhoni 14:15 Watching: SRH's slump - what's happened to their powerplay? 19:00 Are impact players leading to less competitive games? 26:15 Watching: KL Rahul and more DC stock 28:35 Watching: Jasprit Bumrah's return for MI 33:20 Sell: MS Dhoni & Rishabh Pant? 38:25 Sell: Fielding - why isn't it better? 45:05 Buy: Mohammed Siraj, Jofra Archer, Lockie Ferguson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 2

In this episode of the show, Raj and Stu look back at two midweek games: Punjab Kings vs Lucknow Super Giants and Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Gujarat Titans. We start by discussing the most recent game, which saw Gujarat spoil Raj's return to our IPL coverage with a dominant win in Bengaluru. Mohammed Siraj knocked the top off the RCB batting lineup and despite a recovery through the middle and a messy fielding performance from GT, it turned out that 169 wasn't close to enough. Sai Sudharsan set the platform for GT in the powerplay, before Jos Buttler's 73 guided them home. Next we move to Punjab's impressive win against LSG. There's talk about Shreyas Iyer's excellent run of form, PBKS's Indian core doing the business, LSG's absences, Nicholas Pooran's ball-striking and whether it's time to start worrying about Rishabh Pant's lack of runs. To finish, there's a quick look ahead to the upcoming SRH v KKR clash - a 2024 final rematch that now shapes as an important fixture for different reasons in 2025. We'll be back in your feed on Monday with our weekly IPL Buy/Sell/Hold show. If you're enjoying our content then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 0:20 GT v RCB - Siraj, Buttler & Sudharsan shine in big GT win 14:30 PBKS v LSG - Shreyas Iyer is on fire 33:50 SRH v KKR - Important game ahead Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 30

In this episode of the show, Binksy, Baldy, Jamie and Stu look back at week 1 of IPL 2025 through a stock market lens. Who are we buying? Who are we selling? And what are we watching with our fingers poised ready to pounce in the coming weeks? We start on a positive note, highlighting a balanced RCB side unbeaten at the time of recording thanks to a bowling attack featuring the quality of Josh Hazlewood and a top order that's firing thanks to Phil Salt, Virat Kohli, Rajit Patidar and co. In the Buy section of the show there's also praise for Sai Sudharsan, MS Dhoni and wicketkeepers in general. We're watching the impact player performances and how that's impacting games and batting lineups. We're selling a star-studded Mumbai Indians batting lineup featuring Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya and friends because we can't understand why they're continuing to struggle, and watching closely to see how much tinkering do with their teamsheet, tactics and batting lineup with the likes of Curran, Dhoni, Jadeja and Ashwin who could all slide up and down the middle order. To round out the show, there's chat about whether teams will score 300, how home ground advantage could play a role and if it is too early to be worried about Pat Cummins and his SRH bowling attack. We'll be back in your feed later in the week with more of a game review style show. If you're enjoying our content then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 2:00 Buy - RCB top of the table thanks to Hazlewood, Salt, Patidar & co. 5:05 Buy - Wicketkeepers: MS Dhoni, Jurel, Kishan, Buttler, De Kock, Pooran 7:05 Buy - Sai Sudharsan & GT's batting lineup 9:00 Watch - Impact player performances 17:50 Sell - Mumbai Indians - Why are they struggling with the bat? 24:05 Sell - Umpire review of wides 26:20 Sell - Do seam bowlers need more craft? 33:20 Sell/Watch - CSK's batting order Ashwin/Jadeja/Curran/Dhoni 37:45 Watch - Will we see 300 scored this season? 41:55 Watch - Is SRH's bowling lineup a concern? 45:05 Watch - Variation across venues Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 23

In this episode of the show, Baldy, Jamie and Stu look back at the opening game of IPL 2025, before diving into team by team previews of Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Delhi Capitals, Gujarat Titans, Punjab Kings and Lucknow Super Giants. Recorded on Sunday 23 March, we start by discussing game 1 of the tournament, which saw RCB record an impressive victory against the defending champions KKR. New recruit Josh Hazlewood was excellent, as well as Krunal Pandya, as RCB restricted Kolkata from 100-1 to 174-8. Then it was Virat Kohli, Phil Salt and Rajit Patidar who took charge as the away side cruised to a comfortable victory in the end. Was that the perfect formula for RCB? Will they be able to repeat it enough times to make the playoffs in 2025? For the Delhi Capitals, there were questions around how much Harry Brook's decision to withdraw has left them short on options, plus a chat about the potential impact of spin duo Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav. Gujarat on the other hand have a big-name Englishman in the squad in the form of Jos Buttler, but do he and Shubman Gill have enough batting support to help out their well-balanced bowling attack? Punjab have completely overhauled their roster, with Ricky Ponting bringing in a host of his fellow countrymen to join Arshdeep, Prabhsimran and Shashank Singh, plus a new captain in Shreyas Iyer. Will the overseas matchwinners bring enough consistency to lead this team to the knockout stages? And will the young Indian talent like Priyansh Arya, Suryansh Shedge and Nehal Wadhera perform well enough to give Punjab a wide range of options for their bowling attack? For Lucknow's not-just-regular giants, their strategy seems to have been to stack the batting with overseas talent and rely on a quality local group of seamers to assist Ravi Bishnoi with the ball. But have injuries to Mayank Yadav and co. already crushed their title dreams? To round out the show, the boys do their best to predict some playoff teams and give their pick for who will be lifting the trophy at the end of May. We'll be back in your feed at least a couple of times a week for the duration of IPL 2025. So if you're enjoying our content then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 1:15 RCB's win against KKR - a template for future success? 13:45 DC: Has Harry Brook's withdraw set them back? 23:15 GT: Do they have enough batting quality? 33:05 PBKS: A talented side, but what will it look like in reality? 44:30 LSG: Have injuries already curtailed their chances? 50:20 Prediction time! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 19

In this episode of the show, Binksy, Jamie, Baldy and Stu kick off the IPL 2025 coverage by previewing the fortunes of the Kolkata Knight Riders, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rajasthan Royals, Mumbai Indians and the Chennai Super Kings. We start with a Baldy explainer, and a quick chat about the impact of the mega auction, before moving straight into the team previews. We discuss what excites us about our chosen teams, whether that's particular players or team storylines, and whether they'll be in title contention come the business end of the tournament. First up is KKR, in which Binksy asks why they aren't favourites with the betting agencies, highlights the importance of Andre Russell and Sunil Narine again, as well as the talented Indian bowling core featuring the likes of Varun Chakravarthy, Harshit Rana and Vaibhav Arora. There's also a word on Ajinkya Rahane taking over as captain. Next is Sunrisers Hyderabad, in which Stu gets excited about songs, Abhishek Sharma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, the power-packed batting lineup and bowling reinforcements, before asking whether this team can go one better in 2025. For the Rajasthan Royals, the absence of Jos Buttler is the question on our minds. Without him and others, they look weaker and the betting agencies have written them off. But can Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal and co. make those odds look silly when the winners medals are handed out at the end of May? The Mumbai Indians are up fourth, and Baldy proceeds with caution when discussing their favouritism with the bookmakers. Will the star-studded batting lineup featuring Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya and friends deliver in 2025? Or will the absence of Jasprit Bumrah - for how long? - be too difficult to overcome with the ball in hand? To round out part one of our preview, Jamie takes a look at CSK, highlighting the plethora of options their allrounder-packed squad provides them. What role will Rachin Ravindra play? Will MS Dhoni continue his six-hitting exploits? And when the team does settle on a best XI, will it be strong enough to take them to the final? We'll be back in your feed again at the end of the week with the second episode of our IPL 2025 Preview. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 4:20 Impact of mega-auction on overseas fans 7:00 Kolkata Knight Riders 14:05 Sunrisers Hyderabad 21:30 Rajasthan Royals 28:50 Mumbai Indians 37:30 Chennai Super Kings Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 16

This week on the show, Binksy, Jamie, Baldy and Stu felt like bouncing around a few topics in the aftermath of the Champions Trophy before the news cycle is dominated by the IPL. There's a bit of ODI format chat, then a quick check-in on the teams we support - Australia, England and New Zealand. The episode starts with a discussion about the Champions Trophy format and ODI cricket in general. Did the tournament make a convincing case that there's still life left in 50-over cricket? Or are ODIs too formulaic? If the number of bilateral ODIs are declining, is that a problem? Or does it make these tournaments more exciting? Was the jeopardy of knockout cricket something the World Cup should consider? Or is a longer tournament still the best way to find out who the best team in the world is? We round out the show by touching base in Australia to wonder whether any of the fringe players did enough to force their way into best XIs when Cummins, Hazlewood and co. return? Then in England to ponder on the white-ball captaincy after Jos Buttler decided to step down. And we finish by looking at New Zealand's home series against Pakistan, which saw the return of some familiar names in Finn Allen, Tim Seifert, Jimmy Neesham and Ish Sodhi, but it was Kyle Jamieson who stole the show in the first T20 as the Black Caps powered to an emphatic win. We'll be back in your feed again later with the first instalment of our IPL 2025 Preview. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 1:30 Was the Champions Trophy fun? Is ODI cricket still in trouble? 11:50 Did Australia learn anything about their fringe players in the Champions Trophy? 15:25 Jos Buttler steps aside as white-ball captain - will he be replaced by Harry Brook or AI? 20:00 Black Caps v Pakistan - old faces return and Kyle Jamieson looks fantastic Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 9

In this episode of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy daily review, Binksy, Raj and Stu look back at the tournament final between New Zealand and India. It's a tough morning for Black Caps fans as another ICC final ends in defeat, but for India it was congratulations all around as we saw a continuation of an astonishing run of form for their white-ball side - which has seen them as runners-up in 2023 and winners in 2024 and now 2025. We discuss the key contributions and moments - from Matt Henry's injury-enforced replacement to KL Rahul's calmness, Rohit Sharma's leadership, the quality (yet again) of this four-pronged Indian spin attack, Rachin Ravindra's tournament, the Black Caps' ability to stay in the fight even when it seemed like they were slightly behind for the majority of the game and much more. We'll be back in your feed next week - possibly to review the tournament as a whole, or maybe even look ahead to the IPL and the Black Caps white-ball series against Pakistan. If you've enjoyed listening and/or watching throughout this tournament, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 5

In this episode of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy daily review, Binksy and Stu look back at the second semi-final between South Africa and New Zealand, then glance forward to a Dubai final where the Black Caps will face the might of India. It was just about the perfect performance for New Zealand, with Rachin Ravindra and Kane Williamson both scoring hundreds to set up a platform from which Glenn Phillips and Daryl Mitchell could put the icing on the cake. On the other hand, right when it looked like South Africa might do the same, Mitchell Santner ripped the heart out of the Proteas middle order, picking up Bavuma, Van der Dussen and Klaasen within a short space of time. David Miller scored a consolation hundred, but the Black Caps spinners continued to squeeze and booked themselves a date with India in the final. To round out the show, we discussed a couple of the key things to watch out for in that big dance, which sees the best two sides in the tournament line up in what we hope will be a classic final. We'll be back in your feed to review that final, and if you've enjoyed listening and/or watching throughout this tournament, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 4

In this episode of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy daily review, Binksy and Baldy reflect on a command performance by India as they cruise past Australia on their way to the ICC Champions Trophy final. Mohammed Shami set the early tone for India, and despite Australia trying to match India's strength by also selecting four spinners, the slow bowlers dominated Australia's batting efforts. Crucial chances cost Australia, but did they get the selection wrong? Baldy dissects some possible alternatives. India's batters come in for some praise from both Baldy and Binksy. What can stop India from picking up the silverware? Looking ahead to NZ and South Africa, Mitchell Santner's captaincy comes in for some praise, and the lads discuss where the second semi-final could be won or lost. Will Binksy and Baldy agree on the prediction for the semi-final? We'll be back in your feed tomorrow to recap the second semi-final. If you've enjoyed listening and/or watching, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 2

In this episode of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy daily review, Raj and Stu look back at the final group match of the tournament between India and New Zealand, then glance forward to the semi-finals. The Black Caps made a brilliant start in Dubai, with a quality opening burst from the seamers and some outstanding catching headlined by Glenn Phillips' screamer to dismiss Virat Kohli, but ultimately it was India's spinners who had the final say. We discussed the approach of both sides, how it might translate to the semi-finals and give praise to the efforts of Varun Chakravarthy among India's four-pronged spin attack and Kane Williamson's fighting knock. To round out the show, we look ahead to India's semi-final against Australia and New Zealand's game against South Africa. Will Varun play? Can NZ take wickets through the middle? Will Rohit and Shubman take the game away from Australia in the first 10 overs? How scared are we about Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller?! We'll be back in your feed to review the semi-finals and again for the final. If you've enjoyed listening and/or watching, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 1

In this episode of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy daily review, Jamie. Raj and Baldy dissect the disappointment of England's performance against South Africa. South Africa are on a roll with bat and ball, but do they have a selection headache for the semi? For England, their exit with a whimper raises questions for the future of white-ball Baz-ball. The hits keep on coming in this episode as Baldy lays into the Australian bowling attack for conceding 37 extras in 50 overs and ponders a crucial change to the lineup for the semis. Have Australia over-achieved by making it out of the group stage? In the final feel-good segment, the boys preview India and New Zealand. Who will have the best spin attack for the middle overs, and will each side hold back their trump tactics for a possible meeting in the final? Jamie gives us great insight into the psychology behind preparation for big matches. We'll be back in your feed tomorrow and again with regular updates throughout the tournament. If you've enjoyed listening and/or watching, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 27

In this episode of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy daily review, Binksy and Jamie discuss another ICC tournament catastrophe for England as they crash out in the group stages. They discuss England’s batting order and bowling plans and the stand out performers for Afghanistan. They also take a look forward to the closing fixtures of the group stages and early thoughts on the knockout stage. We'll be back in your feed tomorrow and again with regular updates throughout the tournament. If you've enjoyed listening and/or watching, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 24

In this episode of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy daily review, Binksy, Raj and Stu review the Group A clash between New Zealand and Bangladesh, and look ahead to Australia v South Africa. On paper things looked fairly comfortable for the Black Caps, thanks in part to Michael Bracewell's 4-26, which helped restrict Bangladesh to 236-9. And despite a few nervy moments, a Rachin Ravindra hundred and a fifty from the calming presence of Tom Latham eased New Zealand to the top of the table and into the semi-finals. We'll be back in your feed tomorrow to review Australia v South Africa. If you've enjoyed listening and/or watching, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 23

In this episode of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy daily review, Baldy and Stu review the Group A clash between India and Pakistan, and look ahead to the Black Caps' upcoming match against Bangladesh. It was a fairly comfortable Indian victory in the end in what shaped as an important fixture for both sides. Babar Azam flashed his quality early on, but Hardik Pandya and the Indian spin trio chipped out wickets whenever they were needed. Despite a couple of quality deliveries to dismiss Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill, once Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer built a partnership, it became clear the 240 was never going to be enough, with Kohli sealing his hundred, the win and India's spot in the semi-finals with the last shot of the match. We'll be back in your feed tomorrow to review the Black Caps v Bangladesh. If you've enjoyed listening and/or watching, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 22

In this episode of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy daily review, Jamie and Baldy cover rivalry round! England and Australia faced off overnight in the highest scoring game in Champions Trophy history, and preview the face-off between India and Pakistan tonight in the greatest rivalry in cricket. There were records galore in Lahore in a benign surface that had both sides looking like nine an over was gettable at any time. Duckett provided fireworks with the bat for 165, Joe Root did Joe Root things and for a few brief hours England held the record for the highest score in the Champions Trophy. For Australia, the not-so-household names shone brightest, and for Binksy and Jamie the solace of England-born Josh Inglis hitting the match-winning hundred will hold little comfort. England now face must-win games against Afghanistan and South Africa. For India and Pakistan the question on both Jamie and Baldy's minds was how much Pakistan could lift emotionally against India. India are almost certainly favoured in Dubai conditions, but can Pakistan pull out something special in the UAE in their home tournament? Like England, Pakistan are in win-or-bust mode for the rest of the tournament. With their backs to the wall, will this be when Pakistan's star shines brightest? For both pundits, the Indian spin strength in the middle overs will be where the game could be decided. We'll be back in your feed tomorrow and again with regular updates throughout the tournament. If you've enjoyed listening and/or watching, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 21

In this episode of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy daily review, Jamie and Stu look back at day 3 of the tournament, which featured a strong performance from South Africa against Afghanistan, and look ahead to the big clash between England and Australia on day 4. Ryan Rickelton led the charge for the Proteas with an impressive hundred as South Africa's batting strength was on full display despite the absence of Heinrich Klaasen. We talked about the run-rate implications, the ODI cricket template, pace-bowling tactics in this tournament and discussed English optimism ahead of their clash with the Aussies. Jamie Smith at three was the headline, but the battle between Archer, Wood, Carse and co. against Travis Head and Steve Smith should make for fascinating viewing. We'll be back in your feed tomorrow and again with regular updates throughout the tournament. If you've enjoyed listening and/or watching, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 20

The Champions Trophy is on and popping! India beat Bangladesh overnight, and Shubman Gill's hundred has Baldy happy. Shami gets a five-for, and Hridoy gets a hundred in a losing cause. India look strong, but are there trends emerging in the pitches that are important going forward? Raj and Baldy then preview the upcoming match between South Africa and Afghanistan. In the battle of spin, who will emerge stronger in a crucial group? We'll be back in your feed again tomorrow with more Champions Trophy news and views. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 19

In this episode of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy daily review, Raj and Stu look back at the first game of the tournament, between hosts Pakistan and New Zealand's Black Caps, which saw the visitors secure a clinical 60-run victory thanks to centuries from Will Young and Tom Latham, a quality all-round display from Glenn Phillips and a disciplined bowling performance.. We'll be back in your feed with regular updates throughout the tournament. If you've enjoyed listening and/or watching, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 16

In this episode of the Top Order Podcast, Jamie, Baldy, Binksy and Stu preview the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy held in Pakistan and Dubai. We start the show with one of Baldy's famous explainers, before discussing the favourites, the each-way chances and the outsiders. That means covering India, Australia, New Zealand, England, South Africa, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh in an attempt to predict who will lift the trophy on Sunday 9 March. Questions include: Can anyone stop Rohit Sharma's India? Do Australia deserve to be among the favourites after the loss of Starc, Cummins, Hazlewood & Co.? Have the Black Caps timed their run to perfection? Is this one tournament too early for an England white-ball side still under construction? Will the likes of Klaasen and Rabada power South Africa into the final? Can Babar Azam whip the home crowd into a frenzy? Are Ibrahim & Gurbaz going to repeat their T20 WC heroics? Do Bangladesh have any chance at all? And so much more! We'll be back in your feed with regular updates throughout the tournament. If you've enjoyed listening and/or watching, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 1:15 Tournament explainer 3:55 India 14:05 Australia 25:10 New Zealand 34:50 England 44:40 South Africa 51:40 Pakistan 59:30 Afghanistan 1:04:55 Bangladesh 1:06:45 Tournament predictions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 11

In this episode of the Top Order Podcast, Jamie, Baldy and Stu discuss some of the major talking points from the past week, including Australia's 2-0 Test series win in Sri Lanka, the England v India ODI series, a tri-series for the Black Caps, Champions Trophy injuries and some New Zealand domestic players we're keeping an eye on. We start the show by discussing Australia's 2-0 Test series win in Sri Lanka. Despite Baldy's worries about selection, it was another dominant performance from the Aussies at Galle - led by Steve Smith with the bat and in the field. We also talk about Dimuth Karunaratne's legacy in what was his 100th and final Test. Next we move to white-ball cricket, with England taking on India in ODIs. Results keep going India's way, thanks to an excellent return to form for Rohit Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja's craft & the all-round contributions of Axar Patel. There's also chat about England's batters, dot balls in the middle overs and what clues selections are giving us for the Champions Trophy. We then turn our attention to the tri-series between the Black Caps, Pakistan and South Africa, which has seen a stunning hundred from Glenn Phillips, a record-breaking debut from Matthew Breetzke and a mammoth partnership between Kane Williamson and Devon Conway. We discuss the importance of these fixtures and what we might be learning with one eye on the ICC tournament to follow. To round out the show, Stu gives a shout out to the Kerr sisters and the Boyle brothers, before sharing a few names he'll be watching for the remainder of the NZ domestic summer. We'll be back in your feed again next week with a full preview of the Champions Trophy. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 1:35 Australia's dominant win against Sri Lanka 2:35 Steve Smith at the top of his game again 4:30 Australia's spin bowlers did the business 8:10 Was Cooper Connolly's selection a mistake? 18:10 Alex Carey's hundred 19:05 Dimuth Karunaratne's retirement and legacy 23:30 India v England - any positives for England? 30:45 England remain a work in progress in white-ball cricket 37:25 Rohit Sharma's delightful return to form 42:40 NZ v SA and Pakistan - runs galore for Matthew Breetzke, Glenn Phillips, Kane Williamson & Devon Conway 48:00 Who will open the batting for the Black Caps in the Champions Trophy? 52:00 What have we learned from the tri-series so far? 56:20 Champions Trophy injury news 1:01:30 Super Smash winners and NZ domestic players to watch Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 3

In this episode of the Top Order Podcast, Binksy, Jamie, Baldy and Raj discuss some of the major talking points from the past week, including the England v India T20 series, Australia's innings victories in the tests against Sri Lanka & India, plus a Sachin Tendulkar/Steve Smith stat-off to finish. We start the show by discussing Australia's WAshes victory and the fallout for an England side that has performed well below their own expectations. Will there be changes at the top? There's also praise for Alana King, Annabel Sutherland, Beth Mooney, Ash Gardner and more. Next up we move to India's T20 series with England. The show was recorded before India's crushing win in the 5th match, but the discussion around England's mixed performances shone through. There are question marks around the finishing and concussion substitutes, but plenty of positives for Varun Chakravarthy and also Hardik Pandya's leadership. After that we move to another big Australian victory - the innings win against Sri Lanka at Galle. We talk about the manner of the victory and the dominant performance, but of course Baldy is always looking for improvements from this Australian team. Usman Khawaja and Josh Inglis went big, but should Sam Konstas have played? How well did the Aussie spinners bowl? And what was Dhananjaya De Silva doing? To round out the show, it was a good old fashioned head-to-head battle as the boys discuss the records of Sachin Tendulkar and Steve Smith after the latter passed 10,000 runs. We'll be back in your feed again next week with our regular This Week in Cricket show. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 1:15 Australia's clean sweep of the WAshes 12:45 India's T20 series win against England 21:30 Concussion substitutes 36:15 Australia's dominant win against Sri Lanka 46:45 Should Sam Konstas have played? 56:45 The Sachin Tendulkar v Steve Smith stat-off! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 26

In this episode of the Top Order Podcast, Binksy, Jamie, Baldy and Stu discuss some of the major talking points from the past week, including the England v India T20 series, Australia's dominance of the WAshes, whether there should be NZ teams in the BBL and a look ahead to Australia's Test tour to Sri Lanka. We open the show by discussing the first two T20s between England and India, mainly from an England point of view aside from a SRH fan club shout out for Abhishek Sharma. We talk about closers, Jos Buttler's role and England's reliance on Adil Rashid. From there we move to the Women's Ashes, which have been one-way traffic so far as Australia continue their dominant run that looks to be extending for yet another year on the international stage. Staying in Australia, we also talk about recent discussions in New Zealand about getting some Kiwi sides into the BBL. Would this be good for the competition? For NZ Cricket? For anyone? To round out the show, we look ahead to Australia's upcoming Test tour to Sri Lanka. With injury concerns on both sides and World Test Championship final spots basically secured, how much does this series actually matter? We talk about whether Australia will shuffle the likes of Travis Head and Usman Khawaja, the role Scott Boland could play in Sri Lankan conditions, what we might see from newcomers like Sam Konstas, Beau Webster and Cooper Connolly and Sri Lanka making the most of the Galle fortress. We'll be back in your feed again next week with our regular This Week in Cricket show. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 1:35 England v India T20s - early impressions for England 6:55 Abhishek Sharma excitement & India's T20 dominance 8:10 England's finishers 12:15 The WAshes - Australia's dominance against England 24:00 Should there be NZ teams in the BBL? 39:30 Australia v Sri Lanka Test preview Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 19

In this episode of the Top Order Podcast, Raj, Jamie and Stu discuss some of the major talking points from the past couple of weeks, including the apparent proposal to change the Test structure to two tiers, India's 10-point plan towards team harmony, Champions Trophy news, James Vince, Pakistan spinning their way to victory against the West Indies and Jimmy Anderson's love for the game. We open the show by discussing the reports suggesting the boards of England, Australia and India are planning to start a conversation that could lead to a proposal to separate Test cricket into two divisions of seven. With a lot of details still to be determined, we talk about our initial reactions to the idea, how an ideal version of the proposal could work, who might benefit from it and ultimately whether it would be a step forward from the current World Test Championship. From there we move to white-ball cricket and the Champions Trophy, with India naming their squad yesterday. Mohammad Shami returns from injury with Rohit Sharma as captain and the experienced core of Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah and co. given an opportunity to go one better than the World Cup in 2023. We also discuss the BCCI's 10-point 'Policy Document for Team India', plus England's upcoming white-ball tour. To round out the show, we talk about pitches in Pakistan and batters around the world struggling against spin, the PSL window and how James Vince's decision could lead to more instances of the nomadic cricketer, plus a shout out to Jimmy Anderson as he looks set to return to Lancashire for the county season. We'll be back in your feed again next week with our regular This Week in Cricket show and hopefully the full crew back together. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 0:45 The two-tier test proposal 17:45 Champions Trophy squad news - India 20:30 The BCCI's 10-policy 'Policy Plan for Team India' 32:40 England's best XI for the Champions Trophy 42:15 Pakistan v West Indies - pitches and spin 54:00 James Vince & the PSL 1:03:45 Jimmy Anderson playing on with Lancashire Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 14

In this episode of the Top Order Podcast it’s a Black Caps focused show as Raj and Stu look back at New Zealand's performances in 2024 take stock of where the side is at heading into a relatively quiet 2025. We open the show by reviewing the 2024 results, which paint a picture of a middling side that had a big gap between their best performances and their worst ones, before discussing a bowling attack that saw some big changes over the past 12 months with the retirements of Neil Wagner and Tim Southee, plus the emergence of the likes of Will O'Rourke and Ben Sears. We also discuss the spin stocks and whether this is an area of concern. As we move to the batting department, there's plenty to discuss - primarily the lack of runs by the majority of the core group of players. We talk about Devon Conway, Will Young, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Kane Williamson and many others, plus the central contracting system and how New Zealand Cricket are managing the competing pull of franchise leagues. To round out the show, we look ahead to a 2025 fixture list that looks quite bare after the Champions Trophy to consider where we'd like the side to be by the end of the year.. We'll be back in your feed again later in the week or early next with our regular This Week in Cricket show. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro: Black Caps' 2024 results 2:55 Thoughts on 2024 as a whole 6:20 NZ's pace-bowling refresh 10:50 Are the spin-bowling stocks a concern? 20:30 Batting depth 22:25 Devon Conway - are we still optimistic about his international future? 25:30 Tom Blundell & wicketkeeping position moving forward 29:55 Casual and central contracts 38:20 Will Young - can he cement a spot in 2025? 42:25 Glenn Phillips - what should his role be in this NZ side? 45:40 Rachin Ravindra's development 51:10 Kane Williamson's form and future 55:20 NZ's fixtures in 2025 and hopes for the year 1:07:22 Coaching situation and ideal potential candidates Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 12

In this episode of the Top Order Podcast it’s an England-centric view as Binksy and Jamie review England’s red- and white-ball performances in 2024 and look forward to a mouthwatering 10 tests against old enemies Australia and India in 2025. The boys dissect what they want to see as Bazball disciples and look at the personnel England should and might use in 2025. There is confidence in Joe Root, Harry Brook and Gus Atkinson, but question marks surrounding Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope and the fitness of talismanic skipper Ben Stokes. With no Baldy to respond, Binksy and Jamie dream of recapturing the urn in Sydney as they forecast the year 2025. The boys also discuss the dramatic decline of the England men’s white-ball side and ponder whether a partnership of Brendon McCullum and Jos Buttler can revive fortunes in an ICC Champions Trophy year. If you enjoy our content, please vote for us as the Best Cricket Podcast in the Sports Podcast Awards. We’re delighted to be shortlisted and really appreciate your support: https://www.sportspodcastgroup.com/sports_category/best-cricket-podcast/ We'll be back in your feed again soon with a similar show focused on the Black Caps. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 4:30 expectations on our red ball team 11:19 Personnel and emerging talent 21:25 Looking ahead and bolter selections? 27:16 is The Ashes McCullum's Everest? 35:38 White-ball cricket: evolution or revolution? 45:23 Lifting the urn in 2025? Dare to dream? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 6

In this episode of the show, Stu and Raj look back at the 5th Test between Australia and India, which saw the Aussies get their hands on the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the first time in almost a decade and also book themselves a ticket to the World Test Championship Final against South Africa. We start by talking about the series as a whole. How impressive was Australia's response to a heavy defeat in the first test? Where did it all go wrong for India? Did the theatrics overstep the line? Why did the batters struggle so much in this series? And what's next for both these sides? There's a chat about Rohit Sharma's decision to step down from the playing XI and questions about the future for both him and the likes of Virat Kohli in the Test arena. There's also praise for debutant Beau Webster, Super Scotty Boland, Pat Cummins, Jasprit Bumrah, Yashasvi Jaiswal and a whole lot more as we review this fascinating series that always holds a significant place in the cricket conversation. If you enjoy our content, please vote for us as the Best Cricket Podcast in the Sports Podcast Awards. We’re delighted to be shortlisted and really appreciate your support: https://www.sportspodcastgroup.com/sports_category/best-cricket-podcast/ We'll be back in your feed again soon with a couple of shows looking back at the year for the Black Caps and England and discuss our hopes for 2025. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Introduction 1:40 Australia's turnaround from defeat to dominance 5:55 Why did India struggle so much in this series? 9:45 India's batting woes 15:20 Was the cricket fun to watch? 16:50 Did the theatrics overstep the line? 18:55 Sam Konstas 24:10 Rohit Sharma's decision to leave himself out of the playing XI 29:25 Virat Kohli 34:15 Beau Webster's outstanding debut 38:55 Scott Boland takes 10-for 44:45 Jasprit Bumrah - player of the series 48:00 Any other positives for India? 49:30 India's Test lineup in the next WTC cycle 53:20 Australia's consistency Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 30, 2024

In this episode of the show, Baldy, Stu and Raj react to Australia's win in the Boxing Day Test at the MCG, as well as South Africa's win against Pakistan that makes them the first team to qualify for the World Test Championship final. We start with some initial reaction to the Day 5 action in Melbourne as Australia secured victory against India. Was the decision to bowl Travis Head after tea a masterstroke? Did India get their tactics wrong? And what's going on with Rohit Sharma? Next there's praise for the young stars who shone brightly - Sam Konstas, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar and Yashasvi Jaiswal - as well as the old heads like Pat Cummins, Steve Smith & Marnus Labuschagne who provided the backbone for Australia's win. We also discuss Jasprit Bumrah's brilliance, whether he's getting enough support from the other bowlers, what India need to do to turn this around, and whether the Aussies need to consider changing a winning side for the Sydney test. We finish up with a discussion about South Africa's win against Pakistan, which books them a spot in the World Test Championship final. Is it great for the game? Does their path to the final justify their inclusion? Are they massively under-rated? And how do we process the fact that they played a second-string side against NZ and still qualified with a test in hand?! If you enjoy our content, please vote for us as the Best Cricket Podcast in the Sports Podcast Awards. We’re delighted to be shortlisted and really appreciate your support: https://www.sportspodcastgroup.com/sports_category/best-cricket-podcast/ We'll be back in your feed again next week to discuss the conclusion of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, the Black Caps v Sri Lanka series and more. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Introduction 1:20 Australia v India Day 5 instant reaction - Travis Head turns the game 6:30 India's tactics 10:20 Rohit Sharma's frustration 15:35 Young stars shine - Sam Konstas 24:20 Is Mitchell Marsh under pressure? 27:15 Nitish Kumar Reddy's breakout hundred 31:30 Yashasvi Jaiswal continues to impress 36:45 Australia's experienced players stand up 45:00 Jasprit Bumrah's brilliance 50:15 How can India turn things around in Sydney? 57:00 South Africa make the World Test Championship Final Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 23, 2024

It's Cricketmas time again on the Top Order Podcast! This week we have a very special episode* wrapping up recent Tests in Brisbane and Hamilton. Firstly to the Brisbane Test between Australia and India [0:00]. With both top orders struggling, we try to decipher which team has more rocks or diamonds. In amongst all the analysis and breakdown is the shock retirement of Ravichandran Ashwin that broke just minutes before we recorded on Wednesday 18 December. We pay tribute to a true great of the game and lament his non-availability for what promises to be two exciting Tests in Melbourne and Sydney with the series on a knife-edge at 1-1. Then it's time to wrap up both the England v New Zealand series from Hamilton [33:56] and the retirement of the great Tim Southee. Raj wants to maximise the remainder of Kane Williamson's career (don't we all) and we contemplate if Will Young has done enough to hold his spot going forward. On the England side, our northern hemisphere analysts discuss whether Ollie Pope has done enough to keep his spot, and how good Jacob Bethell could be going forward. From all of us at the Top Order Podcast, have a wonderful and safe holiday season! If you enjoy our content, please vote for us as the Best Cricket Podcast in the Sports Podcast Awards. We’re delighted to be shortlisted and really appreciate your support: https://www.sportspodcastgroup.com/sports_category/best-cricket-podcast/ We'll be back in your feed again next week with more news and views from the cricket world. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. * We're not sure how it's special. It's special like all Christmas episodes are special we suppose. Except we don't sing. We truly value our listeners too much to do that... 0:00 Introduction 1:20 India v Australia - questions for the Aussies after rain disrupts play 21:55 Questions for India 27:40 Ravichandran Ashwin's retirement 34:00 Black Caps v England - NZ win the third Test 46:20 England's tactics and approach Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 13, 2024

In this episode of the show, Binksy and Jamie jump online for an English Cricket check-in, in which they to try and keep their feet in the here and now but inevitably turn their thoughts to the Ashes. They start the show by discussing Darren Lehmann's comments regarding Joe Root, then move to the brilliance of both Root and his Yorkshire teammate Harry Brook. There's a conversation about team permutations for both the Black Caps and England heading into the third and final test of the series in New Zealand, which will serve as Tim Southee’s farewell to Test cricket. To round out the show, there’s also a brief but fruitless chat on how to improve over rates, plus breaking news at the time of recording concerning Jason Gillespie resigning from his role as Pakistan coach. If you enjoy our content, please vote for us as the Best Cricket Podcast in the Sports Podcast Awards. We’re delighted to be shortlisted and really appreciate your support: https://www.sportspodcastgroup.com/sports_category/best-cricket-podcast/ We'll be back in your feed again next week with more news and views from the cricket world. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 1:40 Darren Lehmann's comments about Joe Root 6:45 Harry Brook moves to #1 in the ICC rankings 14:25 Changes for the third Black Caps v England Test in Hamilton? 23:20 The over-rate debate 32:20 Predictions for NZ v England final Test 34:15 Jason Gillespie resigns as Pakistan coach Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 8, 2024

In this episode of the show, Baldy & Stu look back with contrasting emotions at the week (or three days) that was after Australia's convincing win against India and New Zealand once again collapsing against England. We start the show on a happy note for Baldy by discussing a turnaround in fortunes for Australia during the pink-ball Test in Adelaide. Scott Boland picked up where Josh Hazlewood left off, Mitchell Starc's radar was on from ball one and Pat Cummins also played his part in a dominant performance from the Aussie quicks. We also saw valuable contributions from Marnus Labuschagne and Nathan McSweeney, a hundred from Travis Head and Nitish Kumar Reddy continue to look very comfortable at Test level. There's also discussion about why batters are struggling so much at the moment when the ball moves around, and the topsy-turvy nature of Test cricket results all over the world. In the second half of the show, it was rinse and repeat for England as Harry Brook and then Brydon Carse took centre stage again and the Black Caps crumbled under the pressure. In fact, England were so dominant we didn't even mention that Gus Atkinson took a hat-trick! There's praise for Joe Root, Jacob Bethell & Nathan Smith, Tom Blundell's return to form, a conversation about England winning the tactical battle, and unfortunately more selection questions for New Zealand with Tim Southee and Devon Conway in particular under the spotlight. We'll be back in your feed again next week with more news and views from both these exciting series. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 1:30 Australia's bowlers set the tone for a big win against India 5:00 Scott Boland steps in and doesn't miss a beat 6:45 Why are batters struggling so much in the longer format? 9:35 Key partnership from Marnus Labuschagne & Nathan McSweeney 16:10 Travis Head breaks loose 19:10 Pat Cummins' contribution 20:45 Nitish Kumar Reddy looks ready for Test cricket 24:00 Is India's batting lineup dangerous or fragile? 30:10 Rohit Sharma the middle-order batter 34:35 Test cricket results are all over the place 36:55 Looking ahead to Brisbane 40:15 Black Caps v England reaction 42:25 Harry Brook's performance, along with Ollie Pope 48:00 England winning the tactical battle against NZ 51:05 England targeting Tim Southee 57:20 New Zealand's batting woes, particularly Devon Conway 1:06:25 Tom Blundell's hundred 1:10:10 Changes for the Black Caps? 1:14:45 Jacob Bethell and Joe Root Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 1, 2024

In this episode of the show, we review England's big win against the Black Caps at Hagley Oval, plus discuss some squad/injury news in the Border-Gavaskar series. England had some excellent performances from the likes of Harry Brook and Brydon Carse, but is it simply a case of catches win matches (or in New Zealand's case, dropped catches lose matches)? We discuss the first Test in plenty of detail, with comments on Brook, Carse, Ollie Pope, Kane Williamson, Daryl Mitchell, Nathan Smith and others, plus look ahead to the selection questions facing both sides. Is there a spot for Will Young? Has Jacob Bethell done enough with his chance for England to hold his place? And much more . . . We also chat about potential changes to both Australia and India for the second Test of the Border-Gavaskar series, with Josh Hazlewood injured and doubts about Mitchell Marsh, while for India it looks likely that both Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma will return. Who will India leave out? And will the injuries provide a lifeline for Marnus Labuschagne? We'll be back in your feed again soon with more news and views from both these exciting series. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 1:40 Initial reaction to England's big win against New Zealand 3:50 Did the Black Caps drop the game? 5:55 Harry Brook takes advantage 9:45 Ollie Pope's contribution, as well as Ben Stokes and Chris Woakes 16:45 Did New Zealand pick the right bowling attack? 21:00 Black Caps struggling for consistency 22:30 Brydon Carse takes 10 wickets in the match 30:00 NZ selection questions 48:15 Any questions for England? 53:00 Hazlewood injury & Marsh doubts for Australia 58:05 Shubman Gill & Rohit Sharma set to return for India Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 27, 2024

In this episode of the show, Baldy and Stu react to both days of the IPL mega auction, which saw Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer attract record bids, 13-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi picked up by Rajasthan Royals & the Mumbai Indians add a few Kiwis to their squad. We discuss the big winners (local players), Bevan-John Jacobs' surprise selection, powerful top orders, the Right to Match cards, where the New Zealanders and Australians landed (or didn't land), and how the huge player movement impacts the fan experience for overseas viewers. We'll be back in your feed again at the conclusion of the first Test in the Black Caps v England series with more news and views from the cricketing week that was. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 1:15 Local players on the move at high prices 9:30 Where did the Black Caps end up? 12:15 Bevan-John Jacobs selected by Mumbai Indians 14:45 Australians everywhere 16:45 David Warner among the snubs, but 13-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi goes to RR 22:10 Daryl Mitchell goes unsold, along with Shardul Thakur and other notable names 26:20 How does the player movement impact the fan experience? 35:05 Final thoughts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 26, 2024

In this episode of the show, Baldy and Stu review the first Test of the 2024/25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, which saw India start slowly but then roar back to dominate Australia and make a number of significant statements at Optus Stadium. We talk about Jasprit Bumrah's leadership (and his magnificent bowling), the patience and application shown by KL Rahul & Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Virat Kohli's return to form. There are questions about where it all went wrong for Australia, what to do with Marnus Labuschagne, as well as praise for their bowlers - Josh Hazlewood in particular - along with declarations, DRS decisions, debutants and much more as we unpack this fascinating game. We'll be back in your feed again in the next 24 hours with our initial reaction to the IPL mega auction, and then at the conclusion of the first Test in the Black Caps v England series. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro and Australia's great start to the match 4:30 Jasprit Bumrah's leadership and his influence with ball in hand 12:40 Mohammed Siraj's strong performance 14:40 Yashasvi Jaiswal's patience and skill combine 20:50 KL Rahul ground Australia down 23:50 Virat Kohli's hundred 27:40 India's declaration paid off! 29:40 Are Australia in crisis? And what to do with Marnus Labuschagne? 35:40 What's happened to Australia's batting depth? 48:15 Final comments Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 24, 2024

In this episode of the show, we preview the Test series between the Black Caps and England, which starts on 28 November at Hagley Oval, plus welcome Jamie to the Top Order team. We discuss the venues, the build up, the key matchups and give our series predictions as we bounce around a huge number of topics and questions facing both sides. Which New Zealand side is real, the one that lost four consecutive Tests against Australia and Sri Lanka? Or the first team ever to win 3-0 in India? And what about England - are they more likely to score 800 or collapse in a Bazball heap? Can Latham and Conway outpoint Crawley and Duckett? Will Joe Root and Harry Brook carve up the Black Caps again? Why did England bring three spinners on the tour? Will the Black Caps send Tim Southee out on a high? Or will they extend his Test career into a World Test Championship final? And much more! We'll be back again a few days with a review of the first Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test between India and Australia, as well as a recap of the IPL mega auction. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro and welcome to Jamie Barker 2:20 Venues, dates and World Test Championship permutations 5:50 The build up - contrasting form for the two sides 7:10 Which NZ team is real? The 3-0 v India or 0-2 v Sri Lanka? 10:40 Will England's confidence be dented by the Pakistan series? 16:30 Squads - any surprises or question marks? 22:45 Jordan Cox injury - how will that impact England's lineup? 29:00 Why have England picked three spinners in the squad? 31:40 England's seam attack in transition 35:25 Rehan Ahmed 38:10 Key matchups - Duckett & Crawley v Latham & Conway 46;10 Do England already have one eye on the Ashes? 50:15 Series predictions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 18, 2024

In this episode of the show, we preview the Border-Gavaskar Test series between Australia and India, which starts on 22 November in Perth and has huge implications for the World Test Championship ladder. We discuss the venues, the build up, the key matchups and give our series predictions as we bounce around a huge number of topics and questions facing both sides. Will Jasprit Bumrah dominate the Australian top order? Can Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma find form again against Captain Cummins and his high-class bowling attack? What about Ashwin v Lyon? And who will win the series? Redemption for India after the disappointments against New Zealand? Or will Australia put one foot into the World Test Championship final? We'll be back again next week with a full preview of the Black Caps v England series, followed closely by a review of the first Australia v India Test from Optus Stadium. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 2:00 Venues and pitches - are Australia's pitches becoming more bowler friendly? 13:30 The battle of the seam attacks - who will lineup alongside Bumrah for India? 23:45 Batting questions for India - Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the spotlight 34:55 Australia's lineup largely settled, but are they in form? 47:40 Australia's bowling questions 51:55 Series predictions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 17, 2024

In this episode of the show, we discuss the upcoming retirement of Tim Southee from the Test arena, plus quickly whip around some of the white-ball series going on around the world and the off-field challenges threatening to disrupt the ICC Champions Trophy in February 2025. We start with Tim Southee's announcement and a potential fairytale finish in the World Test Championship final, before touching on the Black Caps' squad to face England, which looks likely to feature a Test debut for at least one of Nathan Smith or Jacob Duffy. Then we move to Sri Lanka, Australia, the West Indies and South Africa to talk about Haris Rauf's speed, Adam Zampa's hair, Jacob Bethell's potential and India's T20 dominance in 2024, before examining the unfortunate off-field situation developing in the lead-up to the ICC Champions Trophy. We'll be back in your feed soon with a separate episode on the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Test series, then again next week with a full preview of the Black Caps v England series, followed closely by a review of the Aus v India Test in Perth. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 2:00 Tim Southee announces his intentions to retire from Test cricket 14:25 Black Caps name Test squad for England series 16:50 White-ball round up - NZ v Sri Lanka 18:55 Australia v Pakistan 21:30 England v West Indies 24:00 India v South Africa 25:35 Champions Trophy concerns Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 10, 2024

In this episode of the show, we reflect on the Black Caps' 3-0 series win against India, which left interesting questions for both sides as they head into their next fixtures. We also discuss potential World Test Championship final scenarios and the flurry of white-ball series from around the world. The Black Caps made it a clean sweep against India with a 25-run victory at Wankhede Stadium, to cap off a remarkable month for New Zealand cricket. Ajaz Patel was crowned player of the match and Will Young the player of the series, but those performances might still not be enough to get them into the starting XI for the home summer. We talk through the spin bowlers on show, heap praise on Daryl Mitchell's fighting effort with bat in hand and raise questions that now face this Indian side: Are they still the best Test team in the world? Do Gautam Gambhir and the leadership group need to make changes? Can Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma bounce back against Australia? Is there a place for all three of Ravi Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar in the XI away from home? We also discuss whether the ICC need to consider moving to four-day Tests, then take a quick look at the white-ball series featuring NZ, Sri Lanka, England, West Indies, Australia and Pakistan - so many that we ran out of time to cover the 47 other series that are currently under way. We'll be back again next week with a full preview of the 2024 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, with the Black Caps v England preview not far behind that. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 1:50 Black Caps win again at the Wankhede 7:05 Ajaz Patel & Glenn Phillips edge out Jadeja, Ashwin and Sundar 18:05 A word on Matt Henry 21:50 Daryl Mitchell and Will Young stood up with the bat 27:25 Questions for India - key players under the microscope 28:25 Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli 32:00 Have things changed under Gambhir? 38:15 Can Ashwin bounce back in Australia? 42:25 Four-day tests? 48:55 England v West Indies 52:55 NZ v Sri Lanka - all eyes on Mitch Hay and Zak Foulkes 56:40 Aus v Pakistan & Nathan McSweeney set to be Australia's new Test opener Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 27, 2024

In this episode of the show, we celebrate another incredible week for the Black Caps, which culminated in a series win in India for the Black Caps for the very first time. We also look back at Pakistan's turnaround against England as they spun their way to another victory in the third Test of that series. The Black Caps' win in Pune capped off a remarkable sequence - a first Test victory in India for 36 years, then another one a week later. We discuss whether this series win is the Black Caps' finest achievement, try to break down how they came to beat the best team in the world in their home patch and heap praise on Mitchell Santner, Tom Latham, Yashasvi Jaiswal - plus much more. We then turn our attention to Pakistan, where the home side's spinners once again tangled the English batters in knots to win the third and deciding Test. There's praise for Nauman Ali and Sajid Khan, a little Jamie Smith and Saud Shakeel, big fans and questions about whether it's time for England to consider a new approach. We'll be back again next week with more news and reviews from around the world. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 1:05 NZ beat India again - Greatest moment in Black Caps' history? 6:30 How did NZ find the formula to beat India at home? 8:00 NZ's batting tempo, tactics and Tom Latham's performance 16:45 Mitchell Santner - the unlikely hero 22:15 How concerning should this result be for India? 25:25 Virat Kohli's scary stats 29:55 Washington Sundar takes 12 wickets 32:45 World Test Championship Final implications 34:50 Rohit Sharma's captaincy decisions 38:15 Pakistan v England - Have Pakistan found a formula for home success? 45:15 Do England need to tweak their Bazball style? 57:55 Saud Shakeel and Pakistan's batting 1:00:00 Border-Gavaskar Trophy selection questions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 21, 2024

In this episode of the show, we celebrate an incredible week for New Zealand Cricket that culminated in a Test win in India for the Black Caps for the first time in 36 years and a T20 World Cup for the White Ferns within 12 hours of each other. We also look back at Pakistan's bold decisions against England and how they paid off to set up a mouth-watering decider in the third Test of that series. After opening with our thoughts, feelings and emotions as New Zealand fans, we start by discussing a White Ferns World Cup win that seemed almost unthinkable when the tournament began. It was a true team performance from New Zealand, and we highlight the key role players who played a huge part along the way, as well as focusing our attention on Amelia Kerr's remarkable few weeks. We then turn our attention to the Black Caps, who made history of their own this week by beating India in the first Test of the series - something they hadn't done for 36 years. There's plenty of praise for the bowlers - who skittled India for 46 in the first innings - the 'Rachin Ravindra is amazing' segment that has become a regular occurrence on the show over the past 12 months, as well as conversations about the toss and team selection. We also look at India's fightback, Sarfaraz's big hundred and what that means for the side going forward, Rohit Sharma's captaincy and much more as we break down this rollercoaster of a Test match. To round out the show, we review Pakistan's turnaround in the second Test against England, which saw a host of changes that made the selection panel look like geniuses when Kamran Ghulam, Sajid Khan and Nauman Ali starred as the team surged to victory. We'll be back again next week with more news and reviews from around the world. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 3:45 The White Ferns win the T20 World Cup! 9:10 Amelia Kerr - player of the tournament 11:55 South Africa runners-up again 13:35 Australia's campaign - was it a disappointment? 17:35 Black Caps beat India - 36 years in the waiting for NZ 19:35 Was it a terrible decision from India to bat first? 22:35 Team selection - New Zealand's decision to pick three seamers paid off 27:15 Will Young and Devon Conway 31:40 Rachin Ravindra 35:00 Is Tom Blundell on the hot seat? 38:10 Tim Southee and Matt Henry 40:00 India's fightback 41:40 Rohit Sharma's captaincy - did he make a few mistakes? 45:15 Bowling rotations during Ravindra/Southee partnership 48:25 India's second innings batting - Kohli and Rohit 49:40 Rishabh Pant and Sarfaraz Khan 55:10 Have NZ's expectations risen after this win? 59:15 Pakistan v England - bold selections pay off for Pakistan 1:05:20 Is spin Bazball's kryptonite? 1:11:10 Sajid Khan and Nauman Ali combined for all 20 English wickets 1:13:10 Pakistan's batters 1:15:00 Who has the edge for the third Test? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 11, 2024

In this episode of the show, we move to a new studio but it’s still cricket on the agenda as we look back at the week that was. England broke plenty of records on a Multan road, Kane Williamson looks set to miss at least the first Test against India, the White Ferns breathed life into their T20 World Cup chances and Team India’s depth was on show again against Bangladesh. We start by discussing England's remarkable win against Pakistan, in a game which looked headed for a dull draw on a very flat pitch until first a Joe Root and Harry Brook partnership then a flurry of Pakistan wickets late on Day 4 swung the Test England's way. We talk about whether the match was enjoyable as a cricket fan, marvel at Joe Root's brilliance and wonder how both sides will back up after so spending so long in the field. We then turn our attention to India, where the Black Caps are about to embark on a three-Test tour as heavy underdogs, without Kane Williamson – at least for the first match. How should the NZ batters attempt to combat this formidable Indian bowling attack? Will Matt Henry replace Tim Southee? And can the Kiwis put up a fight or will India win the series with ease? In some positive New Zealand news, the White Ferns put together an almost complete performance to beat India in their opening game of the T20 World Cup, giving them a great opportunity to advance through to the semi finals. But then Australia came along and burst the bubble of joy, looking every bit the champions in wait as they skittled NZ for 88. We talk about the controversy involving Amelia Kerr, and praise Rosemary Mair for her strong performances so far. To round out the show, we discuss the batting firepower of India's next generation T20 side as they lead Bangladesh 2-0, and Baldy opens the black book again with a Sheffield Shield update. We'll be back again next week with more news and reviews from around the world. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 2:45 England v Pakistan - A record-breaking win for England, but was it fun to watch? 12:50 Joe Root becomes England's all-time leading Test runscorer 20:00 Will Joe Root pass Sachin Tendulkar's record? 21:45 Harry Brook's performance and Ollie Pope the opener 26:55 How will these two sides manage the short turnaround before the second Test? 31:05 Shan Masood's response to pressure 33:00 Black Caps head to India without Kane Williamson - can they avoid a 3-0 sweep? 35:10 How should NZ's batters approach this formidable Indian bowling lineup? 41:35 Changes to the bowling for New Zealand? 45:50 India likely to have a similar looking side to the Bangladesh series 49:10 T20 World Cup - White Ferns beat India, but Australia marches on 55:45 India v Bangladesh T20s - India's next generation have serious batting firepower 59:00 Sheffield Shield news and outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 3, 2024

In this episode of the Top Order Podcast, we discuss another busy week of cricket from all around the world - from Sri Lanka's dominant win against the Black Caps in Galle, which led Tim Southee to step down from the captaincy, to India's whirlwind victory against Bangladesh in Kanpur. We also quickly look ahead to England's Test tour of Pakistan and the Women's ICC T20 World Cup in the UAE. We start in a sombre mood, with the woes of the Black Caps front of mind after a crushing loss against Sri Lanka. We talk about the self-inflicted nature of the performance, whether New Zealand are actually equipped to win a series like this one, what's next for this Test side following Tim Southee stepping aside as captain and whether more changes should be made in the very near future. There's also praise for Kamindu Mendis and Nishan Peiris, and Sri Lanka in general as they keep their World Test Championship Final dreams alive. Conversation then moves to Kanpur, where it looked like the weather would have the final say - until Rohit Sharma two-stepped down the wicket and launched the ball over long on. We discuss India's positive approach to the game, Jasprit Bumrah's offspin, high-level catching, Ravindra Jadeja joining the elite 300/3000 club and debate whether this Test is an advertisement for making four-day Tests the norm. We finish the show by looking ahead to England's visit to Pakistan - do they have the bowling attack to take 20 wickets? And will Pakistan ever get it together off the field? - as well as a quick preview of the women's T20 World Cup, which will see Australia go in as favourites yet again, but Baldy assures us is shaping up to be one of the most closely contested tournaments in recent memory.. We'll be back again next week with more news and reviews from around the world. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 0:50 SL v NZ: the Black Caps collapse in Galle 8:45 - Did NZ actually have the tools to win in Sri Lanka? 13:25 - Tim Southee steps down as NZ Test captain: is it time for even more change? 23:55 - Kamindu Mendis and NZ's toss training 27:05 - India v Bangladesh: India's whirlwind win 31:35 - Should we move to four-day Tests? 34:50 - Jasprit Bumrah is a cheat code 38:55 - India brilliant in the field & Ravindra Jadeja joins 300/3000 club 42:20 - England v Pakistan: Why can't Pakistan sort out the off-field dramas? 45:15 - Expectations for England: will their bowling attack stack up? 54:25 - Women's T20 World Cup: can anyone stop this amazing Australian side? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 25, 2024

In this episode of the show, the Top Order are together again to discuss a busy week of cricket from all around the world - from Sri Lanka's win against the Black Caps in Galle to India's dominant performance against Bangladesh in Chennai, before a whirlwind around the grounds to drop in on series involving England, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Afghanistan. We start by analysing the closely fought Test in Galle, which saw Prabath Jayasuriya and Ramesh Mendis bowl Sri Lanka to victory despite an impressive 92 from Rachin Ravindra. Was this a missed opportunity for the Black Caps? Did they pick the right XI? How high is the ceiling for Will O'Rourke? And how worried should we be about Devon Conway? Conversation then moves to Chennai, where the Tigers started with a hiss and a roar before Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja turned the match in India's favour. We talk about these two great allrounders, before discussing Rishabh Pant's return to Test cricket, the seam attacks for both sides and Team India's dominance at home. We finish the show by whizzing around some of the other series going on around the world - we saw big hundreds from Travis Head and Rahmanullah Gurbaz, while the White Ferns continue to struggle with the bat in the lead up to the T20 World Cup. We'll be back again next week with more news and reviews from around the world. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 0:55 SL v NZ - A missed opportunity for the Black Caps? 10:30 - Will O'Rourke 14:00 - NZ's team selection and Ajaz Patel's performance 23:50 - Rachin Ravindra 29:35 - Devon Conway worry levels 32:18 - India v Bangladesh - Are R Ashwin and Ravi Jadeja underrated? 41:50 - India's balanced bowling attack 43:10 - Is Rishabh Pant better than Adam Gilchrist? 46:15 - Is this India side historically one of the greats? 50:40 - England v Australia white-ball series 56:20 - Afghanistan's series win against South Africa 57:55 - White Ferns struggles with the bat continue as the T20 World Cup approaches Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 14, 2024

In this episode of the show, we discuss the abandoned Test in Greater Noida between Afghanistan and New Zealand, Sri Lanka’s win against England, India’s squad to face Bangladesh and a the England v Australia bilateral T20 series. We start the show with a rant about the shambles that saw no play between the Black Caps and Afghanistan, but instead featured cutting up of the outfield, household fans and quite a bit of rain. Could this have been avoided? Or do we chalk it up to unseasonable weather and move on with our lives? It’s then time to heap praise on Sri Lanka for their comfortable victory in the third Test against England – a result that looked unlikely after a light-affected Day 1. Pathum Nissanka and Kamindu Mendis shone with the bat, as well as Lahiru Kumara and Vishwa Fernando, in a win that keeps their World Test Championship dreams alive. For England, we ponder whether this was just a bad few days at the office or something more concerning. We discuss Harry Brook, a relatively inexperienced seam attack and whether Dan Lawrence will ever play for England again. To round out the show, we look at India’s squad for their upcoming Test series against Bangladesh, as well as a few over-reactions after Game 1 of the England v Australia T20 series (which Liam Livingstone must have heard before Game 2!). We'll be back again next week with more news and reviews from around the world. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 1:05 The shambles in Noida - should we have seen some cricket between Afghanistan & the Black Caps? 9:00 Sri Lanka beat England - did England get complacent? 14:15 Did Sri Lanka find an effective counter to Bazball? 18:35 Sri Lanka outbowled England 23:10 Shoaib Bashir chat 26:40 Will Dan Lawrence play Test cricket again? 29:35 Pathum Nissanka and Kamindu Mendis were excellent 31:50 England v Australia first T20 - Jake Fraser-McGurk and Liam Livingstone in the spotlight 44:10 India v Bangladesh - Can in-form Bangladesh give India's balanced squad a run for their money? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 7, 2024

In this episode of the show, Baldy, Binksy, Raj and Stu are back in the same room again after a short break to discuss the cricketing week (or couple of weeks) that was, with a focus on England v Sri Lanka and the upcoming six away tests for the Black Caps. Recorded after Day 1 of the third Test between England and Sri Lanka, we begin with a conversation about bad light, prompted by the lack of play on that first day. Baldy looks to the Olympics for a solution, whereas Binksy suggests interchangeable balls - but how much of an issue is this, really? We then move to the on-field action, where Kamindu Mendis has been Sri Lanka's shining light in the series so far, Joe Root has strengthened his case as England's greatest batter of all time, Brendon McCullum has extended his coaching contract and picked up the white-ball squad as well, and Gus Atkinson added a century to his already impressive home summer. To round out the show, we look ahead to two months of the Black Caps playing Test cricket, first against Afghanistan, followed by Sri Lanka and then India. We talk about lineups, the threat of Afghanistan, spin-bowling, Glenn Phillips and two new names to the central contract list, with Nathan Smith and Josh Clarkson added this week. There's also a quick mention about Australia's new white-ball era sans David Warner, and Bangladesh's historic Test series victory in Pakistan. We'll be back again next week to wrap up England v Sri Lanka and New Zealand v Afghanistan. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 2:25 Is bad light a huge issue for Test cricket? 12:25 Kamindu Mendis Sri Lanka's shining light 17:20 Is Joe Root England's GOAT? 25:40 Brendon McCullum to coach England in red- and white-ball cricket 35:00 A great summer for Gus Atkinson 40:00 Black Caps begin a subcontinent tour - what will final XI look like? 54:15 Australia v Scotland and Bangladesh v Pakistan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 19, 2024

In this episode of the show, Stu and Baldy discuss the Black Caps test squad to face Afghanistan and Sri Lanka, plus the contractual situation facing NZC now that Devon Conway and Finn Allen have stepped away from the security of a central contract. We also look back at the quality bowling on show in South Africa’s series win against the West Indies, as well as the impact of Ben Stokes’s injury on the upcoming England v Sri Lanka series. We begin with a conversation about the potential dilemma facing New Zealand Cricket with the continued rise of franchise tournaments and their clash with the NZ home summer. Devon Conway has moved to a casual contract, Finn Allen has opted to play for the Perth Scorchers – but is it actually a dilemma? We then move to the West Indies where South Africa secured a valuable series win to keep their World Test Championship chances alive. There’s praise for Jayden Seales and Keshav Maharaj in particular, and we wonder whether the Proteas will regret not sending a full strength team to New Zealand in 2023. To round out the show, we look ahead to the upcoming England v Sri Lanka series, which will see Ollie Pope captain the home side following a hamstring injury that will keep him out of the rest of the summer. Who will replace Stokes in the starting XI? Will England’s style change at all? And can Sri Lanka pose any problems or will this be another straight sets win? We'll be back again in about a week with our regular This Week in Cricket programming. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 1:55 Devon Conway and Finn Allen step away from NZC central contracts 4:00 How concerned should New Zealand be? 12:45 South Africa edge West Indies 1-0 in Test series 20:20 Jayden Seales and the impressive seamers on show 22:35 Keshav Maharaj's importance 24:25 A word on Kagiso Rabada 27:10 Can South Africa make the WTC final? 28:40 England v Sri Lanka - will it be plain sailing for the home side? 32:25 The impact of Ben Stokes' injury and selection decisions 40:50 Ollie Pope the captain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 11, 2024

In this episode of the show, we take a break from the live cricket to discuss the most influential cricketers of the 21st century. This is Part 2 of this discussion, so if you haven't yet listened to Part 1, go back in your feed and start there to hear our definition of 'influential', and the wider group of candidates we considered. In this second half of our discussion, we narrow down the debate and each decide on our top 4 cricketers to etch into stone for the Top Order Podcast Mount Rushmore. We talk about T20 influencers like Chris Gayle and Kieron Pollard, Indian powerhouse figureheads like MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli, culture setters like Brendon McCullum and Andrew Strauss, outliers like Ellyse Perry, Lasith Malinga and Rashid Khan as we try to evaluate who how the game of cricket got to where it is today and who has had the biggest impact. Who did we forget? What do you agree with/disagree with? We've love to get your thoughts and continue the discussion. We'll be back again in about a week with our regular This Week in Cricket programming. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro - the categories 5:50 Chris Gayle v Kieron Pollard 12:40 Brendon McCullum v Andrew Strauss 23:40 MS Dhoni v Virat Kohli 30:30 Ellyse Perry, Lasith Malinga, Rashid Khan, Adam Gilchrist 39:45 Who makes Mount Rushmore? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 10, 2024

In this episode of the show, we take a break from the live cricket to discuss the most influential cricketers of the 21st century. In Part 1 of this two-part discussion, we outline our definition of 'influential', and throw out a bunch of candidates for the Top Order Podcast's Mount Rushmore. We talk about T20 influencers like Chris Gayle and Kieron Pollard, Indian powerhouse figureheads like MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli, culture setters like Brendon McCullum and Andrew Strauss, outliers like Ellyse Perry and Lasith Malinga, plus a host of other names as we consider how the game of cricket got to where it is today and who has had the biggest impact. Who did we forget? What do you agree with/disagree with? We've love to get your thoughts and continue the discussion. Part 2, in which we narrow down the debate and each decide on our top 4 cricketers to etch into stone, will be available 24 hours from the release of this episode, so keep an eye out for that. We'll then be back again about a week later with our regular This Week in Cricket programming. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro - Define influential 4:35 Virat Kohli 7:50 Chris Gayle 10:45 Andrew Strauss 14:00 MS Dhoni 17:20 Kevin Pietersen 22:35 Brendon McCullum 31:15 Lasith Malinga 34:45 Rashid Khan 37:30 Ellyse Perry 40:40 Adam Gilchrist 43:55 Honourable mentions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 31, 2024

In this episode of the show, Binksy, Baldy and Stu look back at the three T20s between India and Sri Lanka, England's Test series sweep against the West Indies, and touch on the final of Major League that saw the Washington Freedom take out the title. We couldn't quite believe our eyes when we saw Suryakumar Yadav and Rinku Singh among the wicket-takers for India, but it came as no surprise to see the T20 World Cup champions to continue their winning ways against Sri Lanka. We discuss a wide range of players, from Sanju Samson and Yashasvi Jaiswal to Riyan Parag and Matheesha Pathirana, and the Super Over drama of the third game. The second part of the show continued the 3-0 theme, as we discuss England's dominant wins against the West Indies - despite the touring side having some good moments across the series. We talk about the speed at which England can turn a tricky situation into a very good one, their complete team performance and whether they still have a shot at World Test Championship glory. There's also praise for Gus Atkinson and Mark Wood in particular, plus Jamie Smith, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Duckett and just about everyone who wore the England badge in those three matches. We round out the show with a few comments about Matthew Mott stepping down as England's white-ball coach, the jam-packed cricket calendar and the latest edition of Major League Cricket, won by a Washington Freedom side containing the likes of Steve Smith, Travis Head and Rachin Ravindra. We'll be back again next week, but until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 1:30 India v Sri Lanka T20s - India's clean sweep 15:15 England v West Indies Tests - England's complete team performance 33:40 Matthew Mott steps down as white-ball coach 39:55 Can England still win the World Test Championship? 45:25 Rachin Ravindra wins Major League Cricket Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 25, 2024

In this episode of the show, Binksy, Raj and Stu look back at the second Test between England and the West Indies, as well as Gautam Gambhir taking over as Indian men's team coach and England's clean sweep of the White Ferns. The first three days of the Trent Bridge Test were very competitive - the West Indies took the lead thanks to runs from Kavem Hodge, Alick Athanaze and Joshua Da Silva, but a Chris Woakes and Shoaib Bashir-inspired collapse helped England to a convincing win in the end. We talk about the impact of Ben Duckett at the top for the home side, Ollie Pope's freneticness, Bashir's ceiling and much more. After a 4-1 T20 series win in Zimbabwe, the Gautam Gambhir era is about to begin for India and there's plenty to discuss. SKY over Hardik as T20 captain? What role will Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli play going forward? And Washington Sundar not just back in the mix, but thriving? We round out the show with England's 8-0 domination of the White Ferns across the recent ODI and T20 series. Are there any positives at all for New Zealand? And can England make a run at the T20 World Cup title in Bangladesh in October? We'll be back again next week to wrap up the England v West Indies series, as well as any other news that catches our eyes. Until then, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 1:20 England win big again, but positives for the West Indies 7:50 Ben Duckett setting a great platform 11:30 Luck for Ollie Pope, but he made it count. 16:35 Chris Woakes the caretaker 22:25 Harry Brook's ceiling 24:35 Shoaib Bashir's courage 32:20 The Gambhir era begins 34:15 Captain SKY 37:30 Virat and Rohit selected for the Sri Lanka ODIs 39:35 Washington Sundar back in the side 41:35 India's depth is scary 43:35 Not good news for the White Ferns 48:00 Confidence boost for England building towards T20 World Cup 50:45 Further reading Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 13, 2024

In this episode of the show, Binksy, Baldy and Stu look back at the first Test between England and the West Indies, as well as the recent announcement of the Black Caps' contracts for the upcoming year. The first Test of the English summer was supposed to be a fairytale finish for Jimmy Anderson at Lord's, but over the course of the short time the match was in motion it was debutant Gus Atkinson who stole the limelight with his 12-wicket haul. We talk about the encouraging performances from both Atkinson and Jamie Smith, Ben Stokes' bowling workload, batting woes for the West Indies and of course pay tribute to Jimmy, Jimmy, who has been a mainstay in our cricket-fan lives for two decades. To round out the show, we discuss the Black Caps' contract list for the next 12 months, which saw youngsters such as Rachin Ravindra, Ben Sears and Will O'Rourke added, but plenty of familiar faces remain. We'll be back again with another episode after the conclusion of the second England v West Indies Test - until then, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro - First Test between England and the West Indies 1:45 Big win for England, and the English selectors 8:45 Gus Atkinson's dream debut 14:30 Batting woes for the West Indies 20:50 Ben Stokes the bowler again 22:40 Jamie Smith's impressive start 26:30 Jimmy Anderson's final Test 34:10 Black Caps' contracts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 4, 2024

In this episode of the show, Binksy, Baldy, Raj and Stu share some extra thoughts on the ICC Men's T20 World Cup Final, plus the tournament as a whole, including pitches, the 20-team format & scheduling. We also look ahead to the upcoming Test series between England and the West Indies, and the first game in particular, which will be Jimmy Anderson's final Test. We start the show by getting Raj's thoughts on the final, since he missed our previous episode, and all wonder in hindsight why none of us predicted India as the champions before the tournament started. There's discussion about Axar Patel and Virat Kohli, India's team-first mentality, and of course praise for Jasprit Bumrah's special talents. As we move to the tournament overview, we share our thoughts on the pitches, whether we liked the 20-team format, how we might tweak the Super 8 phase and what we'd change about the scheduling and pre-tournament rankings going forward. In the second half of the show, we return to the white clothing, looking ahead to the West Indies' Test tour to England. We talk about new names in both squads, potential mixed messaging coming out of the BazBall camp and a few Jimmy Anderson thoughts as the realisation hits that we might be about to watch him for the final time. Unless something unexpected happens in the cricket world that we can't wait to talk about, we'll be back again after the conclusion of the first England v West Indies Test. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro - let's move on from the controversy about SKY's catch 2:50 Extra thoughts on the T20 World Cup final 6:55 Why didn't we predict India would win this a month ago? 11:25 Rohit, Virat and Ravindra Jadeja have retired from T20s - what's next for India? 14:40 Tournament overview: Were the pitches up to standard? 20:25 20-team format and the scheduling 33:05 England v West Indies Test series - squad news 37:05 Making sense of England's squad 46:25 Jimmy Anderson's final Test 52:15 Thoughts on the West Indies' squad Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 30, 2024

In this episode of the show, Binksy, Baldy and Stu look back at India's triumph in the Men's T20 World Cup final. We bounce around a bit during this discussion, but start the show by talking simply about what a great game of cricket it was - a game where the momentum swung back and forth throughout the match, with key players stepping up to turn the match all the way down to the final over as India defeated South Africa by 7 runs. In a show filled with praise for both sides, we pay special attention to Virat Kohli's innings, Jasprit Bumrah's continued excellence, Suryakumar Yadav's catch, Axar Patel's growing importance, Heinrich Klaasen's power hitting and the two captains Aiden Markram and Rohit Sharma for their part in this thrilling encounter. We also hit on the main narratives - the fairytale finish for Kohli, Sharma and also Rahul Dravid, plus whether South Africa choked in their first men's ICC final. It's been a lot of fun covering this tournament over the past month, and we'll be back later in the week to take a wider look at the tournament and a few other things going on in the world of cricket. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro - A fantastic way to finish the tournament 3:20 Virat Kohli laid the platform for India's innings 8:50 Was 176-7 par, under par or above par? 10:35 South Africa really targeted India's spinners 14:45 Heinrich Klaasen took South Africa so, so close 17:50 Jasprit Bumrah is fantastic 20:15 Suryakumar Yadav's catch was remarkable 24:20 A word on both captains 27:10 Did South Africa choke? 29:40 The fairytale finish for Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Rahul Dravid Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 28, 2024

In this episode of the show, Binksy and Stu look back at the two semi finals at the Men's T20 World Cup with one eye on the final, which will see India take on South Africa. We start the show by discussing India's win against England, which was set up by an excellent partnership from Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav, then finished off by India's brilliant bowlers. We talk about setting the tone at the top, underrated Axar Patel, more Jasprit Bumrah magic and who from England might be saying farewell. Next we move to South Africa's dominant win against Afghanistan, which takes them to their first-ever final. Marco Jansen gets a shout out, as well as Afghanistan's tournament as a whole, before the conversation focuses on whether the pitch was up to standard for such a crucial game and what the Proteas can take from such a one-sided fixture. To finish, we look ahead to the final in Bridgetown. Will Rahul Dravid go out on a high thanks to a Virat Kohli special? Or will South Africa's well-balanced bowling lineup and powerful middle order see them lift the trophy for the very first time? We'll find out the answers to those questions on Sunday morning New Zealand time, and we'll be back in your feed after that to celebrate the champions and take a wider look at the tournament and the past month of cricket. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro - Two dominant semi final wins 1:20 India v England - Rohit Sharma sets the tone again 14:50 South Africa v Afghanistan - Marco Jansen delivers 24:25 Final Preview - Redemption for India or is it finally South Africa's time? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 25, 2024

In this episode of the show, Raj and Stu look back at the final four games of the Super 8 stage at the Men's T20 World Cup with one eye on the semi finals, which will see India take on England and South Africa vs Afghanistan. We start the show by discussing India's win against Australia, which sent the Aussies home. There's huge praise for Rohit Sharma's impressive performance, plus a brilliant catch from Axar Patel, a remarkable swivel from Hardik Pandya and a Kuldeep Yadav googly to get excited about. For their semi final opponents, England, it was a much cruisier stroll into the knockout stages, with a hat trick from Chris Jordan and the power hitting of Jos Buttler taking them to a dominant win against the USA. Are they shifting into top gear at the right time? Will it be enough to defeat India? From there we move to two nail-biting finishes - South Africa almost choking but then coming through when it mattered most against the West Indies, and then Afghanistan finding a way in between the rain against Bangladesh. Can this new South Africa be relied on? Who thought the dream was over when Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen collapsed in a heap? How did Rashid Khan not win player of the match? Will Gurbaz be available? Do fairytales come true? And Gulbadin fell over!!!!!! We are planning to record regularly throughout the next phases of the tournament, so expect to be in your feed every few days through to the final match - our next show will be a review of the semi-finals/look ahead to the final. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro - have we enjoyed the Super 8s? 2:15 India v Australia - Rohit Sharma's rampage 12:10 England v USA - Jos Buttler and Phil Salt key to England's chances 19:50 South Africa v West Indies - South Africa win a close one AGAIN! 26:50 Afghanistan v Bangladesh - Gulbadin fell over!!!! 37:45 Final words Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 23, 2024

In this episode of the show, we look back at the latest four games of the Super 8 stage at the Men's T20 World Cup, which saw India all but book a semi-final berth while all other sides fight for their tournament lives. We start the show by discussing Afghanistan's historic win against Australia. Captain Cummins got another hat trick, but it was first Gurbaz and Ibrahim and then Gulbadin who flexed their muscle and secured a famous victory. Was it a mistake to leave out Mitchell Starc? And could this win propel Afghanistan all the way to the title? From there we move to India's game against Bangladesh, which resulted in a fairly comfortable win and India putting one foot in the next round. There were positive signs for Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Shivam Dube, wickets for Kuldeep Yadav and even positives for Bangladesh to take from the performance of Rishad Hossain throughout this tournament. Third up in our match review was South Africa's win against England. Quinton de Kock looked like he was batting on a different pitch than everyone else, but it was a game that went right down to the wire and looked like it could go either way when Ottniel Baartman was bowling full tosses and Liam Livingstone and Harry Brook were hitting them over the rope. In the fourth and final game covered, we discuss the impact of the West Indies' big win against the USA, and how it has set up a potential knockout game against South Africa in the final round of the Super 8. There's also praise for both Shai Hope and Darren Sammy as this comprehensive victory rounds out the show. We are planning to record regularly throughout the next phases of the tournament, so expect to be in your feed every few days through to the final match - our next show will be a preview of the semi-finals, on Tuesday night NZ time. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 1:50 Australia v Afghanistan - Gulbadin flexes his muscles 16:10 India v Bangladesh - positive signs for Rohit and Virat? 24:05 England v South Africa - South Africa win a close one AGAIN! 35:20 West Indies v USA - Run rate boost as Shai Hope goes boom Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 21, 2024

In this episode of the show, we look back at the first four games of the Super 8 stage at the Men's T20 World Cup, which saw Australia, England, India and South Africa record victories. We start the show by discussing Australia's win against Bangladesh - a game that included a 'Pat trick' as Captain Cummins collected three wickets from three balls across two overs. We also saw Adam Zampa and David Warner continue their good form, and explored Baldy's nervous nature despite Australia's history of success. From there we move to India's game against Afghanistan, which was highlighted by Suryakumar Yadav's impressive fifty and then Jasprit Bumrah reducing Afghanistan to 23-3 in the early stages of their innings. We pile praise on these two T20 stars, and marvel in particular at Bumrah, whose ability to sum up conditions in an instant is second-to-none. Third up in our match review was England's performance against the West Indies. Was it a statement win? How fun is it to watch Jonny Bairstow and Phil Salt in full swing? Do both sides need to make changes to their bowling lineups? And can the West Indies still make the semi-finals? In the fourth and final game covered, we saw South Africa's top order finally hit some form - this time against the USA, despite a strong start from Saurabh Netravalkar. Quinton de Kock got busy, and the Proteas kicked off the Super 8s in style. We round out the show with more praise for the USA, some crystal ball gazing about what the future might hold for them, and also discuss the news that Kane Williamson and Lockie Ferguson are set to decline Black Caps contracts. Is the sky falling for New Zealand? Or could this actually be a good thing? We are planning to record regularly throughout the next phases of the tournament, so expect to be in your feed every few days through to the final match. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 1:30 Australia v Bangladesh 7:15 India v Afghanistan 15:48 England v West Indies 26:35 South Africa v USA 37:15 Kane Williamson and Lockie Ferguson decline NZ central contracts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 18, 2024

In this episode of the show, we look back at the final group games at the T20 World Cup, which saw the USA qualify for the next round and the Black Caps limp out of the tournament. We also look ahead to the Super 8 phase, previewing the two groups and the chances of heavy hitters like India, Australia, England and South Africa, as well as the two hosts. We start the show by discussing Australia's win against Scotland, which had Binksy reaching for the tinfoil hat and Baldy drifting off to Tatooine. Brandon McMullen shone, but ultimately a partnership from Marcus Stoinis and Travis Head secured England a spot in the next round. From there we try to wrap our heads around South Africa's performances so far - four wins from four, winning all the big moments, but not reaching 120 yet with the bat. Is this a different South Africa than we've seen before? Is their batting about to fire? Or will their top order woes continue in what looks like a challenging Super 8 group? We discuss the Heinrich Klaasen's run out against Nepal, Binksy hands out the turquoise cap and we attempt to fix a flaw in the DRS procedure that may have cost Bangladesh a victory. In the second half of the show, Stu is put under the microscope to review the Black Caps' early exit from the tournament, and what the next steps are for this side. Has Trent Boult played his final game for New Zealand? Do the Black Caps have a T20 identity? Is it time for change? We finish the show with some praise for the West Indies, with Nicholas Pooran leading the charge against Afghanistan and backed up by a deep batting line up and some quality spin options. There's also talk about India's quiet week/tournament so far, and whether that might actually be great for their prospects over the next 10 days or so as this World Cup makes its way towards a conclusion. We are planning to record regularly throughout the next phases of the tournament, so will hopefully be in your feed every few days. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro - Super 8 groups confirmed 3:20 Australia do England a big favour by beating Scotland 16:12 Pitches and the jeopardy of the tournament 21:52 South Africa coming through in the clutch! 27:15 DRS controversy 33:17 New Zealand's limp exit - will this be a turning point? 51:12 West Indies looking dangerous 54:35 India's quiet tournament so far - a good thing? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 10, 2024

In this episode of the show, we look back at a busy week of games at the T20 World Cup, which saw India and the USA beat Pakistan, Afghanistan beat New Zealand, plus Australia and South Africa take control of their groups. We start the show by discussing the low-scoring thriller between India and Pakistan, which saw Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya and others shine as India roared home to secure a crucial victory in Group A. We discuss Saurabh Netravalkar and USA's Super Over tactics, whether there's still a chance for Pakistan and wonder why teams are unable to turn good batting starts into big scores. In Group B we heap praise on Scotland's performances so far, before turning our attention to the marquee matchup between Australia and England. Baldy enjoyed David Warner's control of the powerplay, Binksy couldn't understand England's tactics and Adam Zampa's consistency came into the spotlight. As attention turned to Group C, it was Stu and Raj's turn to show their frustration, as we looked back at an uncharacteristically poor performance by the Black Caps, particularly in the field. We talked team selection, build up, whether they can bounce back against the West Indies or if their tournament is as good as over already. To round out the show, we try to predict who will make it out of Group D, with South Africa taking charge and the Netherlands perhaps the most impressive of the other sides so far. Can Sri Lanka find a way back? What about Bangladesh? We are planning to record regularly throughout the tournament, particularly as we approach the Super 8 and knockout stages. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 1:05 Group qualification looking harder to predict than the seedings suggested 2:15 India's win against Pakistan 5:50 Jasprit Bumrah's brilliance 10:45 Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel 14:15 Why are teams not capitalising on strong positions? 17:40 Are Pakistan gone? USA in the box seat 21:10 USA v Pakistan Super Over 23:10 Group B - Scotland top the group 26:10 Australia v England - David Warner controlled the powerplay 28:10 Did England get their tactics wrong? 33:25 Adam Zampa's consistency 36:50 Group C - NZ's shocker against Afghanistan 53:15 Group D - Who will join South Africa in the Super 8s? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 5, 2024

In this episode of the show, the team are all in the same room to review the first few days of the ICC T20 World Cup hosted by the West Indies and USA. We discuss our early impressions, throw out a few hot takes and share our favourite performances from the opening week. Are the pitches no good? Is it already time to write off Sri Lanka? How good is Aaron Jones’s bat?! Is Anrich Nortje back? What's going on with the Super 8 groups? Are Afghanistan a danger side? Could Ireland upset India And much more! We are planning to record regularly throughout the tournament, particularly as we approach the Super 8 and knockout stages. All going well, we’ll have at least one more episode available by Sunday night. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 1:20 Super 8 seedings are ridiculous 10:25 USA v Canada - How good is Aaron Jones's bat? 18:25 West Indies v PNG - The importance of a gameplan against spin 23:50 Bowlers on top so far 30:45 South Africa v Sri Lanka - Sri Lanka in trouble already? 34:40 Afghanistan's impressive start 37:30 Namibia v Oman Super Over drama 41:00 Are the low scoring games fun to watch? 43:45 Can Ireland upset India? 46:50 New Zealand's build up Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 30, 2024

In this episode of the show, the team are all in the same room to preview the ICC T20 World Cup hosted by the West Indies and USA. We discuss the 20-team format, what overall tournament success looks like for the ICC, the quick turnaround from the IPL and the type of cricket we might see played throughout the month of June. We then look at the 4 groups in more detail - will India and their star-studded line-up cruise through Group A? How much pressure is there on England to bounce back from their ODI World Cup disappointment? Will the Black Caps make it to the knockout stages yet again? Is this South Africa's moment? Or is a home win for the West Indies written in the stars? Which teams hold the biggest upset potential? And prediction time! We won't be doing daily updates of this World Cup, but are hoping to record regularly throughout the tournament, particularly as we approach the Super 8 and knockout stages. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro - when and where? 3:29 Do we like the 20-team format? 7:10 What does success look like for the ICC? 10:07 Short turnaround from the IPL 14:43 Expectations for pitches and scores? 19:00 Group A preview - India, Pakistan, Ireland, USA, Canada 29:15 Group B preview - Australia, England, Namibia, Scotland, Oman 41:15 Group C preview - West Indies, New Zealand, Afghanistan, PNG, Uganda 52:50 Group D preview - South Africa, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, the Netherlands, Nepal 1:01:55 Predictions! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 28, 2024

In this episode of the show, the team are all back in the same room to discuss the IPL 2024 final, which saw a dominant performance from the Kolkata Knight Riders that reflected their dominant season. We discuss Mitchell Starc’s magic delivery to Abhishek Sharma, and how his best performances of the season came in the biggest games. There’s praise for Venkatesh Iyer and the young bowling pair of Vaibhav Arora and Harshit Rana, plus special mention for Sunil Narine’s outstanding campaign. We also discuss Sunrisers Hyderabad and what they need to improve to go one step further next year, as well as some general thoughts about the length of the tournament, the impact player rule and global fan engagement with such a big window carved out for the IPL. . This episode ends our IPL coverage, but the T20 action doesn’t stop - we’ll back in your feed in a couple of days with a full preview of the ICC T20 World Cup, which starts on 2 June. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 1:05 KKR win IPL 2024 2:30 KKR's dominant bowling attack 3:53 Mitchell Starc's peach and how he stepped up 5:15 Complete team effort from KKR 9:30 Sunrisers season - where did they come up short? 11:45 Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head 17:10 Gautam Gambhir's impact and potential India coach? 23:50 Impact player rule 30:13 Is the length of the window too long? 31:30 How can the IPL improve global fan engagement and buy in? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 20, 2024

In this episode of the show, Binksy and Stu look back at the final week of the IPL 2024 regular season before previewing the upcoming knockout fixtures. Recorded on 20 May, we talk about a week that saw Royal Challengers Bengaluru storm into the playoffs, Sunrisers Hyderabad snatch second place, Kolkata Knight Riders watch some rain fall, Rajasthan Royals extend their losing streak and missed opportunities for Lucknow Super Giants and the Chennai Super Kings. We discuss the epic match between RCB and CSK, which essentially became a quarterfinal thanks to LSG's slip up earlier in the week, and then take a closer look at all four playoff teams as we move to the business end of the season. KKR have been superb all season, but will Phil Salt's absence and consecutive washouts leave them vulnerable? The Sunrisers Hyderabad bowling attack has improved throughout the season, but are their chances tied heavily to the success of Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head at the top of the order? With the Rajasthan Royals in a slump and Jos Buttler gone - is Ravichandran Ashwin at 5 really the answer? Virat Kohli's form has been immense all season for RCB, but have they become an all-round threat during this six-game win streak? Plus predictions and much more! We might be back again later in the week with more news and views if there's an incredible game we can't wait to talk about, but if not we'll be in your feed again about this time next week to wrap up the final and also look ahead to the T20 World Cup. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 1:30 RCB beat CSK to roar into the playoffs 5:20 Rachin Ravindra's contribution 7:45 Virat Kohli's fantastic season 10:50 RCB's all-round game 14:50 Rajasthan's losing streak - can they turn it around? 21:15 Rajasthan's middle order struggles 24:05 KKR fully deserve their number-one spot 29:20 Potential for KKR v SRH to be a run-fest 31:30 Do the Sunrisers chances rest solely on whether Head and Sharma fire? 36.50 Predictions 40:30 Final general thoughts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 13, 2024

In this episode of the show, Binksy and Stu look back at another week that was in IPL 2024. Recorded on 13 May, we rank all 10 teams into 3 tiers, as we unpack the key themes emerging from this tournament as a whole as during the lead-in to the playoffs. Are the Kolkata Knight Riders in a tier of their own now? The Rajasthan Royals keep losing! Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head hit 30 boundaries from 58 balls in a big Sunrisers Hyderabad win - is this a sign of things to come at the T20 World Cup? The Royal Challengers Bengaluru have won 5 in a row and look like a completely different team now from the start of the tournament - can they sneak into the playoffs? Are the Chennai Super Kings good? David Warner is back for the Delhi Capitals, but they need a lot to go their way in the final week Lucknow Super Giants have fallen out of the top 4 after a crushing loss against SRH Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan provided a rare highlight for the Gujarat Titans in 2024 Should Team India be worried about the form of Mumbai Indians' stars Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya? The Punjab Kings are an IPL team And much more! We'll be back again later in the week with more news and views, but until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 4:00 KKR - Are they in a tier of their own now? 8:50 SRH - Will Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma's approach carry through to the T20 World Cup 12:40 RR - How much will momentum matter in the knockout games? 22:10 RCB - Five wins in a row 25:10 CSK - Are they good? Or not? 31:55 DC - A long shot now 32:40 LSG - Still a chance, but a huge run-rate hit against SRH 36:00 GT - Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan's partnership - are hundreds even special anymore? 39:45 MI - Should Team India worry about the form of Hardik and Rohit? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 6, 2024

In this episode of the show, Baldy, Binksy and Stu look back at another week that was in IPL 2024. Recorded on 6 May, we review all 10 teams, handing out the power rankings along the way, but with a much bigger focus on the top half of the table this week. Is the Kolkata Knight Riders bowling attack now good enough to win the competition? And has Sunil Narine changed T20 cricket forever? A quiet week for the Rajasthan Royals, but no reason to panic Sunrisers Hyderabad vault back into the top 4 thanks to Bhuvneshwar Kumar's magic moment in the game of the week Marcus Stoinis has found a level of consistency for the Lucknow Super Giants Will the mounting injury toll prove costly for the Chennai Super Kings? The Delhi Capitals, still have a chance, but they're in must-win territory now It's great to see Mohammed Siraj smiling for Royal Challengers Bengaluru Rahul Chahar had an impressive week for the Punjab Kings, who have built a strong core of local players, but what about their overseas talent? The Gujarat Titans are a team lacking in firepower right now Why hasn't Nuwan Thushara seen more game time for the Mumbai Indians? And much more! We'll be back again later in the week with more news and views, but until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 1:45 KKR - Varun Chakravarthy's improvement is rounding out KKR's bowling attack 8:55 KKR - Has Sunil Narine's batting success changed T20 cricket? 13:20 RR - A loss this week against SRH, but still plenty of positives 17:40 SRH - Sunrisers at their best are serious contenders 24:55 LSG - Right in the playoff picture, but still a tier below the top 3 29:50 CSK - Injuries mounting up 35:10 DC - Net run-rate is an issue 39:15 RCB - Mohammed Siraj is back! And what's Cameron Green's best role? 46:30 PBKS - An impressive week for Rahul Chahar 49:50 GT - What else is there left to say?! 51:40 MI - Batting woes this week, and where has Nuwan Thushara been? 57:25 Players leaving the IPL for international cricket Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 2, 2024

In this episode of the show, Binksy and Raj review the past two days of IPL 2024 action - Lucknow Super Giants vs Mumbai Indians and the Chennai Super Kings vs Punjab Kings - as well as discussing the India and England provisional T20 World Cup squads that were named this week. We'll be back again early next week with more news and views in the next instalment of the power rankings, but until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 1:35 Mumbai v LSG 8:25 CSK v Punjab 16:15 T20 World Cup squads - India 20:20 T20 World Cup squads - England Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 30, 2024

In this episode of the show, Raj, Binksy and Stu look back at another week that was in IPL 2024. Recorded on 30 April, we review all 10 teams, handing out the power rankings along the way. In a topsy-turvy week, the Rajasthan Royals march on thanks to big contributions from Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sandeep Sharma, Dhruv Jurel & Sanju Samson The Kolkata Knight Riders are up to second, and Varun Chakravarthy is showing signs of improvement Ruturaj Gaikwad has the Chennai Super Kings well placed for the top 4 Matt Henry's unbeaten run with the Lucknow Super Giants has ended, but he has made the Black Caps' T20 World Cup squad Are the Sunrisers Hyderabad too reliant on Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma? The Delhi Capitals, powered by Jake Fraser McGurk at the top, are surging - but have they left their run too late? Finally a great week for Royal Challengers Bengaluru! And how about that Will Jacks innings?! Punjab Kings chase down 261 thanks to Jonny Bairstow brilliance and power hitting from Shashank and Prabhsimran The Gujarat Titans are struggling, and what's happened to Mohit Sharma? Mumbai's run to the finals looks over, and is Hardik Pandya's form a concern for India? And much more! We'll be back again later in the week with more news and views, but until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 1.40 RR - The Royals march on, thanks to contributions all throughout the squad 7:05 KKR - Can Varun Chakravarthy's strong performance kickstart his season? 13:35 CSK - Ruturaj Gaikwad leading the way 22:05 LSG - Right in the playoff picture, but why are we struggling to believe in them? 31:20 SRH - Are they too reliant on their openers? 36:25 DC - A side hitting form, but is it too late? 42:45 RCB - Finally a good week! 49:25 PK - Bairstow, Shashank and Prabhsimran power Punjab in an epic chase 56:30 GT - A difficult week for Gujarat, and for Mohit Sharma 59:50 MI - Bowling is still a mess, and what's going on with Hardik Pandya? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 25, 2024

In this episode of the show, Stu and Raj review the past three days of IPL 2024 action - Rajasthan vs Mumbai, CSK v LSG and the most recent game between the Gujarat Titans and the Delhi Capitals = which saw 3 hundreds, a couple of thrillers and some results that could be hugely impactful come playoff time. Recorded on 25 April, we discuss hundreds from Ruturaj Gaikwad, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Marcus Stoinis, plus the power hitting from the likes of Nehal Wadhera, Nicholas Pooran and Rishabh Pant in particular, who has been oh so impressive since returning from serious injury. There are also shout outs for Sandeep Sharma and Shivam Dube, the regular 'Get MS Dhoni up the order' conversation and questions about CSK and Mumbai's title credentials - and how far the game has swung in favour of the batter in the death overs. Plus much more! We'll be back again early next week with more news and views in the next instalment of the power rankings, but until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 0:30 Delhi Capitals v Gujarat Titans - How far have the death overs swung in favour of the batters? 3:10 Rishabh Pant - What a comeback it has been from serious injury! 8:00 Jake Fraser McGurk 9:55 Worries for the Gujarat Titans? 13:35 Rajasthan Royals v Mumbai Indians - Sandeep Sharma takes 5 17:50 Yashasvi Jaiswal's brilliant century 19:40 Mumbai Indians - tough loss, but nice to see Nehal Wadhera 22:00 Mumbai's bowling is a problem 25:15 Chennai Super Kings v Lucknow Super Giants - Huge back-to-back wins for LSG 26:15 Ruturaj Gaikwad's century lifts CSK over 200 28:30 Get MS Dhoni up the order! 29:30 Matt Henry contributing for LSG 31:20 Marcus Stoinis's match-winning performance 35:30 LSG's finishing on point 37:00 Where does this leave LSG and CSK going forward? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 22, 2024

NOTE: The introduction of this episode was cut off from our recording, so the show jumps straight into team number one to start this podcast and there's odd sound glitch. In this episode of the show, Baldy, Binksy and Stu look back at another week that was in IPL 2024. Recorded on 22 April, we review all 10 teams, handing out the power rankings along the way. Jos Buttler scored an incredible hundred, but is he going to leave the IPL right when the Rajasthan Royals need him the most? An incredible week for Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma and the Sunrisers Hyderabad Sunil Narine and Andre Russell continue to play match-winner for the Kolkata Knight Riders Are the Chennai Super Kings too balanced? KL Rahul's captain’s knock keeps the Lucknow Super Giants in the playoff picture The Mumbai Indians are working their way up the table, but apart from Jasprit Bumrah are still struggling with the ball Can the Gujarat Titans recover from the net run-rate hit they took against Delhi? Has Jake Fraser McGurk's form for Delhi Capitals vaulted him into Australia's T20 World Cup plans? Ashutosh Sharma is one of the few bright spots for Punjab Kings Royal Challengers Bengaluru's woes continue - but was Virat Kohli's dismissal fair? And much more! We'll be back again later in the week with more news and views, but until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. 0:00 RR - Jos Buttler's outstanding hundred 7:40 SRH - A powerful week for the Sunrisers 15:30 KKR - Sunil Narine and Andre Russell matchwinners 20:10 Waist-high controversy? 23:50 CSK - Are they true contenders? 30:35 LSG - KL Rahul's captain's knock 37:25 MI - Big string of games coming up 41:45 GT - Will their net run rate prove costly? 46:00 DC - Jake Fraser-McGurk making an impact 52:50 PK - Ashutosh Sharma the bright spot 57:55 RCB - Complete shambles Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 18, 2024

In this episode of the show, Binksy and Baldy review the past three days of IPL 2024 action - Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Kolkata Knight Riders vs Rajasthan Royals and the Gujarat Titans v Delhi Capitals. Recorded on 18 April, we discuss the record-breaking runfest at the Chinnaswamy, which saw a Travis Head century, plus excellent innings and giant sixes from Heinrich Klaasen, Dinesh Karthik and many others. There's also praise for Jos Buttler's remarkable effort for Rajasthan, as they chased down KKR's 223-6 off the final delivery, meaning Sunil Narine's hundred was in a losing cause. The trend of praising wicketkeepers continues with Dinesh Kathik also mentioned in despatches for his effort in a losing cause against the Sunrisers. Some sides are making a run (we're looking at you Sunrisers and the resurgent Delhi Capitals) whereas the Gujarat Titans look to be in a big hole. Are they done for the season, or is there life yet? We'll be back again early next week with more news and views in the next instalment of the power rankings, but until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 15, 2024

In this episode of the show, Baldy, Binksy, Raj and Stu look back at another week that was in IPL 2024. Recorded on 15 April, we review all 10 teams, awarding the turquoise cap and handing out the power rankings along the way. Is the biggest threat to the Rajasthan Royals actually the Rajasthan Royals? Will the Kolkata Knight Riders ever slow down? Can the Chennai Super Kings get even more from MS Dhoni? Are the Sunrisers Hyderabad batters struggling? Can Shubman Gill carry the Gujarat Titans to the playoffs? Are the Lucknow Super Giants slumping? Why is the Mumbai Indians' bowling so bad when Jasprit Bumrah is so good? Are the Delhi Capitals the scariest team in the bottom half of the ladder? Will a Punjab Kings game ever finish outside of the final over? Has Faf du Plessis given up on the Royal Challengers Bengaluru bowling attack? And much more! We'll be back again later in the week with more news and views, but until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 0:35 RR - Are they over-complicating things? 8:45 KKR - Full speed ahead 15:20 CSK - MS Dhoni sixes and a statement week 24:50 SRH - Bowlers getting into a rhythm 30:50 GT - Are they about to go on a winning streak? 37:50 LSG - Is Quinton de Kock having fun? 44:00 MI - Jasprit Bumrah is awesome but the other bowlers are struggling 51:45 DC - Are they becoming a dangerous side? Kuldeep Yadav & Rishabh Pant pushing for India spots 56:25 PK - A lack of matchwinners hurting them 61:50 RCB - Bowling attack at rock bottom Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 11, 2024

In this episode of the show, Stu and Baldy provide a midweek IPL update to discuss CSK's win against KKR and two final-over thrillers that saw points go to Sunrisers Hyderabad and the Gujarat Titans. We discuss standout performances from Rashid Khan, Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shashank Singh, Sanju Samson, Riyan Parag, Shubman Gill as well as the key moments of these three games. Are the Gujarat Titans back? Will the Punjab Kings ever give up on a chase? Is spin going to be a major factor for the Chennai Super Kings from now on? Have Sunrisers Hyderabad found some consistency? Was it just a bad day at the office for Kolkata Knight Riders? Should the Rajasthan Royals have regrets about only bowling two Trent Boult overs? And much more! We'll be back again early next week with more news and views as we go through the next instalment of our Power Rankings, but until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 0:55 CSK v KKR - Chennai are a force at home 4:45 Crucial wickets for Ravindra Jadeja as spin plays a big part 8:00 Was it just a bad day at the office for KKR? 10:00 Jadeja pranking the Chennai crowd with MS Dhoni 11:50 SRH v PK - Sunrisers local players step up 14:45 Punjab Kings love a close game 15:30 No score is safe anymore - batters hitting the go button 19:50 Ashutosh Sharma and Shashank Singh do it again (almost) 21:05 GT v RR - Are Gujarat back? 22:50 Excellent day for Rashid Khan 24:40 Sanju Samson and Riyan Parag's partnership 26:15 What went wrong for Rajasthan's bowling? 30:40 Upcoming games Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 10, 2024

In this episode of the show, Baldy, Binksy, Raj and Stu review the week that was in IPL 2024 with another instalment of the power rankings. Recorded on Monday 8 April, we discuss all 10 teams and the key questions facing all of them as we pass the 20-game mark of the tournament. Can anyone stop this Rajasthan Royals side? Is the KKR bowling lineup, led by Mitchell Starc, strong enough to win at the business end of the tournament? LSG building nicely in all three facets of the game - so why don't we trust them? Abhishek Sharma's impact at the top of the order for Sunrisers Hyderabad Shashank Singh's heroics for the Punjab Kings CSK's challenges without Mustafizur Rahman and Matheesha Pathirana Have the Mumbai Indians found a better balance with Romario Shepherd and Mohammad Nabi in the lineup? How damaging will David Miller's injury be for the Gujarat Titans? With Mitchell Marsh out for a while, are the Delhi Capitals' semi-final hopes all but gone? Virat Kohli has been outstanding to start the season, but where's the help from the rest of his RCB teammates? We'll be back again later in the week with more news and views, but until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 1:40 Rajasthan Royals - Jos Buttler's 100, do they have any weaknesses at all? 7:40 Kolkata Knight Riders - So much batting firepower, but what about the bowling? 14:15 Lucknow Super Giants - Marcus Stoinis's responsible knock 20:55 Sunrisers Hyderabad - Abhishek Sharma's ball-striking and positive signs for the bowling attack 30:05 Punjab Kings - Shashank Singh to the rescue 36:45 Chennai Super Kings - Is their bowling in trouble without Pathirana and Mustafizur? 44:25 Mumbai Indians - Is Romario Shepherd the answer to balancing this MI lineup? 51:30 Gujarat Titans - Runs for Shubman Gill, but David Miller's injury news takes their week from bad to worse 58:00 Delhi Capitals - Has Mitchell Marsh's hamstring strain put an end to their playoff chances? 61:40 Royal Challengers Bengaluru - Virat Kohli scoring runs for fun, but where's the help? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 4, 2024

In this episode of the show, Baldy and Stu review the recent IPL 2024 games between LSG and RCB, and KKR v Delhi Capitals. Recorded on 4 April 2024, we start by discussing Kolkata's huge win against Delhi: Are we about to live in a world where scores of 270 in a T20 become the norm? Sunil Narine's boundary-fest at the top of the order Angkrish Raghuvanshi's first IPL innings and the fearlessness of young players Plus Andre Russell, Mitchell Starc, Rishabh Pant and more! In the second half of the show we look back at the Lucknow Super Giants' comfortable win against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. How fun is it to watch this Mayank Yadav story unfold?! How much trouble are RCB in? Will Cameron Green and Glenn Maxwell be able to produce the match-winning performances needed to stop this slide? Plus Nicholas Pooran, Quinton de Kock, Reece Topley and other storylines from this fascinating game. We'll be back again early next week with the next instalment of the IPL 2024 Power Rankings, but until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 0:40 KKR v DC - Is 270 in a T20 game about to become the norm? 3:05 Sunil Narine's boundary-fest and the KKR power-hitting 6:00 Angkrish Raghuvanshi and the fearlessness of young players 8:40 Mitchell Starc on the board 9:55 Rishabh Pant continues to improve 10:45 Are KKR title contenders now? 11:45 LSG v RCG - how much trouble are RCB in? 13:40 Do RCB need more from Glenn Maxwell and Cameron Green? 16:00 LSG - Quinton de Kock and Nicholas Pooran looking in good touch 19:15 The Mayank Yadav show 23:35 How are we feeling about LSG's chances after 3 games? 28:10 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 2, 2024

Back by popular demand, the Binksy, Raj, Baldy and Stu gathered in the same room to run through the second instalment of the IPL 2024 Power Rankings. We discuss all 10 teams and how they are travelling after the first 14 games of the tournament. Are the Rajasthan Royals the real deal? KKR are flying, but how worried should they be about the form of Mitchell Starc? CSK have looked superb, but what happened against Delhi? And is MS Dhoni wasted down the order? Gujarat bounced back after their loss to CSK, but do they have the batting firepower to keep them in the playoff picture? Delhi's batting order shuffle led to a win against CSK - is Rishabh Pant the key to unlocking their true potential? Sunrisers Hyderabad shattered records in game two, before crashing back down to earth. Which performance is the best indication of who they are as a team? LSG were at risk of going 0-2, until Mayank Yadav sparked them into life on debut. Virat Kohli has still got it, but what about RCB's other overseas players? Optimists might say the Punjab Kings should be unbeaten after 3 games - do the boys agree? And what's going on in Mumbai as the Wankhede Stadium fans boo Hardik Pandya?! We'll be back again next week with more news and views, but until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 29, 2024

In this episode of the show, Raj and Baldy discuss the past few days of IPL action. Recorded on 29 March 2024, we look back at the highlights from the first full week of the IPL, including: Sunrisers Hyderabad's record total, which kept pre-tournament favourites Mumbai winless from their first two games. Is 277 in 20 overs a good thing? Is it time to panic for Mumbai and Delhi fans? More Rachin Ravindra fireworks as CSK continue rolling against Gujarat Who are we concerned about already? Can anyone stop the CSK and RR juggernauts? And much more! We'll be back again early next week with another instalment of our power rankings, plus more news and views, but until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 1:55 Records galore for SRH against Mumbai Indians 5:45 Is it time to panic for MI? 7:35 Rajasthan make it 2 from 2 against Delhi Capitals 10:10 What have we learned about KKR? 13:45 CSK - leadership change but the winning ways continue 15:35 Rachin Ravindra on fire 18:30 Biggest surprises from Week 1? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 25, 2024

In this episode of the show, Binksy and Stu cast their eye over the first few days of IPL action and unveil the first power rankings of the 2024 tournament. Recorded on Monday 25 March, after each of the 10 teams had played one game, we look back at the big moments and key players from the 5 matches so far, including: CSK debuts for Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell and Mustafizur Rahman Bowling woes for RCB Hardik Pandya's confusing return to the Mumbai Indians Why we should never doubt the Gujarat Titans Sanju Samson's fireworks starting the season with a bang for Rajasthan Royals Nicholas Pooran hitting back at Baldy for LSG Andre Russell proving to Stu he's still a matchwinner Heinrich Klaasen's almost heroics for Sunrisers Hyderabad Sam Curran's big day out for Punjab Kings The Delhi Capitals drop-a-thon And much more! We'll be back on Thursday evening (NZ time) with more news and views from IPL 2024, but until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 1:50 CSK v RCB - defending champs start where they left off 5:35 Rachin Ravindra's debut 7:40 RCB - it's early, but are there danger signs already? 11:30 Gujarat Titans - why do we still underrate them? 14:40 Mohit Sharma and contributions from everywhere 16:08 Ashish Nehra's wizardry 18:15 Mumbai Indians - Jasprit Bumrah outstanding, but what about Hardik Pandya's role? 22:10 Mumbai's seam-bowling injuries 22:55 Rajasthan Royals - Sanju Samson's great start 26:10 Trent Boult in the powerplay 28:15 LSG - underwhelming performance or decent fightback? 31:55 KL Rahul at the top of the order 32:40 KKR - Andre Russell goes boom 36:00 Should KKR be ranked higher? 37:35 Buyer's regret on Mitchell Starc? 39:35 Sunrisers Hyderabad - Heinrich Klaasen's almost heroics 40:00 SRH player combinations - did they get it right? 44:35 Punjab Kings v Delhi Capitals 45:00 Sam Curran stars for Punjab 49:30 Alarm bells for DC? 50:25 Impact player rule 53:35 Two-bouncer rule 56:00 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 18, 2024

In this episode of the show, Binksy, Baldy, Stu and Raj preview the IPL tournament, covering Mumbai, Punjab, Rajasthan, RCB and Sunrisers Hyderabad. Wall-to-wall T20 cricket is about to begin, with the IPL followed by the T20 World Cup and in this episode (part 2 of 2) we focus on five teams, discussing squad news, why each team can win, potential weaknesses, key players and predicted finishing order. We also give our overall tournament predictions, including semi-finalists, champions and the winners of the purple and orange caps. Teams covered are: Mumbai Indians: Mumbai have arguably the best batting lineup in the competition, stacked with local talent. There's the return of Hardik Pandya and what that might mean for the harmony of the side with him taking the captaincy from Rohit Sharma, plus a few question marks about their spinners - but does that even matter when Jasprit Bumrah is in your side? Punjab Kings: There's an English flavour to this squad, with Jonny Bairstow, Liam Livingstone, Chris Woakes and Sam Curran all set to feature during the tournament. Add the likes of Arshdeep Singh, Kagiso Rabada and Harshal Patel to that and the bowling attack looks solid, but can Shikhar Dhawan and co score enough runs to take them to the playoffs? Rajasthan Royals: T20 opening partnerships don't get much better than Yashasvi Jaiswal and Jos Buttler, and the addition of Shane Bond to the coaching staff has the New Zealanders excited for 2024. There's great spin depth, batting firepower and lovely Trent Boult, but where are the allrounders? Royal Challengers Bangalore: Virat Kohli! Faf du Plessis! Glenn Maxwell! Cameron Green! Mohammed Siraj! The RCB lineup won't be short on matchwinners, but who will fill the fourth overseas spot in the XI? And will their bowling lineup be able to defend anything under 200? Sunrisers Hyderabad: It was a busy auction for Daniel Vettori and the Orange Army. Pat Cummins joined as captain, plus Travis Head and Wanindu Hasaranga to round out a remarkably strong collection of 8 overseas players. Which four will they choose from game to game? We debate this, plus discuss whether Umran Malik can get back to his best, how much we'll miss Dale Steyn's hair and whether Captain Cummins's golden run is set to continue in 2024. We'll be back again regularly during the tournament with more news and views, but until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 2:20 Mumbai Indians Preview 12:52 Punjab Kings Preview 22:50 Rajasthan Royals Preview 33:15 RCB Preview 43:40 SRH Preview 54:15 Predictions 1:02:00 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 17, 2024

In this episode of the show, Binksy, Baldy, Stu and Raj preview the IPL tournament in two parts, starting with CSK, DC, GT, KKR and LSG. Wall-to-wall T20 cricket is about to begin, with the IPL followed by the T20 World Cup and in this episode (part 1 of 2) we focus on the first five teams (by alphabetical order) to discuss squad news, why each team can win, potential weaknesses, key players and predicted finishing order. Teams covered are: Chennai Super Kings: New Zealand eyes are focused on the fortunes of new Black Caps' recruits Daryl Mitchell and Rachin Ravindra - will they become CSK fan favourites? We also debate how damaging Devon Conway's injury will be and, of course, whether MS Dhoni will lead #WhistlePodu to another title. Delhi Capitals: Rishabh Pant's return is filling all the headlines, but is it fair to put so much expectation on his shoulders? There's also talk about the Australian connection, the spin strength of Kuldeep and Axar, and whether young players like Kumar Kushagra and Yash Dhull will have a positive impact. Gujarat Titans: Hardik Pandya is gone, but there's still plenty of experience in this squad as they look to return to a third consecutive final. We discuss the impact of Mohammad Shami's injury, try to figure out which overseas players will best balance the side and whether Spencer Johnson has a big role to play. Kolkata Knight Riders: Binksy's old favourite Andre Russell is back for another campaign, but can they improve on last year's 7th placed finish? We're excited to watch another Rinku Singh season, and there's excitement about a spin attack that could include Suyash Sharma alongside Varun Chakaravarthy, but what about the seamers? Lucknow Super Giants: The not-just-regular giants have made the playoffs in both of their two seasons, but there are plenty of questions leading into this upcoming campaign. How fit is KL Rahul? Can Shamar Joseph light up the tournament? And can Deepak Hooda get back to the form that saw him earn an international call up? Look out for part 2, which will release in 24 hours' time, in which we'll discuss the Mumbai Indians, Punjab Kings, Rajasthan Royals, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Sunrisers Hyderabad. We'll also predict our semi-finalists, winners and leading wicket-taker and runscorer. We'll be back again regularly during the tournament with more news and views, but until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 2:00 CSK Preview 12:50 Delhi Capitals Preview 23:40 Gujarat Titans Preview 33:45 KKR Preview 44:00 LSG Preview 54:20 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 11, 2024

In this episode of the show, Binksy, Baldy and Stu discuss the second Test between the Black Caps and Australia, as well as some parting thoughts on the India v England series. Fresh from day 4 at Hagley Oval, we give our initial reaction to a see-sawing Test that saw Australia win by 3 wickets and secure at 2-0 series victory. We talk about a match-defining partnership between Alex Carey and Mitchell Marsh, ask if Australia's bowling attack is their best of all-time and give praise to Matt Henry for his efforts during the series. There's also praise for Ben Sears, plus questions about Steve Smith as an opener and New Zealand's game management in the second Test. In the second half of the show, we move to the India v England series to discuss Rohit Sharma's captaincy, the future of Bazball under Stokes and McCullum and which young Indian players might have a long-term future in the Test side. We'll be back again next week with an extended IPL preview, but until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 1:22 Black Caps v Australia immediate reaction 4:09 Australia's ruthlessness and patience 7:09 Is this the Australia's greatest ever bowling attack? 9:00 New Zealand's bowlers 11:40 Ben Sears 14:45 Matt Henry's impressive series 16:00 Alex Carey and Mitchell Marsh 18:25 The Steve Smith question 21:40 New Zealand's missed opportunities 24:20 India v England 25:30 Rohit Sharma's captaincy 32:00 Questions about the Bazball approach? 38:25 Dhruv Jurel, Sarfaraz Khan, Akash Deep - who can stick in this Indian side? 43:40 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 9, 2024

In this episode of the show, Binksy, Baldy and Stu discuss the 5th and final Test of England's tour to India, which saw the home side record a dominant victory to celebrate Ravichandran Ashwin's hundredth Test. We start the show by discussing the English reaction to a heavy defeat, and which players might face questions leading into their home summer. Then of course there is huge credit to India - batters such as Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal have shown that the future is still very bright for India, while the experienced spin trio of Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav got better and better throughout the series to pick England apart on their way to a 4-1 series victory. To finish the show, there's a word for Jimmy Anderson, who took his 700th Test wicket in his 187th match. We'll be back again next week with more news and views, but until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. 0:00 0:35 Deflating way for England to end series? 11:00 Huge credit to India - Gill, Jaiswal, Ashwin, Kuldeep 20:35 Jimmy Anderson's 700th wicket Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 8, 2024

In this episode of the show, Binksy, Baldy and Stu look back at the first two days of the final India v England Test, and day one of the Black Caps v Australia at Hagley Oval. Ravichandran Ashwin took 4 wickets in the first innings of his hundredth Test, but it was Kuldeep Yadav who stole the show with 5 delightful dismissals as he ripped out England's top order. When it was India's turn to bat, centuries for Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill, plus fifties for Sarfaraz Khan, Yashasvi Jaiswal and debutant Devdutt Padikkal have put India right on top at the end of day two. At Hagley Oval, the Black Caps won the first hour, but then Josh Hazlewood's relentless pressure took its toll and New Zealand crumbled to 162 all out. Matt Henry showed his class again, and Ben Sears bamboozled Steve Smith, but a return to form for Marnus Labuschagne edged Australia towards parity with six first innings remaining at stumps. We'll be back again in the next day or two with more news from both tests, but until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 0:35 Day 1 at Hagley Oval - Black Caps skittled again 1:45 First hour of the day - Tom Latham looking fluid 3:55 Quality seam bowling, led by Josh Hazlewood 5:35 Australia's relentless pressure with the ball 7:50 Is Marnus Labuschagne back? 9:05 Ben Sears debut, a good selection? 11:20 Baldy's high standards 13:00 Hopes for day 2 15:55 India v England 16:55 Which of these English spinners will stick? 20:05 How many of the young Indian batters will be there once Kohli and Rahul return? 23:00 Kuldeep Yadav's fab five 26:40 Hopes for day 3 29:05 Natural variation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 5, 2024

This week on the show, we're all back in the same room to discuss the Black Caps' demoralising loss to Australia at the Basin Reserve, as well as a preview/review of the 4th and 5th Tests between India and England. We start the episode with some initial thoughts from the Kiwi contingent about the pain of another Test loss to Australia - a game where New Zealand showed signs they could compete on days 1 and 3, but crumbled on the even days on their way to a very familiar scoreline against their Trans-Tasman neighbours. There's plenty of praise for Cameron Green and Nathan Lyon, as well as Matt Henry and Glenn Phillips who provided the positives from a New Zealand point of view. We also discuss the make up of a Black Caps bowling attack in transition, a seemingly indestructible quartet of Australian bowlers, the impact of injuries and the form of Marnus Labuschagne and Alex Carey. In the second half of the show, we look back at the 4th Test between India and England, which saw India secure a series victory in Ranchi. Was it a missed opportunity for England? Or do India deserve all the credit for winning the biggest moments of this series. We touch on crucial performances from Dhruv Jurel and Shubman Gill, highlighting their composure under huge pressure. Joe Root's hundred demonstrated his class, but India's spin trio of Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin and Kuldeep Yadav made life difficult for England in the third innings and turned the match back India's way. Finally, we preview the 5th Test in Dharamasala - potentially the hundredth for Jonny Bairstow and Ravi Ashwin - with an eye to conditions and how England may look back on this series when all is said and done. We'll be down at Hagley Oval in a few days' time at the second Test between the Black Caps and Australia, so expect plenty of content from that match and also the final India v England Test. As always, we really appreciate everyone who takes the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 0:55 A demoralising loss for the Black Caps 3:50 Do New Zealand have a mental block against Australia? 5:10 Why is it so hard to clean up the tail? 6:50 Cameron Green delivers under pressure 9:25 Nathan Lyon - the GOAT gets even GOATier 12:40 Australia's bowling group 15:55 Glenn Phillips - better than a part-timer? 17:00 Selection questions 19:35 Ben Sears in line for a Test debut 25:35 Concerns about the form of Marnus Labuschagne and Alex Carey? 28:35 Changes for the second Test? 32:20 India v England 4th Test review 33:50 Missed opportunity for England? 37:20 England's bowling attack 40:00 Let's talk about the Ollies 43:30 Dhruv Jurel and Ben Foakes 47:35 Shubman Gill answering questions 48:38 India's spinners 50:15 What's going to happen in the 5th Test? 56:30 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 28, 2024

In this episode of the show, Stu and Baldy look ahead to one of the most anticipated Test series of the year - at least here in New Zealand - the Black Caps v Australia. We also discuss the Neil Wagner's retirement from international cricket in the lead up to the first Test, which starts on Thursday at the Basin Reserve. We start the show with a tribute to Neil Wagner, who announced his retirement on Tuesday here in New Zealand. His impressive record and statistics speak for themselves, but with Wagner it was always the things that don't show up on the scorecard that spoke the loudest. We discuss his outstanding spell as a Test cricketer and how he'll be remembered in the coming years. Attention then turns to the upcoming series. Can the Black Caps overcome injuries to Kyle Jamieson and Devon Conway, and a lean history of success in this fixture to defeat the Aussies on home soil? Will Kane Williamson maintain his incredible run of form against a bowling attack featuring Cummins, Hazlewood, Starc and Lyon? Are the likes of Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne vulnerable in New Zealand conditions? What will the New Zealand bowling attack look like? And do Australian fans even care about the series at all? Plus we make our predictions as we look ahead to this rare occasion on the eve of the first Test. We'll be back again soon with more news and views, including a review of the 4th Test between India and England, but until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Finn Allen, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 1:10 Neil Wagner retires! 3:50 Will Neil Wagner go down as an NZ Cricket great? 7:25 Squad news - Black Caps bowling attack 10:05 Mitchell Santner or Scott Kuggeleijn for the final spot in the XI? 11:35 Australia's settled lineup 12:45 Devon Conway ruled out of the first Test with thumb injury 13:55 What does this series mean for both sets of fans? 21:55 Why do people still doubt this Australian side? 25:45 Key matchups - Black Caps' seamers v Smith, Labuschagne and co. 32:25 Key matchups - Can New Zealand's batting lineup stand up to this experienced Australian attack? 34:00 Will Nathan Lyon be a factor in this series? 36:40 How important is Kane Williamson's performance for New Zealand's chances of victory? 41:15 Prediction time! 47:30 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 22, 2024

In this episode of the show, there's plenty of ground to cover as the cricket calendar continues apace. We recap India's big win against England in the third Test and look back at the Black Caps' first-ever series win against South Africa - with one eye on the upcoming Tests against Australia. There were many impressive performances during the third Test between India and England: Yashasvi Jaiswal's second double-century in as many Tests (including a record-equaling 12 sixes!) Hundreds to Rohit Sharma and Ben Duckett A hundred AND a 5-wicket haul for Ravindra Jadeja Entertaining debuts from Sarfaraz Khan and Dhruv Jurel Which all led to a big win for India as they defeated England by a record margin. We discuss the key moments and the aftermath and reaction to Bazball's biggest defeat, as well as potential changes for the 4th Test, which will see Jasprit Bumrah left on the sidelines. In the second half of the show, we return to New Zealand to look back at a historic Test series for the Black Caps, which saw them win the Tangiwai Shield and secure a series win against South Africa for the first time in their 92 years of trying. There was a record-breaking debut for Will O'Rourke, Kane Williamson gave us another demonstration of his greatness, while Dane Piedt and David Bedingham combined to make it a much tougher assignment than many people predicted. To round out the show, we touch briefly on a last-ball thriller in Wellington, which saw Tim David steal the show, as well as an Annabel Sutherland masterclass against South Africa. We'll be back again next week with more news and views, but until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 0:48 India v England 3rd Test review 1:31 Yashasvi Jaiswal breaks records on his way to another double century 5:55 The topsy turvy nature of the game 8:07 Does Joe Root need to dial back the gears? 11:55 Was the backlash to Bazball justified after this heavy defeat? 16:00 England's batting collapses - can Jonny Bairstow return to form? 18:00 Ben Duckett's highlight-filled hundred 21:35 Sarfaraz Khan's impressive debut 26:45 Should substitutes be allowed during a Test? 29:22 4th Test Preview: Will the pitch spin big from ball one? 30:40 Any changes to the two sides? 32:22 Binksy's breaking news: England names their XI 34:05 How can England bounce back? 36:35 Black Caps v South Africa Test series review 39:32 Worries for New Zealand: are Tom Latham and Devon Conway under pressure? 46:35 What will the Black Caps do at 5/6/7/8? 50:00 Will O'Rourke's record-breaking debut in the shadow of Kyle Jamieson's injury 52:50 Is Kane Williamson NZ's GOAT? 59:55 Dane Piedt and David Bedingham shine for South Africa 1.02:05 Australia win the first T20i against the Black Caps 1.04:25 Tim David's heroics 1.06:20 Black Caps to watch in games 2 and 3 1.09:05 Annabel Sutherland shines in Australia's big Test win against South Africa 1.13:00 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 10, 2024

In this episode of the show, Baldy, Stu and Binksy discuss the recent Test matches between India and England, and New Zealand against South Africa. India levelled the series, and the pitches so far have made for two excellent Tests - but why are England proving such a tough opponent for the home side and their star-studded spinners? There's plenty of chat about England's approach, the young spin trio of Rehan Ahmed, Tom Hartley and Shoaib Bashir, Yashasvi Jaiswal's double hundred, Shubman Gill performing under pressure, Ben Foakes' wicket-keeping and of course the brilliance of Jasprit Bumrah. As we move to New Zealand shores, there's praise for the likes of Rachin Ravindra, Kane Williamson and Mitchell Santner, but is there anything to be learned from a series against a clearly under-strength South African side? And should the points even count towards the World Test Championship? We also gaze ahead to the next Tests in both series, with Daryl Mitchell looking at an extended absence for the Black Caps, plus Mohammed Siraj, KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja likely to return for India. We'll be back again next week with more news and views, but until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 30, 2024

In this episode of the show, Binksy and Baldy look back at 2 epic test matches. Starting at The Gabba we discuss Shamar Joseph’s heroics in an historic win for the West Indies, which brought both Baldy and Brian Lara to tears but for different reasons. We then crossover to Hyderabad to review an amazing 1st test between India and England, which saw England’s debut spinner Tom Hartley go from zero to hero with his 1st ball disappearing for 6 off the bat of Yashasvi Jaiswal but his final ball winning the game and seeing him finish with figures of 7-62. We also discuss selection permutations for the 2nd Test. Who will replace KL Rahul and Ravi Jadeja and will England hand a debut to Shoaib Bashir to replace the injured Jack Leach? Will we also see a return for Jimmy Anderson and when will Virat Kohli be back? Finally, in true Top Order Podcast fashion, we make our predictions for the 2nd Test, which will be out of date at the hint of a tweaked hamstring. We'll be back again next week with more news and views, but until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for watching 0:00 Intro 5:14 How big is the hole that David Warner leaves? 10:30 Introducing Shamar Joseph 17:07 Are Aussie carrying Cam Green? 21:00 India V England 24:00 Were Abu Dhabi preparations vindicated? 29:25 Should India have batted England out of the game in 1st Innings? 30:52 Tom, Jack, Joe and Rehan, England's spin quartet 39:20 India changes for 2nd test? 43:40 England changes for 2nd test? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 24, 2024

In this episode of the show, Stu and Baldy journey from Hyderabad to Adelaide and East London before we return to Aotearoa New Zealand while we review the week that was and look ahead to a full schedule of Test cricket just around the corner. We start the show with the recent news from the India v England series, which has seen the withdrawal of both Virat Kohli and Harry Brook from at least the first two Tests, and the visa concerns for Shoaib Bashir, which may well have cost him a Test debut. We also discuss reports suggesting England might line up at Hyderabad with Mark Wood as the only seamer in the side. It's off to Australia after that, to discuss the home side's victory in the first Test against the West Indies. We saw runs for Travis Head, wickets for Josh Hazlewood and a comprehensive win for Australia, but it was a West Indian debutant, Shamar Joseph, who earned at least some of the limelight after his performance in Adelaide. There's also a nod to Jake Fraser-McGurk's selection for the upcoming ODIs, plus praise for Josh Brown and his exploits for the Brisbane Heat in the BBL. After a quick detour to South Africa to talk about Matt Rowe, Mankads and the under-19 World Cup, we return to New Zealand to talk through selection options for the Black Caps as they prepare for the Proteas' Test tour. How much does South Africa's squad diminish the interest levels? Who should keep wicket for New Zealand if Tom Blundell isn't fit for the first Test? Should the Black Caps also give opportunities to fringe players? Is Devon Conway human after all? And is this a big series for Neil Wagner? We'll be back again next week with more news and views, including recaps of the India v England and Australia v West Indies Tests, but until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Finn Allen, Sophie Devine and Rachin Ravindra, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 22, 2024

In this episode of the show, Binksy, Stu and Baldy look ahead to the five-test series between India and England, which starts on 25 Jan and takes us right through to March. We open the show by discussing how much has changed since the previous series between these two sides in India in 2021, when a struggling England side won the first Test convincingly, before the hosts bounced back in a big way to secure the Anthony de Mello Trophy. We analyse the squads and the biggest selection questions - Bairstow or Foakes? Bharat or KL Rahul? - plus outline the key battles that could determine the series. Can Joe Root improve his already impressive numbers in India? Will Axar Patel destroy England once again? How will Rohit Sharma react to Bazball? [Note: This was recorded before the news broke that Harry Brook and Virat Kohli would miss at least part of the series for personal reasons] Finally, in true Top Order Podcast fashion, we make our predictions for the series result and individual performances. We'll be back again next week with more news and views, but until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 20, 2024

In this episode, Baldy, Binksy and Stu look back at the week that was, including the T20 action between the Black Caps and Pakistan, and India v Afghanistan. They also share their thoughts on Day 1 of the Australia v West Indies Test match, which saw the first glimpse of Steve Smith as an opener. After three games of the T20 series between New Zealand and Pakistan, the Black Caps have already secured the silverware, thanks in large part to consecutive displays of batting carnage from Finn Allen. We discuss the enormous sixes, his game-changing potential and whether this run of consistent performances can be the start of a breakthrough year. We also chat about New Zealand's fast bowling stocks, after impressive performances from Adam Milne and Ben Sears alongside Tim Southee, plus the injury to Kane Williamson and the criticism directed towards Babar Azam despite three consecutive 50s. To round out this short episode, Stu admits his Shivam Dube error, Baldy gets angry about Australia despite a dominant first day against the West Indies and we get our first look as Steve Smith the opener. We'll be back again in a few days with an extended preview of the India v England Test series, but until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 11, 2024

In this episode of the show, Baldy, Binksy and Stu look back at the Australia v Pakistan Test series, as well as the Black Caps white ball squad to face Pakistan with one eye on the T20 World Cup later in the year. David Warner's long farewell to Test cricket came to a conclusion with at least some parts of the fairytale playing out as scripted at the SCG, but what now? Baldy's fired up about the decision to move Steve Smith to the top of the order and the omission of Cameron Bancroft, but aren't we headed for another Test series sweep as the West Indies begin their Australian tour? There's praise for Aamer Jamal, Shan Masood and the Australian pace trio of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, plus we try to unpack why the Aussies are so dominant on home soil. As we return to New Zealand, we discuss the Black Caps' T20 squad to face Pakistan, which has a much more experienced look to it than the recent series against Bangladesh. Will that lead to more convincing performances on the field? And what questions are still to be answered in the coming months as Gary Stead and the selectors look ahead to the T20 World Cup in June? There's mentions for Super Smash standouts like Nathan Smith and Tim Robinson, discussion about where Finn Allen and Rachin Ravindra currently fit in the Black Caps' T20 plans, plus Binksy's food and beverage recommendations for Eden Park. We'll be back again next week with more news and views, as well as a preview of the England v India Test series, but until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with the likes of Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Andre Adams, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 6, 2024

In this episode of the show, Baldy and Stu get together for an unscheduled review of the South Africa v India Test series, which featured five days of fascinating cricket despite the short finishes and the 1-1 scoreline. Ball dominated bat throughout the two Tests, and pitches have stolen the limelight after the series ended with India winning the shortest Test of all time, but we also saw hundreds from Dean Elgar, Aiden Markram and KL Rahul, seam bowling at its very best from the likes of Jasprit Bumrah and Kagiso Rabada, brilliant crowds, impressive debuts from Nandre Burger and David Bedingham, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in challenging conditions, 55 all out, and 6 wickets for the loss of 0 runs, followed by a piece of commentary from Ravi Shastri that will live long in the memory. We do eventually discuss the pitches and why they proved so difficult, particularly the surface at Newlands, plus South Africa's Test side to tour New Zealand, whether it is signals the death of Test cricket and a whole lot more in this extended conversation. We'll be back again in a few days' time with more news and views, focusing on the Australia v Pakistan series and the New Zealand summer, but until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 1, 2024

Happy New Year everyone! Hope you all enjoyed some rest at the end of 2023 and are now looking ahead to what 2024 might bring. From a cricketing point of view, the calendar looks very full with plenty of intriguing series and tournaments to look forward to. In this episode of the show, we discuss the series, players and tournaments we're most excited about in 2024, including: The Black Caps' home summer, which features Tests against South Africa and Australia. The England Test tour to India, possibly the biggest challenge yet for the Bazball era. The T20 World Cup and Australia's quest to hold the major men's ICC trophy in three different formats. The impact of the USA co-hosting the T20 World Cup and the 20-team format. What the year might hold for Glenn Phillips, for Jimmy Anderson, for Cameron Green and many others! We'll likely be back to our regular This Week in Cricket shows from next week, with news and views on topics such as David Warner's Test farewell, the India v South Africa series and the New Zealand home summer, but until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 25, 2023

Happy Holidays! It is the festive season - a time to reflect on the year gone by, so we did exactly that in this review of the 2023 calendar year. We discussed our highlights, such as: Australia's world title success for both the men's and women's sides The men's ODI World Cup as a whole The double Ashes Controversies involving Angelo Mathews, Alex Carey and the Long Room Along with some individuals who stood out for their impressive performances and achievements during the year: Daryl Mitchell Nat Sciver-Brunt Travis Head Stuart Broad And many more! We'll be back again next week with a preview of 2024, focusing on some of the things we're most looking forward to for the year ahead, but until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Tim Southee, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 21, 2023

The IPL doesn't start until the end of March, but the news cycle has already begun with huge trades and big paydays for some at the 2024 mini auction. In this episode of the show, we take a look at the auction night activity of all 10 teams, including: Record-breaking fees for Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins. Sunrisers loading up on overseas players, adding Hasaranga and Travis Head to Cummins and their already impressive lineup of stars. The Chennai Super Kings transformation to CSK New Zealand as Daryl Mitchell and Rachin Ravindra join Mitchell Santner and Devon Conway under the leadership of Stephen Fleming and MS Dhoni. Mumbai Indians grabbing two young stars of the World Cup in Gerald Coetzee and Dilshan Madushanka - but is everything okay in the camp after the Hardik Pandya trade? Other key trades, involving Cameron Green, Avesh Khan and Devdutt Padikkal. Rishabh Pant's potential return for Delhi. And much more! We'll be back again next week with a review of the 2023 cricket year, but until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Finn Allen, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 13, 2023

In this episode of the show, Binksy, Baldy and Stu look back at the week that was, including the Black Caps' Test victory against Bangladesh, the build up to the Australia v Pakistan series, England Cricket news and other bits and pieces that caught our attention. We start by discussing Glenn Phillips and his heroics at Mirpur, which saw New Zealand pick up their first points of this World Test Championship campaign in challenging conditions. There's praise for his approach, his partnership with Mitchell Santner and a conversation about what this performance might mean for his next 12 months across all formats. Eventually the conversation turns to the pitch, and the contrasting comments made by Tim Southee and Najmul Hossain Shanto. Was it fun to watch? Or was it the worst pitch ever? Or was it fun to watch because it was the worst pitch ever? There are also mentions for Ajaz Patel, a nod to conversations about where this win ranks alongside other wins for the Black Caps in Tests away from home, and some excitement towards the end of the episode about a potential ODI debut for Will O'Rourke as the two sides shift countries and formats to do it all again in a matter of days. Our next stop on this cricketing journey is Australia, where pitches have been in the spotlight as well in Geelong and at the Manuka Oval. We talk about who might replace David Warner for Australia when he finally does sail off into the sunset (in Tests at least) and whether there's any chance Pakistan can make this upcoming series a competitive one. England's white-ball squad are in the West Indies, but Binksy was excited to discuss the recently announced Test squad to tour India, which features two uncapped spinners in Tom Bartley and Shoaib Bashir. There's also brief mentions of the BBL, a Jofra Archer sighting, the upcoming India v South Africa Test series and more as we bounce around a wide range of topics. We'll be back again next week with more news and views, but until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 6, 2023

In this episode of the show, Raj, Stu and Binksy discuss Bangladesh's win in the first Test against the Black Caps, the India v Australia T20 series, the first West Indies v England ODI, Mitchell Johnson's war of words, a rough week for the White Ferns, Rahul Dravid's extension and even a little bit of Ford Trophy news as we look back at the week that was. The first half of the show is focused on the Black Caps, after they made a disappointing start to their World Test Championship campaign at the hands of Bangladesh, who spun their way to victory thanks to a 10-wicket haul for Taijul Islam and an impressive century from captain Shanto. We discuss expectations for this New Zealand side, where they are as a Test team right now, the role that spin played in the outcome of the match, player development and team selection, including the Rachin Ravindra v Henry Nicholls conversation that has been a big talking point over the past week. We also give praise to Kane Williamson for his first-innings century and the bright red cherries all over the middle of his bat. From there we bounce around a few of the bilateral white-ball series across the world to talk about: Quick-fire hundreds from Ruturaj Gaikwad and Glenn Maxwell in the 3rd T20 between Australia and India. A Shai Hope century in the West Indies. Separate coaches for different formats - do the early returns suggest it is working? Rahul Dravid's extension Pakistan's T20 wins against the White Ferns. We also touch on Mitchell Johnson's comments about David Warner, a big hundred from Finn Allen and much more in this wide-ranging conversation. We'll be back again next week with more news and views, but until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Tim Southee, Sophie Devine and Ajaz Patel, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 28, 2023

The World Cup is over but the cricket rolls on and we're back to review the week that was and look forward to what's to come. In this episode of the show, we discuss the India v Australia T20 series, in which we've seen Steve Smith at the top of the order, Rinku Singh making a big impact from a small number of deliveries and the talent of Yashasvi Jaiswal on full display. The IPL is fast becoming a year-round enterprise, and the most recent news has been all about retentions, releases and trades, with Cameron Green and Hardik Pandya on the move before the auction on December 19. By the time you're listening to or watching this episode, the first Test between the Black Caps and Bangladesh will be well underway, but Binksy, Stu and Raj took a wider look at the New Zealand draw for the World Test Championship cycle to talk through realistic goals and where the team needs to evolve over the next few years. We finish the show with a whizz around a number of different topics, including Babar Azam stepping down from the Pakistan captaincy, Uganda's big win at the African T20 qualifiers, the stop clock, Georgia Plimmer's hundred and the eye-catching nature of every Zak Foulkes highlight. We'll be back again next week with more news and views, but until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 24, 2023

The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 is over, with Australia securing their sixth title, beating a fantastic Indian side in the final. In this episode of the show, we bounce around a range of topics to review the tournament as a whole, including: Was this Australia's most unexpected white-ball title? How will this win change Pat Cummins' legacy? What does the future hold in white-ball cricket for the likes of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli? Is the 10-team round robin the best format for an ODI World Cup? Is ODI cricket broken? What changes would we make? We also discuss our individual highlights from the World Cup, and attempt to pick a tournament team that includes at least one player from each squad, which inevitably leads to further discussion about the performance of each country against the expectations we had prior to the tournament. We'll be back again next with more news and views as the cricket calendar rolls on, but until then please also take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 19, 2023

After 45 pool games and two semi-finals, the Big Dance is finally here: Australia, India, Ahmedabad, 130,000 people in the crowd and more than a billion watching from afar. In this episode of the show, Baldy, Raj and Stu look review the final, discussing the key players and moments. We talk the toss, the powerplays, Pat Cummins as a bowler and a captain, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Travis Head's catch and his innings, Marnus Labuschagne's tournament and the hurt the Indian players and fans must be feeling after what has been a brilliant World Cup up until this point. But of course, the spoils go to the victors, so there's plenty of praise for Australia and the way they built into this tournament after a difficult start, and produced their best performance when it mattered most. We'll be back again in a few days' time to look back at the tournament as a whole and shine a light on some of our favourite moments. Until then, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 18, 2023

After 45 pool games and two semi-finals, the Big Dance is finally here: Australia, India, Ahmedabad, 130,000 people in the crowd and more than a billion watching from afar. In this episode of the show, Baldy, Binksy and Stu look ahead to the final, discussing the key players and match ups, each side's path through the tournament and predict how the game will be won. Rohit Sharma v Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood Australia's middle order v Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja Adam Zampa v Virat Kohli David Warner & Travis Head v India's fiery pace trio Plus the pitch, the crowd, the joys of a knockout game and plenty more! We'll be back again after the final to review the game and crown the champions. Until then, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 16, 2023

The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 is here, and the Top Order Podcast has you covered with regular game reviews and recaps. In this episode of the show, we discuss the second semi-final between Australia and South Africa. After a tournament filled with huge scores and sixes raining down from the sky, we were transported back to 1999 for a low-scoring thriller which saw Australia move into the final after a 3-wicket win. Baldy, Raj and Stu discuss the key moments and performances: The opening spell from Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood A fightback partnership from Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller The initial attack from David Warner and Travis Head The nervy finish as South Africa's spinners and Gerald Coetzee kept taking wickets. We also discuss South Africa's tournament as a whole, praise Australia's pathway to the final after being written off after two games, and plenty more in this penultimate daily review. We'll be back again later in the week to look ahead to the final, and then to review the big dance between India and Australia at Ahmedabad on Sunday, but until then please also take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 15, 2023

The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 is here, and the Top Order Podcast has you covered with regular game reviews and recaps. In this episode of the show, we discuss the first semi-final, between India and the Black Caps. The hours before the game were filled with social media controversy about the pitch, but out in the middle it was a run-fest as India piled on nearly 400 at the Wankhede. From Rohit’s fast start to fantastic innings from Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer that will be overshadowed by Virat Kohli’s 50th ODI century, it was a brilliant display of batting from the home side. Was there anything the Black Caps could have done to slow down India? But even with that mammoth score, New Zealand’s chase gave India a scare thanks to a Daryl Mitchell and Kane Williamson partnership that put them in within striking distance before Mohammad Shami put an end to that with a remarkable 7 wicket haul that sent India to the final. We'll be back again tomorrow to review the second semifinal between Australia and South Africa, but until then please also take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 13, 2023

After 39 days of pool play, the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 has reached the business end of the tournament, which means there was time for all of us to get together in-person to look ahead to the semi-finals. It was great fun to be back in the same room together, with plenty of laughs alongside reflections about the tournament as a whole and where these two big games will be won. How do you beat this Indian side? Can New Zealand's top 4 of Rachin Ravindra, Devon Conway, Kane Williamson and Daryl Mitchell put pressure on this incredible Indian bowling attack? Will the Black Caps look to target Kuldeep Yadav? Mohammed Siraj? Who will win the battle between Trent Boult and Tim Southee and Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli? Are Australia peaking at the right time? Will South Africa's powerful batting lineup, featuring the likes of Heinrich Klaasen and Quinton de Kock, continue to dominate this Australian bowling lineup? Do Australia have a powerplay problem? Is there room for Marnus Labuschagne? Can South Africa overcome their semi-final hoodoo and bury the ghosts of 1999? Is the semi-final format fair? And much, much more! We'll be back again on Thursday and Friday mornings (NZ time), to review both semi-finals, but until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 12, 2023

The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 is here, and the Top Order Podcast has you covered with regular game reviews and recaps. In this episode of the show, we discuss the final match of the pool play, between India and the Netherlands. A flat wicket and a dominant Indian batting performance saw the final match of the pool play become a run-fest as first Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill, then Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul all enjoyed their time at the crease in Bengaluru. Raj and Stu discuss sixes onto the roof, Teja Nidamanuru's day out, India's sixth bowler, the Netherlands campaign and India sweeping the pool play with impressive performance after impressive performance over the past 5-6 weeks. We'll be back again tomorrow with our preview of the semi-finals (India v New Zealand and Australia v South Africa), but until then please also take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 11, 2023

The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 is here, and the Top Order Podcast has you covered with regular game reviews and recaps. In this episode of the show, we discuss the Day 38 double header games between Australia v Bangladesh & England v Pakistan. In the early game, Bangladesh were sent in at Pune and reached 306-8, with contributions from young players Shanto, Tanzid and Hridoy, but in the end it wasn't nearly enough as Australia chased it down with plenty of time to spare thanks largely to a big daddy hundred from Mitchell Marsh. Binksy, Baldy and Stu also discuss Adam Zampa, some time in the middle for Steve Smith and what that means for Marnus Labuschagne. Millions of people all around New Zealand turned on the TV for the all-important toss between England and Pakistan, and cheers of joy erupted when Babar Azam called incorrectly and Jos Buttler chose to bat. As the celebrations eased, the game began and England reached 337-9 thanks to fifties from Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes and Joe Root, plus a late flurry from the lower order. David Willey struck early to remove both openers, Adil Rashid spun one through the gate and England sealed their spot in the Champions Trophy as Pakistan fell a long way short to end the match and their tournament. We'll be back again tomorrow with more news and views, but until then please also take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 10, 2023

The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 is here, and the Top Order Podcast has you covered with regular game reviews and recaps. In this episode of the show, we discuss the Day 37 match between Afghanistan and South Africa. Both teams have now completed their group stage, and it's probably fair to say that both nations have exceeded their expectations thus far. South Africa were pretty clinical in their victory, but a niggling injury to captain Temba Bavuma could spell trouble ahead of their 1999 semi-final rematch with Australia. Raj and Baldy break down this game and preview both Australia x Bangladesh and England x Pakistan features tonight, including the all important toss in the England x Pakistan fixture that all New Zealand fans will be tuning in for. Breaking news then on the Top Order Podcast as the ICC announced that cricket in Sri Lanka is suspended... We'll be back again tomorrow with more news and views, but until then please also take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 9, 2023

The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 is here, and the Top Order Podcast has you covered with regular game reviews and recaps. In this episode of the show, we discuss the Day 36 match between the Black Caps and Sri Lanka. With the threat of rain in the forecast, Stu was delighted when Kane Williamson won the toss and sent Sri Lanka in to bat. From there, things went pretty much to script for the Black Caps (aside from a few wickets towards the end of their chase), with early wickets to Trent Boult and another Mitchell Santner masterclass highlighting the bowling effort. Baldy and Stu discuss the positives and the areas still to tidy up for New Zealand, plus all the permutations for Pakistan and Afghanistan as their task to pass the Black Caps to secure a semi-final spot became much tougher after this result. We'll be back again tomorrow with more news and views, but until then please also take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 8, 2023

The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 is here, and the Top Order Podcast has you covered with regular game reviews and recaps. In this episode of the show, we discuss the Day 35 match between England and the Netherlands. To say the English campaign hasn't gone to plan is a bit of an understatement. And batting first at 192-6, many fans might have felt another disappointing result was on the way. Enter Ben Stokes and Chris Woakes, who combined for a 129-run partnership to propel their side to 339-9 - a score that would ultimately prove too big for the Netherlands to chase. Binksy and Stu talk through the key performances of the game, more unforced errors for the Netherlands, Champions Trophy qualification and what might be next for England's white ball setup. We'll be back again tomorrow with more news and views, but until then please also take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 7, 2023

The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 is here, and the Top Order Podcast has you covered with regular game reviews and recaps. In this episode of the show, we discuss the Day 34 match between Australia and Afghanistan. Glenn Maxwell is remarkable! 201* out of a total of 293, taking Australia from 91-7 to an incredible win. Baldy and Stu break down the key moments, giving praise to Ibrahim Zadran and Pat Cummins, but really just waxing lyrical about a performance from The Big Show that may well be the greatest ODI innings of all time. We'll be back again tomorrow with more news and views, but until then please also take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 6, 2023

The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 is here, and the Top Order Podcast has you covered with regular game reviews and recaps. In this episode of the show, we discuss the Day 33 match between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Charith Asalanka scored 100 for Sri Lanka as they posted 279 batting first, but that proved not enough as impressive contributions from Najmul Shanto and Shakib al Hasan saw Bangladesh home. The game also included another major talking point, when Angelo Mathews was timed out. We'll be back again tomorrow with more news and views, but until then please also take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 5, 2023

The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 is here, and the Top Order Podcast has you covered with regular game reviews and recaps. In this episode of the show, we discuss the top of the table clash between India and South Africa. Two top sides, at Eden Gardens among a sea of blue shirts - this game had all the ingredients for an epic encounter. It didn't quite pan out that way, but for all the Indian fans who invited themselves to Virat Kohli's birthday bash it'll be a day they remember for a long time. We talk ODI records, dream deliveries, Rohit Sharma making statements, Ravindra Jadeja's all-round contributions and much more as we break down another dominant win for India. We'll be back again tomorrow with more news and views, but until then please also take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson and chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 4, 2023

The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 is here, and the Top Order Podcast has you covered with regular game reviews and recaps. In this episode of the show, we discuss the Day 31 double-header, featuring the Black Caps v Pakistan and England v Australia. The boys are a bit flat this morning after a remarkable game of cricket in Bengaluru, which saw New Zealand score 401-6 off their 50 overs but lose to Pakistan via DLS after they finished at 200-1 after 25.3 overs. We talk gut punches, Rachin Ravindra, Kane Williamson, Mohammad Wasim, Fakhar Zaman, selection and more as we try to unpack the result. In the second half of the show, Baldy breaks down an Australian performance that all but assures them of a semi-final spot. We discuss Marnus Labuschagne, Adam Zampa, Adil Rashid, Cameron Green, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Miller's match report for ESPN Cricinfo and much more, before a quick word on tonight's top of the table clash between India and South Africa. We'll be back again tomorrow with more news and views, but until then please also take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 3, 2023

The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 is here, and the Top Order Podcast has you covered with regular game reviews and recaps. In this episode of the show, we discuss the Day 30 match between Afghanistan and the Netherlands, which saw Afghanistan win their third consecutive game to keep their semi-final dreams alive. Baldy and Stu discuss the lack of close games throughout the tournament, unforced errors from the Netherlands and the unsung heroes of Afghanistan's campaign - Rahmat Shah and Hashmatullah Shahidi. There's also talk about the big weekend ahead, with New Zealand's game against Pakistan shaping up as a potential quarterfinal and the verbal jousting between Australia and England about to play out on the field. We'll be back again tomorrow with more news and views, but until then please also take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including our most recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 2, 2023

The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 is here, and the Top Order Podcast has you covered with regular game reviews and recaps. In this episode of the show, we discuss the Day 29 match between India and Sri Lanka. India have been in top form so far in this tournament, cementing themselves as title favourites. Could Sri Lanka do anything to halt the home side’s momentum? Or would we see a repeat of the one-sided Asia Cup final? As it turns out it was deja vu all over again as India piled up another massive score, then routed Sri Lanka for 55. Even in this one-sided content there were some highlights for Sri Lanka as Dilshan Madushanka picked up his maiden five-for, dismissing Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer and Suryakumar Yadav. But was that enough to win him the coveted CricInfo MVP award? The plaudits keep coming for Mohammad Shami, but Raj, Baldy, and Binksy cannot agree on the best bowler for India. At any rate, can anyone beat India come knockout games? Finally, Raj and Baldy put their proverbial supporter hats on and don the stethoscopes as we look at the rising injury toll for Australia and New Zealand and what impact that might have on the balance of both sides for their respective games at the weekend... We'll be back again tomorrow with more news and views, but until then please also take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 1, 2023

The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 is here, and the Top Order Podcast has you covered with regular game reviews and recaps. In this episode of the show, we discuss the Day 28 match between South Africa and the Black Caps. The game started well for New Zealand when Tom Latham won the toss and Trent Boult picked up an early wicket, but from then on South Africa took charge thanks to a 200-run partnership between Quinton de Kock and Rassie van der Dussen. New Zealand's run chase against Australia had commentators and fans holding out hope they could do it again, but Marco Jansen dismissed Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra inside the first 10 overs and wickets continued to tumble as the Black Caps limped to a heavy defeat. Stu and Baldy talk tosses, sixes, run rates, injuries and the outlook for both sides in the run home to the semi-finals. We'll be back again tomorrow with more news and views, but until then please also take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 31, 2023

The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 is here, and the Top Order Podcast has you covered with regular game reviews and recaps. In this episode of the show, we discuss the Day 27 match between Pakistan and Bangladesh. It was a must-win game for both teams, but the result seemed decided within a few overs of the match, with Shaheen Shah Afridi knocking the top off the Bangladesh order. We discuss what that means for Pakistan's semi-final chances, and what they still need to improve to click into top gear. Raj and Stu also look ahead to a big game for the Black Caps as they prepare to take on South Africa after back to back losses and with the injury concerns starting to pile up. We'll be back again tomorrow with more news and views, but until then please also take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 30, 2023

The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 is here, and the Top Order Podcast has you covered with regular game reviews and recaps. In this episode of the show, we discuss the Day 26 match between Afghanistan and Sri Lanka, which saw Afghanistan keep their semi-final hopes alive with an all-round bowling performance and fifties from Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi and Azmatullah Omarzai that ultimately led to a comfortable victory. Binksy, Baldy and Stu discuss all that plus wrong-uns through the gate, what's next at this World Cup, Champions Trophy qualification and also try to make sense of England's struggles so far. We'll be back again tomorrow with more news and views, but until then please also take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including our latest conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 29, 2023

The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 is here, and the Top Order Podcast has you covered with regular game reviews and recaps. In this episode of the show, we discuss the Day 25 match between India and England. The home side are unbeaten, with Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and co looking unstoppable so far in this tournament, but they face an England squad who came to India as one of the tournament favourites. England began like it's 2019 and for a while there Willey and Woakes had England fans believing they'd found the fun again. But all that is old is new again for Indian captain Rohit Sharma who put away the swashbuckling starts he's been treating us with to steer his side to 229. A total that proved just too much for England to compete with. In the second half it was all praise for Japsrit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami - two excellent spells left England with too big a mountain to climb. We'll be back again tomorrow with more news and views, but until then please also take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 28, 2023

The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 is here, and the Top Order Podcast has you covered with regular game reviews and recaps. In this episode of the show, we discuss the Day 24 double header featuring Australia against the Black Caps and Bangladesh v the Netherlands. Clashes between Australia and New Zealand at the Cricket World Cup never disappoint and this was no exception. 771 runs, only 5 the difference at the end of the game, and so many turning points to talk about. It wasn't a perfect performance from either side, but flaws make for great heroes. From Rachin Ravindra to David Warner, from Travis Head to Darryl Mitchell, and Glenn Maxwell to Jimmy Neesham, it was mostly batting that won praise from Baldy and Raj in this recap. But who can forget the great spell from Glenn Phillips! Good things happen in threes folks - tune in tomorrow for what could be a hattrick of great encounters following England and India... We'll be back again tomorrow with more news and views, but until then please also take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including our most recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 27, 2023

The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 is here, and the Top Order Podcast has you covered with regular game reviews and recaps. In this episode of the show, we discuss the Day 23 match between Pakistan and South Africa. The Proteas batting lineup has been on fire, particularly Quinton de Kock and Heinrich Klaasen, whereas Pakistan come into this game fighting for their tournament lives after recent disappointing results. Could they turn things around? Or would South Africa continue their march towards the finals? We'll be back again tomorrow with more news and views, but until then please also take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including our most recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 26, 2023

The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 is here, and the Top Order Podcast has you covered with regular game reviews and recaps. In this episode of the show, we discuss the Day 22 match between England and Sri Lanka. Both sides have performed well below their own expectations so far in the tournament - a must-win game for England and Sri Lanka in order to keep their semi-final chances alive. Who would seize the opportunity? Sadly for Binksy, not England. Three changes to reinstate the all-rounders missing from the last up defeat did nothing to resurrect the campaign of the defending champions. England were in the game in fits and starts, but it was Sri Lanka that took home the chocolates and welcomed the evergreen Angelo Mathews back to ODI cricket. Both sides still have plenty of work to do, and for England a lot relies on Joe Root, Chris Woakes, Dawid Malan and Jos Buttler finding some form. Binksy and Baldy turn their eye to the weekend and another exciting fixture list that could sort the wheat from the chaff in terms of the teams vying for semi-final spots. But the question remains - can anyone catch Virat, Rohit, Jasprit and this Indian side? We'll be back again tomorrow with more news and views, but until then please also take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including our most recent conversation with Mike Hesson, and chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 25, 2023

The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 is here, and the Top Order Podcast has you covered with regular game reviews and recaps. In this episode of the show, we discuss the Day 21 match between Australia and the Netherlands. The Netherlands have equipped themselves well in this tournament so far, but it was all about Australia today as they improved their chances no end with a record-breaking performance led by the fastest century ever in a men's World Cup by Glenn Maxwell and a second consecutive hundred from David Warner. There was also runs for Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne, while Adam Zampa's slight dip in form seems to be over as he cleaned up the tail to bring Australia home. Baldy, Binksy and Stu broke down all that and more, including an exciting few days ahead for the tournament. We'll be back again tomorrow with more news and views, but until then please also take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including our most recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 24, 2023

The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 is here, and the Top Order Podcast has you covered with regular game reviews and recaps. In this episode of the show, we discuss the match between South Africa and Bangladesh, which saw the Proteas post another massive score as they moved to second on the table. Bangladesh took two early wickets, but from then on it was the Quinton de Kock show, with great support from Aiden Markram followed by another destructive innings from Heinrich Klaasen. Mahmudullah fought hard, but the game was over long before it was officially over - and that all but ends any hope Bangladesh had of making the semi-finals. Is Raj convinced South Africa are the real deal now? Is Heinrich Klaasen the greatest finisher of all time? Why is Quinton de Kock retiring from ODIs after this World Cup? All that and plenty more is right here for your listening pleasure. We'll be back again tomorrow with more news and views, but until then please also take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including our recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 23, 2023

The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 is here, and the Top Order Podcast has you covered with regular game reviews and recaps. We're no longer calling them upsets... Afghanistan were brilliant again overnight, defeating Pakistan for the first time and recording their second win in three matches. Afghanistan took full toll as their four spinners (yes, that's not a misprint) in Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmed, Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi contained Pakistan to 282/7. Pakistan might be guilty of not remembering their homework as Afghanistan got off to another flying start, before bringing home a very professional run-chase that has Pakistan's World Cup aspirations teetering. From missing homework to England suddenly having hope again, Baldy and Binksy dissect another magnificent win for Afghanistan and the implications for the back half of the tournament. We'll be back again tomorrow with more news and views, but until then please also take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including our most recent chat with Mike Hesson, and conversations with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 22, 2023

The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 is here, and the Top Order Podcast has you covered with regular game reviews and recaps. In this episode of the show, we discuss the 21st match of the tournament, between the only two previously unbeaten sides - India and the Black Caps. The game was missing Kane Williamson and Hardik Pandya, but there were still plenty of stars on show in this top of the table clash, which saw India take the early advantage before a superb partnership between Rachin Ravindra and Daryl Mitchell gave New Zealand the perfect platform to launch. Enter Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah and co., who fought back brilliantly to restrict the Black Caps to 274. When India walked to the crease, it was Rohit Sharma who set the tone for everyone to follow, and although New Zealand continued to pick up wickets, another Virat Kohli special and an important contribution from Ravindra Jadeja saw them home with two overs to spare. We'll be back again tomorrow with more news and views, but until then please also take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including our most recent chat with Mike Hesson, and conversations with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 21, 2023

The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 is here, and the Top Order Podcast has you covered with regular game reviews and recaps. In this episode of the show, we discuss the Day 17 double-header, featuring matches between The Netherlands and Sri Lanka plus England v South Africa. Sri Lanka made inroads in the early game, but an impressive partnership between Sybrand Engelbrecht and Logan van Beek gave the Netherlands a fighting chance - would it be enough to secure another win? There were changes galore in the second game of the day, with Temba Bavuma ruled out for South Africa and Ben Stokes, David Willey and Gus Atkinson returning to the English lineup as they searched for a change in fortunes in what shaped as a crucial fixture for both teams in the race to the semi-finals. We'll be back again tomorrow with more news and views, but until then please also take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including our most recent chat with Mike Hesson, along with conversations with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, plus Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 20, 2023

Note: Bit of a problem with Stu's audio for the final 5-6 minutes of the episode. Recording remotely is presenting a few challenges, but we'll get there in the end! The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 is here, and the Top Order Podcast has you covered with regular game reviews and recaps. In this episode of the show, we discuss the Day 16 match between Australia and Pakistan. David Warner and Mitchell Marsh set the platform for Australia with big hundreds after Warner was dropped early in his innings by Usama Mir, and the Aussies made 367 - but should it have been even more? Abdullah Shafique and Imam ul-Haq then did the same for Pakistan, combining for a century opening stand and it seemed like we were set for a classic run chase, but wickets fell too regularly and when Adam Zampa dismissed Babar Azam and then Iftikhar Ahmed, the total proved out of reach to give Australia a much needed win. We'll be back again tomorrow with more news and views, but until then please also take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 19, 2023

The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 is here, and the Top Order Podcast has you covered with regular game reviews and recaps. In this episode of the show, we discuss the match between India and Bangladesh. With Shakib al Hasan out injured, this match was always going to be tough for Bangladesh, but their openers made a great start to put India under pressure. Enter Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja, who took wickets and slowed the run rate as India took a firm grip on the game that they never released. Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill played their part, but Virat Kohli's unbeaten hundred guided India to another comfortable win. Do they have any weaknesses? Can anyone stop them in this World Cup? We'll be back again tomorrow with more news and views, but until then please also take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 18, 2023

The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 is here, and the Top Order Podcast has you covered with regular game reviews and recaps. In this episode of the show, we discuss the first game of the fourth round of matches, between the Black Caps and Afghanistan. After more than a few nervy moments, two big partnerships and some excellent out cricket saw New Zealand to another impressive win to make it 4 from 4 to open the tournament. Stu and Baldy discuss dropped catches, some great catches, spin-bowling dreams, the efforts of Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Tom Latham, Glenn Phillips and Mark Chapman with the bat, plus the two bowling attacks who both did an excellent job. We'll be back again tomorrow with more news and views, but until then please also take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 17, 2023

*Note Raj’s audio isn’t great in this episode, but given the daily nature of these shows, we’ve decided to release. Should be fixed for tomorrow’s episode! The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 is here, and the Top Order Podcast has you covered with regular game reviews and recaps. In this episode of the show, we discuss the Day 13 match between South Africa and the Netherlands. The Proteas made a brilliant start to the tournament, but the Netherlands knocked them out of the T20 World Cup in 2022 - could they pull off another upset? Yes, they can! In a case of Double Dutch Delight, The Netherlands pulled off another remarkable upset, made more remarkable by the dire straits they were in three-quarters of the way through their innings. Raj and Baldy were fulsome in their praise for the Netherlands, but had to put the hard question out there. Which South African side is 'real'? The tournament is well and truly wide open... We'll be back again tomorrow with more news and views, but until then please also take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 16, 2023

The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 is here, and the Top Order Podcast has you covered with regular game reviews and recaps. In this episode of the show, we discuss the Day 12 match between Australia and Sri Lanka. Two former champions, both winless in the tournament before this game, this was always going to be an important match for one team to get back on track. Australia, despite a few wobbles with ball and bat, did just that, with important contributions from the likes of Adam Zampa, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Marsh and Josh Inglis. We'll be back again tomorrow with more news and views, but until then please also take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including our recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 16, 2023

In this episode of the show we’re taking a brief detour away from our daily updates of the 2023 Cricket World Cup to speak with one of the best cricketing minds in the business. Mike Hesson took the Black Caps to their first ever World Cup final, their first ever number-one ranking in any format, and more recently guided RCB to three playoff spots in the past four seasons of the IPL. In this extended conversation, Stu talks with Mike about what goes into a World Cup campaign, how to balance development with winning and Rachin Ravindra's breakthrough innings. Mike also shares some memories from the 2015 World Cup, including that epic semi-final against South Africa, Brendon McCullum's impact at the top of the order and soaking in the atmosphere of the Black Caps' run to the final. To round out the conversation, Mike discusses the differences in team-building between the IPL and international cricket, what it was like to walk into the RCB dressing room with stars like Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers and the pressure that comes with that high-profile tournament. We'll be back again every day throughout this World Cup to review the previous day's games. If you've enjoyed this episode, please also take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into more of our guest episodes - including chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 15, 2023

The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 is here, and the Top Order Podcast has you covered with regular game reviews and recaps. In this episode of the show, we discuss the match between England and Afghanistan, which saw the first major upset of the tournament. Baldy and Stu discuss the contrasting performance of both sides - Rahmanullah Gurbaz's fearless approach, the skill of Mujeeb, Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi, struggles for Sam Curran and Chris Woakes, passive England and what it all means for the tournament as a whole. We'll be back later in the day to bring you an extended interview with former Black Caps and RCB coach Mike Hesson. Then tomorrow we'll be here again with more news and views from the Cricket World Cup. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 14, 2023

The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 is here, and the Top Order Podcast has you covered with regular game reviews and recaps. In this episode of the show, we discuss the blockbuster encounter between India and Pakistan at Ahmedabad. The stars were out, and so were the blue shirts in the crowd, but did the game live up to the hype? Raj and Baldy also discuss the news that Kane Williamson's thumb is fractured, which leaves him with another race against the clock to feature before the end of pool play. We'll be back again tomorrow with more news and views, but until then please also take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 13, 2023

The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 is here, and the Top Order Podcast has you covered with regular game reviews and recaps. In this episode of the show, we discuss the match between the Black Caps and Bangladesh in Chennai, which was played on a much different pitch than we expected. Lockie Ferguson bowled fast, Daryl Mitchell hit sixes and Kane Williamson did Kane Williamson things but left the field in pain once again. Raj and Stu discuss selection, New Zealand's excellent start to the tournament, cross their fingers for Kane and look ahead to the hype-fest that is India versus Pakistan. We'll be back again tomorrow with more news and views, but until then please also take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 12, 2023

The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 is here, and the Top Order Podcast has you covered with regular game reviews and recaps. In this episode of the show, we discuss the match in Lucknow between Australia and South Africa, which saw a second consecutive hundred to Quinton de Kock, an Aussie batting collapse, a Kagiso Rabada peach, a few dropped catches and some umpiring controversy for good measure. Stu and Baldy discuss whether we should hand South Africa the trophy now, if the sky is falling for Australia and briefly preview the Black Caps' next fixture against Bangladesh. We'll be back again tomorrow with more news and views, but until then please also take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 11, 2023

The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 is here, and the Top Order Podcast has you covered with regular game reviews and recaps. In this episode Binksy, Raj, and Baldy get together to break down India vs. Afghanistan, and preview the clash between Australian and South Africa. What can we take from the Indian performance? There certainly seems to be nothing that can stop India at the moment, but how much are they missing Shubman Gill? Afghanistan surprised a little with the bat, but was the decision to hold back Rashid a turning point in the match? Looking forward to Aus x SA Thursday night, it's a must-win game for both sides. The new surface at Lucknow might be a little bit of an unknown quantity, but who is best placed to exploit those conditions? Is it Klaasen, Miller, and the explosive South African batting, or can Cummins, Starc, and Hazlewood contain the Rainbow Nation? Baldy asks, what will we get from Zampa and Maxwell? We'll be back again tomorrow with more news and views, but until then please also take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 10, 2023

The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 is here, and the Top Order Podcast has you covered with regular game reviews and recaps. In this episode of the show, we discuss the day 6 double-header, featuring England v Bangladesh and Pakistan v Sri Lanka. In the early game, the dodgy Dharamasala outfield didn't stop England piling on the runs as a Dawid Malan hundred powered them to a big total and a commanding victory. Later in the day, we finally saw a close game (at least on the scorecard) as Pakistan achieved the highest successful run chase at a World Cup in a game that saw 4 hundreds scored - Kusal Mendis and Sadeera Samarawickrama for Sri Lanka, and Abdullah Shafique and Muhammad Rizwan for Pakistan. We'll be back again tomorrow with more news and views, but until then please also take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 9, 2023

The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 is here, and the Top Order Podcast has you covered with regular game reviews and recaps. In this episode of the show, we discuss the Day 5 match between the Black Caps and Netherlands, which saw New Zealand record a 99-run victory courtesy of an all-round batting effort led by 70 from Will Young and a 5-wicket haul for Mitchell Santner. We'll be back again tomorrow with more news and views, but until then please also take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 8, 2023

The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 is here, and the Top Order Podcast has you covered with regular game reviews and recaps. In this episode of the show, we discuss the match between India and Australia, which saw a win for the home side as Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav and Ravichandran Ashwin combined for 6 wickets and a big partnership from Virat Kohli and KL Rahul steadied the ship after an early wobble. We'll be back again tomorrow with more news and views, but until then please also take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 7, 2023

The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 is here, and the Top Order Podcast has you covered with regular game reviews and recaps. In this episode of the show, we discuss the a day of contrasts that saw Bangladesh take on Afghanistan and South Africa against Sri Lanka. In game one, Shakib al Hasan and Mehidy Hasan Miraz combined for 6 wickets as Bangladesh restricted Afghanistan to 156 all out. The second match saw 754 runs across both innings, as hundreds to Quinton de Kock, Rassie van der Dussen and Aiden Markram - his 49-ball effort breaking a men's World Cup record - helped South Africa to a record-breaking, and match-winning 428-5. We'll be back again tomorrow with more news and views, but until then please also take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 6, 2023

The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 is here, and the Top Order Podcast has you covered with regular game reviews and recaps. In this episode of the show, we discuss the second match of the tournament, between Pakistan and the Netherlands, in which a somewhat scratchy Pakistan found contributions from the likes of Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan and Haris Rauf to help them secure a win despite an impressive all-round performance from Bas de Leede. We'll be back again tomorrow with more news and views, but until then please also take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 5, 2023

The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 is here, and the Top Order Podcast has you covered with regular game reviews and recaps. In this episode of the show, we discuss the opening match of the tournament, between England and the Black Caps, in which a sublime partnership between Rachin Ravindra and Devon Conway secured a dominant victory for New Zealand. We'll be back again tomorrow with more news and views, but until then please also take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 22, 2023

The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup is almost here, and what better way to celebrate than a two-part bonanza of cricket content. In this first episode, we take a close look at the four sides that we feel most aligned with - India, Australia, England and the Black Caps. For each team, we discuss: Why will things go well? What are the potential weaknesses? Key players? Any injury concerns? Potential best XI? There's chat about Jasprit Bumrah's swing, Mitchell Marsh's hot form, Joe Root's form dip and why New Zealand always make the semi-finals, even when it seems like they aren't one of the best four squads. The second part of this preview covers the other six teams, plus booms/busts and our predictions, so check that out as well for the full preview experience. During the tournament, we're planning to provide regular game reviews, so let us know on our socials or in the comments section on YouTube what you'd most like to see from us during the World Cup. Please also take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can dip back into our guest episodes - including chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Finn Allen, Sophie Devine and Matt Henry, coaches such as Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 22, 2023

The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup is almost here, and what better way to celebrate than a two-part bonanza of cricket content. We recommend you listen to part 1 first, but in this second episode, we take a look at South Africa, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and the Netherlands, before looking at tournament booms and busts and our predictions. For each team, we discuss: Why will things go well? What are the potential weaknesses? Key players? Any injury concerns? Potential best XI? We ponder whether South Africa are good or not, how much the Naseem Shah injury could hurt Pakistan's chances, delight over the host of spin options for Sri Lanka and Afghanistan in particular, highlight why the Netherlands should be every Kiwi's second-favourite team and debate whether Shakib al Hasan can lead Bangladesh to an unexpected semi-final berth. To round out the preview, we make our predictions for the semi-finalists, finalists and tournament winner, plus the player of the tournament. Bring on the games! During the tournament, we're planning to provide regular game reviews, so let us know on our socials or in the comments section on YouTube what you'd most like to see from us during the World Cup. Please also take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can dip back into our guest episodes - including chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Finn Allen, Sophie Devine and Matt Henry, coaches such as Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. In the meantime, if you haven't already, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including our recent conversation with Kristy Havill previewing the Women's World Cup, plus chats with Wasim Khan, Ken Rutherford, Mike Hussey, Matt Henry, Katey Martin, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. You can also hear our memories of Shane Warne in our latest Hall of Fame episode. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 13, 2023

On this episode of the show, we've got one eye on the ICC Men's World Cup as we discuss England v New Zealand, Australia v South Africa and the Pakistan v India Cup. The Black Caps named their World Cup squad this week, with spots for Will Young, Mark Chapman and Jimmy Neesham, but Finn Allen and Adam Milne miss out. Did they get the balance right? Through the lens of the current ODI series against England, we also take a deeper dive into the squad and how they might line up at the tournament: Who are the key players in the batting lineup and why is it Devon Conway and Daryl Mitchell? How will four seamers fit into three spots? Trent Boult is awesome On the England side, questions still remain about Harry Brook and whether he's doing enough to force his way into the squad. Liam Livingstone is putting his hand up, though, as is Gus Atkinson, who is shining among a number of England seamers all fighting for game time. Over in South Africa, the Australians continue to outplay the home side - even ones who weren't initially named in the starting XI. We debate whether Marnus Labuschagne's match-winning performance as a concussion substitute and the hundred that followed will be enough to get himself on the plane to India. We also shine the spotlight on South Africa to ask: Are they serious contenders at this World Cup? The Asia Cup has moved to the Super 4 phase, India and Pakistan played a one-dayer over two days and Virat Kohli scored his 47th ODI hundred. There was a hundred too for KL Rahul, who returned from injury to strengthen his case for a spot in the starting XI, and high praise from us for Kuldeep Yadav, who has roared back into form over the past 12 months and now looks primed to have a big impact on the World Cup. We'll be back again next week to start our World Cup previews, but in the meantime, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including chats with Shane Bond, Finn Allen, Jeetan Patel, Sophie Devine, Mike Hussey, Matt Henry, Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 6, 2023

On this episode of the show, we travel around the world to discuss England v Black Caps, Australia v South Africa and the first few Asia Cup games. The first three T20s between England and New Zealand weren't even moderately close, but there were still plenty of talking points: How aggressive will Finn Allen be at the World Cup? And how consistent does he need to be across the tournament for his overall performance to be treated as a success? Is Adam Milne in better form than Lockie Ferguson? Kane Williamson is going to the World Cup - what does that mean for Will Young, Mark Chapman, Jimmy Neesham and Rachin Ravindra? Is all the chopping and changing of players an issue for the Black Caps? How can England make room for Harry Brook in their squad? And what role will Gus Atkinson play? Australia have dominated their T20 series with South Africa, and we look at which of the Aussie fringe players are pushing hard for a World Cup role. Does Marcus Stoinis' success with the ball ease any concerns about Australia's 5th bowling option? Will Tanveer Sangha play a significant part in the World Cup? How much pressure is David Warner under? Are South Africa just tricking everyone? And have the major white-ball tournaments taken on extra significance for South Africa now that they appear to have relegated the Test game? The Asia Cup pool stages are underway - Pakistan's bowling attack is still very good, Ishan Kishan has surely locked down India's wicketkeeping spot and we debate whether Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan can provide more threat than banana skins during the upcoming World Cup. We round out the show with more New Zealand news - a new CEO, Corey Anderson's BBL gig and an impressive win against Australia A. We'll be back again next week, but in the meantime, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including chats with Shane Bond, Finn Allen, Jeetan Patel, Sophie Devine, Colin 'Funky' Miller, Matt Henry, Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, George Dobell and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 31, 2023

In this episode of the Top Order Podcast Men's Test Cricket Hall of Fame, we discuss and compare the careers of the two greatest batters, and cricketers (if you agree with the algorithm), that the world has ever seen: India's Sachin Tendulkar and Australia's Sir Donald Bradman. Sachin Tendulkar captured the hearts of a billion people during a glittering career that spanned more than two decades. From his Test debut at 16 (!) until his record-breaking 200th match, the Little Master's poise, balance and stroke-making earned him comparisons to 'The Don', even from the man himself. On the other hand, Sir Donald Bradman played only 52 Tests - 37 of them against England - but left such a mark on the game of cricket that he may well be statistically the greatest sportsperson of all-time. Therefore, it'll come as no surprise that he also sits atop the Top Order Podcast Hall of Fame. Do you agree with our assessment? Or have we got things horribly wrong? Don't be shy to tell us how you feel via social media or at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . We'll be back next week with more action from around the world, including the white-ball series between England and the Black Caps, plus the early action in the Asia Cup. In the meantime, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and our recent episodes (plus a few from the backlist) are available on YouTube - if you prefer a video panel discussion, check out our channel and be sure to subscribe. You can also dip back into our conversations with special guests - including Tim Southee, Mike Hussey, Sophie Devine, Shane Bond, Lesley Murdoch, Jeetan Patel, Barry Richards, Jarrod Kimber and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 17, 2023

This week on the show, Binksy, Baldy and Stu discuss the return of both Trent Boult and Ben Stokes as the New Zealand and England squads for the Men's ODI World Cup start to take shape. In the first half of the episode, we cover England, and the un-retirement of Ben Stokes, which has made headlines this week. Was Harry Brook unlucky? Will Jofra Archer make a late appearance? And who is Gus Atkinson? As the conversation moves to the Black Caps, we discuss the squad balance needed for Indian conditions and what questions are yet to be answered over the next few weeks as New Zealand take on the UAE and England in T20 and ODI series. How seriously are the selectors looking at Kyle Jamieson? Is there room for both Will Young and Mark Chapman? Which allrounders will make the cut? Plus another edition of Kane Williamson watch and confirmation that South Africa will send a weakened Test side to New Zealand in February 2024. If you'd like take a look at the Taniwha Cricket fundraiser we mentioned on the previous episode, you can find the Givealittle page here . We'll be back again next week, but in the meantime, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including chats with Wasim Khan, Finn Allen, Dion Nash, Sophie Devine, the Hussey brothers, Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 15, 2023

(Note: A few technical difficulties mean the sound levels are a bit lower for the first 16 minutes or so of this episode, and the reason for the delayed release. Aiming to have another episode up by the end of the week.) Recorded on 8 August 2023, Binksy, Baldy and Stu steer away from the short-form leagues to tidy up a few loose ends from the Ashes and discuss some early Men's ODI World Cup news. We debate over-rate penalties, ball changes and David Warner, before Baldy whips out his depth chart (an actual chart with Post-it notes and everything) as the conversation moves to potential Australia and England squads for the next Ashes (which we now realise is in November 2025, not 2024 as stated). In the second half of the episode, Binksy explains why he hasn't enlisted the help of the BCCI to schedule an upcoming barbecue, Stu channels his inner Lloyd Christmas over the latest Kane Williamson injury update, Baldy's depth chart makes another appearance and we outline why India's depth could hurt them as we start to focus our attention on another major ICC event. If you'd like take a look at the Taniwha Cricket fundraiser we mentioned on the show, you can find the Givealittle page here . We'll be back again next week, but in the meantime, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including chats with Wasim Khan, Finn Allen, Shane Bond, Georgia Wareham, Colin 'Funky' Miller, Sophie Devine, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 5, 2023

Drama, controversy, moral victories, rain, retirement, boring Aussies, Bazball heroes, photos with the urn – even some cricket! The fifth Test of this fascinating Ashes series is in the books, and Binksy, Baldy and Stu look back at the key moments and storylines from the final Test between England and Australia for 2023. Stuart Broad flipped the bails, announced his retirement and then delivered the fairytale finish that his career deserved as England squared the series 2-2 with a win at The Oval. Was that scoreline a fair result? Why are Australia copping so much criticism? Was it a missed opportunity for both sides? And have England saved Test cricket? There's also praise for Chris Woakes and Usman Khawaja, Ricky Ponting calls for an investigation and spin even gets a mention as we discuss the performances of Moeen Ali and Todd Murphy as well as the absences of Jack Leach and Nathan Lyon. We'll be back next week with more news and views from all the cricket currently going on around the world. In the meantime, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including chats with Tim Southee, Mike Hussey, Georgia Wareham, Matt Henry, Sophie Devine, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 24, 2023

This week on the show, Binksy, Baldy and Stu recap the rain-affected 4th men's Ashes Test at Old Trafford, discuss a few talking points from the Black Caps' T20 squad to face the UAE and England, plus give a shout out to Virat Kohli for his 29th Test hundred in his 500th international match. Were England robbed? What happened with Australia's team selection? Should Ben Stokes have declared? Is Pat Cummins a good captain? Plus Zak Crawley's dominant display, Mark Wood rockets, Chris Woakes 5-fors, Marnus Labuschange's match-saving hundred, changes and storylines for The Oval and much more from another fascinating instalment of this edition of the men's Ashes. We round out the show by discussing a potential Black Caps debut for Dean Foxcroft and Adi Ashok, as well as the return of Kyle Jamieson for the upcoming T20 tour of the UAE and England. Then we bemoan the continued creep of T20 league cricket, which looks set to impact South Africa's Test tour of New Zealand in the summer of 2024, and Stu continues his year-long apology to Virat Kohli after the King's 29th Test hundred during the second Test between India and the West Indies. We'll be back next week to wrap up the final men's Ashes Test, plus whatever else catches our eyes from all the cricket currently going on around the world. In the meantime, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including chats with Tim Southee, Mike Hussey, Georgia Wareham, Rachin Ravindra, Sophie Devine, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 17, 2023

This week on the show, Binksy, Raj and Stu recap the week that was and look ahead to the 4th men's Ashes Test at Old Trafford. We start by discussing India's dominant victory against the West Indies, which saw a big century on Test debut for Yashasvi Jaiswal and a 12-wicket haul for Ravichandran Ashwin. Alick Athanaze offered some glimmers of positivity for the West Indies, but, apart from winning the battle of the uniforms, it was a tough outing for the home side. In New Zealand news, Gary Stead received a contract extension that will see him remain as head coach through to the end of this World Test Championship cycle in 2025. Did this come as a surprise? Were there other candidates in the mix? Should NZC have given more thought to a split coaching role? Or does Stead's outstanding record as coach speak for itself? Attention then turned to the Kiwis on display around the world, including Matt Henry, who starred in the Vitality Blast, combining with Ish Sodhi to bowl Somerset to the title. Is the best still yet to come for Henry in international colours? At Major League Cricket in the USA, Devon Conway scored the first 50 of the tournament, but it was Corey Anderson who had us all wondering what might have been if injuries hadn't disrupted his international career. We give our initial thoughts on the tournament so far, and whether it has the potential to become a significant part of the cricket calendar. We round out the show by looking ahead to the next men's Ashes Test, fresh off Australia securing the women's Ashes with a narrow victory in the second ODI. Both teams have questions around selection, with David Warner, Cameron Green and Mitchell Marsh in the spotlight for Australia and an absent Baldy making a case for Michael Neser to play. But will we actually be looking at largely unchanged sides in a few days' time? And will the rain stay away long enough for a result? We'll be back next week with more of the same, including the Tests in England and the West Indies. In the meantime, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook , and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including chats with Shane Bond, Georgia Wareham, Mike Hussey, Finn Allen, Sophie Devine, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 10, 2023

In this episode of the show, Binksy, Baldy and Stu look back at the 3rd Ashes Test at Headingley, which saw England secure a crucial win to keep the series alive. After yet another close finish, there's plenty to discuss about these two good cricket sides who both still have a lot of questions to answer. Is Bazball good again? Why was this Mark Wood's first Test of the series? How much did Australia miss Nathan Lyon? Has England wrestled back the momentum? Is David Warner about to be dropped? What's happening with Australia's lower order? Plus struggles for Jonny Bairstow and Scott Boland, Zak Crawley's impact, the Moeen Ali at 3 experience, Chris Broad's Simpsons fandom, Ben Stokes with the tail, some (brief) New Zealand news and more! If you haven't already, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram and YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . Dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hussey, Bharat Sundaresan, Finn Allen, Sophie Devine, Wasim Khan, Gary Stead, Shane Bond, Barry Richards and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 3, 2023

In this episode of the show, Binksy and Baldy review the second Ashes Test of 2023. Australia won the Test, but who is winning the PR battle? There was controversy galore - from Mitchell Starc’s (non) catch, to the Alex Carey/Jonny Bairstow run out and the reaction of the MCC members at Lord’s - but are all the distractions making it hard to step back and consider which team is actually playing the better cricket? And if Australia continue to win, will it be the end of BazBall? The end of Brendon McCullum? Ben Stokes and Steve Smith provided highlights, Nathan Lyon’s 100th consecutive Test ended with injury and both sides have plenty of questions to consider in the short turnaround before the third match in the series. We’ll be back again next week to review all the action, but please take the time before then to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and our recent episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at growing this channel. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Wasim Khan, Finn Allen, Mike Hussey, Jeetan Patel, Colin Munro, Sophie Devine, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 27, 2023

In this episode of the show, we cover a lot of ground. From India's Test squad, to the women's and men's Ashes, across to the ICC World Cup Qualifiers and back to New Zealand. We start by discussing India's Test squad for their upcoming tour to the West Indies, which does not include Cheteshwar Pujara, but instead features the young talents of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad. Was it the right call? More Ashes content follows, as the two series continue to deliver maximum entertainment both on and off the field. We recap a closely fought women's Test, which saw individual highlights for Tammy Beaumont, Sophie Ecclestone, Ash Gardner, Annabel Sutherland and many others, and another Australian victory. On the men's side, it's been non-stop banter. Zak Crawley's predicting a big win for England. Ollie Robinson is claiming a points victory, but Pat Cummins and his Australian side have preferred to let the former players do the majority of the talking. Over in Zimbabwe, it's been a run-fest so far at the ICC ODI World Cup Qualifiers. The home side has been piling on the runs, and are in pole position to nab one of the two remaining 2023 World Cup spots as the Super Six begins. On the other hand, the West Indies' campaign is in tatters after their second loss of the tournament - Logan van Beek's incredible Super Over, in which he plundered 30 from the bowling of Jason Holder, saw The Netherlands home after the scores were tied at 374 (no that's not a typo) at the end of the first 100 overs. To round out the show, we discuss Kane Williamson's social media tease, as well as the impact of Michael Bracewell's injury for the Black Caps' World Cup chances and Leigh Kasperek's return to the White Ferns. We'll be back next week to wrap the second men's Ashes Test between England and Australia, plus the World Cup qualifiers and anything else that grabs our attention across the cricket world. In the meantime, if you haven't already, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram and YouTube ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Wasim Khan, Sophie Devine, Mike Hussey, Matt Henry, Bharat Sundaresan, Rachin Ravindra, Finn Allen, Barry Richards and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 21, 2023

In this episode of the show, we review the first Ashes Test of 2023, which saw Australia defeat England by 2 wickets. Zak Crawley signalled England's intent from the first ball, and from there the game see-sawed back and forth in front of a raucous crowd until Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon combined with the bat to carry Australia across the line. We talk declarations, tactics, leadership, throwing your bat into the air, Australia's number XIs, Ricky Ponting blanking Kevin Pietersen, whether England care more about entertaining than winning and how over the course of one match Australia went from the World Test Champions to the plucky underdogs against the big bad Bazballers. We also discuss the individual performances of Usman Khawaja, Joe Root, Nathan Lyon, Alex Carey and Jonny Bairstow, as well as looking ahead to the second Test at Lord's. We'll be back again next week, most likely with our Test Cricket Hall of Fame. In the meantime, if you haven't already, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and our recent episodes as well as some selected interviews are available on YouTube . You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Wasim Khan, Shane Bond, Colin 'Funky' Miller, Sophie Devine, Tim Southee, Finn Allen, George Dobell and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 14, 2023

On this episode of the show, we look ahead to one of the most anticipated Ashes series in a while, as the recently crowned World Test Champions look to become the first team to win a series against England in the Brendon McCullum-Ben Stokes era. We start by discussing why this particular series feels different - and more exciting - than in recent years, before working our way through the big questions of the series. Who are the potential game-changers? Has Scott Boland done enough to be selected ahead of Josh Hazlewood or Mitchell Starc? Can Travis Head maintain his red-hot form? After being a shining light of an otherwise disappointing Ashes series for England in 2021, do we expect a repeat performance from Mark Wood? What role will spin play? Will Zak Crawley last the series? Who will win and why? Plus Jonny Bairstow, Marnus Labuschagne, bold predictions and much more! We'll have plenty of Ashes coverage throughout the course of this series, with reviews of every Test match and hopefully some special guests along the way. In the meantime, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and our recent episodes (plus a few from the backlist) are available on YouTube for anyone who would like to watch along as you listen. You can also dip back into our conversations with special guests - including Tim Southee, Mike Hussey, Sophie Devine, Colin 'Funky' Miller, Luke Wright, Shane Bond, Georgia Wareham, Barry Richards, Daniel Brettig and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 13, 2023

In this episode of the show, we look back at the World Test Championship final, which saw Australia defeat India to claim the title. We discuss the selections - most notably India leaving Ravichandran Ashwin on the bench - the toss, the pitch, the over rates, the format and even some of the actual cricket in what proved a fascinating contest, despite Australia holding the upper hand by tea on Day 1. There's praise for the brilliant partnership between Travis Head and Steve Smith, questions about India's decision to bowl Mohammed Siraj and Mohammed Shami for the entire first hour on Day 1, and a conversation about Scott Boland to discover what makes his performances at Test level so impressive. We also touch on the controversy surrounding Cameron Green's catch - and Shubman Gill's reaction - the brilliance of Steve Smith's catch to dismiss Virat Kohli, and completely forget to mention the two fighting knocks by Ajinkya Rahane or the fact that Daniel Vettori made sure at least one New Zealand hand remained on the mace. To round out the show, Stu discusses the talking points from the Black Caps' contract list - most notably the absence of Ajaz Patel and Jimmy Neesham, and potentially some good news for those hoping to see Trent Boult back in black more regularly over the next 12 months. Hot on the heels of this episode, we'll be back again with a full preview of the Ashes. You can also check out our most recent Test Cricket Hall of Fame episode, which featured a discussion about Muttiah Muralitharan and Shane Warne to try to answer the question: Who is the greatest Test spinner of all time. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and our recent episodes (plus a few from the backlist) are available on YouTube for anyone who would also like to watch along as you listen. You can dip back into our conversations with special guests - including Finn Allen, Mike Hussey, Sophie Devine, Rachin Ravindra, Shane Bond, Georgia Wareham, Barry Richards, Dion Nash, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 9, 2023

In this episode of the Top Order Podcast Men's Test Cricket Hall of Fame, we discuss and compare the careers of Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan and Australia's Shane Warne in order to determine who is the greatest ever spinner (and bowler) in the history of Test cricket. With more than 1500 Test wickets between them, it's hard to split these two giants of the game, but we do our best as we look at the stats, plus all the intangibles that made these players special. Do you agree with our assessment? Or have we got things horribly wrong? Don't be shy to tell us how you feel via social media or at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . We'll be back early next week to preview the Ashes and celebrate the holders of the World Test Championship mace. In the meantime, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and our recent episodes (plus a few from the backlist) are available on YouTube - if you preview a video panel discussion, check out our channel and be sure to subscribe. You can also dip back into our conversations with special guests - including Tim Southee, Mike Hussey, Sophie Devine, Shane Bond, Lesley Murdoch, Jeetan Patel, Barry Richards, Jarrod Kimber and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 5, 2023

In this episode, we look ahead to the World Test Championship final between India and Australia at The Oval. Is it growing in stature as an ICC event? Or is it losing some lustre second time around? Do Australia care more about this game or the Ashes? Is India in desperate need of an ICC event victory? Can India fit both Ravi Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja into their playing XI? Shami & Siraj v Cummins & Starc Smith & Labuschagne v Kohli & Pujara Kishan or Bharat to wear the gloves for India? And who will win? Around the 39.30 mark, we discuss England's victory against Ireland. Is the ease of England's win a red flag for Test cricket? Will Josh Tongue feature in the Ashes? Is golf really that fun? How do you get Ben Duckett to believe in the leave? Plenty of content coming up over the next few weeks - we'll have a review of the World Test Championship final, a full preview of the Ashes, and we've also got some Test Cricket Hall of Fame content dropping on Friday. In the meantime, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and our recent episodes (plus a few from the backlist) are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our conversations with special guests - including Finn Allen, Mike Hussey, Sophie Devine, Rachin Ravindra, Shane Bond, Georgia Wareham, Barry Richards, Dion Nash, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 1, 2023

In this episode of the show, we discuss the IPL final, which saw the Chennai Super Kings defeat the Gujarat Titans, plus the upcoming Test match between England and Ireland. The IPL 2023 final was a thriller, with Ravindra Jadeja hitting 10 off the final two balls of the match to seal yet another title for CSK - a fitting way to end a fantastic tournament. We discuss the key moments and key players - Mohit Sharma's final over, Devon Conway's greatest win, MS Dhoni's status as a legend of Indian cricket, how to get Stephen Fleming on the Black Caps' coaching staff, Hardik Pandya's leadership and much more. To round out the show, we look ahead to Ireland's visit to Lord's, where Barnards Green's Josh Tongue will make his England debut and Josh Little is a notable absentee. We'll be back next week to preview the World Test Championship Final and look ahead to the Ashes. We've also got some Test Cricket Hall of Fame content not far away. In the meantime, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and our recent episodes (plus a few from the backlist) are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our conversations with special guests - including Finn Allen, Mike Hussey, Sophie Devine, Rachin Ravindra, Shane Bond, Georgia Wareham, Barry Richards, Dion Nash, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 24, 2023

In this episode of the Top Order Podcast, we look back at the final week of the IPL 2023 round robin - then make our predictions about who will win it all. We start the show by discussing RCB and the Rajasthan Royals - two teams who most likely view this year's tournament as a big missed opportunity. Virat Kohli hit back-to-back hundreds, Faf du Plessis lead the run charts, Yashasvi Jaiswal looks set for international stardom and the smile came back to Yuzvendra Chahal's face, but still these sides failed to reach the playoffs. What went wrong (other than a no ball)? We then cast our eye over the four remaining teams: Gujarat Titans, Chennai Super Kings, Lucknow Super Giants and the Mumbai Indians. Can GT ride Shubman Gill's red-hot form all the way to the title? Will Devon Conway and MS Dhoni be wrapped in a big hug after the final ball is bowled? Can Marcus Stoinis pull off two match-winning innings in a row? Or will Cameron Green's long levers be lifting the trophy when all is said and done? We'll be back next week to wrap up the IPL playoffs and look ahead to the English international summer, including the build-up to the World Test Championship Final and the Ashes. In the meantime, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and our recent episodes (plus a few from the backlist) are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our conversations with special guests - including Lockie Ferguson, Mike Hussey, Sophie Devine, Tim Southee, Shane Bond, Georgia Wareham, Barry Richards, Rachin Ravindra, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 16, 2023

This week on the show we talk about the runfest at the IPL, which saw Yashasvi Jaiswal, Suryakumar Yadav, Prabhsimran Singh and Shubman Gill post individual scores of 98+ within a span of five days. Throw in impressive performances from players like Glenn Maxwell and Rinku Singh and the question becomes: Is bat dominating ball too much? The Rajasthan Royals would argue otherwise, as their epic collapse against RCB reflected their collapse in this tournament as the playoff picture starts to take shape - with the Gujarat Titans now confirmed as a top 2 side. In the second half of the show, we're back in New Zealand to discuss David White's decision to step down as CEO. On the field, it's been an incredibly successful decade, particularly for the Black Caps, but is NZ Cricket set up well for future success? Or does the road ahead look challenging? Speaking of challenging, the reported contract offer from the Mumbai Indians to Jofra Archer suggests that international cricket's future is under threat perhaps even sooner than many predicted. Throw in the ICC revenue model for the next World Test Championship cycle and you start to wonder how long before cricket's employment model is completely flipped on its head. We round out the show by discussing Rory Burns' hair, and Daryl Mitchell's lack of it. Fortunately, though, what Mitchell lacks in the hair department he makes up for with runs - his hundred for Lancashire a notable performance from the County Championship, where Steve Smith is struggling, Michael Neser is on fire and it looks as though Ben Foakes has not done enough to retain his spot in England's Test side. We'll be back next week as the IPL playoffs and the English international summer take shape, including the build-up to the World Test Championship Final and the Ashes. In the meantime, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and our recent episodes (plus a few from the backlist) are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our conversations with special guests - including Finn Allen, Mike Hussey, Sophie Devine, Cam Fletcher, Shane Bond, Georgia Wareham, Barry Richards, Rachin Ravindra, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 9, 2023

This week on the show, we look back at a host of topsy-turvy results at the IPL and the Black Caps tour to Pakistan, which finished with a New Zealand victory in the final ODI. For all our jokes about the IPL, the 2023 edition is delivering incredible finish after incredible finish. The only constant is drama - and the Gujarat Titans winning - with all 10 teams still in the hunt for a top 4 spot. The Sunrisers Hyderabad, Kolkata Knight Riders and Delhi Capitals were terrible, now they are the form teams, while the Lucknow Super Giants and Trent Boult's Rajasthan Royals are on the slide. We discuss impactful performances from Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Glenn Phillips, Jos Buttler and Wriddiman Saha - plus the arguably less positive impact made by Virat Kohli. In the second half of the episode, we look at the positives from the Black Caps' ODI series with Pakistan, and ponder the World Cup selection questions that still remain unanswered. Should New Zealand favour specialists like Will Young, Mark Chapman, Tom Blundell and Ish Sodhi? Or lean towards allrounders like Jimmy Neesham, Michael Bracewell and Rachin Ravindra? Has Adam Milne done enough to take Lockie Ferguson's spot as the designated speedster? And does Devon Conway need to pack his wicketkeeping gloves or not? We'll be back next week with more from the IPL and other news from around the world, including the build-up to the World Test Championship Final and the Ashes. In the meantime, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and our recent episodes (plus a few from the backlist) are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our conversations with special guests - including Finn Allen, Mike Hussey, Sophie Devine, Dean Foxcroft, Shane Bond, Katey Martin, Dion Nash, Matt Henry, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 3, 2023

This week on the show we look back at another busy week at IPL 2023, the white-ball series between the Black Caps and Pakistan, and discuss reports that The Hundred might be coming to an end in the not-so-distant future. Right when we thought the IPL playoff picture was becoming clearer, Punjab beat CSK in a thriller and the Mumbai Indians came from the clouds to beat Rajasthan thanks to Tim David and his long levers. Then LSG followed up their mammoth 257 with 108, which RCB and particularly Virat Kohli enjoyed quite a lot. KL Rahul got injured, Devon Conway remained awesome, Harry Brook watched a lot of videos of himself, Mitchell Marsh listened to the podcast, Kyle Mayers hit it to the moon and MS Dhoni is still hitting sixes - just another week at the IPL. Over in Pakistan, Daryl Mitchell has emerged as the front-runner for Kane Williamson's number-three spot in the Black Caps' ODI squad thanks to back-to-back centuries, Mark Chapman's historic T20 series encouraged the selectors to change his return ticket home, but it's been the home side who has had the better week - thanks in large part to the Mumbai Cements Player of the Week: Fakhar Zaman. We round out the episode with a discussion about The Hundred, which started with a lot of fanfare, but, if you believe recent reports, may not have much longer to run. Has it been a failure? Or has it been the injection of life that English cricket needed? And now that all this talk of franchise contracts is clearly here to stay, do we all need to take a moment to think about what we want our great game to look like in five, ten, twenty years' time? *Note: apologies for the technical difficulties with Binksy’s microphone - back to normal service next episode. We'll be back next week with more from the IPL, the Black Caps' tour to Pakistan and other news from around the world. In the meantime, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and our recent episodes (plus a few from the backlist) are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our conversations with special guests - including Tim Southee, Mike Hussey, Sophie Devine, Dean Foxcroft, Shane Bond, Katey Martin, Barry Richards, Matt Henry, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 27, 2023

This week on the show, we take a pause from our regular format to answer listener questions framed around the 2023 edition of the IPL. What's going on with KL Rahul? Why do the Sunrisers Hyderabad suck? Will Sam Curran be England's next T20 captain? Would India A win the World Cup? Is Arshdeep Singh the best death bowler of all time? Can CSK continue their excellent run? Will Ajinkya Rahane Bazball India to the World Test Championship mace? Are the Rajasthan Royals good? Who has the best haircut at the IPL? And much more! We'll be back next week to discuss the Black Caps' tour to Pakistan, the IPL and anything else that takes our fancy from the world of cricket. In the meantime, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel, including our latest in-studio recordings. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including chats with Finn Allen, Shane Bond, Sophie Devine, Mike Hussey, Wasim Khan, Melinda Farrell, Rachin Ravindra, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 20, 2023

In this episode of the show, we start by discussing an action-packed week at the IPL, in which the Rajasthan Royals made their way to the top of the ladder while David Warner's Delhi Capitals remain winless after five games. There's been runs for Devon Conway, Faf du Plessis, Harry Brook and Shimron Hetmeyer, wickets for Rashid Khan, Mark Wood and Yuzvendra Chahal, plus signs of life for the star-studded Mumbai Indians batting line-up as the teams look to separate themselves from a condensed field. Attention then turns to the Black Caps' tour to Pakistan, where at the time of recording the hosts led the T20 series 2-1. Mark Chapman, Rachin Ravindra and Adam Milne are putting their hands up, Matt Henry looks a class above, but a full-strength Pakistan side featuring Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Iftikhar Ahmed launching sixes everywhere is putting pressure on a number of Kiwis hoping to stake a claim for a World Cup spot later in 2023. We also touch on the Brendon McCullum gambling ads and run our eyes over Australia's Ashes squad as the hype begins for what is shaping up to be a fascinating Test series. We'll be back again next week to discuss more Black Caps v Pakistan and all the goings on at the IPL. In the meantime, please give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are now available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel, including our latest in-studio recordings. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including chats with Finn Allen, Dion Nash, Sophie Devine, Mike Hussey, Wasim Khan, Melinda Farrell, Barry Richards, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 12, 2023

In a brief departure from our This Week in Cricket episodes, Stu is joined by Abdullah Haider from wicketsandruns.net and the Pakistan Cricket Pod to discuss the Black Caps' upcoming white-ball tour to Pakistan. We talk about the Pakistan Cricket coaching staff merry-go-round, Babar Azam's captaincy, who has the best chance to break into the Black Caps' ODI World Cup squad following the injury to Kane Williamson, the return of Shaheen Shah Afridi, whether Martin Guptill's performances at the PSL were enough to push for a return to international cricket, an Ihsanullah breakout and much more as we look ahead to the 5 T20s and 5 ODIs. The Top Order team will be back together again next week to discuss the early part of this tour, plus all the goings on at the IPL. In the meantime, please give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are now available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel, including our latest in-studio recordings. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including chats with Shane Bond, Rachin Ravindra, Katey Martin, Mike Hussey, Matt Henry, Sophie Devine, Wasim Khan, Cole McConchie, Barry Richards and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 7, 2023

On this episode of the show, Binksy, Baldy and Stu look back at an action-packed week at the IPL, which saw plenty of runs, some very fast bowling and, unfortunately, too many injuries. We also discuss the Black Caps v Sri Lanka series, the conclusion of the Plunket Shield and New Zealand's upcoming tour to Pakistan. The IPL has started with a bang - Virat Kohli sixes, Mark Wood rockets, Jos Buttler catches and incredible crowds - but a serious injury to Kane Williamson looks likely to rule him out of the ODI World Cup later in 2023. We discuss the implications for the Black Caps, whether Hardik Pandya should be seriously considered as India's white-ball captain, if Kyle Mayers has springs inside his bat and whether the Punjab Kings can maintain their impressive start to the tournament. In the second segment of the show we discuss the white-ball series between New Zealand and Sri Lanka, which has so far been dominated by a largely second-string Black Caps' side. We talk about Rachin Ravindra's composure, tally up the gains from our skyrocketing Will Young stock and discuss the squads for the upcoming T20 and ODI tour to Pakistan. To round out the show, we touch on the strong finish to the NZ domestic season for Central Districts, a win for NZ A against the Aussies and wonder if Rory Burns running down the wicket is a sign of things to come in the County Championship. We'll be back again soon to discuss more news from the IPL and the Black Caps' tour to Pakistan. In the meantime, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are now available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel, including adding our latest episodes, like this one! You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including recent conversations with Cam Fletcher, Luke Wright and Dean Foxcroft, plus chats with Shane Bond, Finn Allen, Katey Martin, Mike Hussey, Matt Henry, Sophie Devine, Andre Adams, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 29, 2023

It's that time of year again - the Indian Premier League is set to begin at 3am New Zealand time on 1 April and fill the cricket calendar for the following two months. We cast our eyes over all the squads and make our tournament predictions in this jam-packed episode. We start the show with a shout out to the Mumbai Indians for winning the WPL - Nat Sciver-Brunt starred in the final, alongside Hayley Matthews, New Zealand's own Amelia Kerr and many more in a tournament that felt like a huge success and a fantastic advertisement for our great game. As our attention turns to the men's edition, we run through each of the 10 teams in alphabetical order to answer questions like: Will the Chennai Super Kings spin their way to another trophy? How will the Delhi Capitals overcome the absence of Rishabh Pant? Can Hardik Pandya lead the Gujarat Titans to back-to-back titles? Is it a case of no Brendon McCullum, no chance for the Kolkata Knight Riders? How angry will Lucknow Super Giants fans be about KL Rahul's strike rate this season? Has Suryakumar Yadav forgotten how to bat, and what does that mean for the chances of the Mumbai Indians? Can super Sam Curran propel the Punjab Kings to their first playoff appearance since 2014? Do the Rajasthan Royals have any weaknesses? Will a happy Virat Kohli be the star of an RCB side that's stacked with stars? Are the Sunrisers Hyderabad the sleeping (or singing) giants of this competition, even despite the departure of Kane Williamson? And who will win it all? If you enjoyed the episode and the work we do on the podcast, we'd love it if you could take the time to visit www.sportspodcastgroup.com and vote for us as the Cricket Podcast of the Year. We're delighted to have made the shortlist, and honestly wouldn't be still recording these episodes if it wasn't for all the support and kind words we've received from listeners over the past few years. We'll be back again next week to discuss the white-ball series between the Black Caps and Sri Lanka and discuss the early stages of the IPL. In the meantime, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel, including adding our latest episodes, like this one! You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including recent conversations with Cam Fletcher, Luke Wright and Dean Foxcroft, plus chats with Shane Bond, Finn Allen, Katey Martin, David Hussey, Ajaz Patel, Sophie Devine, Barry Richards, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 21, 2023

The Top Order team are all back together under the bright studio lights this week as we look back at the Black Caps' convincing win against Sri Lanka, which wrapped up a 2-0 series victory. Kane Williamson's magnificence was to the fore once again as he delivered his sixth Test double century, passing 8000 Test runs during yet another milestone performance. Henry Nicholls got in on the act as well, repaying the selectors' faith with a double century of his own on his way to the player of the match award. Then Blair Tickner and Michael Bracewell chipped in, New Zealand won by an innings to make it three Test victories in a row and all the Black Caps' doubters have disappeared, right? To round out the show, we touch on the topsy-turvy India v Australia series, a stunning performance by Sophie Devine for RCB at the WPL and the Major League Cricket draft, which included some familiar names like Corey Anderson, Wanindu Hasaranga and Aaron Finch. If you enjoyed the episode and the work we do on the podcast, we'd love it if you could take the time to visit www.sportspodcastgroup.com and vote for us as the Cricket Podcast of the Year. We're delighted to have made the shortlist, and honestly wouldn't be still recording these episodes if it wasn't for all the support and kind words we've received from listeners over the past few years. We'll be back again next week to discuss the white-ball series between the Black Caps and Sri Lanka and catch up on all the other cricket going on around the world, including the WPL and the IPL. In the meantime, please also take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including recent conversations with Cam Fletcher, Luke Wright and Dean Foxcroft, plus chats with Shane Bond, Finn Allen, Katey Martin, Mike Hussey, Matt Henry, Sophie Devine, Gary Stead, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 15, 2023

This New Zealand home summer continues to deliver incredible moments, and in this episode of the show Binksy, Baldy and Stu look back at the Black Caps' final-ball victory against Sri Lanka, plus review the Border-Gavaskar series. Just when we thought we'd seen one of the best Test finishes of all-time, Kane Williamson and Neil Wagner combined to deliver more late drama as the Black Caps (just) got over the line at Hagley Oval in Christchurch. We talk Daryl Mitchell, Matt Henry, run chases, giant hearts, watching while driving and the positives for Sri Lanka as we unpack the emotions and highlights from another incredibly entertaining Test match. In the second half of the show, we review what turned out to be quite a dull finish to the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, but the series as a whole had a number of talking points. We discuss Virat Kohli, Australia's young spinners, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, the World Test Championship final and much more. If you enjoyed the episode and the work we do on the podcast, we'd love it if you could take the time to visit www.sportspodcastgroup.com and vote for us as the Cricket Podcast of the Year. We're delighted to have made the shortlist, and honestly wouldn't be still recording these episodes if it wasn't for all the support and kind words we've received from listeners over the past few years. We'll be back again next week to review the second Test between the Black Caps and Sri Lanka and catch up on all the other cricket going on around the world. In the meantime, please also take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including recent conversations with Cam Fletcher, Luke Wright and Dean Foxcroft, plus chats with Barry Richards, Dion Nash, Katey Martin, Colin 'Funky' Miller, Tim Southee, Sophie Devine, Finn Allen and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 7, 2023

In this episode of the show, Binksy and Stu look back at Australia's win against India in the third Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, look ahead to the Black Caps v Sri Lanka series and reflect on the first few days of the WPL. Pitches are in the spotlight again in India, but has all the pitch talk overshadowed the excellent performances of Nathan Lyon, Cheteshwar Pujara and Travis Head? The Black Caps are about to start another series, this time against Sri Lanka, with an unchanged side. But does Gavin Larsen's departure signal that change is on the horizon? To round out the show we highlight some of the stars from the opening days of the WPL. There's praise for Hayley Matthews, Meg Lanning and Shafali Verma, we discuss the decision to allow no balls and wides to be reviewed, and what a platform this tournament could be for the growth of women's cricket, particularly in India. We'll be back next week to review the tests between India and Australia, the Black Caps and Sri Lanka and plenty more cricket from around the world. In the meantime, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including recent conversations with Cam Fletcher, Luke Wright and Dean Foxcroft, plus chats with Wasim Khan, Shane Bond, Mike Hussey, Matt Henry, Sophie Devine, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 2, 2023

In this episode of the show, Binksy, Baldy and Stu reflect on an incredible Test match between England and New Zealand, which saw the Black Caps win by a single run. We discuss the key moments and players, including Joe Root, Kane Williamson, Ben Foakes, Tom Blundell and, of course, Neil Wagner. The panel also looks ahead to NZ's next assignment, against Sri Lanka, in a week's time. We finish the show with a shout-out to yet another tournament win for the incredible Australian Women's side at the T20 World Cup, and decide that if it weren't for Ravi Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin and Axar Patel then the Border-Gavaskar Trophy would probably be quite a closely fought series. We'll be back next week to review the third Test between India and Australia, plus preview the Black Caps v Sri Lanka. In the meantime, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including recent conversations with Cam Fletcher, Luke Wright and Dean Foxcroft, plus chats with Wasim Khan, Shane Bond, Mike Hussey, Matt Henry, Sophie Devine, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 22, 2023

On this episode of the show, Raj, Baldy and Binksy look back at the Test matches between New Zealand and England, and India and Australia. Fresh off a trip to the Bay Oval, the panel discusses an England side that continued their winning ways against a Black Caps team struggling to put a complete performance together in the Test arena. We talk about the viability of pink-ball Tests, there's more praise for Harry Brook and Ben Duckett - plus the Jimmy Anderson/Stuart Broad duo - before looking ahead to potential events at the Basin Reserve. Attention then turns to India, where Australia put real pressure on the hosts until the spin trio of Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin and Axar Patel took charge with bat and ball to propel India to a comfortable victory in the second Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. It was great to catch up with a number of listeners at Bay Oval - some new, some who have been with us from Day 1. If you do enjoy the show, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including recent conversations with Cam Fletcher and Luke Wright, plus chats with Dion Nash, Mike Hussey, Sophie Devine, Ish Sodhi, Andre Adams, Lesley Murdoch, Barry Richards and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 18, 2023

In this episode of the show, Binksy, Baldy and Stu recap the third day of the first Test between the Black Caps and England at Bay Oval. We talk marmalade, world records, Ben Foakes, short-pitched bowling, England's dominance and more Night Hawkery as the Test looks likely to come to a conclusion on day four. We'll be back again around the same time tomorrow to review day three, but please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including recent conversations with Cam Fletcher and Luke Wright, plus chats with Shane Bond, Mike Hussey, Sophie Devine, Colin Munro, Finn Allen, Barry Richards and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 17, 2023

In this episode of the show, Binksy, Baldy and Stu recap the second day of the first Test between the Black Caps and England at Bay Oval. We talk Tom Blundell's superb hundred, English bowling plans and the Nighthawk as NZ edged their way back into this Test as we approach day 3. We'll be back again around the same time tomorrow to review day three, but please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including recent conversations with Cam Fletcher and Luke Wright, plus chats with Shane Bond, Mike Hussey, Sophie Devine, Colin Munro, Finn Allen, Barry Richards and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 16, 2023

In this episode of the show, Binksy, Baldy and Stu recap the first day of the first Test between the Black Caps and England at Bay Oval. We talk NZ's seam attack, Harry Brook's genius and Jimmy Anderson's class as England ended the day firmly on top. We'll be back again around the same time tomorrow to review day two, but please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including recent conversations with Cam Fletcher and Luke Wright, plus chats with Shane Bond, Mike Hussey, Sophie Devine, Colin Munro, Finn Allen, Barry Richards and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 11, 2023

On this episode of the show, Binksy, Baldy and Stu look ahead to the upcoming Test series between the Black Caps and England. We start with squads and selection: NZ's spin options The return of Kyle Jamieson An important series for Neil Wagner Henry Nicholls v Will Young England's many options with bat and ball Then we discuss tactics to consider how the Black Caps will approach BazBall in home conditions. Will they stick with the measured, patient style that brought them success in recent years? Or do they need to fight fire with fire against this new brand of attacking Test cricket? Will the likes of Ben Stokes, Joe Root and Harry Brook change their game at all if the pitch is green and the pink ball starts to move around at the Bay Oval? And finally we make our predictions for what we all hope will be a fascinating series. If you're going to be at the Bay Oval, reach out to us on social media or via email if you'd like to say hello. We're planning to be there for days 1-4 and we'd love to say hi. If you haven't already, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and leave a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including our recent conversations with Cam Fletcher and Dean Foxcroft, plus chats with Shane Bond, Wasim Khan, Ish Sodhi, Sophie Devine, Barry Richards, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 6, 2023

In this episode of the show, we look ahead to preview the upcoming Test series between India and Australia. We talk home records, legacies and the wider significance of the series for teams, players and world cricket, before diving into more specific questions. What will Australia's bowling lineup look like? Are their batters, outside of Steve Smith, equipped to deal with India's quality lineup of spinners? Shubman Gill and Kuldeep Yadav have been in great form, but will they play in the first Test? India's recent home record is amazing, but are there areas of concern this time around? Are Australia as good as their recent home record suggests? Will Virat Kohli and Steve Smith rise to the occasion? And who will win the series? If you enjoyed this episode, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. Dip back into our guest episodes - including our recent conversations with the likes of Jeet Raval, Cam Fletcher and Dean Foxcroft, plus chats with Shane Bond, Colin 'Funky' Miller, Ish Sodhi, Sophie Devine, Bharat Sundaresan, Melinda Farrell and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 2, 2023

In this episode of the Top Order Podcast, we look back at the Black Caps' white-ball tour to India and the England v South Africa ODIs, plus news in the build up to the Women's T20 World Cup and debate recent comments by Ian Smith about New Zealand's Super Smash. There's also a short chat with Jim Morrison from New Zealand over-40s and 50s cricket, with details about upcoming games and how you can get involved. New Zealand's tour of India has largely been one way traffic - Black Caps batters have struggled, Shubman Gill has dominated and Kuldeep Yadav has continued his good form - but Raj and Stu attempt to find some positives with the Men's ODI World Cup in mind. The ODIs between England and South Africa have been entertaining, even if the series feels somewhat squeezed into the schedule. We talk send-offs, moustaches, Temba Bavuma and Moeen Ali, again with an eye to the World Cup. Speaking of World Cups, the Women's T20 World Cup isn't far away - but is the result a foregone conclusion? Australia look dominant again on paper, Sophie Devine is racing against the clock to recover from a broken foot and Dane van Niekerk has been left out of the South African squad. Turning our attention to domestic cricket, we discuss recent comments made by Ian Smith about the Super Smash. Is it working in its current iteration? Should it be attempting to compete with the other T20 leagues around the world? And how could New Zealand cricket make that happen? To round out the show, Stu talks with Jim Morrison from New Zealand over-40s and 50s cricket about the upcoming series against Australia for the over-40s and World Cups for both sides later in 2023. What is over-40s/50s cricket? How do you get involved? Where can we watch the games? We'll be back in your feed very soon with a preview of the upcoming India v Australia Test series, but please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including recent conversations with the likes of Cam Fletcher, Dean Foxcroft and Sophie Devine, plus chats with Wasim Khan, Dion Nash, Mike Hussey, Finn Allen, Katey Martin, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 22, 2023

In this episode of the Men's Test Cricket Hall of Fame, we continue our countdown by discussing players 7 to 5 (scroll to the bottom of the description if you can't wait to find out who they are). Now that we're at the business end of the list, we couldn't resist throwing a few extra minutes on the clock to discuss these legends of the game. Baldy reveals the algorithm's best allrounder, Binksy and Raj disagree about another allrounder and we all marvel at the coolest cricketer ever. Do you agree with our assessments? Or have we got it horribly wrong? We'd love to continue the conversation, so don't hesitate to share your views via email or on social media. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. A few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. For an even deeper dive on the theory and process behind the Hall, head to our website . You'll find the Preamble , plus the list , which will eventually feature detailed write-ups about every player from 103 to 1 as we make our way through the Hall in the coming weeks and months. We're playing catch-up a little with the written content, but we'll get back up to date as soon as we can. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Finn Allen, Katey Martin, Barry Richards, Gary Stead, Michael and David Hussey, Lesley Murdoch, Jarrod Kimber and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. *SPOILER ALERT* This episode features players from 7-5 in the following order. 7 - Sir Vivian Richards 6 - Jacques Kallis 5 - Sir Garfield Sobers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 18, 2023

In this episode of the show, the boys look back at an entertaining ODI series between the Black Caps and Pakistan, as well as some news and notes from the New Zealand domestic circuit. There are questions about Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell and Finn Allen, as well as discussion around some of the newer members of the white-ball squads for the upcoming series against India. As we return closer to home, Stu highlights a former East Coast Bays representative who is enjoying an excellent domestic season, the Wellington Blaze break their own record and Baldy gives a shout out to a talented young Australian after an impressive debut. We'll be back in your feed in the coming days with the next episode of our Hall of Fame series. In the meantime, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including our most recent conversation with Canterbury Kings keeper/batter Cam Fletcher, plus chats with Ish Sodhi, Dion Nash, Colin 'Funky' Miller, Katey Martin, Barry Richards and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . We'd love to hear from you. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 11, 2023

It's a new year, but regular transmission resumes at Top Order Towers. Raj, Baldy, Binksy and Lippy are together in the same room to review the Test series in Pakistan and Australia, plus highlight a few players from the BBL and Super Smash. We start the show by discussing the drawn series between the Black Caps and Pakistan. Is traditional Test cricket still fun to watch? Did New Zealand get their tactics right? Which players stood out above the rest? Do the Black Caps have (or need) a succession plan at Test level? And is Test cricket shooting itself in the foot as an entertainment product? In the second half of the show, we recap another dominant series win by Australia and try to identify the qualities needed the challenge the Aussies on home soil. There's praise for Travis Head, Baldy's still not convinced by Marnus Labuschagne and we cast our eyes forward to the upcoming series in India. To round out the conversation, we look to the BBL and the Super Smash for standout performances. There are swinging arms, Jonny Wilkinson impersonations, power hitters and really long names as we discuss a host of players who might soon get a taste of international cricket. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including our recent conversation with Cam Fletcher, plus chats with Wasim Khan, Shane Bond, Sophie Devine, Mike Hussey, Finn Allen and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 23, 2022

We’ve only gone and released an impromptu Cricketmas wrap up of England and Pakistan's epic 3-0 series and misquoted Christmas lyrics in an all-time low for TTOP! (You can tell our usual wordsmith didn't write the show notes for this one...) Bazball/Stokesball continues apace and we at TTOP can barely keep up. Binksy and Baldy have done their best to keep abreast of all the goings on in Pakistan as England move to 9-1 under Stokes/McCullum. Harry Brook, the Ahmeds (Abrar and Rehan) get a rap in this segment, as well as the underrated England bowling attack, and we pay tribute to the retiring Azhar Ali. To Australia we go in the second half of the show, for the blink-and-you'll-miss-it first Test between the Australians and the Proteas at the Gabba. Was the wicket dangerously under-par? Was it good bowling or poor batting? Or was it all three? The Goldilocks analogy gets a run early doors as we dissect the shortest of Tests and look forward to Melbourne on Boxing Day. Could Australia really do the unthinkable and drop Scott Boland for the second Test? Spin fans might not like Baldy's tongue-in-cheek solution. We’ll be back again soon to wrap up the Boxing Day Tests from around the world. In the meantime, if you haven't already, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including our recent conversation with Abdullah Haider previewing the upcoming New Zealand in Pakistan Test series starting on December 26th. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 21, 2022

In this episode of the show, Stu is joined by Abdullah Haider from the Pakistan Cricket Podcast to preview the upcoming series between the Black Caps and Pakistan. The first half of the show focuses on the Pakistan squad, as Abdullah answers questions about injuries to the seamers, shines the spotlight on Abrar Ahmed and Saud Shakeel, before explaining why Pakistan should feel confident despite their series loss to England. Attention then turns to the Black Caps, starting with Stu highlighting the enormous success New Zealand have had under Kane Williamson's leadership and wondering what impact the captaincy change will have on the Black Caps' style of play. There's talk about Glenn Phillips and Ish Sodhi potentially returning to the Test arena, and Stu outlines why New Zealand have a lot to prove to themselves and to the fans over the course of this series. Many thanks to Abdullah for joining the show - you can hear more from him by subscribing to the Pakistan Cricket Podcast, or by following them on Twitter ( @PakCricPodcast ). And thanks also goes to you, the listener, for joining us throughout 2022. We've been creating content for more than three years now, but we still think it's very cool to have listeners all over the world and we really appreciate you taking the time to hear our thoughts on the great game of cricket. If you haven't already, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including our recent conversation with Cam Fletcher, plus chats with Wasim Khan, Mike Hussey, Ish Sodhi, Katey Martin, Finn Allen, Frankie Mackay, Shane Bond and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 18, 2022

In this episode of the show, we continue our tour around the New Zealand provinces as Stu catches up with Canterbury Cricket wicketkeeper/batter Cam Fletcher. The show starts with some BazBall chat, before looking back at an impressive 12 months for Cam, which saw him called into the Black Caps Test squad in addition to a tour to India with NZ A. Cam talks about his experiences in the international environment, how his game has developed over the past few years and the 'finisher' role in T20 cricket. Stu also asks for some insight into Chad Bowes and Henry Shipley, tries to understand why everyone wants to beat Canterbury and there's even an East Coast Bays reference in there for good measure. Plenty more episodes on the way over the holiday season, with a Black Caps v Pakistan Test series preview coming soon, plus the boys are hoping to get together again to review the week that was in other parts of the world. If you haven't already, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including chats with Tim Southee, Sophie Devine, Wasim Khan, Colin 'Funky' Miller, Ish Sodhi, Katey Martin, Shane Bond, Barry Richards and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 16, 2022

In this episode, the Top Order discuss another English Test victory against Pakistan, speculate about the Black Caps squad (recorded before the official announcement) and try to bring some perspective to Australia's sweep of the West Indies. How sustainable is England's attacking approach to the traditional game? What lessons should New Zealand be learning from England's success? Where have Pakistan been hiding Abrar Ahmed and Saud Shakeel? Key takeaways from Australia v West Indies Expectations for the Test series against South Africa There's even unanimous agreement about David Warner-related content, perhaps for the first time ever on the show. We'll be back in your feed again soon to share a conversation with Canterbury wicketkeeper Cam Fletcher, as well as more news and reviews of all the cricket going on around the world over this holiday season. If you enjoy the show, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including recent conversations with Luke Wright, Jeet Raval and Dean Foxcroft, plus chats with Sophie Devine, Tim Southee, Wasim Khan, Dion Nash, Mike Hussey, Katey Martin, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 11, 2022

In this episode of the show we speak with prolific author and journalist Ken Piesse about his life around the game and all the fascinating players he's had the opportunity to meet and work with along the way. Ken shares stories about cups of tea with Keith Miller, reminiscing with Bill Ponsford, writing a book with Max Walker and Neil Harvey's footwork, as well as Sir Don Bradman as we fire questions Ken's way about some of the greats of yesteryear. Ken also shares his views on the future of the game, and there's even a chat about Bert Sutcliffe and a special offer for all the New Zealand listeners out there. We could have spent hours listening to Ken tell stories, and we've no doubt this episode will make you want to book a P & O cruise just to hear more of his yarns. You can find out more about Ken and all his publications, as well as purchase books from his vast collection, at cricketbooks.com.au . Mention that you listened to this episode and Ken will provide free shipping to New Zealand for any of his books. We'll be back again soon to discuss the goings-on in the world of cricket, along with another interview from our trip around the New Zealand domestic provinces. In the meantime, if you haven't already, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including our recent conversations with the likes of Dean Foxcroft, Sophie Devine and Luke Wright, as well as interviews with Shane Bond, Ajaz Patel, Colin 'Funky' Miller, Katey Martin, Barry Richards and many more fascinating people from all across the world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 7, 2022

Holiday season events and work/life admin are making it tricky for us to get a full team together, but in this episode of the show Binksy, Baldy and Lippy take a look back at an entertaining week in the world of cricket. We start the show by discussing how England and Pakistan produced a Test match filled with drama and excitement on one of the most boring pitches of all time. There's a lot of praise for England, as we come to terms with the realisation that Test cricket is changing - and even Binksy might be converted to England's attacking style. We also cast our eye forward a few weeks to when the Black Caps visit Pakistan and the potential make up of that squad. The White Ferns have won the first two T20s against Bangladesh in style, with the usual suspects contributing, but Lippy also shines a light on Maddy Green's recent performances to wonder whether her consistency is here to stay. Finally, we round out the conversation with Australia's win against the West Indies. The 'No run' brigade stole the show, but there's also a word for Kraigg Brathwaite and Tagenarine Chanderpaul, plus a Baldy conspiracy theory for good measure. We've got more content coming in the next few days - an interview with journalist and author Ken Piesse, which largely features Ken telling stories about legends of yesteryear. In the meantime, if you haven't already, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including our recent conversations with Luke Wright, Jeet Raval and Dean Foxcroft. There's another of these provincial interviews on the way soon, plus you'll find chats with Wasim Khan, Finn Allen, Mike Hussey, Sophie Devine, Dion Nash, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 2, 2022

This week on the show it's just Stu and Binksy as we look back at the white-ball series between New Zealand and India. There was plenty of rain, but some excellent performances from the likes of Suryakumar Yadav, Tom Latham and Kane Williamson. We talk about crowds, Eden Park and make the case for not tinkering with ODI cricket, before moving swiftly past Australia's first innings runfest in Perth. To round out the show we marvel at the first session of the first Test between Pakistan and England to discuss the bigger picture of this English Test revival under Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum. We'll be back in your feed again next week (hopefully with a full crew) to discuss the week that was, plus we're planning the final few episodes of our Hall of Fame series and have more interviews lined up for the coming weeks. In the meantime, if you haven't already, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including our recent conversations with Luke Wright, Jeet Raval and Dean Foxcroft, plus chats with Finn Allen, Dion Nash, Sophie Devine, Mike Hussey, Katey Martin, Barry Richards and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 22, 2022

In this episode of the Men's Test Cricket Hall of Fame, we continue our countdown by discussing players 10 to 8 (scroll to the bottom of the description if you can't wait to find out who they are). Now that we're at the business end of the list, we couldn't resist throwing a few extra minutes on the clock to discuss these legends of the game. Baldy reveals the algorithm's best fast bowler of all time, plus we discuss two stylish left-handers who scored stacks of runs all around the world. Do you agree with our assessments? Or have we got it horribly wrong? We'd love to continue the conversation, so don't hesitate to share your views via email or on social media. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. A few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. For an even deeper dive on the theory and process behind the Hall, head to our website . You'll find the Preamble , plus the list , which will eventually feature detailed write-ups about every player from 103 to 1 as we make our way through the Hall in the coming weeks and months. We're playing catch-up a little with the written content, but we'll get back up to date as soon as we can. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Finn Allen, Katey Martin, Andre Adams, Gary Stead, Colin 'Funky' Miller, Lesley Murdoch, Jarrod Kimber and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. *SPOILER ALERT* This episode features players from 10-8 in the following order. 10 - SF Barnes 9 - Brian Lara 8 - Kumar Sangakkara Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 17, 2022

This week on the show we look back at the T20 World Cup final at the MCG, which saw England add another white-ball trophy to their cabinet. Binksy takes us through the game-day experience, then we break down the key moments of the match, featuring Ben Stokes, Sam Curran, Adil Rashid, Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi. In the second half of the episode, we bring India and New Zealand into the conversation to discuss a number of questions in the aftermath of this tournament: Are England the best all-format team in the world? Are they the greatest white-ball team of all-time? Do India and NZ need to rethink their T20 strategy? Have India underachieved? And is it time for the Black Caps to hit the reset button? We'll be back in your feed again next week to discuss matches from all around the world, as well as our Hall of Fame series. In the meantime, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including our recent conversations with Luke Wright, Dean Foxcroft and Jeet Raval, plus chats with Ajaz Patel, Sophie Devine, Dion Nash, Mike Hussey, Katey Martin, Barry Richards and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 8, 2022

In this episode of the show, Binksy, Raj and Stu look back at an action-packed finish to the group stages of the T20 World Cup. The Dutch knocked South Africa out of the tournament, Pakistan snuck in the back door and now Stu is having nightmares about Inzamam-ul-Haq. Binksy's off to the World Cup final, so in the second half of the show we look ahead to discuss how the semi-finals will be won or lost, in an attempt to predict which two teams will face off at the MCG on Sunday night. Raj makes an outrageous claim about Finn Allen, Stu goes into bat for Mitchell Santner and Binksy explains why it is win-win for him as England prepare to take on India. We talk about Suryakumar Yadav, Jos Buttler, Babar Azam, Devon Conway and many more stars in this wide-ranging conversation about a tournament that has delivered on so many levels. We'll be back next week to review the semi-finals and the big dance, but if you haven't already, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our guest episodes, including chats with Ish Sodhi, Luke Wright, Jeet Raval, Wasim Khan, Sophie Devine, Mike Hussey, Melinda Farrell, Barry Richards and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 30, 2022

We couldn't get the whole team together, but Michael and Stu couldn't resist the urge to jump on a call and rave about a magical innings from Glenn Phillips and another dominant performance from the Black Caps. Trent Boult, Tim Southee, Usain Bolt, Michael Clarke, Virat Kohli - the conversation bounced around a bit, before we discussed upsets, excitement and semi-final permutations for a T20 World Cup that seems to provide more and more entertainment every day (when it's not raining). We'll be back in your feed again before the semi-finals, but in the meantime please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including our recent conversations with Luke Wright, Jeet Raval and Dean Foxcroft, plus chats with Sophie Devine, Wasim Khan, Ish Sodhi, Mike Hussey, Barry Richards, Katey Martin, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 26, 2022

The ICC Men's T20 World Cup has been on fire this past week, with the amazing finishes from the group stages carrying across to the Super 12 phase. Finn Allen and Devon Conway set up a big win for the Black Caps, before Virat Kohli stole the show and broke Pakistan hearts in a game filled with magical moments and plenty of talking points. We discuss no balls, dead balls, good old-fashioned hidings, Duckworth-Lewis and a whole host more as England and South Africa also start their campaigns, just as the West Indies depart during a very eventful opening week of the tournament. We'll be back in your feed soon with more T20 World Cup content and also our Hall of Fame series. In the meantime, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our guest episodes, including our most recent conversation with Luke Wright, plus chats with Finn Allen, Colin Miller, Katey Martin, Jarrod Kimber and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . We absolutely love hearing from fellow cricket fans from all around the world. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 21, 2022

In this episode of the show, we speak with Luke Wright, who has joined the Auckland Cricket coaching staff for 2022-23. Luke takes us through the move to Auckland and what he's noticed about the squad so far, before entertaining us with a walk down memory lane to look back at moments from his impressive career. We talk about young talent in the Auckland side, such as Adi Ashok, Simon Keene and Ryan Harrison, then discuss Luke's T20 World Cup win with England in 2010, playing alongside Shane Warne at the BBL and the experiences he's had and lessons learned along the way. Luke has a fascinating perspective on the rise of T20 leagues and the positives and negatives that brings for the international game and players all around the world, and we're sure you'll enjoy this conversation. We'll be back in your feed again next week to discuss the early stages of the T20 World Cup, but please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. Dip back into our guest episodes - including chats with Shane Bond, Barry Richards, Sophie Devine, Andre Adams, Finn Allen, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 16, 2022

In the second episode of our 2022 journey around the New Zealand domestic provinces, we speak to Jeet Raval, fresh off leading the Northern Brave to a Super Smash title in 2021/22. Jeet and Stu discuss the ND preseason, look back at Jeet's time with the Black Caps and examine the NZ domestic scene as a platform for developing players for international level. And with the Plunket Shield set to begin next week, Jeet takes us behind the scenes for a closer look at the Northern squad both on and off the field, and outlines the team's goals for the upcoming season. Keep an eye out for plenty more episodes in the coming weeks - we're planning to catch up with a number of cricketers and coaches from around the New Zealand domestic scene. You'll also hear our thoughts on the Men's T20 World Cup throughout the tournament, plus more instalments of our Men's Test Cricket Hall of Fame, which has now reached the top 10. We'd really appreciate it if you take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - including this one - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our conversations with the likes of Shane Bond, Ajaz Patel, Sophie Devine, Mike Hussey, Jarrod Kimber, Katey Martin and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions, guest suggestions or your predictions for the T20 World Cup, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com or via any of our social channels. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 14, 2022

In the first episode of our 2022 journey around the New Zealand domestic provinces, we speak to Dean Foxcroft, who returns to Otago after Covid left him stranded overseas for 28 months. Dean talks about the challenges of the past couple of years, gives us an update about what he's been up to during that time and details why he was so determined to return and push for higher honours here in Aotearoa. With the Plunket Shield set to begin next week, Dean takes us behind the scenes at the Otago squad both on and off the field, and outlines the team's goals for the upcoming season. Keep an eye out for plenty more episodes in the coming weeks - we're planning to catch up with a number of cricketers and coaches from around the New Zealand domestic scene. The next of these will be a conversation with Jeet Raval from the Northern Brave, dropping on Monday. You'll also hear our thoughts on the Men's T20 World Cup throughout the tournament, plus more instalments of our Men's Test Cricket Hall of Fame, which has now reached the top 10. We'd really appreciate you taking the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or telling a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - including this one - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our back catalogue, featuring conversations with the likes of Mike Hussey, Dion Nash, Shane Bond, Ish Sodhi, Sophie Devine, Barry Richards, Wasim Khan, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions, guest suggestions or your predictions for the T20 World Cup, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com or via any of our social channels. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 12, 2022

Explainers, questions, answers and predictions - it's World Cup time! In this episode of the show we look ahead to the upcoming Men's T20 World Cup, which starts on 16 October. We set the scene, then deep dive into the key questions facing the teams we each find most interesting, before rounding out the show with players to watch and our predictions for the semi-finals, final and tournament winner. Keep an eye out for plenty more episodes in the coming weeks - we're planning to catch up with a number of cricketers and coaches from around the New Zealand domestic scene, plus there will be more instalments of our Men's Test Cricket Hall of Fame, which has now reached the top 10. We'd really appreciate it if you take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our conversations with the likes of Colin Miller, Dion Nash, Shane Bond, Ish Sodhi, Wasim Khan, Sophie Devine, Daniel Beswick and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions, guest suggestions or your predictions for the T20 World Cup, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com or via any of our social channels. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 3, 2022

Recorded 28 September 2022 (before the Jasprit Bumrah injury news), in this episode of the show we stop at a number of destinations around the world as we look back at a week jam-packed with white-ball cricket. Australia may have found a solution to Aaron Finch's form slump - but will they find a spot for Cameron Green in their final T20 World Cup squad? Harry Brook is another young star on the rise, but has he done enough to force his way into England's top XI? And India have so many options - how will they choose the right one? We also touch on the New Zealand A tour to India, the White Ferns in the West Indies and the dreaded Mankad, which reared its ugly head again to overshadow Jhulan Goswami's final international game. We'll be back in your feed again in a few days with the next instalment of our Hall of Fame series. In the meantime, please give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including our recent conversation with Sophie Devine, plus chats with Ish Sodhi, Joe Scuderi, Tim Southee, Katey Martin, Niall O'Brien and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 20, 2022

In this episode of the show we start by discussing an English summer highlighted by the revival of the men's Test side under Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes. We talk tactics, bowling attacks, preparation and much more as we reflect on the turnaround of England's red-ball side. The remainder of the show has a strong New Zealand focus as we try to understand why the Black Caps simply can't seem to beat Australia. There's a rush for Cameron Green stock, concerns about New Zealand's bowling attack, central contract debate, a Mumbai Indians takeover and even a Joe Carter update as we look back at all that's gone on during the past couple of weeks. We'll be back in your feed next week, most likely with more Top Order Podcast Hall of Fame content. In the meantime, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including our recent conversation with White Ferns captain Sophie Devine, plus chats with Wasim Khan, Mike Hussey, Ish Sodhi, Katey Martin, Bharat Sundaresan, JP Gavan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 7, 2022

In this episode of the show, we speak to bat maker and repairer Josh (JP) Gavan about all things bats. Josh's passion for cricket and bat-making shines during the chat as we discuss his introduction to the industry as a 16 year old, current trends, pernickety customers, working with players like Ellyse Perry and Chris Gayle, what to look for when you're buying a bat, and much more. Josh encouraged all of us to seek out local bat makers, but if you'd like to find out more about his work and his products, check out his website , You Tube channel , Instagram , Facebook or simply search JP Gavan in your browser. We'll be back next week to cover the final Test between England and South Africa, the Chappell-Hadlee ODIs and everything else that catches our eye over the next few days. In the meantime, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including our recent conversation with White Ferns skipper Sophie Devine, plus chats with Mike and David Hussey, Finn Allen, Katey Martin, Bharat Sundaresan, Barry Richards and many more fascinating people from all across the world. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 3, 2022

In this episode of the Men's Test Cricket Hall of Fame, we continue our countdown by discussing players 15 to 11 (scroll to the bottom of the description if you can't wait to find out who they are). We've got four of the most rhythmical bowlers you could ever hope to see, plus a batter who won more Test matches than anyone in the history of the game. There's two Australians, a West Indian, an Englishman and even a Kiwi (!) so you won't be surprised to hear there was a bit of debate as we discussed these entrants. Do you agree with our assessments? Or have we got it horribly wrong? We'd love to continue the conversation, so don't hesitate to share your views via email or on social media. If you haven't already, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. A few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. For an even deeper dive on the theory and process behind the Hall, head to our website . You'll find the Preamble , plus the list , which will eventually feature detailed write-ups about every player from 103 to 1 as we make our way through the Hall in the coming weeks and months. We're playing catch-up a little with the written content, but we'll get back up to date as soon as we can. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Commonwealth Games bronze medalist Sophie Devine, Tim Southee, Mike Hussey, Barry Richards, Dion Nash and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. *SPOILER ALERT* This episode features players from 15-11 in the following order. 15 - James Anderson 14 - Glenn McGrath 13 - Malcolm Marshall 12 - Sir Richard Hadlee 11 - Ricky Ponting Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 30, 2022

On this episode of the show, we discuss the second England v South Africa Test, the confusing events of the BBL draft and the upcoming tours to India and Australia for NZ A and the Black Caps. England bounced back in a big way after their first Test loss of the home summer, demolishing South Africa in just three days. We talk about Dean Elgar's decision to bat first and play two spinners, the up-and-down nature of the Ben Foakes conversation and whether Ben Stokes is more like Andrew Flintoff or Ian Botham. As the episode continues, we look back at a BBL draft that became a lot more interesting when the Adelaide Strikers selected Colin de Grandhomme. Has CDG retired from international cricket? How did this happen? We're all very confused. Then we look ahead to upcoming tours to India and Australia for New Zealand's men's teams and the return of the A programme, featuring the likes of Rachin Ravindra, Joe Walker, Matt Fisher and Ben Lister. We'll have another episode dropping into your feed later this week - the next edition of our Test Cricket Hall of Fame - but in the meantime, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including our recent conversation with Sophie Devine, plus chats with Wasim Khan, Shane Bond, Mike Hussey, Ish Sodhi, Katey Martin, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 24, 2022

On this episode of the show, we discuss the first Test between England and South Africa and the two Black Caps v West Indies white-ball series. Topics include: Are England bad again? Are South Africa favourites to make the World Test Championship final? Is it cruel to keep picking Zak Crawley? Future Tours Programme Changes for the 2nd Test? In the second half of the show, the focus shifts to the Black Caps and their historic series wins in the Caribbean. We discuss: What we learned from the two series Trent Boult's future availability Competition for spots between Finn Allen, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Jimmy Neesham and Michael Bracewell Whether the West Indies will ever get their best XI on the field. We'll be back next week to review the second England v South Africa Test, and with another edition of the Test Cricket Hall of Fame. In the meantime, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with White Ferns captain Sophie Devine, plus chats with Wasim Khan, Mike Hussey, Tim Southee, Katey Martin, Barry Richards and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 16, 2022

In this episode of the Men's Test Cricket Hall of Fame, we continue our countdown by discussing players 20 to 16 (scroll to the bottom of the description if you can't wait to find out who they are). We've got three seamers with the epic combination of skill and pace, plus two batters who rarely played the flashiest innings on show but so often played the most important one. Do you agree with our assessments? Or have we got it horribly wrong? We'd love to continue the conversation, so don't hesitate to share your views via email or on social media. If you haven't already, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. A few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. For an even deeper dive on the theory and process behind the Hall, head to our website . You'll find the Preamble , plus the list , which will eventually feature detailed write-ups about every player from 103 to 1 as we make our way through the Hall in the coming weeks and months. We're playing catch-up a little with the written content, but we'll get back up to date as soon as we can. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Commonwealth Games bronze medalist Sophie Devine, Ish Sodhi, Mike Hussey, Barry Richards, Jacob Oram, Gary Stead and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. *SPOILER ALERT* This episode features players from 20-16 in the following order. 20 - Waqar Younis 19 - Wasim Akram 18 - Dale Steyn 17 - Alistair Cook 16 - Rahul Dravid Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 9, 2022

In this episode of the Top Order Podcast, the panel discuss the medal matches at the Commonwealth Games,. Lippy soaks up the bronze glow of the White Ferns' efforts, before Baldy navigates the choppy water to highlight Australia's gold, further enhancing their status as one of the all-time great teams in any sport. As we move to the men's game, we talk about what we've learned from the Black Caps' European tour, before Baldy explains why he has prepared remarks and why the ICC needs to act now - before it is too late. Keep an eye on your feed in the coming days for the next instalment of our Test Cricket Hall of Fame. In the meantime, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including our recent conversation with bronze medalist Sophie Devine, plus chats with Wasim Khan, Mike Hussey, Matt Henry, Katey Martin, Niall O'Brien and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 2, 2022

On this episode of the Top Order Podcast, the UK takes centre stage as we review the week that was. Baldy makes up for Binksy's absence with extra levels of enthusiasm, including an unscheduled chat about the England v South Africa series - mainly to delight in everything Jonny Bairstow. The panel then moves over to Scotland to discuss the recent performances of the Black Caps, which included a first T20 hundred for Finn Allen and Mark Chapman loudly shouting 'Don't forget about me!' To round out the show it's back to England for reaction to the first few days of the cricket at the Commonwealth Games, highlighted by a crucial win for the White Ferns. We'll be back next week with more news and views, but please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including our recent conversation with Sophie Devine, plus chats with Wasim Khan, Shane Bond, Mike Hussey, Matt Henry, Katey Martin, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 26, 2022

The Top Order crew are together in the same room again to look back at the week that was. We start by discussing the Black Caps v Ireland T20 series, which featured strong performances by a middle order featuring Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham and Michael Bracewell. But where do they all fit in to plans for the upcoming T20 and ODI World Cups? Ben Stokes has retired from ODI cricket - Does that mean the cricket calendar is broken? Is there any way to fix it? Baldy introduces a new segment as a cunning plan to discuss spin bowling, Binksy tells us why 410* doesn't impress him, there's a shout out for Will Williams and plenty more on a windy night in Auckland. We'll be back in your feed next week, so please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel and moving towards more video content in future. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including our recent conversation with Sophie Devine looking ahead to the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, plus chats with Finn Allen, Shane Bond, Lesley Murdoch, Gary Stead, Colin Miller, Barry Richards and many more fascinating people from all across the cricket world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 24, 2022

In this episode, White Ferns captain Sophie Devine joins the show a few days out from the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. Sophie talks about the excitement in the squad for the Games experience, what new coach Ben Sawyer has brought to the group and her goals and expectations for the tournament. We also discuss NZC's new pay parity deal and how that will impact women's cricket in New Zealand at all levels, plus Sophie's experience at the Fairbreak Invitational and the busy few months she has ahead of her at the Hundred and the WBBL. Look out for another This Week in Cricket show in the coming days, and please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - including this one soon - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including chats with Rachin Ravindra, Katey Martin, Lockie Ferguson, Dion Nash, Mike Hussey, Barry Richards and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 19, 2022

This week on the show, Stu is joined by former NZ U19 captain Marc Ellison to discuss the Black Caps v Ireland ODI series and the general Irish cricket landscape. We look back at brilliant performances from Michael Bracewell and Harry Tector, missed opportunities for Ireland, the challenges the squad faces when competing with the more established international sides and the role Finn Allen could play in NZ's upcoming World Cup campaigns. The full Top Order crew will hopefully reunite again soon, but if you haven't already, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including chats with Wasim Khan, Ken Rutherford, Mike Hussey, Finn Allen, Katey Martin, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 11, 2022

This week on the show we're joined by Senior Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Psychology at Loughborough University, Jamie Barker, to discuss England's remarkable fourth-innings chase against India and the dramatic change in attitude that has been on display since Rob Key, Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes took charge. It's always fascinating to hear Jamie's views on a wide range of topics that have relevance to any high-performance role, and this episode is no different. We talk about the importance of clarity, whether this positive mindset is sustainable, and Binksy finally discards his own pessimism to let his England fan flag fly. Jamie helps us understand the psychology behind a mindset shift, the key factors that enable such a shift to happen so quickly, why we often see a 'new manager bounce' across all sports and much more. We'll be back next week to discuss the Black Caps' tour to Ireland, Australia in Sri Lanka and look ahead to the White Ferns' Commonwealth Games campaign. In the meantime, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel - including this one! You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including chats with Wasim Khan, Mike Hussey, Ish Sodhi, Katey Martin, Dion Nash and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 8, 2022

In this episode of the Men's Test Cricket Hall of Fame, we continue our countdown by discussing players 25 to 21 (scroll to the bottom of the description if you can't wait to find out who they are). We've got a former prime minister, a knight, a game-changer, genuine pace and a star from way back when as we welcome entrants from England, Pakistan, South Africa, Australia and the West Indies. Do you agree with our assessments? Or have we got it horribly wrong? We'd love to continue the conversation, so don't hesitate to share your views via email or on social media. If you haven't already, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. A few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. For an even deeper dive on the theory and process behind the Hall, head to our website . You'll find the Preamble , plus the list , which will eventually feature detailed write-ups about every player from 103 to 1 as we make our way through the Hall in the coming weeks and months. We're playing catch-up a little with the written content, but we'll get back up to date as soon as we can. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Tim Southee, Mike Hussey, Finn Allen, Katey Martin, Jacob Oram, Colin 'Funky' Miller and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. *SPOILER ALERT* This episode features players from 25-21 in the following order. 25 - George Lohmann 24 - Imran Khan 23 - Allan Donald 22 - Adam Gilchrist 21 - Curtly Ambrose Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 5, 2022

In this episode of the Men's Test Cricket Hall of Fame, we continue our countdown by discussing players 30 to 26 (scroll to the bottom of the description if you can't wait to find out who they are). All five of this episode's inductees are members of the 10,000 run club, we've got grumpy leaders, unique stances and a few Top Order personal heroes as we welcome entrants from Australia, India, Pakistan and the West Indies. Do you agree with our assessments? Or have we got it horribly wrong? We'd love to continue the conversation, so don't hesitate to share your views via email or on social media. If you haven't already, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. A few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. For an even deeper dive on the theory and process behind the Hall, head to our website . You'll find the Preamble , plus the list , which will eventually feature detailed write-ups about every player from 103 to 1 as we make our way through the Hall in the coming weeks and months. We're playing catch-up a little with the written content, but we'll get back up to date as soon as we can. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Shane Bond, Mike Hussey, Ajaz Patel, Frankie Mackay, Dion Nash, Rachin Ravindra and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. *SPOILER ALERT* This episode features players from 30-26 in the following order. 30 - Allan Border 29 - Sunil Gavaskar 28 - Younis Khan 27 - Shivnarine Chanderpaul 26 - Steve Waugh Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 1, 2022

The Black Caps v England series is over and who could have predicted the past month of action? In this episode, Binksy, Baldy and Stu look back at the key moments and players. We discuss: Brendon McCullum, Ben Stokes and the England turnaround NZ's selection decisions The Ajaz Patel dilemma Whether the Black Caps should have a glass half-full or half-empty view of the series Runs from Jonny Bairstow, Ollie Pope, Daryl Mitchell and Tom Blundell NZ cricket depth Listener questions And much more as we deep-dive back into this fascinating series. June was a disrupted month for us with life and illness getting in the way, but we're expecting to be back on track in July. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including chats with Wasim Khan, Dion Nash, Mike Hussey, Finn Allen, Lesley Murdoch, Lockie Ferguson and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 16, 2022

Just the two of us this week after a couple of late scratchings, but Michael and Stu talk through the events of another fascinating Test match at Trent Bridge. Records tumbled, catches went down, there were runs galore and the game was perfectly poised until Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes took hold of the match with a five-over barrage of boundaries that the Black Caps couldn't recover from. We discuss Ollie Pope, Daryl Mitchell, Joe Root, Brendon McCullum and much more as we try to make sense of the performances from both sides. Are England good now? What's gone wrong for the Black Caps? Why Neil Wagner? Will Zak Crawley and Will Young keep their spots for the third Test? And isn't Test match cricket fantastic? If you haven't already, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our guest episodes, including chats with Shane Bond, Mike Hussey, Katey Martin, Tim Southee, Barry Richards and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 9, 2022

It's an unexpected bumper episode this week, with plenty of talking points from an action-packed Test match at Lord's between England and the Black Caps. We talkEd through the back-and-forth nature of the game, Joe Root's match-winning hundred, outstanding bowling displays, not-so-outstanding batting displays, whether spin will play a part in this series, Brendon McCullum's fingerprints, changes for the second Test and much more as we reviewed the rollercoaster ride that played out at the home of cricket. After a brief detour to Sri Lanka to discuss Australia's T20 series against the hosts, we examined the comments made by ICC CEO Greg Barclay in an interview during the England v New Zealand Test and what they mean for the future of international cricket. We'll be back again next week to review the second Test at Trent Bridge. In the meantime, if you haven't already, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including chats with Matt Henry, Mike Hussey, Katey Martin, Jarrod Kimber, Dion Nash, Wasim Khan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 31, 2022

The Top Order Podcast crew is a man down this week, with Raj out of action, but the remaining trio look back at a somewhat puzzling week for New Zealand cricket, plus an IPL final triumph for the Gujarat Titans. We start the show in India, discussing IPL 2022 as a whole and highlighting the impact of two of the tournament's biggest stars - Hardik Pandya and Jos Buttler. It's been a strange week back here in Aotearoa, with the White Ferns' latest contract list missing some big names - most notably Amy Satterthwaite. We try to make sense of this decision. Was it bold, confusing, disrespectful or all of the above? Finally, we look ahead to the Black Caps v England Test series by discussing a New Zealand side that doesn't feel quite as assured as they did a year ago - particularly after a loss to the First-class Counties Select XI. What will the bowling attack look like at Lord's on Thursday? Will the batting line-up fire? Will Brendon McCullum's impact on England be instantly noticeable? Plus bold predictions, mind games and plenty more as we gear up for what promises to be a fascinating series. We'll be back next week to review the first Test, but before then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including the recently retired Katey Martin, Colin 'Funky' Miller, Shane Bond, Finn Allen, Wasim Khan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 24, 2022

This week on the show we focus mainly on New Zealand and England, as the excitement builds for the first Test at Lord's starting on 2 June. We talk about what we might have learned from the warm-up fixture against Sussex, which saw two days rained out and a solid hit out for most of the available squad. Is Michael Bracewell in serious contention to play a part in the upcoming series? And who will fill the number five spot if Henry Nicholls isn't fit for the first Test? We stay in England to discuss the first Test squad announced under Brendon McCullum, which included a couple of potential debutants in Matthew Potts and Harry Brook, plus a batting reshuffle that could see Ollie Pope at three. Before we wrap up the show with an overview of the upcoming IPL playoffs, we give a quick shout out to the legend that is Katey Martin, as well as some spin chat prompted by Ish Sodhi's move from ND to Canterbury for the 2022-23 domestic season. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including chats with the recently retired Katey Martin, Black Caps' stars Lockie Ferguson, Ajaz Patel and Tim Southee, plus greats of the game like Mike Hussey, Barry Richards, Shane Bond, and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 20, 2022

A busy week for the Top Order crew has meant this episode is a little delayed (recorded evening of Monday 16 May), but on the show we discuss: The sad news about Andrew Symonds Brendon McCullum's appointment as the England men's Test coach Kiwis winning the Fairbreak Invitational Black Caps' central contracts and what that might mean for upcoming tours and the T20 and ODI World Cups. And some news from the IPL We'll be back early next week with another This Week in Cricket, covering the England Test squad, Katey Martin's retirement, IPL semi finals and plenty more. In the meantime, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including chats with Wasim Khan, Barry Richards, Dion Nash, Matt Henry, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 13, 2022

In this episode of the Men's Test Cricket Hall of Fame, we continue our countdown by discussing players 35 to 31 (scroll to the bottom of the description if you can't wait to find out who they are). There's a thirst for runs, a dislike for batters and a bit of confusion as we welcome entrants from Australia, England and Sri Lanka. And for those of you looking for the YouTube link we reference in the episode, here it is. Do you agree with our assessments? Or have we got it horribly wrong? We'd love to continue the conversation, so don't hesitate to share your views via email or on social media. If you haven't already, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. A few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. For an even deeper dive on the theory and process behind the Hall, head to our website . You'll find the Preamble , plus the list , which will eventually feature detailed write-ups about every player from 103 to 1 as we make our way through the Hall in the coming weeks and months. We're playing catch-up a little with the written content, but we'll get back up to date as soon as we can. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Shane Bond, Mike Hussey, Ajaz Patel, Frankie Mackay, Dion Nash, Graham Thorpe and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. *SPOILER ALERT* This episode features players from 35-31 in the following order. 35 - Ken Barrington 34 - Herbert Sutcliffe 33 - Dennis Lillee 32 - Mahela Jayawardene 31 - Fred Trueman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 11, 2022

This week on the show we discuss the Black Caps' Test squad for the upcoming UK tour, which landed with very little fanfare and a lot of familiar names. At first glance, the expected lineup for the first Test starting on 2 June picks itself, but should Matt Henry be in the conversation? Can they find room for Ajaz Patel? And will Trent Boult and Daryl Mitchell still be at the IPL? (Since we recorded the episode, Henry Nicholls has had scans on a calf injury suffered in training, so watch out for news on that.) As the conversation turns to England, we examine recent comments made by Ben Stokes - most notably that he plans to bat at 6 and Joe Root will bat at 4 - as he starts to make his mark on the Test side. We finish the show with a quick summary of the IPL as it draws closer to the playoffs. Lippy gets excited about Devon Conway's three 50s on the bounce, but it looks like it will be too late for CSK, with Gujarat, Lucknow, Rajasthan and RCB firming as top 4 favourites. This episode is our 200th release, and as we raise the bat again we want to say another big thank you to everyone who has supported the show in any way, whether it be downloading and listening, joining the podcast as a guest or simply spreading the word to family and friends. We love recording the shows, and connecting with cricket fans and characters from all over the world has made the past few years extra special. We'll be back later in the week with the next instalment of the Top Order Podcast Hall of Fame. In the meantime, if you haven't already, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including chats with Mike Hussey, Matt Henry, Kristy Havill, Barry Richards, Rachin Ravindra, Jarrod Kimber and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 5, 2022

In this episode of the Men's Test Cricket Hall of Fame, we continue our countdown by discussing players 40 to 36 (scroll to the bottom of the description if you can't wait to find out who they are). Some very esteemed guests feature in this edition, including our first Lord and some of the more impressive Test batting averages you're likely to find as we welcome entrants from Australia, England, the West Indies and South Africa. Do you agree with our assessments? Or have we got it horribly wrong? We'd love to continue the conversation, so don't hesitate to share your views via email or on social media. If you haven't already, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. A few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. For an even deeper dive on the theory and process behind the Hall, head to our website . You'll find the Preamble , plus the list , which will eventually feature detailed write-ups about every player from 103 to 1 as we make our way through the Hall in the coming weeks and months. We're playing catch-up a little with the written content, but we'll get back up to date as soon as we can. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Shane Bond, Joe Scuderi, Ajaz Patel, Frankie Mackay, Daniel Beswick, Graham Thorpe and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. *SPOILER ALERT* This episode features players from 40-36 in the following order. 40 - Keith Miller 39 - Ian Botham 38 - Jack Hobbs 37 - George Headley 36 - Graeme Pollock Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 3, 2022

This week on the show we look back at form reversals at the IPL, with the Rajasthan Royals, Sunrisers Hyderabad and RCB on the slide, and CSK and Mumbai picking up wins. We discuss MS Dhoni picking the captaincy again at CSK, Devon Conway's triumphant return and the highlight the consistency shown by the two new franchises, Lucknow Super Giants and Gujarat Titans. In the next part of the show we look at the Australian squads named for the Sri Lanka tour, then move to England to discuss the changes taking place at the ECB and the outlook for the Test match squad in particular. Will Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad return? Is England set to prioritise red-ball cricket? Is rest and rotation over? And how will Ben Stokes handle the captaincy? Finally, we finish the show by highlighting the upcoming Fairbreak Invitational, a global women's T20 tournament that is set to feature players from 40 nations, including New Zealanders Suzie Bates, Sophie Devine and Katey Martin. There's another Hall of Fame episode on the way later in the week, but in the meantime, if you haven't already, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including chats with Wasim Khan, Finn Allen, Joe Scuderi, Katey Martin, Bharat Sundaresan, Shane Bond and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 30, 2022

In this episode of the Men's Test Cricket Hall of Fame, we continue our countdown by discussing players 45 to 41 (scroll to the bottom of the description if you can't wait to find out who they are). With four current players to discuss, including three of the so-called Big Four and a spin scientist, time goes out the window as we debate which of these present stars has had the biggest impact on the Test stage so far, and whether they'll move up - or down - this list in the coming years. Do you agree with our assessments? Or have we got it horribly wrong? We'd love to continue the conversation, so don't hesitate to share your views via email or on social media. If you haven't already, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. A few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. For an even deeper dive on the theory and process behind the Hall, head to our website . You'll find the Preamble , plus the list , which will eventually feature detailed write-ups about every player from 103 to 1 as we make our way through the Hall in the coming weeks and months. We're playing catch-up a little with the written content, but we'll get back up to date as soon as we can. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Shane Bond, Colin 'Funky' Miller, Tim Southee, Katey Martin, Dion Nash, Graham Thorpe and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. *SPOILER ALERT* This episode features players from 45-41 in the following order. 45 - Wally Hammond 44 - Kane Williamson 43 - Virat Kohli 42 - Ravichandran Ashwin 41 - Steve Smith Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 28, 2022

This week on the show we take stock of IPL 2022 as the games tick past the halfway mark of the competition. We talk about the biggest surprises so far, try to figure out what's gone wrong for Mumbai and CSK, plus discuss the no-ball drama featuring Rishabh Pant and what that means for his long-term leadership outlook. There's also Dale Steyn's hair; Lippy singing a song; praise for Jos Buttler, KL Rahul and T Natarajan; and plenty of humble pie as we reflect on our preview as well as looking forward to what's still to come as the tournament moves closer to the business end. We'll be back later in the week with another instalment of our Men's Test Cricket Hall of Fame. In the meantime, if you haven't already, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Jacob Oram, Wasim Khan, Finn Allen, Mike Hussey, Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 22, 2022

In this episode of the Men's Test Cricket Hall of Fame, we continue our countdown by discussing players 50 to 46 (scroll to the bottom of the description if you can't wait to find out who they are). As we move into the top 50 on our list, this group includes one of the all-time leading wicket-takers, a controversial figure (especially in New Zealand), two greats of West Indian batting and then one of England's most famous cricketing names. Are any of this group ranked too low? Or are they lucky to be here? We'd love to continue the conversation, so don't hesitate to share your views via email or on social media - or give us some praise if you think we've got things spot on! For an even deeper dive on the theory and process behind the Hall, head to our website . You'll find the Preamble , plus the list , which will eventually feature detailed write-ups about every player from 103 to 1 as we make our way through the Hall in the coming weeks and months. If you haven't already, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. A few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Finn Allen, Shane Bond, Michael Hussey, Tim Southee, Katey Martin, George Dobell and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. *SPOILER ALERT* This episode features players from 50-46 in the following order. 50 - Courtney Walsh 49 - Greg Chappell 48 - Clyde Walcott 47 - Everton Weekes 46 - Len Hutton Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 19, 2022

In this episode of the Men's Test Cricket Hall of Fame, we continue our countdown by discussing players 55 to 51 (scroll to the bottom of the description if you can't wait to find out who they are). As we near the halfway point of our top 100, every player's list of achievements gets more and more impressive. There's wickets and runs galore in this group, as we visit South Africa, Pakistan, England and Australia to welcome five new members to the Hall. And for those of you who've listened to the episode, here's the link to Merv Hughes telling the story we referenced during our chat: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRH4VIasS3Q . Are any of this group ranked too low? Or are they lucky to be here? We'd love to continue the conversation, so don't hesitate to share your views via email or on social media - or give us some praise if you think we've got things spot on! For an even deeper dive on the theory and process behind the Hall, head to our website . You'll find the Preamble , plus the list , which will eventually feature detailed write-ups about every player from 103 to 1 as we make our way through the Hall in the coming weeks and months. If you haven't already, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. A few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Rachin Ravindra, Wasim Khan, Dion Nash, Joe Scuderi, Matt Henry, Katey Martin, Daniel Brettig and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. *SPOILER ALERT* This episode features players from 55-51 in the following order. 55 - Javed MIandad 54 - Shaun Pollock 53 - Stuart Broad 52 - Kagiso Rabada 51 - Matthew Hayden Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 12, 2022

The international cricket calendar is thinning out, but there's still plenty to talk about this week. The IPL leaderboard is starting to take shape - with powerhouse franchises CSK and Mumbai Indians languishing at the bottom of the ladder. Ravi Ashwin is in the news again for deciding he'd had enough of batting for the night, but his Rajasthan Royals are looking like an impressive outfit - despite not always picking their full complement of overseas players. Later in the show we turn our attention back to the NZ home summer. Now that it is (almost) over, we reflect on the performance of the White Ferns and the Black Caps, and discuss candidates putting their hand up for upcoming international tours, such as Tom Bruce. If you haven't already, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. We'll be back later in the week with the next instalment in our Men's Test Cricket Hall of Fame, but in the meantime dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Michael and David Hussey, Finn Allen, Matt Henry, Katey Martin, Ajaz Patel, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 4, 2022

We start the show this week raving about Australia's World Cup win - one of the most dominant all-tournament displays that we've ever seen. Both Alyssa Healy and Rachel Haynes broke the record for most runs in a World Cup, and the professionalism of the entire Australian squad shone through in a tournament that has been a great advertisement for the game. As we start travelling the world, we speak briefly about an Australian ODI series loss to Pakistan, with Babar Azam in a starring role and questions about Aaron Finch. Jos Buttler is off to a flying start at the IPL with his Rajasthan Royals winning their first two games, but it's been tough going for both Mumbai and CSK. South Africa's spinners demolished Bangladesh, leading them to another Test victory as they continue their march up the World Test Championship ladder. But is it time to move back to neutral umpires? We finish the show by discussing the final two games of the New Zealand v Netherlands ODI series, which featured hundreds for Tom Latham, Will Young and Martin Guptill in Luteru Ross Taylor's 450th and final game for the Black Caps. Only one episode this week - we'll be back again next week with a couple of shows, including a return to the Men's Test Cricket Hall of Fame. If you haven't already, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - you'll find chats with Lockie Ferguson, Finn Allen, Mike Hussey, Chris Brown, Katey Martin, Barry Richards and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 2, 2022

After a pair of back-to-back draws, both the Pakistan v Australia and West Indies v England series burst into life in the deciders. We look back at the two series as a whole to discuss the key performers and talking points. Is Nathan Lyon the GOAT again? Have Pakistan found their opening partnership for the next 10 years? How did Pat Cummins find success when every other bowler struggled? Is Kyle Mayers the new Scott Boland? Should Joe Root still be the captain of England? What's next in the ECB red-ball reset? And plenty more! We'll be back next week with our regular This Week in Cricket show, covering NZ v the Netherlands, South Africa v Bangladesh, the World Cup final and the IPL. In the meantime, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . We'll be diving back into the Hall of Fame over the next few months while the IPL takes centre stage. A few of our episodes are also available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. Dip back into our guest episodes - including our recent conversation with Kristy Havill previewing the Women's World Cup, plus chats with Wasim Khan, Finn Allen, Mike Hussey, Ajaz Patel, Katey Martin, George Dobell and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 30, 2022

The IPL is about to dominate the world cricket calendar in April and May, but before it does we take a look at the many series and tournaments going on across the globe. We start in New Zealand with the Black Caps taking on the Netherlands, and discuss impressive performances from Will Young and Michael Rippon in the first ODI. At the IPL, it looks like it might be a tough season for Kane Williamson's Sunrisers Hyderabad, but why don't the betting agencies rate the Rajasthan Royals? And are we in for a run-fest over the next few months? Bangladesh beat South Africa in an ODI series and now sit at the top of the Super League table - can they repeat the dose in the Test series with the Proteas missing their entire first-choice seam attack? And back in Aotearoa, the Women's World Cup continues to deliver exciting finishes as we reach the semi-final stage. We talk about the drama of the final pool game between India and South Africa, potential departures from the White Ferns and Australia's ability to keep marching on no matter how tricky the situation gets. We finish with a few highlights from the Plunket Shield action of the past few days. The Auckland train keeps rolling, with Simon Keene continuing the amazing start to his first-class career, and Jeet Raval and Bharat Popli bat through an entire day for Northern Districts. We'll be back later in the week with a red-ball recap, covering the West Indies v England and Pakistan v Australia Test series in detail. In the meantime, if you haven't already, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including chats with Wasim Khan, Tim Southee, Jarrod Kimber, Frankie Mackay, Shane Bond and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. You can also hear our memories of Shane Warne in our latest Hall of Fame episode. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 24, 2022

Three episodes in three days! This time recording remotely, so if you listen carefully you'll hear the added bonus of a cricket in Stu's garage. So much cricket going on right now and in this episode we cover the brilliant fightback from Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and Pakistan in the second Test against Australia, plus a few talking points from the series as a whole while the third match plays out. For what it's worth, Baldy's tactics to talk up Pakistan worked a treat, as they lost 7-20 after we finished recording. In moving to the West Indies v England series, we discuss the state of Test pitches around the world: Are they an issue? If so, what needs to be done? Closer to home, the Women's World Cup semi-final race is hotting up, but it's all gone wrong for the White Ferns, while Australia continue to look unstoppable. We also talk about things we're watching out for in the Black Caps series against the Netherlands, and look at this week's Plunket Shield highlights (apologies to Troy Johnson for Stu calling him Troy Robinson in the heat of the moment when mentioning his 194* for Wellington). Here's the link to the Zak Foulkes delivery we mentioned on the show - poles everywhere! https://scoring.nzc.nz/#ma4d00ecf-9067-486f-b2ef-ff6b4e9ed0a0$$2_015_02 If you think you know more about the IPL than we do, we'd love for you to join our season long fantasy league for 2022. Just click the link to join, and then feel free to boast about your success on our social media channels when you hit the front: https://fantasy.iplt20.com/season/league/join/55KVSLIGB80110 We'll be back next week to discuss everything going on in the world of cricket. In the meantime, if you haven't already, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hussey, Finn Allen, Wasim Khan, Bharat Sundaresan, Matt Henry, Katey Martin and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. You can also hear our memories of Shane Warne in our latest Hall of Fame episode. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 23, 2022

*Note this is Part 2 of our IPL 2022 Preview - we recommend you listen to Part 1 first, but up to you if you're only keen to hear info about your team! It's that time of the year once again - this time with 10 teams and 2 months of IPL action set to dominate our screens. After a tournament explainer from Baldy, we put the timer on the clock for each side - starting with the defending champion Chennai Super Kings all the way through to the Kane Williamson-led Sunrisers Hyderabad. Will Devon Conway win the orange cap? Can the Mumbai Indians overcome the loss of so many key players? Did anyone have a better auction than the Rajasthan Royals? Can Lockie Ferguson bowl the Gujarat Titans to a title in their first season? Will the addition of Shreyas Iyer be the final piece to help Brendon McCullum's KKR go one step further in 2022? Which team will win it all? And so much more! Part 2 includes the following teams: Mumbai Indians Punjab Kings Rajasthan Royals Royal Challengers Bangalore Sunrisers Hyderabad We'll be back in your feed again later in the week with our This Week in Cricket show, discussing the World Cup, West Indies v England, the Black Caps and plenty more. In the meantime, if you haven't already, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Barry Richards, Finn Allen, Colin 'Funky' Miller, Bharat Sundaresan, Tim Southee, Katey Martin and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. You can also hear our memories of Shane Warne in our latest Hall of Fame episode. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 22, 2022

It's that time of the year once again - this time with 10 teams and 2 months of IPL action set to dominate our screens. After a tournament explainer from Baldy, we put the timer on the clock for each side - starting with the defending champion Chennai Super Kings all the way through to the Kane Williamson-led Sunrisers Hyderabad. Will Devon Conway win the orange cap? Can the Mumbai Indians overcome the loss of so many key players? Did anyone have a better auction than the Rajasthan Royals? Can Lockie Ferguson bowl the Gujarat Titans to a title in their first season? Will the addition of Shreyas Iyer be the final piece to help Brendon McCullum's KKR go one step further in 2022? Which team will win it all? And so much more! Part 1 includes the following teams: Chennai Super Kings Delhi Capitals Gujarat Titans Kolkata Knight Riders Lucknow Super Giants Part 2 will be in your podcast feed tomorrow! In the meantime, if you haven't already, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including our recent conversation with Kristy Havill previewing the Women's World Cup, plus chats with Wasim Khan, Tim Southee, Mike Hussey, Finn Allen, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. You can also hear our memories of Shane Warne in our latest Hall of Fame episode. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 17, 2022

Have the Black Caps and the IPL disrespected Ross Taylor and the Netherlands? Did England disrespect the West Indies? And did Baldy disrespect Nathan Lyon? We cover all this and much more as we look back at another busy week on the cricket calendar. There's reward for Michael Bracewell and Dane Cleaver in the Black Caps squad, but no George Worker despite his stellar season for the Aces. We've got a logjam at the Women's World Cup, with a crucial few days ahead for the White Ferns - but are Australia simply too good? Plus we discuss the first West Indies vs England Test match, in which we realised Joe Root is still very good at batting, and react live to Babar Azam's heroics during the final stages of the Pakistan fightback against Australia to debate whether Pat Cummins should have enforced the follow-on, and whether Nathan Lyon's GOAT status is under threat. We'll be back in your feed later in the week to preview the upcoming IPL - we went team by team during an overview of the tournament that's set to dominate the cricket calendar from the end of March to the end of May. In the meantime, if you haven't already, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel, and hope to release the video version of our upcoming IPL preview. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including our recent conversation with Kristy Havill previewing the Women's World Cup, plus chats with Wasim Khan, Graham Thorpe, Colin 'Funky' Miller, Finn Allen, Frankie Mackay, George Dobell and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. You can also hear our memories of Shane Warne in our latest Hall of Fame episode. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 10, 2022

It's been a very sad week in the cricket world, with the passing of both Rod Marsh and Shane Warne, but on the field it's been very busy. We start the show by discussing the last-over drama and excitement of the Women's World Cup so far. Deandra Dottin said 'give me the ball', Nat Sciver almost carried England to a record chase and the White Ferns overcame the weather and Bangladesh to pick up their first win of the tournament. As we move around the world, news of a drinks break in Pakistan wakes us from a near slumber as we talk through one of the more boring Test matches in recent memory. Then it's off to India to talk about an incredible individual performance from Ravindra Jadeja, which helped India seal a big win in Virat Kohli's 100th match. Will anyone ever again beat India in a Test series at home? There's also chat about Ben Stokes and his role in the upcoming West Indies v England series, a shout out for the Eden Park groundstaff and a few words remembering the impact Rod Marsh had on both Australian and English cricket. We'll be back in your feed next week to discuss the many different international series and tournaments going on around the world, and our IPL preview will follow soon after that. In the meantime, if you haven't already, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including our recent conversation with Kristy Havill previewing the Women's World Cup, plus chats with Wasim Khan, Ken Rutherford, Mike Hussey, Matt Henry, Katey Martin, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. You can also hear our memories of Shane Warne in our latest Hall of Fame episode. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 9, 2022

The cricket world was rocked this week by the news that Shane Warne had passed away at the age of 52. Since then, there's been an outpouring of tributes from family, friends, teammates, opponents and many others from all around the world. And, to be honest, it's hit us harder than we thought, considering three out of four of us spent most of his career cheering against him. So we thought the best way we could pay tribute was to make him an early entrant into our Test Cricket Hall of Fame and discuss what made him such an icon of the game. We talk about our first memories of the King of Spin, his impact on the art of legspin and the consistency he showed throughout his career. We discuss what made him such an outstanding bowler, ponder some unanswerable questions and generally marvel at the feats of one of the best cricketers we've ever seen. We'll be back in your feed in about 24 hours to discuss the Women's World Cup, India v Sri Lanka, Pakistan v Australia and more in our regular This Week in Cricket show. In the meantime, if you haven't already, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - Ken Rutherford and Mike Hussey stand out as a couple of guests who shared stories about Shane Warne. We'd love to hear your own memories of Shane Warne bowl, so don't hesitate to contact us on social media or via email at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com and we'll happily share your stories next week. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 5, 2022

This week on the show we discuss a bounce back performance by South Africa to draw the Test series with the Black Caps, then try to make sense of the upcoming England Test tour to the West Indies and recap a winning week for Auckland and Otago on the NZ domestic circuit. There are plenty of apologies during the New Zealand v South Africa segment as we examine what changed so drastically from the first Test to the second. Where did it go wrong for the Black Caps? How did Dean Elgar and his side get things so right? Who else thought Colin de Grandhomme's international career was over? Is this a sign of things to come for South Africa? And are NZ's dreams of retaining the World Test Championship mace all but over? Later in the show, we briefly move away from New Zealand to discuss the upcoming West Indies v England series. We talk about our expectations for both sides, and whether there's a way back for Stuart Broad and Jimmy Anderson during the English home summer. And then we round things off with shout outs to a few winners on the NZ domestic circuit, with the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield and Ford Trophy seasons coming to a close, as well as recapping an impressive win for the White Ferns during the World Cup warm up matches. We'll be back in your feed next week to discuss the many different international series and tournaments going on around the world. In the meantime, if you haven't already, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including our most recent conversation with Kristy Havill previewing the Women's World Cup, plus chats with Wasim Khan, Ajaz Patel, Dion Nash, Colin 'Funky' Miller, George Dobell and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 2, 2022

For the first time since 1998, Australia are in Pakistan for a Test series and it's one that holds a lot of importance in the cricket world, both on and off the field. We talk through the key questions facing both sides, plus our expectations for the series. Will Shaheen Shah Afridi outshine the Australian pace attack? How will Marnus Labuschagne go in foreign conditions? Is Nathan Lyon under pressure? Will the pitches favour spin or seam? Are we about to watch a World Test Championship final preview? Who will win the series? And will any of our bold predictions come true? *NOTE: Since we recorded the episode last night (Tuesday 1 March, NZ time), Haris Rauf has tested positive for Covid-19 and will miss the first Test ( https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/pak-vs-aus-2021-22-haris-rauf-ruled-out-of-first-test-against-australia-after-testing-positive-for-covid-19-1303174 ). Pakistan's bowlers aren't having much luck at the moment! We'll be back in your feed later in the week to review the Black Caps v South Africa Test series, look ahead to England v West Indies and recap a weekend of trophies on the NZ domestic scene. In the meantime, if you haven't already, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including our most recent conversations with Kristy Havill previewing the Women's World Cup, plus Wasim Khan, Matt Henry, Mike Hussey, Colin 'Funky' Miller, Dion Nash and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 27, 2022

We love a World Cup at the Top Order Podcast and after a year’s delay, the 2021 Women’s ODI World Cup is about to begin. So to help us look ahead to the next month of action, we’re joined by contributing writer at Locker Room, Canterbury Magician and World Cup Operations Coordinator (among many other things!) Kristy Havill. How much should we read into the White Ferns' 4-1 ODI series win against India? Is it serious that teams could contest a game with only 9 fit players? Have the White Ferns settled on a starting XI? Is Amelia Kerr's incredible run of form a sign of things to come? Which teams will make the semi-finals? Who are the players to watch? And can anyone beat Australia? If you want to hear or read more from Kristy Havill, the link below is a great place to start: https://www.newsroom.co.nz/lockerroom/profile/Kristyhavill/posts . It includes her brave and brilliant story with Amelia Kerr, regular World Cup coverage and interviews with key players involved in the tournament. We'll be back in your feed again next week with a preview of the upcoming Australia v Pakistan Test series, a wrap of the second Black Caps v South Africa Test and plenty more cricket from around the world. In the meantime, if you haven't already, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Georgia Wareham, Matt Henry, Mike Hussey, Frankie Mackay, Melinda Farrell, Shane Bond and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 23, 2022

This week on the show we review a great week for both the Black Caps and the White Ferns, as well as a host of other topics as we look back at the week that was. We start by discussing the amazing performance from Matt Henry, which saw him record the third-best bowling figures in a Test innings for New Zealand, as well as smashing a quick 50 at #11. There's praise for Tim Southee, Tom Blundell and Colin de Grandhomme as well as Gary Stead for his decision to promote Neil Wagner to #5 in the absence of Kane Williamson. But will South Africa bounce back in the second Test? We remain in Aotearoa to chat about the White Ferns, who have looked more and more impressive with every game of their series against India, highlighted by contributions from many different players within the squad. Then it's a quick look at the domestic scene, with the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield and the Ford Trophy up for grabs this weekend. As we venture offshore, we discuss a changing of the guard for the Indian Test team, with Pujara, Rahane, Saha and Ishant all left out. There are questions around the Australian white ball team, despite winning their T20 series 4-1 against a Sri Lankan side that showed a lot of promise. Will Aaron Finch make it to the next T20 World Cup? And how much is the IPL going to impact international tours for both Australia and New Zealand? We'll be back in your feed again later this week with a special guest to preview the Women's World Cup. In the meantime, if you haven't already, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Tim Southee, Mike Hussey, Frankie Mackay, Firdose Moonda, Barry Richards and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 18, 2022

In this episode, we take a look back at an IPL auction that saw 11 Kiwis picked up (to join Kane Williamson, who was retained). We talk through our initial reactions, the most croresome buys, the biggest waste of crore and which teams had the best auction. We then discuss the White Ferns' wins against India in the first two ODIs, which included hundreds to Suzie Bates and Amelia Kerr, plus a batting order reshuffle involving Sophie Devine. Moving around the globe, we head to Australia to chat about their T20 series against Sri Lanka, another setback for Will Pucovski and the latest rule to combat slow over rates. Finally, there's a word or two on the India v West Indies white-ball fixtures and Kieron Pollard's advice to his side. We'll be back in your feed again soon to discuss the first Test between the Black Caps and the Proteas, the White Ferns, Australia v Sri Lanka and much more in our next This Week in Cricket show. In the meantime, if you haven't already, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Matt Henry, Mike Hussey, Frankie Mackay, Firdose Moonda, Barry Richards and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 15, 2022

With the Black Caps v South Africa Test series starting on Thursday, we decided to break from tradition and release this stand-alone episode before our regular This Week in Cricket show. We discuss potential lineups, key matchups, two batting orders missing important players, bold predictions and series winners as we deep-dive into this eagerly anticipated series, which sadly is only two Tests, both at the home of cricket, Hagley Oval. Ravindra or De Grandhomme for the first Test? Is Tom Blundell under serious pressure for his place in the side? Are South Africa the real deal after beating India? Will Dean Elgar regret his pre-game comments? Have New Zealand lost their aura of invincibility at home? Should Ross Taylor have been recalled? And can the Black Caps, who have never beaten South Africa in a Test series and only won 4 individual Tests against the Proteas, make history at Hagley Oval over the course of the next two weeks? We'll be back in your feed again later this week to discuss all things IPL auction, the White Ferns, Australia v Sri Lanka and much more in our This Week in Cricket show. In the meantime, if you haven't already, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're slowly chipping away at populating this channel. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Finn Allen, Mike Hussey, Frankie Mackay, Firdose Moonda, Lockie Ferguson and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 13, 2022

Hours after we recorded our This Week in Cricket episode earlier in the week, news came out that England Cricket legends Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad had been dropped from the Test squad to tour the West Indies. Binksy added a short instant reaction into that episode but the frustration was still brewing, so Baldy jumped on a call to help him talk through the latest in a series of changes going on in English Cricket. Why have they done this? Was it the right thing to do? Is there any way back for Jimmy and Stuart? And what about Dawid Malan? We were planning to pop this segment into our Great Resignation episode, but after the Pat Cummins' press conference, there was quite a bit to digest, so here it is as a stand-alone episode. Enjoy! We'll be back in just a few days with a preview of the Black Caps v South Africa Test series, as well as a recap of the IPL auction and plenty more as the week continues. If you can't wait for that, dip back into our guest episodes, which include the likes of Daniel Beswick from Emerging Cricket, Mike Hussey, Rachin Ravindra, Georgia Wareham, Bharat Sundaresan, Jacob Duffy and many more fantastic characters from around the world. You can also find all our written content, featuring our Hall of Fame series, at our website . Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. We've also made a few of our episodes available on YouTube - we're chipping away at populating this channel. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 11, 2022

What a week it has been at the English and Australian cricket boards! The fall out from The Ashes has led to a clean out at the ECB and the resignation of Justin Langer. Recorded on Tuesday night, there's plenty of debate as we discuss: Should Langer have been retained? What were Cricket Australia thinking? Will England's clean out change anything? Who will take the reins in the coming weeks? And much more! We'll be back in your feed tomorrow with a short episode featuring Baldy and Binksy talking through the clean out in the English Test side (Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad!!!) and Pat Cummins' press conference about the coaching situation. In the meantime please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're chipping away at populating this channel. If you haven't already, dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Finn Allen, Colin 'Funky' Miller, Katey Martin, Graham Thorpe, George Dobell and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 9, 2022

We start the show this week with Binksy's reaction to the breaking news that England have dropped James Anderson and Stuart Broad from their upcoming Test tour to the West Indies, before we travel the world again to discuss a wide range of news from the cricketing week that was. We go in-depth on the Black Caps' Test squad to face South Africa, which features call-ups for Cam Fletcher and Blair Tickner, as well as recalls for Colin de Grandhomme and Hamish Rutherford. Should anyone feel snubbed? How will the batting order line up at Hagley? And how worried are we about Kane Williamson's elbow? Selection discussions continue with a look at the White Ferns' World Cup squad, including the omission of Leigh Kasperek. The conversation then turns to youthful exuberance as we look back the the ICC U19 World Cup and a few future stars that caught our eye, before jetsetting off to the conclusion of the Ashes, the West Indies v India ODI series and the upcoming IPL auction. We'll be back in your feed later this week to discuss the coaching merry-go-round that is Cricket Australia and ECB, with thoughts on Justin Langer, Chris Silverwood, Ashley Giles and what's next. In the meantime please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're chipping away at populating this channel. If you haven't already, dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Tim Southee, Colin 'Funky' Miller, Katey Martin, George Dobell and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 1, 2022

This week's show was recorded about 20 minutes after the conclusion of the Ashes Test, so naturally we start by discussing the final-day drama. We talk declarations, Heather Knight's big hundred and 4-day Tests as the multi-format series now shifts to ODIs. From long-form cricket we move to T20s, recapping the finals of the BBL and Super Smash, which resulted in wins for the Perth Scorchers, Wellington Blaze and Northern Brave. Should the Sixers have been allowed to retire Jordan Silk? Are the Blaze too good? And have any uncapped Super Smash players made a case for international honours? We finish the episode by discussing the entertaining T20 series between the West Indies and England, which was perfectly poised at 2-2 when we recorded the show. Rovman Powell smashed a hundred, Adil Rashid bowled a googly and Raj and Binksy go head-to-head on a prediction for the final game before Baldy gives us an update on the U19 World Cup. Only the one episode from us this week, but we'll be back again in a week's time to circle the cricketing world once more. In the meantime please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're chipping away at populating this channel. If you haven't already, dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Ajaz Patel, Mike Hussey, Shane Bond, Katey Martin, Jarrod Kimber, Jacob Oram and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 29, 2022

In this episode of the Men's Test Cricket Hall of Fame, we continue our countdown by discussing players 60 to 56 (scroll to the bottom of the description if you can't wait to find out who they are). There's plenty of debate around the table as Baldy and Raj go into bat for an Australian captain, before Binksy threatens to pack up his mic and go home. Lippy sneaks in references to Chris Martin, Mark Richardson and Shane Bond, we talk too much talent, 'that grip' and the most runs in a calendar year, plus share more tales about the joys of watching West Indian fast bowlers from the 1980s. Are any of this group ranked too low? Or are they lucky to be here? We'd love to continue the conversation, so don't hesitate to share your views via email or on social media - or give us some praise if you think we've got things spot on! For an even deeper dive on the theory and process behind the Hall, head to our website . You'll find the Preamble , plus the list , which will eventually feature detailed write-ups about every player from 103 to 1 as we make our way through the Hall in the coming weeks and months. Our next This Week in Cricket show will look back at the Super Smash and BBL finals and the women's Ashes, but if you can't wait for that, dip back into our guest episodes, which include the likes of Daniel Beswick from Emerging Cricket, Colin 'Funky' Miller, Finn Allen, Katey Martin, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fantastic characters from around the world. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. We've also made a few of our episodes available on YouTube - we're chipping away at populating this channel. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. *SPOILER ALERT* This episode features players from 60-56 in the following order. 60 - AB de Villiers 59 - Graeme Smith 58 - Joel Garner 57 - Pat Cummins 56 - Mohammad Yousuf Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 27, 2022

On this week's episode we begin by taking a look at both the BBL and the Super Smash as those competitions head into the playoff rounds. Baldy is upset about a snub for Glenn Maxwell, there's confusion about Steve Smith and Lippy thinks the Wellington Blaze are unbeatable, but that anything could happen on the men's side of the draw. We also speculate about the prospect of a Women's World Cup without fans, and whether the rain will stop in Australia so that the women's Ashes players can take the field. As the show continues, we talk about whether it's time for India to panic after South Africa's 3-0 win in the ODI series, which followed their impressive showing in the Tests, and Raj highlights the impact that players like Temba Bavuma and Rassie van der Dussen are having on the Proteas. And then to round out our world tour, there's a stopover in the West Indies, where Binksy gives us the lowdown on the first two T20 matches with England. We'll be back in your feed later this week with the next instalment of our Hall of Fame series, but in the meantime please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're chipping away at populating this channel. If you haven't already, dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Tim Southee, Joe Scuderi, Jeetan Patel, Katey Martin, Jarrod Kimber, Dion Nash and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And check out the earlier episodes from our Hall of Fame series, in which we countdown the 100 greatest Men's Test cricketers of all time. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 22, 2022

It was one-way traffic in the men's Ashes this summer, but there was still plenty to talk about as we looked back at the series in detail. Did England give themselves the best opportunity to succeed? Will any of their 'promising' batters ever become consistent at Test level? Did Mark Wood become Neil Wagner in disguise? How much longer will Chris Silverwood be coach and Joe Root be captain? And can Binksy's Blueprint for success save English cricket? As we shone the light on Australia, everything became much brighter: Will we one day be talking about Cameron Green as an all-time great? Why are there still question marks about Justin Langer's reappointment? Did the 4-0 scoreline flatter Australia? Will Scott Boland play more than 10 Tests? And how did we go with our bold predictions? We'll be back in your feed next week to discuss the cricketing week that was, but in the meantime please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're chipping away at populating this channel. If you haven't already, dip back into our guest episodes - including our latest with rising star Rachin Ravindra. There are also conversations with history-maker Ajaz Patel, Mike Hussey, Graham Thorpe, Katey Martin, Bharat Sundaresan, Jacob Oram and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And check out our Hall of Fame series, in which we countdown the 100 greatest Men's Test cricketers of all time. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 20, 2022

This week on the show we discuss the Black Caps postponed tour to Australia and what might have been had the tour gone ahead. We debate which players had their flights cancelled, whether Colin de Grandhomme's return to form in the Super Smash and Ford Trophy will be enough to return him to the international stage, and highlight two moments of absolute genius from Amelia Kerr. As the show continues, Baldy takes a look to the future by introducing us to a potential star at the Under-19 Cricket World Cup, before we review South Africa's highly entertaining Test series victory over India. There were disputes, disrepute, retirements and, best of all, three quality matches. Who will succeed Virat Kohli as Indian Test captain? How worried should NZ be about this South African side? And how good is Keegan Petersen? We'll be back in your feed later this week for an in-depth look at The Ashes, but in the meantime please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're chipping away at populating this channel. If you haven't already, dip back into our guest episodes - including our latest with rising star Rachin Ravindra. There are also conversations with history-maker Ajaz Patel, Mike Hussey, Graham Thorpe, Katey Martin, Bharat Sundaresan, Shane Bond and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And check out our Hall of Fame series, in which we countdown the 100 greatest Men's Test cricketers of all time. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 12, 2022

It's our first episode back in 2022 and there's been plenty of action over the holiday season. We start the show by discussing the Black Caps v Bangladesh series, which started with a win for the Tigers but finished with a fitting Test farewell for Ross Taylor and milestones for Trent Boult, Devon Conway and Tom Latham. There's praise for Litton Das as well as discussion about NZ players under pressure over the rest of the home summer and some eye-catching performances in the Super Smash and the BBL. After confirming that Devon Conway is indeed the best batter the world has ever seen, we move to Australia to chat about the greatest bowler of all time, Scott Boland, hundreds for Jonny Bairstow and Usman Khawaja, the evergreen Jimmy Anderson, whether England is actually as terrible as everyone is suggesting and plenty more that's happened in The Ashes since we last recorded. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're chipping away at populating this channel. We'll be back next week to discuss the cricketing week that was, including the South Africa v India Test decider, but if you can't wait that long then dip back into our guest episodes, including our latest with rising star Rachin Ravindra. There are also conversations with history-maker Ajaz Patel, Colin 'Funky' Miller, Graham Thorpe, Katey Martin, Bharat Sundaresan, Shane Bond and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And check out our Hall of Fame series, in which we countdown the 100 greatest Men's Test cricketers of all time. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 27, 2021

In our final episode of 2021, we look back at our personal highlights and lowlights from a year that included the Black Caps' World Test Championship victory and a first men's T20 World Cup title for Australia. We also share our Cricketmas wishlist for 2022, but the most important part of the show and this write up is to say thank you to all of our listeners. We absolutely love getting together to record these episodes and the fact people are listening gives us a great excuse to keep doing it week after week. Thanks so much for your support - even after two years, it's still a thrill when we see downloads happening from all over the world. See you in 2022 and please do contact us on any of our channels if you have any comments or requests. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're chipping away at populating this channel. We'll be back in 2022 to discuss all the cricket over the holiday season, but if you can't wait that long then dip back into our guest episodes, including our latest with rising star Rachin Ravindra. There are also conversations with history-maker Ajaz Patel, Colin 'Funky' Miller, Graham Thorpe, Katey Martin, George Dobell, Shane Bond and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And check out our Hall of Fame series, in which we countdown the 100 greatest Men's Test cricketers of all time. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 22, 2021

This week's episode starts with us trying to makes sense of this Ashes series, which now looks all but over with three Tests still to go. We talk Joe Root's after-match comments, Ollie Robinson bowling spin, England's woes, Australia's joy for Michael Neser, Steve Smith's kitbag and whether there's any chance this series remains interesting as we head to the MCG. As we move back to New Zealand, we discuss the Covid disruptions for the Bangladesh squad, how the Black Caps will line up without Kane Williamson for this series and the rescheduled tour to Pakistan. If you enjoyed this episode, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. We'd love to hear from you on any of our platforms. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're chipping away at populating this channel. We'll be back before the end of the year to look back at our favourite moments of 2021, but if you haven't already, dip back into our guest episodes, including our latest with rising star Rachin Ravindra. There are also conversations with history-maker Ajaz Patel, Colin 'Funky' Miller, Graham Thorpe, Katey Martin, George Dobell, Shane Bond and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And check out our Hall of Fame series, in which we countdown the 100 greatest Men's Test cricketers of all time. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 19, 2021

On this episode of the show we're joined by one of the newest members of the Black Caps - someone who has had quite a 12 months. There’s been injuries, international debuts, plus a lot of learning and special memories during a year Rachin Ravindra told us he'll never forget. Rachin spoke about what it's like when your name starts popping up on Cricinfo and social media at a young age, the injury he thought had derailed his year and the moment Gary Stead told him he'd been selected for his first international tour. We talked about sharing the field with some of his heroes, batting in all conditions, helping Ajaz Patel make history, growing up while the Black Caps have consistently been one of the best sides in the world and how he'd like to see his role develop at the top level. If you enjoyed this episode, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. We'd love to hear from you on any of our platforms. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're chipping away at populating this channel. We'll be back later this week to review the second Ashes Test, plus other news from the cricketing week that was. If you haven't already, dip back into our guest episodes, which include the likes of history-maker Ajaz Patel, both Mike and David Hussey, Graham Thorpe, Katey Martin, Bharat Sundaresan, Shane Bond and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. There's also our Hall of Fame series, in which we count down the 100 greatest Men's Test cricketers of all time. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 15, 2021

The Ashes takes centre stage this week as we discuss Australia's win in the first Test at the Gabba. Should England have bowled first? Did they pick the right team? Are we really that surprised their batters struggled? Will Travis Head's 150 prove to be a career-defining innings? Plus we had Patrick Cummins' captaincy debut, Nathan Lyon's 400th wicket, a rough time for Jack Leach, fines galore and injury concerns for both sides. During the second half of the show we all try to claim partial credit for our pre-match predictions, then get excited about the upcoming India v South Africa Test series before shout outs to Marty Kain, Colin Munro and Mitchell Hay. Keep an eye out for our next episode - an interview with Black Cap Rachin Ravindra. His positive attitude really made an impression on us and we're sure you'll enjoy the chat. If you enjoyed this episode, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. We'd love to hear from you on any of our platforms. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're chipping away at populating this channel. If you haven't already, dip back into our guest episodes, which include the likes of history-maker Ajaz Patel, both Mike and David Hussey, Graham Thorpe, Georgia Wareham, Jarrod Kimber, Shane Bond and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. There's also our Hall of Fame series, in which we count down the 100 greatest Men's Test cricketers of all time. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 12, 2021

In this episode of the Men's Test Cricket Hall of Fame, we continue our countdown by discussing players 65 to 61 (scroll to the bottom of the description if you like spoilers). It's another fun group, including some of the most recognisable players that the game has ever seen and heard. There are wickets galore, so many happy memories and some of the best nicknames you could ask for as we reminisce while we examine Baldy's rankings. Is legacy more important than stats? Do average and strike rate matter more than total wickets? Have the Black Caps ever played in Cape Town? Who is the greatest commentator of all time? And who is Joe Mennie? Are any of this group ranked too low? Or are they lucky to be here? We'd love to continue the conversation, so don't hesitate to share your views via email or on social media - or give us some praise if you think we've got things spot on! For an even deeper dive on the theory and process behind the Hall, head to our website . You'll find the Preamble , plus the list , which will eventually feature detailed write-ups about every player from 103 to 1 as we make our way through the Hall in the coming weeks and months. Our next This Week in Cricket show will look back at the first Ashes Test, but if you can't wait for that, dip back into our guest episodes, which include the likes of Daniel Beswick from Emerging Cricket, Colin 'Funky' Miller, Finn Allen, Katey Martin, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fantastic characters from around the world. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. We've also made a few of our episodes available on YouTube - we're chipping away at populating this channel. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. *SPOILER ALERT* This episode features players from 65-61 in the following order. 65 - WG Grace 64 - Richie Benaud 63 - Vernon Philander 62 - Michael Holding 61 - Anil Kumble Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 8, 2021

It's an excitement overload this week as we're together to record in the same room for the first time since August! We start the show by celebrating Ajaz Patel's incredible achievement - becoming the third player in history to take 10 wickets in an innings - before we break down a heavy loss for the Black Caps and look ahead to the rest of the summer for NZ and India. Will Ross Taylor hold his spot? Was Virat Kohli out? Was Ajinkya Rahane really injured? Is there a way to level the playing field for all teams on away tours? And much more! After a much-anticipated swish, Binksy picks himself off the floor and we discuss England selections for The Ashes, plus grounds, tradition and our bold predictions for the series. For more general Ashes content, check out our previous episode - a preview of the series with Melinda Farrell. If you enjoyed this episode, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. We'd love to hear from you on any of our platforms. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're chipping away at populating this channel. Next up, we'll have another Hall of Fame episode (introducing entrants 65 to 61). If you can't wait that long, dip back into our guest episodes, which include the likes of history-maker Ajaz Patel, Colin 'Funky' Miller, Graham Thorpe, Katey Martin, Bharat Sundaresan, Shane Bond and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 5, 2021

A little series called The Ashes is on the horizon, there's drama everywhere and Melinda Farrell joins the show to chat through the storylines before the action gets underway. How will Tim Paine's resignation impact Australia? Can Ollie Robinson be a difference-maker for England? Patrick Cummins - Test captain Will Stuart Broad get the better of David Warner once again? Who is the real Marnus Labuschagne? What impact will the return of Ben Stokes have on the rest of the England lineup? And who will lift the urn? As we mentioned on the show, Melinda Farrell is an all-round cricket personality who produces brilliant content across a number of different platforms. You can find her written work here , view her YouTube channel here (including The Good, the Bad and the Ridiculous with Bharat Sundaresan) or find her on Twitter . If you enjoyed this episode, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. We'd love to hear from you on any of our platforms. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website , and a few of our episodes are available on YouTube - we're chipping away at populating this channel. Next up, we'll have our This Week in Cricket show to discuss the India v Black Caps series, followed by another Hall of Fame episode (introducing entrants 65 to 61). If you can't wait that long, dip back into our guest episodes, which include the likes of history-maker Ajaz Patel, Colin 'Funky' Miller, Tim Southee, Frankie Mackay, Jarrod Kimber, Barry Richards and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 3, 2021

On this episode, we're joined by Black Caps' leg-spinner Ish Sodhi. As well as re-living the final few moments of the first Test between NZ and India, we talk about matchups, head knocks, glue hands and big wickets as Ish looks back at a T20 World Cup campaign that took the Black Caps all the way to the final. Naturally, with Baldy and Lippy on the call, the conversation turns to the art of spin bowling and Ish talks about what he learned from playing Test cricket at such an early stage in his career - and why he's keen to get back in the whites for the Black Caps. We round out the show by discussing Ish's most recent role for the Rajasthan Royals and the magic of the IPL. If you enjoyed this episode, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. We'd love to hear from you on any of our platforms. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . Next up, we've got Melinda Farrell joining us to help preview The Ashes, followed by another Hall of Fame episode (introducing entrants 65 to 61). If you can't wait that long, dip back into our guest episodes, which include the likes of Ajaz Patel, Michael and David Hussey, Tim Southee, Katey Martin, Jarrod Kimber, Graham Thorpe and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 1, 2021

This week's show is dominated by our reaction to the Black Caps' gritty draw against India in the first Test at Kanpur. The Kiwis among us are celebrating a job well done, but do the neutrals think the #1 ranked Test side should be happy with a draw? As the conversation continues, we break down the key performances and talking points from a fascinating match, including: The final few nervy moments Was this a missed opportunity for NZ? Umpiring and the DRS clock Ravichandran Ashwin's follow-through Contrasting spin attacks Brilliant debuts from Shreyas Iyer and Rachin Ravindra Selection headaches for both sides And plenty more before quickly touching on the Covid situation in South Africa, some highlights from the New Zealand domestic scene and a new role for Baldy as the group's head of talent identification. If you enjoyed this episode, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. We'd love to hear if you're enjoying the change to the format of our shows and the more regular releases. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . We managed to speak with a few extra guests this week, so have delayed the release of our next Hall of Fame episode (introducing entrants 65 to 61) - it'll be available in about a week's time. If you haven't already, dip back into our guest episodes, which include the likes of Ajaz Patel, Michael and David Hussey, Jeetan Patel, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan, Barry Richards and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. Coming soon, you'll see interviews with Ish Sodhi reflecting on the T20 World Cup, and Melinda Farrell to help us preview The Ashes. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 24, 2021

What a rollercoaster few months it has been for the Australian men's team! Justin Langer reportedly lost the dressing room, their World Cup build up was awful, David Warner couldn't get a game at the IPL and then they go and win the T20 World Cup but only a week or so later Tim Paine resigns from the Test captaincy because of a sexting scandal. Never a dull moment. We give our thoughts on the way Cricket Australia has handled the situation and look ahead to what might happen on the field with a new captain and potentially a new wicketkeeper for The Ashes. The Black Caps start their World Test Championship title defence in India tomorrow afternoon (check out our full preview on an earlier episode), but first we look back at the three T20s that did pose some interesting questions: Has Martin Guptill done enough over the past 6-12 months to get himself another IPL contract? Should Kyle Jamieson become a Test specialist at international level? And should Black Caps' fans be insulted that the likes of Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant elected to play three meaningless T20s but are resting in the Test series? There are also shout outs to Sophie Devine and her Perth Scorchers in the WBBL, AB de Villiers on his incredible career and some confusing dialogue in Bangladesh involving Mushfiqur Rahim. If you enjoyed this episode, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. We'd love to hear if you're enjoying the change to the format of our shows and the more regular releases. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . There'll be another Hall of Fame episode (introducing entrants 65 to 61) dropping in a few days. If you haven't already, dip back into our guest episodes, which include the likes of Ajaz Patel, Michael and David Hussey, Jeetan Patel, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan, Barry Richards and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 22, 2021

Test cricket is back (almost)! After a heavy diet of T20 cricket over the past couple of months, the Black Caps are in India to begin their defence of the World Test Championship mace. In unfamiliar conditions, there's a spin-heavy look to the New Zealand squad, but who will make the starting XI? How much will the Black Caps miss Devon Conway? India has rested half their side, including Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Rishabh Pant and Virat Kohli (back for the second Test) - how will they line up on Day 1? Will we be talking about anything other than the pitches over the next few weeks? What would be a good result for New Zealand in this two-Test series? And what do the neutrals (Baldy and Binksy) think will happen? If you enjoyed this episode, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. We'd love to hear if you're enjoying the change to the format of our shows and the more regular releases. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . There'll be another Hall of Fame episode (introducing entrants 65 to 61) dropping in a week's time. If you haven't already, dip back into our guest episodes, which include the likes of Dion Nash, Finn Allen, Graham Thorpe, Shane Bond, Frankie Mackay, Jarrod Kimber, Barry Richards and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 19, 2021

Is T20 the most important format in the game today? Recorded just prior to the semi-finals of the 2021 T20 World Cup, this two-part episode charts the evolution of T20 cricket from novelty or experimental format to the present day, when big-money franchise tournaments have become a major part of the cricketing calendar. Was Martin Crowe's Cricket Max ahead of its time? Has there ever been a better T20 innings than Ricky Ponting's 98* in the first T20 international? What impact has T20 had on spinners, batters, pace bowlers and wicketkeepers? How has it impacted Test and ODI cricket? And what does the future hold? To hear more content from us, keep an eye on your feed on Monday (afternoon NZ time) for our preview of the New Zealand v India Test series. If you enjoyed this episode, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. We'd love to hear if you're enjoying the change to the format of our shows and the more regular releases. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . If you haven't already, dip back into our guest episodes, which include the likes of Gary Stead, Finn Allen, Graham Thorpe, Shane Bond, Frankie Mackay, Jarrod Kimber, Barry Richards and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 19, 2021

Is T20 the most important format in the game today? Recorded just prior to the semi-finals of the 2021 T20 World Cup, this two-part episode charts the evolution of T20 cricket from novelty or experimental format to the present day, when big-money franchise tournaments have become a major part of the cricketing calendar. Was Martin Crowe's Cricket Max ahead of its time? Has there ever been a better T20 innings than Ricky Ponting's 98* in the first T20 international? What impact has T20 had on spinners, batters, pace bowlers and wicketkeepers? How has it impacted Test and ODI cricket? And what does the future hold? Remember to listen to Part 2 of this discussion, which is also out now, and keep an eye on your feed on Monday (afternoon NZ time) for our preview of the New Zealand v India Test series. If you enjoyed this episode, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. We'd love to hear if you're enjoying the change to the format of our shows and the more regular releases. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . If you haven't already, dip back into our guest episodes, which include the likes of Matt Henry, Niall O'Brien, Mike Hussey, Frankie Mackay, Daniel Brettig, Barry Richards and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 17, 2021

The T20 World Cup ended with Australia being crowned the champions of the world as New Zealand were heartbroken again in another white-ball tournament. We re-live the emotions of the final and some incredible batting from Kane Williamson, David Warner and Mitchell Marsh. Did the toss decide the game? Could the Black Caps have done anything differently? Did anyone see Mitchell Marsh and Josh Hazelwood having such a starring role for Australia at this World Cup? We also look back at the tournament as a whole to discuss the format, schedule, key players and our favourite moments. It was a tough episode for the Kiwis - but Baldy kept the gloating to a minimum and saved his shoeys for after the recording. We'll be back again later this week (Saturday morning NZ time) with two episodes on the evolution of T20 cricket, before we preview the upcoming New Zealand vs India Test series (Monday afternoon NZ time). Before then, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. We'd love to hear if you're enjoying the change to the format of our shows and the more regular releases. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . If you haven't already, dip back into our guest episodes, which include the likes of Ajaz Patel, Mike Hussey, Katey Martin, Bharat Sundaresan, Jacob Oram, Barry Richards and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 12, 2021

Keen listeners of the show might be looking for our discussion about the evolution of T20 cricket, but two brilliant semi-finals had us buzzing with excitement so we decided to jump on the mics again for this extra episode to look back at these great games and then look forward to the big dance. Emotions were running high, but Binksy remained gracious in defeat in the face of Lippy's celebrations as we discussed the Black Caps' impressive victory against England, which had a few eerie similarities to that memorable World Cup final in 2019. We talk about the outstanding knocks from Daryl Mitchell and Jimmy Neesham, the impact of Devon Conway's injury and whether match-up cricket has gone too far. Later in the show, Baldy attempts to claim underdog status for all Australians, despite Matthew Wade and Marcus Stoinis powering them across the line against Pakistan. Raj wants to know why David Warner walked off the field despite being not out and we discover that the secret to winning at cricket is to not play cricket. Of course, we finish with predictions, but these have now become so meaningless that they've morphed into a strange game of reverse psychology - good luck trying to decipher that nonsense. In a few days' time, we'll be back again to re-live the glory and heartbreak of the final, but while you are waiting please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. We'd love to hear if you're enjoying the change to the format of our shows and the more regular releases. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . If you haven't already, dip back into our guest episodes, which include the likes of Tim Southee, Niall O'Brien, Mike Hussey, Katey Martin, Daniel Brettig, Barry Richards and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 9, 2021

The T20 World Cup is the focus again this week with the semi-finalists now confirmed after New Zealand's win against Afghanistan booked them a date against England to compete for a place in the big dance. On the other side of the draw, the only unbeaten side left in the tournament, Pakistan, will face a resurgent David Warner and an Australian team who could well be hitting form at exactly the right time. Did the best four teams make the semi-finals? Can Australia and New Zealand upset the top seeds? Will the Black Caps make any changes? And will it be Babar Azam, Eoin Morgan, Aaron Finch or Kane Williamson holding the trophy aloft in just a few days' time? We'll be back again next week to re-live the knockout stages of the T20 World Cup and hopefully, with three runners in the race, at least one of us will be celebrating a famous victory. In the meantime, on Friday you'll see two more episodes drop into your podcast feed - our take on the evolution of T20 cricket as a format and what that means for the global game. A big topic and once we started talking we kept talking for a while, so the episode will release in two parts, both dropping on Friday afternoon New Zealand time. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. We'd love to hear if you're enjoying the change to the format of our shows and the more regular releases. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . If you haven't already, dip back into our guest episodes, which include the likes of Matt Henry, Niall O'Brien, Mike Hussey, Katey Martin, Daniel Brettig, Jarrod Kimber and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 5, 2021

Baldy has birds on the mind during this edition of the Test Cricket Hall of Fame, as we count down from 70 to 66. There's pigeons, peacocks, ducks and geese, but best of all, there's a Kiwi. We discuss why Australia hasn't produced more great Test allrounders, as well as the evolution of the flipper and some brilliant batters from South Africa, Pakistan and England - including one who might be a lot higher on this list by the time they retire. Are any of this group ranked too low? Or are they lucky to be here? We'd love to continue the conversation, so don't hesitate to share your views via email or on social media - or give us some praise if we've got things spot on! *SPOILER ALERT* This episode features players from 70-66 in the following order. 70 - Alan Davidson 69 - Clarrie Grimmett 68 - Hashim Amla 67 - Inzamam ul-Haq 66 - Joe Root For an even deeper dive on the theory and process behind the Hall, head to our website . You'll find the Preamble , plus the list , which will eventually feature detailed write-ups about every player from 103 to 1 as we make our way through the Hall in the coming weeks and months. Our next This Week in Cricket show will preview the semi-finals and final of the ICC T20 World Cup, but if you can't wait for that, dip back into our guest episodes, which include the likes of Daniel Beswick from Emerging Cricket, Jeetan Patel, Shane Bond, Mike Hussey, Katey Martin and many more fantastic characters. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 2, 2021

It's another case of World Cup fever this week and there's plenty to talk about, despite Pakistan and England having a jump on the field so far. We start the show by reflecting on an outstanding performance by the Black Caps against India, in a game so crucial that many described it as a World Cup quarter-final. Was Daryl Mitchell's promotion a happy accident? Ish Sodhi was man of the match, but did he bowl the most important spell of the game? Will Virat Kohli's final T20 World Cup as captain end in disappointment? And could Afghanistan still spoil New Zealand's party? As we continue our jaunt around the World Cup, we move to the two most impressive teams of the tournament so far: England and Pakistan. Should we already pencil these two teams into the final? Is anyone hitting the ball better than Jos Buttler at the moment? How about Asif Ali? Who will finish second in Group 1 behind England? Should Australia drop Steve Smith? And is it just a coincidence that teams batting second are winning the majority of the games? Plus Ben Stokes is heading to Australia for the Ashes (will Jofra Archer join him?), the IPL is expanding, Lippy's got a name to watch for the India v New Zealand Test series and Sophie Devine eats Super Overs for breakfast. We'll be back again next week to preview the business end of the T20 World Cup, but also look out for another episode of our Men's Test Cricket Hall of Fame on Friday - there's even a New Zealander in this one! Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. We'd love to hear if you're enjoying the change to the format of our shows and the more regular releases. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . If you haven't already, dip back into our guest episodes, which include the likes of Katey Martin, Finn Allen, Daniel Beswick, Jarrod Kimber, Bharat Sundaresan, Mike Hussey, Graham Thorpe, Wasim Khan and many more. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 29, 2021

There's some outrageous claims on this episode of the Men's Test Cricket Hall of Fame as we explore the careers of five fantastic batters ranked from 75 to 71. Is it better to occupy the crease or score your runs quickly? Does a great player have to be a great leader? Is it a good idea to meet your heroes? And did Binksy really say that Baldy has ranked the best English batter of all time at #73? Are any of this group ranked too low? Or are they lucky to be here? We'd love to continue the conversation, so don't hesitate to call us out via email or on social media to share your views - or give us some praise if we've got things spot on! SPOILER ALERT This episode features players from 75-71 in the following order: 75 - Michael Clarke 74 - Geoffrey Boycott 73 - Kevin Pietersen 72 - Michael Hussey 71 - Virender Sehwag For an even deeper dive on the theory and process behind the Hall, head to our website . You'll find the Preamble , plus the list , which will eventually feature detailed write-ups about every player from 103 to 1 as we make our way through the Hall in the coming weeks and months. Of course, our upcoming This Week in Cricket show will feature a heavy dose of the ICC T20 World Cup, but if you can't wait for that, dip back into our guest episodes, which include the likes of Daniel Beswick from Emerging Cricket, Jarrod Kimber, Shane Bond, Mike Hussey, Katey Martin and many more fantastic characters. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 26, 2021

The T20 World Cup has reached the Super 12 stage and there's been some cracking games already. We start with a shout out to Namibia and Scotland for their superb efforts during the group stage, before reminding ourselves that we've pretty much got every prediction wrong so far in the tournament. That hasn't mattered a lick, though, because the cricket has been fascinating and there's a huge week ahead. England smashed the West Indies, Pakistan beat India by 10 wickets, Australia sneaked over the line against South Africa and Lippy's nervous about a massive week for the Black Caps that could define their success or otherwise at this World Cup. We hit on a few key questions for the remainder of the tournament: How will the pitches change the way the games are played? Will this be the World Cup of the likes of Babar Azam, Virat Kohli, Steve Smith and Kane Williamson, rather than the out and out power hitters? Is being in the 'Group of Death' actually a good thing? And will any of our predictions come true? Plus there's a quick preview of the bidding process for the IPL teams (since recording, we've learned the teams will be based in Lucknow and Ahmedabad and sold for a LOT of money), the Old Trafford Test has become the Edgbaston Test and there's a quick round up of impressive Kiwis at the WBBL and during the first round of the Plunket Shield. Of course we'll be back again next week with more T20 World Cup coverage, but also look out for another episode of our Men's Test Cricket Hall of Fame in the coming days - this one got very spicy! Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. We'd love to hear if you're enjoying the change to the format of our shows and the more regular releases. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . If you haven't already, dip back into our guest episodes, which include the likes of Katey Martin, Finn Allen, Niall O'Brien, Jarrod Kimber, Bharat Sundaresan, Mike Hussey, Graham Thorpe and many more. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 24, 2021

The Ashes are still six weeks away, but the boys, particularly Baldy and Binksy, couldn't resist taking a brief detour away from the T20 World Cup to discuss the lay of the land leading into a series that always provides plenty of talking points. Will the English players have to quarantine? What grounds will the games be played at? Which spots are up for grabs in the Australian line up? Are we enjoying the banter? And will Ben Stokes play a part? Keep an eye out for our T20 World Cup coverage in the coming days, and please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels(@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . If you haven't already, dip back into our guest episodes, which include the likes of Katey Martin, Finn Allen, Niall O'Brien, Jarrod Kimber, Bharat Sundaresan, Mike Hussey, Graham Thorpe and many more. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 21, 2021

Katey Martin has represented the White Ferns nearly 200 times across an almost 18-year international career, including a rare Test match in 2003. We’ve heard her dulcet tones as part of the Spark Sport commentary team and through the stump mics, and she joined us last week from MIQ after the UK tour. In this candid chat, Katey took us into the White Ferns camp to discuss events both on and off the field over the past few months - first looking back to evaluate the England series and then looking ahead to the upcoming ODI World Cup in New Zealand in March/April 2022. We talked goals and expectations, the growth of the women's game, riding in a cricket-ball-shaped bus, dial-up internet, what it's like to be sledged by Alyssa Healy and plenty more in this conversation with one of the game's great characters. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels(@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . If you haven't already, dip back into our recent guest episodes, which include the likes of Niall O'Brien, Jarrod Kimber, Bharat Sundaresan, Mike Hussey, Tim Southee, Frankie Mackay and many more. There's also plenty of T20 World Cup content for you, with our preview of the event and a conversation with Daniel Beswick from Emerging Cricket. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 19, 2021

Eighteen months ago it was hard to imagine we'd have the final of the IPL and the opening games of a T20 World Cup within the same week, but in this new-normal world that's exactly what happened. We talk the excellent turnaround from CSK, led by Stephen Fleming and MS Dhoni, who powered to victory via the bats of Faf du Plessis, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Moeen Ali, and an excellent campaign from the full squad. There's also plenty of love for KKR and their Kiwi contingent for the way they stormed into the final. Speaking of Faf du Plessis, we discuss his omission from the South African T20 World Cup squad, as well as Imran Tahir and Chris Morris, and debate whether the West Indies should have made an exception for Sunil Narine. As the T20 World Cup conversation continues, our Universe Boss correspondent provides a Chris Gayle update, before we discuss the opening day of the tournament, which saw hosts Oman defeat Papua New Guinea and Scotland upset Bangladesh. For more T20 World Cup coverage, check out our preview of the tournament, which focuses largely on the Super 12 stage, plus our episodes with Niall O'Brien and Daniel Beswick, which include content about the group stage. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels(@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . If you haven't already, dip back into our guest episodes, which include the likes of Jarrod Kimber, Bharat Sundaresan, Mike Hussey, Tim Southee and many more. In the coming days you'll also hear from Katey Martin of the White Ferns and Otago Sparks as she shares stories from the UK tour and her career. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 17, 2021

It's World Cup time, which also means it's preview time! The show starts with an epic Baldwin explainer, before we each select a team to discuss in more detail (no prizes for guessing who we choose). With our biases out of the way, Raj poses four big questions to the group: Which player/s are you most excited to watch? Who is your dark horse team to lift the trophy? Which team will underwhelm? And who will make the semis, final and win it all? We focused largely on the Super 12 stage of the tournament and beyond, but for a rundown of the early stages, you can dip back into recent episodes with Daniel Beswick from Emerging Cricket and Niall O'Brien, commentator and former Ireland wicketkeeper/bat. Have we got it spot on? Or have we got it all wrong? Don't be shy to let us know on all our social media channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and please take the time to give us a like, subscribe and/or a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . If you haven't already, dip back into our guest episodes, which include the likes of Jarrod Kimber, Bharat Sundaresan, Mike Hussey, Tim Southee, Niall O'Brien and many more. Next week you'll also hear from Katey Martin of the White Ferns and Otago Sparks as she shares stories from the UK tour and her career. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 15, 2021

Niall O'Brien's international career spanned well past a decade, and included more than 100 ODIs, 30 T20Is and Ireland's first Test match in 2018. He's now a player agent and commentator working all around the world, and joined us from the UAE to discuss the upcoming Men's T20 World Cup and take a stroll down memory lane. We talk Ireland's chances and T20 opportunities on the biggest stage for sides in the first round of the group stage, before Niall takes us into his backyard and schoolground to re-live growing up in a cricket-mad family that's had a huge impact on the game in Ireland. We bounce around from Sydney grade cricket alongside the likes of Shoaib Akhtar and Brett Lee, to ICC World Cups and famous victories against Pakistan in 2007 and England in 2011 - including Niall's match-winning knock in the West Indies. Niall recounts phone calls from Mum telling him to be nicer on commentary to his baby brother Kevin, Trent Johnston's epic speech in 2007, keeping to Murali, being sledged by Warne, throwdowns in the carpark, whether it's ever okay to keep in short sleeves and the pride he has to have represented Ireland over such a long career. As you'd expect, it's a fun chat with plenty of laughs along the way. You can view the Breaking Boundaries documentary we referenced in the podcast via this link - it's an absolute cracker! Keep an eye on your feed over the coming days for our in-depth preview of the Men's T20 World Cup - we focused mainly on the Super 12 stage, but in the meantime scroll further back in our feed and have a listen to our recent conversation with Daniel Beswick from Emerging Cricket, who gave us the lowdown on the first stage of the tournament. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels(@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . If you haven't already, dip back into our guest episodes, which include the likes of Jarrod Kimber, Bharat Sundaresan, Mike Hussey, Tim Southee and many more. Next week you'll also hear from Katey Martin of the White Ferns and Otago Sparks as she shares stories from the UK tour and her career. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 12, 2021

It's the same old Top Order, but a new episode structure, with more regular programming heading your way. And it all starts with an old favourite, This Week in Cricket, where we go around the cricketing world to discuss what's caught our eye. The Ashes are on (hopefully), and England have named a nearly full-strength squad, but does Joe Root have enough support to get a positive result? It's business time at the IPL and CSK are already through to the final after another quality knock from Ruturaj Gaikwad and some MS Dhoni magic. But there's no place for the star-studded Mumbai Indians, who were pipped to the post by Lockie Ferguson and his Kolkata Knight Riders. The door to the Women's World Cup title creaked open a little when India broke Australia's ODI streak and then kicked on with strong performances throughout the rest of the tour. Keep your eyes on your feed in about a week's time for more on the Women's World Cup and the White Ferns tour of the UK, as Katey Martin joined the show to take us inside the camp. And the resignation of both Wasim Khan and Ian Watmore has us trying to join the dots, while there's also talk of New Zealand attempting to reschedule their cancelled tour to Pakistan. As mentioned earlier, we're changing things up at The Top Order, which hopefully means more content for you, the listener, but also more focused content so you can pick and choose what you are after. In addition to our This Week in Cricket shows, we'll have one more episode each week where we'll dive into a bigger topic - the first of those is an in-depth preview of the Men's T20 World Cup - and in many weeks we'll also have a third episode for you to enjoy, which will include our Hall of Fame series and special guests. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels(@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website . If you haven't already, dip back into our guest episodes, which include the likes of Daniel Beswick from Emerging Cricket, Jarrod Kimber, Bharat Sundaresan, Mike Hussey, Tim Southee and many more. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 7, 2021

The Hall of Fame is back, and in this episode we discuss two spinners with very different styles, a pair of seamers that made life very uncomfortable for batters and one of the best sweepers the game has ever seen. Raj highlights a clash with The Don, Lippy makes the case for consistent spinners to get more respect, Binksy re-lives Headingley 1981 and Baldy hands out the first award at 'The Toppies'. Are any of this group ranked too low? Or are they lucky to be here? We'd love to continue the conversation, so don't hesitate to call us out via email or on social media to share your views - or give us some praise if we've got things spot on! SPOILER ALERT This episode features players from 80-76 in the following order: 80 - Bill O'Reilly 79 - Rangana Herath 78 - Makhaya Ntini 77 - Bob Willis 76 - Andy Flower For an even deeper dive on the theory and process behind the Hall, head to our website . You'll find the Preamble , plus the list , which will eventually feature detailed write-ups about every player from 103 to 1 as we make our way through the Hall in the coming weeks and months. Of course, regular programming will continue. We'll be interspersing episodes revealing players with our This Week in Cricket shows and interviews as the IPL comes to a conclusion and we head towards the ICC T20 World Cup. And if you haven't already, dip back into our guest episodes, which include the likes of Daniel Beswick from Emerging Cricket, Jarrod Kimber, Bharat Sundaresan and many more. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels(@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 4, 2021

We said in one of our recent podcasts that it was a buzz to discover we’ve got listeners in places as diverse as Spain, Singapore, Nepal and El Salvador, and although the Test playing nations - sometimes a select few - tend to dominate the media, we wanted to shine a light on some of the other cricket going on around the world. To that end, we were joined by Daniel Beswick, one of the founding members of the Emerging Cricket platform, to discuss the the outlook for Associate Cricket sides in the current environment and the T20 World Cup qualifiers. Topics include: Is Associate Cricket on the rise? What are the biggest challenges? The value and importance of major tournaments, such as the upcoming T20 World Cup Opportunities for Associate players in franchise competitions such as the IPL and BBL Cricket at the Olympics What now for Afghanistan Cricket? Are the USA a potential sleeping giant? Players to watch and predictions for the T20 World Cup qualifiers And much more. If you haven't already, we recommend you check out the incredible coverage provided by Daniel and the rest of the team at Emerging Cricket, at their website , on Twitter or via the Emerging Cricket podcast. You'll also find links on their website to support the work they are doing, or find more information about contributing your own work. Of course, we also recommend you dip back into our back catalogue, you'll find our recent work on our Men's Test Cricket Hall of Fame , plus interviews from all around the world, including the likes of Jarrod Kimber, Tim Southee, Bharat Sundaresan, Finn Allen, Shane Deitz, Mike Hussey and many more. For more information about all of our episodes, head to our website . From next week, we'll be changing up the format of our shows slightly - shorter, but more regular, episodes, which will hopefully allow us to provide more focused content - so keep your eyes on our podcast feed for more information Finally, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram ) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. We're also slowly adding our interviews to our YouTube channel. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, or just to say hello, we'd love to hear from you at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 30, 2021

It's another instalment of the Men's Test Cricket Hall of Fame, and in this episode wicketkeeping and captaincy take centre stage. You'll hear Binksy more animated than ever before, while we discuss his cricketing hero in an attempt to split two great wicketkeepers (it's not even close, he tells us!). Raj is impressed by a whippy Australian, Baldy starts second-guessing himself and suggesting version 2.0 of the list is on the way, while Lippy uses two of the great West Indian leaders to make as many references to New Zealand cricket as possible. There's big bats, the art of wicketkeeping and Baldwin family memories as this labour of love continues. SPOILER ALERT This episode features players from 85-81 in the following order: 85 - Mark Boucher 84 - Ian Healy 83 - Ray Lindwall 82 - Frank Worrell 81 - Clive Lloyd Are any of this group ranked too low? Or are they lucky to be here? We'd love to continue the conversation, so don't hesitate to call us out via email or on social media to share your views - or give us some praise if we've got things spot on! For an even deeper dive on the theory and process behind the Hall, head to our website . You'll find the Preamble , plus the list , which will eventually feature detailed write-ups about every player from 103 to 1 as we make our way through the Hall in the coming weeks and months. Of course, regular programming will continue. We'll be interspersing episodes revealing players with our This Week in Cricket shows and interviews as the IPL comes to a conclusion and we head towards the ICC T20 World Cup. And if you haven't already, dip back into our guest episodes, which include the likes of Jarrod Kimber, Tim Southee, Bharat Sundaresan, Finn Allen and many more. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels ( @toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 21, 2021

We were planning to take a pause of our This Week in Cricket episodes to dive into our Men's Test Cricket Hall of Fame, until the Black Caps tour of Pakistan was abandoned just hours before the first ODI was scheduled to begin. Then, the morning after we'd talked through our initial reactions to that news, more stories broke - the upcoming England Men's and Women's tours to Pakistan have also been cancelled, and reports of a scare related to the England v White Ferns ODI series - so Baldy and Binksy got together again to react to a situation that appears to still be evolving, as politics and sport collide once more. In the remainder of the show, you'll find a quick whip around other news, including: White Ferns v England ODIs so far; Virat Kohli stepping down from the captaincy of India's T20 side and RCB at the end of the ICC T20 World Cup and the IPL; Amazing catches and an evergreen Darren Stevens in the Vitality Blast; and Covid disruption to the New Zealand home summer schedule. If you haven't already, be sure to check out our Hall of Fame, both via our website and by listening to earlier episodes (we've introduced 100-86 so far, with 85-81 coming later this week). You'll find the Preamble , plus the list , which will eventually feature detailed write-ups and discussions about every player from 103 to 1 as we make our way through the Hall in the coming weeks and months. We'd love to hear if you agree or disagree with our rankings, and whether you have your own stories and memories to share about these legends. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels ( @toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 17, 2021

This week on the show we start by trying to make sense of the cancellation/forfeiture/postponement (??) of the 5th England v India Test. What was the result of the series? Does that matter? Was this all about the IPL? Is this current fixture list actually sustainable for the players? We also look back at what was an entertaining series to discuss the impressive contributions from Rohit Sharma and the confusing puzzle that is the English batting lineup. In the second part of the show we race through a number of topics to review the week that was: Australia look set to cancel their Test with Afghanistan Tom Latham and Ajaz Patel shine in Bangladesh White Ferns lose a nail-biter in the final T20 against England The IPL is back again The ins and outs of the T20 World Cup squads If you haven't already, be sure to check out our Hall of Fame, both via our website and by listening to earlier episodes (we've introduced 100-86 so far). You'll find the Preamble , plus the list , which will eventually feature detailed write-ups and discussions about every player from 103 to 1 as we make our way through the Hall in the coming weeks and months. We'd love to hear if you agree or disagree with our rankings, and whether you have your own stories and memories to share about these legends. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels ( @toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 8, 2021

The New Zealand teams are back in action, there's drama in Pakistan and Shardul Thakur has become the world's greatest allrounder - it's been a busy week! We start the show by discussing the news that Pakistan coaches Misbah-ul-Haq and Waqar Younis have resigned from their roles only hours after the T20 World Cup squad was announced, before celebrating wins for both the White Ferns and the Black Caps over the past few days. There's Sophie Devine's milestone performance, Ajaz Patel shining in overseas conditions once again and we debate whether we can learn anything from the matches in Bangladesh. England v India takes centre stage after the swish as we try to make sense of a series that has seen public opinion fluctuate from 'Sack Virat Kohli' to 'India are the greatest team of all time' and 'England have found the answers to their problems' to 'England are terrible at Test cricket'. We also shine a light on outstanding performances from Rohit Sharma, Shardul Thakur and Chris Woakes, discuss whether Jimmy Anderson and Ollie Robinson need a rest and make our predictions for the 5th and final Test. If you haven't already, be sure to check out our Hall of Fame, both via our website and by listening to earlier episodes (we've introduced 100-86 so far). You'll find the Preamble , plus the list , which will eventually feature detailed write-ups and discussions about every player from 103 to 1 as we make our way through the Hall in the coming weeks and months. We'd love to hear if you agree or disagree with our rankings, and whether you have your own stories and memories to share about these legends. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels ( @toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 5, 2021

The Top Order Podcast Hall of Fame returns! We get the time machine out this week to discuss four of the best from the post-war era, plus an Aussie speedster from the 2000s who fans from other countries loved to hate. Binksy shares stories from English cricket folklore, Baldy brings the stats and talks up a hometown hero, there's a spinner for Lippy to rave about and Raj gets so excited his shirt comes off! SPOILER ALERT This episode features players from 90-86 in the following order: 90 - Denis Compton 89 - Neil Harvey 88 - Mitchell Johnson 87 - Alec Bedser 86 - Jim Laker Are any of this group ranked too low? Or are they lucky to be here? We'd love to continue the conversation, so don't hesitate to call us out via email or on social media to share your views - or give us some praise if we've got things spot on! For an even deeper dive on the theory and process behind the Hall, head to our website . You'll find the Preamble , plus the list , which will eventually feature detailed write-ups about every player from 103 to 1 as we make our way through the Hall in the coming weeks and months. Of course, regular programming will continue. We'll be interspersing episodes revealing players with our This Week in Cricket shows (England v India, England v White Ferns & Bangladesh v Black Caps and more!). And if you haven't already, dip back into our recent guest episodes, which includes Jarrod Kimber taking us on a deep dive of New Zealand Cricket on and off the field, and evaluating the World Test Championship as a format, and Tim Southee talking about the pride the Black Caps felt after finally getting their hands on another ICC trophy. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels ( @toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 1, 2021

It's another jam-packed lockdown episode with plenty going on as we cast our eyes around the world to discuss the week that was and look ahead with excitement. Are we in a special era of fast bowling? Will Shaheen Shah Afridi become one of Pakistan's greats? Are highlights packages getting worse? What impact has The Hundred had on the women's game? How much fun are the commentators having at the CPL? Will the return of Suzie Bates be enough for the White Ferns to upset England? And how excited is Raj about the upcoming Black Caps v Bangladesh series? In the second half of the show, we turn our attention to the England v India series in an attempt to figure out why we got our predictions so wrong for the 3rd Test. Did Virat Kohli make the wrong decision to bat first? Has Jarvo got someone on the inside? Is the Indian batting line up just as fragile as the English one? Can Joe Root do it again? Will Ravichandran Ashwin finally get a game? And will any of us get our predictions right? If you haven't already, be sure to check out our Hall of Fame, both via our website and by listening to earlier episodes (we've introduced 100-91 so far). There's another episode on the way at the end of this week. You'll find the Preamble , plus the list , which will eventually feature detailed write-ups and discussions about every player from 103 to 1 as we make our way through the Hall in the coming weeks and months. We'd love to hear if you agree or disagree with our rankings so far. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels ( @toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 23, 2021

It's back to lockdown here in New Zealand, but Raj returns as we gather on Zoom to review the cricketing week that was and the second Test between England and India. We start the show with another thrilling Test match, as Kemar Roach and Jayden Seales get the West Indies home against Pakistan. There's New Zealand news, with Shane Bond joining the Black Caps coaching staff for the T20 World Cup, and Molly Penfold getting a White Ferns call up. Adam Milne gets a shout out during some Hundred predictions that haven't aged well, and Baldy finally joins the conversation to weigh in on the Justin Langer saga and Australia's T20 World Cup squad. A downcast Binksy begins the England v India conversation as we look back at what became an impressive win for Virat Kohli's side. We talk bouncers, captaincy, Bumrah and Shami smashing it to all parts, Joe Root, the war of words, Jarvo, Mohammed Siraj, whether England dropping Dom Sibley and Zac Crawley will make any difference at all, and whether Lippy will get to see Ravi Ashwin bowl during the series. If you haven't already, be sure to check out our Hall of Fame, both via our website and by listening to earlier episodes (we've introduced 100-91 so far). You'll find the Preamble , plus the list , which will eventually feature detailed write-ups and discussions about every player from 103 to 1 as we make our way through the Hall in the coming weeks and months. We'd love to hear if you agree or disagree with our rankings so far. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels ( @toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 11, 2021

We're a man down on this episode, with Raj unavailable, but we soldier on to review the cricketing week that was. We start with a solo performance by Stu, as the Black Caps squads and New Zealand Cricket's plans for the rest of the year were announced on Tuesday morning - the day after our initial recording. He runs through the team lists and a few initial thoughts, particularly about the T20 World Cup side and the spin-heavy look, which includes the likes of Mark Chapman and Todd Astle (full team lists and info available here ). Plus, of course, there's a shout out to Riccarton Cricket Club and their potential debutant Cole McConchie, and thoughts on the White Ferns tour to England. The podcast restarts proper with Baldy hitting the replay button as we discuss Australia's woes and whether there are any positives they can take from the T20 series loss against Bangladesh - or whether it even matters at all with so much cricket still to be played before the World Cup. We talk about scheduling challenges for The Hundred, and introduce a new segment - Media Watch - which this week highlights George Dobell's live blog of the first England v India Test. After the swish, we break down the Trent Bridge Test, in which a potentially fascinating Day 5 was washed away by the rain. Who came away with the points victory? Why didn't India play Ravi Ashwin and will we see him at all in this series? Will anyone other than Joe Root score runs for England? Will The Ashes be cancelled? Is Virat Kohli still good? And who will win the second Test at Lord's? If you haven't already, be sure to check out our Hall of Fame, both via our website and by listening to earlier episodes (we've introduced 100-91 so far). You'll find the Preamble , plus the list , which will eventually feature detailed write-ups and discussions about every player from 103 to 1 as we make our way through the Hall in the coming weeks and months. We'd love to hear if you agree or disagree with our rankings so far. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels ( @toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 8, 2021

The doors to the Hall of Fame are open once more and players 95 to 91 enter The Club. It's a group of five that could send you down a YouTube rabbit hole for days - there's two of India's greatest leaders, a scary and skilful West Indian speedster, an English wicketkeeper who reminded Raj of his younger days and brought a smile to Binksy's face, plus another classy batter who always went to another level against Australia. And, remarkably, there's still no sign of Martin Crowe. SPOILER ALERT This episode features players from 95-91 in the following order: 95 - Kapil Dev 94 - Alan Knott 93 - Andy Roberts 92 - MS Dhoni 91 - VVS Laxman Are any of this group ranked too low? Or are they lucky to be here? As always, the four of us don't agree about everything, and we'd love to hear what you think. Don't hesitate to continue the conversation by calling us out via email or on social media to share your views - or give us some praise if we've got things spot on! For an even deeper dive on the theory and process behind the Hall, head to our website . You'll find the Preamble , plus the list , which will eventually feature detailed write-ups about every player from 103 to 1 as we make our way through the Hall in the coming weeks and months. Of course, regular programming will continue. We'll be interspersing episodes revealing players with our This Week in Cricket shows (next up, a review of the first England v India Test and everything else going on this week) and guest appearances. And if you haven't already, dip back into our recent episodes, which includes Jarrod Kimber taking us on a deep dive of New Zealand Cricket on and off the field, and evaluating the World Test Championship as a format, and Tim Southee talking about the pride the Black Caps felt after finally getting their hands on another ICC trophy. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels ( @toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 2, 2021

The doors to the Hall of Fame are finally open, and in this episode Baldy walks three Englishmen, a West Indian and an Aussie past Nathan Lyon, Mark Waugh and Shakib al Hasan - our benchmark players who remain stuck in the foyer. We put six minutes on the clock as Baldy makes the case for each inductee, then talk longevity vs peak performance, wicketkeeping, legacies and whether it matters or not if people like you. Lippy finds a way to bring up a famous Black Caps win despite there not being a New Zealander in sight and Binksy apologises profusely to Baldy's family as we put these rankings under the microscope. As expected, there's plenty of debate and often we don't agree, so don't hesitate to continue the conversation by calling us out via email or on social media to share your views - or give us some praise if we've got things spot on! We'd love to hear what you think. SPOILER ALERT This episode features players from 100-96 in the following order: 100 - David Warner 99 - Graham Gooch 98 - Ian Bishop 97 - David Gower 96 - Alec Stewart For an even deeper dive on the theory and process behind the Hall, head to our website . You'll find the Preamble , plus the list , which will eventually feature detailed write-ups about every player from 103 to 1 as we make our way through the Hall in the coming weeks and months. Of course, regular programming will continue. We'll be interspersing episodes revealing players (95-91 will be next) with our This Week in Cricket shows and guest appearances. And if you haven't already, dip back into our recent episodes, which includes Jarrod Kimber taking us on a deep dive of New Zealand Cricket on and off the field, and evaluating the World Test Championship as a format, and Tim Southee talking about the pride the Black Caps felt after finally getting their hands on another ICC trophy. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels ( @toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 29, 2021

This week on the show we talk about the start of The Hundred, try to figure out what's real and what's not from the West Indies v Australia matches and look ahead to an intriguing Test series between England and India. We start by discussing The Hundred as Lippy attempts to understand why the competition appears to be so divisive, realise that cricket is still cricket and cricket is fun to watch, but what's going on with those graphics?! Then we take another opportunity to quiz Baldy about what's going on with this Australian white-ball side. Are they good? Or not? Have they completely mismanaged their selections and plan for the year? Or not? Or is it way too early to tell? And why can the West Indies score more runs in 20 overs than they can in 50? Raj has the answer, which may have something to do with the Universe Boss Chris Gayle. We round out the episode by looking ahead to what we hope will be a fascinating Test series between England and India. How excited are the spinners among us about watching Ravi Ashwin for five Tests? How many runs will Joe Root need to score for England to have a chance? How will Ollie Robinson fit into England's bowling attack? There's Broad and Anderson v Kohli, Sharma, Pant and co, and optimistic Binksy makes an appearance during prediction time. If you enjoyed our latest episode - the introduction to our Top Order Podcast Test Cricket Hall of Fame, keep an eye out for the next instalment - where we introduce players 100-96 and debate their inclusion. It's not far away. If you haven't listened yet, there's plenty of time to catch up, but we suggest you do so as these episodes will become a regular feature as we countdown from 100-1. You can also find extensive write ups about the Hall of Fame on our recently revamped website . You can also dip back into our recent interviews - Jarrod Kimber takes us on a deep dive of New Zealand Cricket on and off the field, and evaluates the World Test Championship as a format and Tim Southee talked about the pride the Black Caps felt after finally getting their hands on another ICC trophy. As always, we love hearing from our listeners, so please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels ( @toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 21, 2021

It's here! We've been teasing this for a while, and Baldy's been putting in hours and hours of work behind the scenes to get us ready to begin. Now here it is: the Top Order Podcast Men's Test Cricket Hall of Fame. In this episode, Baldy sets the parameters for discussion: What makes a great player? What are the criteria for selection? Stats or the eye test? Longevity or peak performance? Does winning matter? Is it possible to compare eras? Lippy then hijacks the notable omissions conversation to ask Baldy why a Black Caps legend hasn't made the cut, before we chat through players 103-101 (Shakib Al-Hasan, Nathan Lyon and Mark Waugh) who currently sit just outside the Hall and thus provide the benchmarks for selection. For an even deeper dive on the theory and process behind the Hall, head to our website . You'll find the Preamble , plus the list , which will eventually feature detailed write-ups about every player from 103 to 1 as we make our way through the Hall in the coming weeks and months. Our hope is this list will generate plenty of debate, both on the podcast and on our social channels, so don't hesitate to continue the conversation by calling us out if you disagree - or give us some praise if we've got things spot on! Of course, regular programming will continue. We'll be interspersing episodes revealing players (100-96 will be next) with our This Week in Cricket shows and guest appearances. And if you haven't already, dip back into our recent episodes - Jarrod Kimber takes us on a deep dive of New Zealand Cricket on and off the field, and evaluates the World Test Championship as a format; Tim Southee talked about the pride the Black Caps felt after finally getting their hands on another ICC trophy; and Iain O'Brien was incredibly candid sharing stories from his career and his philosophy on life and cricket as he moves into a coaching gig with Cricket Wellington. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels ( @toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 15, 2021

After a hat-trick of quality guests, normal service resumes as we discuss recent events across the cricketing world. We talk about the raft of Black Caps performing on the English county circuit, including Glenn Phillips, Finn Allen, Lockie Ferguson and Adam Milne, and the prospect of huge competition for spots as New Zealand builds towards the T20 World Cup. Baldy really enjoys it as he's questioned about Australia's performances against the West Indies: Are they any closer to knowing their best XI in T20 cricket? Should Mitchell Marsh be in that lineup? Are there problems behind the scenes? And we heap praise on the West Indies who, even after their recent series losses to South Africa, look an incredibly united cricket side that are so fun to watch and so dangerous in the white-ball formats, with a batting lineup featuring the likes of Chris Gayle, Andre Russell and Kieron Pollard, plus the emergence of bowlers like Obed McCoy and Hayden Walsh. After a swish, it's England's turn to receive our praise, with their incredible limited-overs depth demonstrated by series wins against Sri Lanka, followed by Pakistan with a complete team swap in between. Binksy explains why it's easier to make the step up to international cricket in ODIs and T20s than it is in Test match cricket, and why we should all have posters of Joe Root on our wall. Raj takes us through Sri Lanka's off-field struggles and Lippy asks: Will they even qualify for the 2023 World Cup? If you haven't already, dip back into our recent episodes - Jarrod Kimber takes us on a deep dive of New Zealand Cricket on and off the field, and evaluates the World Test Championship as a format; Tim Southee talked about the pride the Black Caps felt after finally getting their hands on another ICC trophy; and Iain O'Brien was incredibly candid sharing stories from his career and his philosophy on life and cricket as he moves into a coaching gig with Cricket Wellington. Coming up, you'll be introduced to Baldy's Test Cricket Hall of Fame, in a series of podcasts and written material that's bound to ruffle a few feathers and generate plenty of debate. As always, we love hearing from our listeners, so please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels ( @toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 12, 2021

In this episode we speak with one of the best in the business. Jarrod Kimber has written for Wisden, Cricinfo and many many more cricket sites and publications around the world. He’s authored books, worked as a commentator, an analyst and made an award-winning film ( Death of a Gentleman ). We've been admirers of his work for a while and were particularly taken with all the New Zealand content he's produced lately, so we invited him on the show to talk about the Black Caps journey from mediocrity to World Test Champions. After some P Diddy chat and a bit about Jarrod's own cricket fandom, we talk about the many factors behind New Zealand's growth as a cricket side in recent times, which sees them hold top spot in both Tests and ODIs after beating Virat Kohli's India in the WTC final. We discuss what makes Kyle Jamieson so special, why Neil Wagner takes wickets even though everyone knows exactly what he's trying to do, the role of analysts at the international level and where New Zealand sits compared with the Big Three of India, England and Australia. To finish the show, we pan out to take a wider look at the World Test Championship, ICC tournaments, associate nations and franchise cricket to examine how they can all co-exist and what the best version of a cricket calendar might look like. There's even a lawn-mowing metaphor! For more great content from Jarrod, we highly recommend you check out his YouTube channel , or his podcasts Red Inker and Double Century. There's plenty in there for cricket lovers from all around the world. If you're a new listener to the show, check out our back catalogue. You'll find plenty of banter, plus timeless interviews with current players, legends, journalists and characters from all over the cricketing world, including recent chats with Tim Southee and a wonderfully candid Iain O'Brien. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels ( @toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 8, 2021

Tim Southee, Blackcaps seamer and recent member of New Zealand's elite 300 Test wicket club, joins the show to re-live the glory of the World Test Championship Final and the tour to England. We talk celebrations, the mace's journey home, what it means to win an ICC tournament after coming so close in 2015 and 2019, and the growth of this Blackcaps side during Tim's impressive career. Tim insightfully leads us through the key moments of the win against India. From searching 'Southampton weather' countless times, to the Test's first hour, Kyle Jamieson winning the battle with Virat Kohli, the drop and dismissal of Rishabh Pant and nerves in the dressing room as Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor steered New Zealand to victory. To finish the show, we look ahead to the next 6 months for the Blackcaps and give Tim a huge shout out for auctioning a match-worn shirt to raise funds for Holly Beattie. Outstanding work, Tim. Keep your eyes on our feed and our social channels in the coming days. We've got another great interview on the way early next week as we continue to bask in the glory of New Zealand's World Test Championship win. In that episode, we're joined by cricket writer and content producer extraordinaire Jarrod Kimber. If you're a new listener to the show, check out our back catalogue. You'll find plenty of banter, plus timeless interviews with current players, legends, journalists and characters from all over the cricketing world. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels ( @toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 1, 2021

Iain O'Brien's career is one that has taken many turns along the way. From forcing his way into the New Zealand side, to being dropped after two games, and then battling back to become a fixture in the lineup before retiring for family reasons when he was arguably at the top of his game. In this candid chat, Iain shares his excitement about the return to Cricket Wellington in a coaching role and his passion for passing on knowledge to help others achieve their potential both as people and as cricketers. We hear about his early international experiences for the Black Caps against an outstanding Australian side (including being Alpha-d by Adam Gilchrist and Shane Warne), representing NZ at indoor cricket, bowling into the wind at the Basin Reserve, wicket celebrations, opening up about mental health, the loneliness of touring life, testing yourself against the best, being Neil Wagner 0.5 and plenty more in this wide-ranging chat about Iain's playing days and life in general. If you enjoyed listening to Iain, you can check out his own YouTube channel , where you'll find fascinating chats with a wide range of people from all around the world. And of course keep an eye on our feed in the coming weeks. We've got more great interviews on the way as we bask in the glory of New Zealand's World Test Championship win. If you're a new listener to the show, check out our back catalogue. You'll find plenty of banter, plus timeless interviews with current players, legends, journalists and characters from all over the cricketing world. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels ( @toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 26, 2021

You beauty! Absolute scenes at Top Order HQ as New Zealand defeats India to become the inaugural winners of the World Test Championship. Is this New Zealand Cricket's greatest moment? Is this the best Black Caps team ever? Is Kyle Jamieson the best bowler of all-time? Or is that actually Neil Wagner? What were India doing in their second innings? And how nervous were we as NZ edged towards the finish line? Plus there's chat about Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, Virat Kohli, R Ashwin, Rishabh Pant, BJ Watling and Devon Conway, as we run through the key figures and moments of a fascinating final that spanned six days and went right down to the wire. Dropped catches, absolute stunners, lower-order runs, great shots, reckless shots and crucial spells, it's all there for you to re-live and enjoy. World Champs! In case you missed it on our social media feeds, we're now taking orders for Top Order Podcast merch. Take a look, and let us know if you'd like to get in on our first shipment. And don't worry, this first WTC cycle is complete, but there's plenty more content on the way - our chat with former Black Cap and new Wellington Cricket bowling coach Iain O'Brien will drop next week. If you're a new listener to the show, check out our back catalogue. You'll find timeless interviews with current players, legends, journalists and characters from all over the cricketing world, such as Shane Bond, Mike Hussey, Matt Henry and Graham Thorpe, just to name a few.Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels ( @toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 16, 2021

With the World Test Championship Final on the horizon this week, it's a feature-length episode as we break down New Zealand's historic Test series win against England and look forward to the big dance. We start the show with South Africa's crushing victory over the West Indies and Shakib al Hasan's tantrum, but it isn't long before Raj and Lippy are praising the Black Caps and celebrating NZ's first Test series win in England since 1999. There's a detour from the Black Caps squad to discuss England's batting woes, wonder who decided it was a good idea to give James Bracey the keeping gloves and ask if the ECB are disrespecting Test cricket. Spoiler alert: Binksy comes off the long run - shorter Ashes series, anyone? After we wrap up the England series, our attention turns to the World Test Championship Final. Who will New Zealand pick? Who would we pick? And can they beat this formidable Indian line up, featuring the likes of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant, Ravi Jadeja, Ravi Ashwin and Jasprit Bumrah? We're also delighted to be joined by DJ from the Edges and Sledges podcast to help us look at the game from an Indian perspective. Is this the best ever Indian Test side? How much would a World Test Championship victory mean to Indian fans? Which spots in the XI are up for grabs? And who will win? We also featured on Edges and Sledges this week - they do some great work so we thoroughly recommend you check out their feed if you haven't already. The YouTube link to our appearance is available here . Keep an eye out on our social media feeds as we get excited about and react to the World Test Championship final. We also previewed the final with the team at Gully Cricket to Bouncy Wicket , so give them a follow, too. And if interviews are your thing, a chat with former Black Cap and new Wellington Cricket bowling coach Iain O'Brien will drop after we wrap up the WTC final. If you're a new listener to the show, check out our back catalogue. You'll find timeless interviews with current players, legends, journalists and characters from all over the cricketing world, such as Shane Bond, Mike Hussey, Matt Henry and Graham Thorpe, just to name a few.Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels ( @toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 9, 2021

Test match cricket is back and we break down all the highlights and lowlights from the Black Caps v England Test at Lord's. Devon Conway's incredible debut Tim Southee's 6-for Ross Taylor's form A hundred from Rory Burns Ollie Robinson's debut - on and off the field Should England have tried to chase down NZ's target on the final day? Changes for the second Test? And before that, we quickly cover the ICC's tournament schedule, which sees the continuation of the World Test Championship, the return of the Champions Trophy and expansion of the men's Cricket World Cup (14 teams) and T20 World Cup (20 teams), plus Raj takes us through the contract disputes in Sri Lanka - something that seems to be an ongoing theme in many nations around the world. Keep an eye out on our social media feeds in the coming weeks as we build towards the World Test Championship final and cover New Zealand's tour to England. We previewed that final with the team at Gully Cricket to Bouncy Wicket (@gcbwpodcast) and have another crossover episode coming soon with more podcast friends from around the world. And if interviews are your thing, a chat with former Black Cap and new Wellington Cricket bowling coach Iain O'Brien will be the next to drop. If you're a new listener to the show, check out our back catalogue. You'll find timeless interviews with current players, legends, journalists and characters from all over the cricketing world. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels ( @toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 5, 2021

In this episode of the show, Lippy and Baldy chat with former Black Caps captain Ken Rutherford. From struggling in his international debut against one of the all-time great West Indian Test sides, through to captaining New Zealand, Ken Rutherford had a fascinating international career. We talk about that tough debut in 1984-85, scoring 300 in two sessions on a tour to England and the highs and lows of the 1992 World Cup. Lippy gets his full cricket nerd on with some 1993-94 World Series questions, Ken tells us about his acting skills and we hear about his experiences in South Africa, Ireland and the racing industry after his time with the Black Caps. Keep an eye out in the coming weeks as we build towards the World Test Championship final and cover New Zealand's tour to England. We'll have crossover episodes with podcasts from around the world, and there's more interviews on the way - a chat with former Black Cap and new Wellington Cricket bowling coach Iain O'Brien will be the next to drop. If you're a new listener to the show, check out our back catalogue. You'll find timeless interviews with current players, legends, journalists and characters from all over the cricketing world. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels ( @toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 1, 2021

We've been busy recording interviews over the past couple of weeks, but we couldn't resist some banter about the week that was. A reserve day has been added to the World Test Championship Final, the BCCI has set dates and locations for the completion of IPL 2021 and the Black Caps inter-squad match is in the books. We also chat through the unfortunate injury to Ben Foakes and what that's likely to mean for the England side to face New Zealand, plus take a look at the upcoming fixtures between South Africa and the West Indies. Keep an eye out in the coming weeks as we build towards the World Test Championship final. We'll have crossover episodes with podcasts from around the world, and there's more interviews on the way as well, with chats with former Black Caps Ken Rutherford and Iain O'Brien to drop soon. If you're a new listener to the show, check out our back catalogue. You'll find timeless interviews with current players, legends, journalists and characters from all over the cricketing world. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels ( @toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 25, 2021

The boys are back together again to round up the cricketing week that was. There's high praise for BJ Watling after he announces he'll retire after the World Test Championship Final, Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips get Black Caps contracts and we debate where that leaves Ajaz Patel's prospects on the international stage. Baldy takes us through an Australian summer schedule dominated by the men's and women's Ashes, the evergreen Darren Stevens and Sandpaper Gate get shout-outs, and should we start making bats from bamboo? We finish the show with an extended chat about the upcoming England v New Zealand Tests. Can the Black Caps find a spot for a spinner? Who will slot in at 7? Can England's batters secure themselves an Ashes spot? Will anyone make their Test debut? And, of course, who will win the series? Keep an eye out in the coming weeks as we build towards the World Test Championship final. We'll have crossover episodes with podcasts from around the world, and there's more interviews on the way as well, with Ken Rutherford the next in line. If you're a new listener to the show, check out our back catalogue. You'll find timeless interviews with current players, legends, journalists and characters from all over the cricketing world. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels ( @toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 13, 2021

On this bonus episode of the show we're joined by Black Caps and Canterbury seamer Matt Henry. We talk ICC rankings, the Black Caps environment and what it's like to bowl with the Dukes ball, before Matt talks about the excitement of another final and the chance to make history in this first edition of the World Test Championship. Matt runs us through the logistics of the upcoming tour, the recent training camps, the planning that goes on behind the scenes and his personal ambitions for the next few months. And we couldn't resist the opportunity to re-live two of our favourite ODIs in recent memory - the 2015 and 2019 World Cup semi-finals against South Africa and India. Keep an eye out in the coming weeks as we build towards the World Test Championship final. We'll have crossover episodes with podcasts from around the world, and there's more interviews on the way as well. If you're a new listener to the show, check out our back catalogue. You'll find timeless interviews with current players, legends, journalists and characters from all over the cricketing world. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels ( @toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 10, 2021

We ended our previous episode predicting the IPL would continue on - how wrong we were. Less than 24 hours after the episode was recorded, more positive cases emerged and the tournament was officially postponed. Despite the lack of cricket on the field, there's still plenty to talk about. India has named their 20-strong squad for the upcoming tour to the UK, which includes the World Test Championship Final and 5 Tests against England. The West Indies have announced their contract list for the upcoming season, which saw players like Kyle Mayers and Nkrumah Bonner rewarded for their impressive debuts, and we finish the show by announcing an exciting project that Baldy has been working on that will soon see the light of day. It's going to provoke plenty of debate, and a conversation that we're really excited to start. Keep an eye out in the coming weeks as we build towards the World Test Championship final. You'll soon see an interview with Black Caps seamer Matt Henry pop into the feed, plus there's more interviews on the way and some crossover episodes with podcasts from around the world. If you're a new listener to the show, check out our back catalogue. There's plenty more great interviews with current players, legends, journalists and characters from all over the cricketing world. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels ( @toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 2, 2021

Just before our recording started, the news broke that Varun Chakravarthy and Sandeep Warrier from the Kolkata Knight Riders have tested positive for Covid-19. We speculate on the implications for the rest of the tournament and what might happen over the next few days. It's back to cricket after that, with the Black Caps in camp, Heinrich Malan added to the coaching staff and bowlers bowling with the Dukes ball. We start to get excited about the upcoming England and World Test Championship tour: Ross Taylor's picked up an injury but Will Young's scored 100 opening the batting for Durham. Before we move to the on-field events at the IPL, we quickly touch on cricket at the Commonwealth Games in 2022 and the new board to govern Cricket South Africa. In the second part of the show, we chat through Kane Williamson replacing David Warner as captain at Sunrisers Hyderabad, Virat Kohli's RCB hitting a speed bump, the Mumbai Indians and Kieron Pollard rolling into form and whether the top 4 of CSK, Delhi, Mumbai and RCB should already be pencilled in as we pass the halfway point of the season. Keep an eye out in the coming weeks as we continue our coverage of the IPL, plus all the NZ news as we build towards the World Test Championship final. If you're a new listener to the podcast, also check out our back catalogue. There's plenty more great interviews with current players, legends, journalists and characters from all over the cricketing world, including recent chats with Peter Fulton and Georgia Wareham. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels ( @toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 25, 2021

We're one third of the way through the IPL, and unfortunately the cricketing headlines are being overshadowed by the tragic Covid-19 situation in India. We do our best to provide some distraction, touching on all 8 teams as we discuss what's caught our eye in the first 20 games of the tournament. Before the IPL chat, Baldy runs us through more turmoil in South African cricket and an 8-year ban for Heath Streak, while Binksy joins spin corner to update us on the early rounds of the County Championship and the form of Dom Bess and Matt Parkinson's 'Ball of This Century'. As the IPL chat begins, we work our way from the bottom of the table Kolkata Knight Riders through to a CSK side flying high and fresh off a win and a 37-run over from Ravindra Jadeja. We ask whether Andre Russell needs a promotion, wonder when Mumbai's finishers will find form and hit the panic button for a couple of teams, even after Lippy said it was too early to hit the panic button. There's praise for Moeen Ali and Glenn Maxwell in their new sides, we make the case for 'the craftsmen', Lippy tries to reference as many Black Caps as possible and the mulligans come out as we take another crack at predicting the playoff sides. Keep an eye out in the coming weeks as we continue our coverage of the IPL, plus all the NZ news as we build towards the World Test Championship final. If you're a new listener to the podcast, also check out our back catalogue. There's plenty more great interviews with current players, legends, journalists and characters from all over the cricketing world, including recent chats with Peter Fulton and Georgia Wareham. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels ( @toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 19, 2021

In this episode of the Top Order Podcast, we're joined by Canterbury coach and legend of the province, Peter Fulton. We start the show by looking back at what's been an incredible season for both the men and the women in red and black - securing a remarkable 4 out of the 5 domestic titles. We discuss Will Williams' confidence levels, Cam Fletcher's touch rugby struggles, Ken McClure's match-winning innings in the Ford Trophy final and why Peter stepped away from the Black Caps environment to take on his current role with Canterbury. As the chat continues, we take a trip down memory lane to remember the 2007 Chappell-Hadlee series, Peter's back-to-back Test hundreds against England at Eden Park, the ups and downs of his international career, his 11 first-class wickets and much more. Keep an eye out in the coming weeks for our coverage of the IPL, plus all the NZ news as we build towards the World Test Championship final. If you're a new listener to the podcast, also check out our back catalogue. There's plenty more great interviews with current players, legends, journalists and characters from all over the cricketing world. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels ( @toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 16, 2021

During the record-breaking Australian women's side's tour to New Zealand to take on the White Ferns, Baldy was lucky enough to catch up with star leg-spinner and World Cup winner Georgia Wareham. They talked world records, the art of leg-spin bowling, the strength of the domestic competition at home, Georgia's pathway to the Australian national side at such a young age and winning the World Cup in front of 80,000 fans. If you're a new listener to the podcast, check out our back catalogue. There's plenty more great interviews with current players, legends, journalists and characters from all over the cricketing world. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels ( @toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 11, 2021

In this episode of the Top Order Podcast we take a look back at the New Zealand summer of cricket. It's been almost all red and black on the domestic circuit, with Canterbury winning 4 out of the 5 trophies on offer across the men's and women's competitions. We highlight key performers across the Plunket Shield, Ford Trophy, Hallyburton Johnstone Shield and the Super Smash and discuss whether this could translate to the international stage for the likes of Will Williams, Cam Fletcher, Will O'Donnell, Brooke Halliday, Frankie Mackay and Lauren Down. We then turn our attention to the White Ferns, who've had a particularly tough summer against the world's best in England and Australia. We discuss whether wins and losses are the best way to evaluate the performances of this side, a challenging season for Sophie Devine and some bright lights among the gloom. The positive vibes are flowing when it comes to the Black Caps, though, who've won all 7 series this summer and seem to have strength and depth across the entire squad. We try to keep the Devon Conway chat to only 5 minutes, remember that Kane Williamson is fairly good at batting and predict what it all means for the upcoming World Test Championship Final and the T20 World Cup. We even have a crack at picking our 20-man squad for the England Test tour (we swear we recorded this before the team was announced!) - not a bad effort if we do say so ourselves. Look out for plenty more shows in the coming days. We've got interviews with Australian star leg-spinner Georgia Wareham and Canterbury coach Peter Fulton, plus IPL review shows as the tournament continues.If you enjoy what we're doing here at The Top Order, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels ( @toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram), plus a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find us.And if you're a new listener, check out our back catalogue. You'll find plenty of timeless interviews with current players, legends, journalists and characters from all over the cricketing world. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com or on any of our social channels - it's always great to hear from cricket fans from all over the world. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 8, 2021

There's podcasts a plenty this week at the Top Order and in this episode we round up everything that caught our eye around the cricketing world. We start the show by discussing whether Quinton de Kock's antics constitute fake fielding, before Baldy outlines just how astonishing this record-breaking Australian women's team actually are. Kraigg Brathwaite's sunglasses are still doing a good job, Washington Sundar's has a new dog, Covid concerns hover over the start of the IPL and we talk about a tweak to the DRS that has bowlers smiling. Look out for plenty more shows in the coming days, including a full review of the New Zealand home summer. And If you enjoy what we're doing here at The Top Order, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels ( @toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram), plus a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find us.If you're a new listener, check out our back catalogue. You'll find plenty of timeless interviews with current players, legends, journalists and characters from all over the cricketing world. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com or on any of our social channels - it's always great to hear from cricket fans from all over the world. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 6, 2021

IPL 14 is almost here and the boys are back to preview the tournament. In Part 2 of our preview, we run through the ins and outs, key players and predictions for the Mumbai Indians, Rajasthan Royals, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Sunrisers Hyderabad. Are Mumbai the best T20 side in the world, franchise or international? Can the Royals win without Jofra Archer? Will Virat Kohli lead RCB to a title? Do the Sunrisers have enough firepower to challenge for the top spot? Tune in to find the answers, plus plenty more banter and bold calls as we look ahead to one of the biggest events on the cricketing calendar. Think you can take down the boys? Join our our IPL fantasy listener league at https://fantasy.iplt20.com/season/league/join/41ISPUJYKQ0107 Look out for plenty more shows in the coming days, including a round up of the cricketing week and a review of the New Zealand home summer. And If you enjoyed the show, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels ( @toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram), plus a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find us. If you're new to the Top Order, check out our back catalogue. You'll find plenty of timeless interviews with current players, legends, journalists and characters from all over the cricketing world. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com or on any of our social channels - it's always great to hear from listeners all over the world. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 4, 2021

IPL 14 is almost here and the boys are back to preview the tournament. In this episode we set the scene for the latest edition of the Indian Premier League, then run through the ins and outs, key players and predictions for the Chennai Super Kings, Delhi Capitals, Kolkata Knight Riders and Punjab Kings. Do CSK have too many all-rounders? Can Rishabh Pant's mastery lead Delhi to a title? KKR has an impressive list of overseas players, the likes of Eoin Morgan, Pat Cummins, Lockie Ferguson, Shakib Al Hasan, Andre Russell and Sunil Narine, but which four should be in their best XI? Will a new name lead to new fortunes for the Punjab Kings? Tune in to find the answers, plus plenty more banter and bold calls as we look ahead to one of the biggest events on the cricketing calendar. Look out for Part 2 of the preview show, which will be dropping into your feed in the coming days. And If you enjoyed the show, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels ( @toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram), plus a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find us. If you're new to the Top Order, check out our back catalogue. You'll find plenty of timeless interviews with current players, legends, journalists and characters from all over the cricketing world. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com or on any of our social channels - it's always great to hear from listeners all over the world. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 30, 2021

In this episode of the show, we span the globe to chat through the cricketing week that was. We start in India to discuss their excellent white-ball series against England. Did India keep a few tricks up their sleeve? Are the days of the big-daddy hundred over? Will Virat Kohli's move to open become permanent? And can we expect similar run-fests in the 2021 T20 and 2023 ODI World Cups? With all the talk of run-fests, we return to New Zealand shores to discuss how equipped this current Black Caps side is to chase down huge totals. We ask whether Devon Conway is a cybernetic organism with living tissue over metal endoskeleton, heap praise on Daryl Mitchell and ponder potential candidates for an extended T20 World Cup squad. We finish the show with the continued success of Kyle Mayers and Nkrumah Bonner, which has the West Indies on the improve, as well as the most important question of the evening: If you're not Chris Gayle, is it ever acceptable to wear sunglasses when you're batting? If you enjoyed the show, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels ( @toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find us. And you're new to the Top Order, check out our back catalogue. You'll find plenty of timeless interviews with current players, legends, journalists and characters from all over the cricketing world. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com or on any of our social channels - it's always great to hear from listeners all over the world. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 23, 2021

Finn Allen has been the breakout star of the New Zealand summer, topping the Super Smash run charts and putting himself in the minds of selectors around the world. We spoke to Finn about the move from Auckland to Wellington, the Firebirds' culture, Super Smash finals day, being the best you can be and what it's like to bat with the likes of Devon Conway, Tom Blundell and Rachin Ravindra. From there, Finn's amazing summer continued with a call up to the Black Caps, a WhatsApp message from Mike Hesson asking him to join Royal Challengers Bangalore in this year's IPL and a Lancashire contract for the Vitality Blast. We talked through those incredible moments and how he's feeling about lining up alongside players like Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers and Glenn Maxwell. If you're a new listener to the podcast, check out our back catalogue. There's plenty more great interviews with current players, legends, journalists and characters from all over the cricketing world. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels ( @toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook , & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 19, 2021

After a busy week commentating for Auckland Cricket, the boys are back to round up all the news from around the cricketing world. We talk Rashid Khan's marathon spell, World Test Championship conspiracy theories and Finn Allen's IPL deal with Royal Challengers Bangalore. Raj starts a passionate debate about Jason Holder being replaced as West Indies Test captain, punctuated by a Dad joke of the highest order from Binksy. We look ahead to the Black Caps v Bangladesh ODI series and ask if India's embarrassment of riches in the white ball formats is presenting more challenges than benefits. If you enjoyed the show, one way you can support us is to check out http://manscaped.com/ . As a listener of the show, you'll get 20% off + free shipping with the code: TOPORDER. Please also take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels ( @toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find us. And you're new to the show, check out our back catalogue. You'll find plenty of timeless interviews with current players, legends, journalists and characters from all over the cricketing world. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com or on any of our social channels. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 8, 2021

There's plenty to talk about this week and we start the show with a bang, reliving Kieron Pollard's six sixes off an Akila Dananjaya over. South Africa named new captains, Cameron Green scored some runs and Canterbury added another trophy to their cabinet thanks to a hundred from Henry Nicholls and some big bombs from Ken McClure. After New Zealand sealed the T20 series against Australia with an impressive turnaround in Game 5 (17.45), we discuss Devon Conway's elevation to open, Aaron Finch's return to form, what both teams have learned and how they might line up at the T20 World Cup later this year. Binksy gets a chance to highlight more impressive English performances against the White Ferns (39.50), but when it comes to the men, Joe Root might be the only one to come out unscathed as we look back on the 4th Test between India and England (42.50). There's stats galore, Axar Patel is the greatest bowler to have played the game, Ravi Ashwin took 400 wickets in the series, Rishabh Pant gets a rap for his work behind the stumps and we look ahead to the World Test Championship Final at Lord's. If you enjoyed the show, one way you can support us is to check out http://manscaped.com/ . As a listener of the show, you'll get 20% off + free shipping with the code: TOPORDER. Please also take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels ( @toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find us. And you're new to the show, check out our back catalogue. You'll find plenty of timeless interviews with current players, legends, journalists and characters from all over the cricketing world. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com or on any of our social channels. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 6, 2021

In the second of our bonus episodes this week, we discuss reports of the MCC proposing potential rule changes to the ICC. Should 'Umpire's Call' be removed from the cricketing lexicon? What's the best use of technology in decision making? And what role should the on-field umpire play in all of this? We had our say, and would love to hear what you think via any of our social channels or via thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . If you enjoyed the show, one way you can support us is to check out http://manscaped.com/ . As a listener of the show, you'll get 20% off + free shipping on all of their products with the code: TOPORDER. Please also take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels ( @toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. Or tell a friend about the show! It really helps others find us. And you're a new listener, check out our back catalogue. You'll find plenty of timeless interviews with current players, legends, journalists and characters from all over the cricketing world. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 4, 2021

In the first of two short bonus episodes this week, we discuss reports of the MCC proposing potential rule changes to the ICC. Should the bouncer be banned? Will we ever use spit to shine the ball again? We had our say, and would love to hear what you think via any of our social channels or via thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Keep an eye on your feed for one more of these debates, in which we discuss the proposed changes to the umpire's call ruling on DRS. If you enjoyed the show, one way you can support us is to check out http://manscaped.com/ . As a listener of the show, you'll get 20% off + free shipping on all of their products with the code: TOPORDER. Please also take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels ( @toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. Or tell a friend about the show! It really helps others find us. And you're a new listener, check out our back catalogue. You'll find plenty of timeless interviews with current players, legends, journalists and characters from all over the cricketing world. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 2, 2021

It's been another busy week in the world of cricket and we start the show in Aotearoa to discuss the series of Conway and two impressive performances from the Black Caps. We praise Martin Guptill and Jimmy Neesham, discuss Kyle Jamieson's struggles for the first time in his international career and Baldy is left with more questions than answers when looking at this Australian T20 squad. As we move to the White Ferns v England ODI series, we ponder what changed from games 1-2 to game 3 and Lippy highlights the impressive debut of Brooke Halliday and a match-winning partnership as reason for optimism heading into the T20 fixtures despite a 2-1 series loss. We finish the New Zealand segment of the show with the Ford Trophy, where hundreds galore find Canterbury and Wellington in finals contention once again. After Raj's favourite noise, we head to Ahmedabad to debate the pitch and the ball, Binksy talks about bikinis and eventually we even talk about the cricket that was played during a Test that didn't last much longer than the podcast. Keep an eye on your feed over the coming days, as we'll have a few extra episodes this week, in which we discuss potential rule changes to our great game. If you enjoyed the show, one way you can support us is to check out http://manscaped.com/ . As a listener of the show, you'll get 20% off + free shipping with the code: TOPORDER. Please also take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels ( @toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find us. And you're new to the show, check out our back catalogue. You'll find plenty of timeless interviews with current players, legends, journalists and characters from all over the cricketing world. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com or on any of our social channels. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 22, 2021

In Part B of our bumper 100th episode, the discussions get heated as we look back at the second Test between India and England. Binksy questions the value of the ICC pitch guidelines, while Raj questions the English tactics and praises Lippy for messages he sent to Virat Kohli and the India squad in our previous podcast. There's spin chat from Baldy, Binksy gets very very excited about Ben Foakes, we talk the Moeen Ali situation, there's praise for Ravichandran Ashwin and Rohit Sharma, and much more as we deep dive into this fascinating series before looking ahead to the pink-ball Test. Later in the show, we weigh in on the IPL vs country debate and run through the notable points of the IPL auction, including a life-changing moment for Kyle Jamieson and a few curious absentees. Long-time listeners of the show will remember our podcast partnerships with prestigious products such as Sticky Hands and Rain Card. In this episode, you'll also hear Baldy back on the ad reads, discussing more quality products from the team at Manscaped. As a listener of The Top Order, go to http://manscaped.com/ and get 20% off + free shipping with the code: TOPORDER If you enjoyed the show, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels ( @toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find us. And you're new to the show, check out our back catalogue. You'll find plenty of timeless interviews with current players, legends, journalists and characters from all over the cricketing world. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com or on any of our social channels. Finally, a massive thanks to you as a listener - it's been a real treat for us to put these 100 episodes together and it certainly means a lot to raise the bat with all your support. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 22, 2021

It's our 100th episode and it's so packed full of content we've split it into two parts for your listening pleasure. Plus there's a new sponsor (see discount code below)! In the first part of the show, we touch on West Indies v Bangladesh, Faf Du Plessis' retirement, Super Smash finals day and the upcoming series for the Black Caps and White Ferns against Australia and England. To round out Part A of episode 100, we indulge in a segment for ourselves, discussing our favourite hundreds of all time. In Part B, which you'll find in your feed shortly, we discuss the India v England series and the IPL auction. Long-time listeners of the show will remember our podcast partnerships with prestigious products such as Sticky Hands and Rain Card. In this episode, you'll hear Baldy back on the ad reads, with more quality products from the team at Manscaped. As a listener of The Top Order, go to http://manscaped.com/ and get 20% off + free shipping with the code: TOPORDER If you enjoyed the show, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels ( @toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find us. And you're new to the show, check out our back catalogue. You'll find plenty of timeless interviews with current players, legends, journalists and characters from all over the cricketing world. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com or on any of our social channels. Finally, a massive thanks to you as a listener - it's been a real treat for us to put these 100 episodes together and it certainly means a lot to raise the bat with all your support. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 13, 2021

It's a Test cricket bonanza! Test cricket is on fire at the moment and this episode was especially fun to record as we looked back at three quality games in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, as well as a match-winning partnership by muscle man Cam Fletcher and Black Cap Daryl Mitchell in the Super Smash eliminator. We talk incredible double hundreds from Kyle Mayers and Joe Root, feel vindicated about our optimism towards the Pakistan Test side, analyse the spin bowling tactics from India and England, and Binksy can't stop smiling after a famous English win. We weigh in on why Joe Root didn't receive a signed India shirt for his 100th Test, talk about the role of Joshua Da Silva in one of the West Indies' best away wins in recent memory, Raj gives us an update on the ongoing Virat Kohli leadership debate, Lippy steals the Shaheen Shah Afridi chat away from Baldy and we all make predictions for the rest of the India v England series. If you enjoyed the show, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels ( @toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find us. And you're new to the show, check out our back catalogue. You'll find plenty of timeless interviews with current players, legends, journalists and characters from all over the cricketing world. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com or on any of our social channels. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 8, 2021

No Raj this week but Binksy and Baldy are together in the studio as Lippy dials in from the boot of his car (it's a long story, but the resulting audio quality is great!) to review another eventful week. We start in New Zealand, where Finn Allen and Devon Conway have been on fire to propel Wellington into the Super Smash final. On the women's side of the draw, it's the Canterbury Magicians who are one win away from glory. Lippy squeezes in a shout out to the Nelson Griffins after they lift Hawke Cup, then we move across the Tasman to discuss the Sydney Sixers' BBL win, James Vince, player name pronunciation and the Aussie T20 squad. Things take on a serious tone as we chat through the Covid postponement of the South Africa v Australia series and the implications for the World Test Championship. No permutations this week, but all eyes are on India v England as we wait to see who will face the Black Caps in the final. Binksy gives us a live update from Chennai and reminds us all that Joe Root is quite good at batting, before we finish the show by discussing Justin Langer in light of recent comments from Steve Smith. We'll be back in your feed again shortly to talk Test cricket - India v England, Pakistan v South Africa and West Indies v Bangladesh. If you're new to the show and can't wait that long, check out our back catalogue. You'll find plenty of timeless interviews with current players, legends, journalists and characters from all over the cricketing world. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels ( @toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com or on any of our social channels. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 1, 2021

On this episode of the show, we take a look back at the epic Australia v India Test series. India won 2-1 on the scoreboard, but which individuals saw their stock rise throughout the series? We start the show with captaincy and leadership by contrasting the actions and fortunes of Ajinkya Rahane and Tim Paine, before discussing a host more key figures including: Rishabh Pant Shubman Gill Pat Cummins Nathan Lyon The Australian Selectors The World Test Championship And plenty more as we re-live a fantastic advertisement for Test cricket. Finally, we give our verdicts on whether it was, as some people have called it, the greatest Test series of our lifetime. If you're new to the show, check out our back catalogue. You'll find plenty of timeless interviews with current players, legends, journalists and characters from all over the cricketing world. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels ( @toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com or on any of our social channels. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 1, 2021

After a few special guests lately, the crew are back to the debating table but not quite as a minor Covid scare in NZ had us recording remotely to review the cricketing week that was. There's plenty of action going on around the world, but we start the show at Lippy's old stomping ground, Hagley Oval, where he hopes the Black Caps selectors were watching Dan Vettori's clutch display in the Black Clash. It's to the T20 leagues we head to next, updating the Super Smash, BBL10 and a host of Aussies being cast aside in the IPL, before we touch on Ireland v Afghanistan and West Indies v Bangladesh, where two 3-0 ODI series wins could have big implications for 2023 World Cup qualification. During the second part of the show we turn our attention to England's recent series in Sri Lanka and their upcoming tour to India. Binksy is delighted with Joe Root's return to form, Raj is angry with Mickey Arthur, and Lippy enjoyed Lasith Embuldeniya's magic balls. It was a comprehensive victory for England, but do the boys give them any hope against India? Baldy wraps the show by running through the World Test Championship permutations, which became so confusing that Raj accidentally forgot he was a Black Caps' fan. Keep your eye on the podcast feed in the next 24 hours for another episode recorded on the same night as this one, in which we discuss the winners and losers from the epic Australia v India series. If you can't wait that long, check out our back catalogue. There's plenty of great interviews with current players, legends, journalists and characters from all over the cricketing world. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels ( @toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com or on any of our social channels. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 24, 2021

There’s been a lot going on in South African cricket circles lately, both on and off the field, and who better to help us make sense of it all than ESPN Cricinfo’s Southern Africa correspondent Firdose Moonda, who’s been leading the cricket coverage in the region during this challenging time. In this fascinating deep dive into all things cricket in South Africa, we start by discussing the men's side's most recent series, and how difficult it was to assess the team's performance against a Sri Lankan squad decimated by injuries. We talk promising debutants, Quinton de Kock's leadership, the search for a Test captain, changes under Mark Boucher and why Faf du Plessis can't keep his shirt on. As we transition to the boardroom, Firdose takes us through the fallout from the Fundudzi report and we learn how close South Africa was to losing official international status. She frankly discusses communication breakdowns and a lack of cohesion as we explore transformation targets, the Black Lives Matter response, next steps, and the impact of the boardroom on the players and fans. Firdose's in-depth insight into the challenges South African cricket governance have to face, and how well they are currently navigating that path, is absolutely fascinating. We finish the show by taking a look at what's next on the field, starting with the women's team hosting Pakistan as the men head in the opposite direction for two Tests and three T20s - their first tour to Pakistan in 14 years and one that's shaping as a very interesting series as we assess where both sides fit in the Test hierarchy. You can find Firdose's work at Cricinfo at https://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/story/author.html?author=315 - her back catalogue includes further details about many of the topics we discussed on the show. If you're a new listener to the podcast, check out our back catalogue. There's plenty more great interviews with current players, legends, journalists and characters from all over the cricketing world. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels ( @toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, email us at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com or reach out to us on any of our social channels. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 17, 2021

Former Blackcaps' all-rounder and current White Ferns bowling coach Jacob Oram joins the show to chat about New Zealand's home summer, his playing days, the move to coaching and the Black Clash. In the first part of the show, Jacob talks about being back in the commentary box with Magic Talk, the Blackcaps' #1 Test ranking, what he finds most impressive about Kane Williamson and the rapid rise of fellow tall timber Kyle Jamieson. As we take a walk down memory lane, we bounce around some of the up and downs of Jacob's career, which included six international hundreds, two five-wicket bags, a hat-trick, three World Cups, the IPL and plenty more highlights in between, and how his cricketing education has prepared him for his current role with the White Ferns. We wrap up by discussing Jacob's upcoming challenge - taking on Team Rugby under lights at Hagley Oval on 22 January in the Black Clash. In case there was any doubt, he's predicting a win for Team Cricket, and is already throwing a few jabs at the likes of Israel Dagg and Jordie Barrett. If you'd like to find out more information on the Black Clash, check out https://www.blackclash.co.nz/ . The first ball will be bowled at 6:30pm NZ time, broadcast live and full on TV1 here in New Zealand. And if you're a new listener to the podcast, check out our back catalogue. There's plenty more great interviews with current players, legends, journalists and characters from all over the cricketing world. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels ( @toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 13, 2021

Binksy joins via Zoom but the Top Order are back again to review a fascinating week of cricket and look ahead to the final Australia v India Test in Brisbane. We start the show (0.40) with South Africa's 2-0 series win against Sri Lanka, before discussing the England squad and whether we expect them to follow suit in Galle. Baldy and Lippy then take us through the BBL and Super Smash action so far and what it could mean for international selection. With the Blackcaps' Test summer now concluded, we review another win against Pakistan (17.35). Lippy claims to have run out of superlatives before heaping praise on Kane Williamson, Daryl Mitchell and the entire New Zealand side, while Raj is concerned about Naseem Shah and Binksy calls for calm heads as Pakistan conduct an internal review. As we move to the Australia v India series, Baldy outlines his frustration while watching a battered and bruised India side hold on for a dramatic draw at the SCG (31.15). We credit India's fighting spirit, wonder why wicketkeepers (and fielders in general) can't catch any more and discuss many of the key individuals of this engaging Test match, including Nathan Lyon, Ravichandran Ashwin, Tim Paine, Rishabh Pant, Steve Smith, Shubman Gill and Will Pucovski. Baldy makes a big call as we wrap the show with our predictions for the final Test in Brisbane and the World Test Championship implications, and we all cross our fingers that India can find eleven players to pull on the whites before the end of the week. Keep your eye on the podcast feed over the coming days. We've got an episode dropping with former Blackcaps all-rounder and current White Ferns bowling coach Jacob Oram in which he gives us his thoughts on the NZ summer and takes us on a walk down memory lane. If you can't wait that long, check out our back catalogue. There's plenty more great interviews with current players, legends, journalists and characters from all over the cricketing world. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels ( @toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com or on any of our social channels. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 7, 2021

In this episode of the show, we welcome current international umpire and former Auckland, Cook Islands and East Coast Bays seamer, Chris Brown. Recorded before the start of the New Zealand's home summer, we talk umpiring logistics, the pathway to the top, what it feels like to get your decisions proved right - and wrong! - home vs neutral umpires, not giving Lippy any LBWs and how Chris wishes he'd donned the white coat as soon as his playing days were over. Since the interview, Chris has made his Test debut (Blackcaps v West Indies, followed by another Test - Blackcaps/Pakistan) and has shone brightly under the spotlight, making some outstanding decisions at that level. We hope you enjoy the chat, and if you have any interest in becoming an umpire yourself, contact your local cricket club or association and, as Chris suggests, 'give it a go'. If you're a new listener to the podcast, check out our back catalogue. There's plenty more great interviews with current players, legends, journalists and characters from all over the cricketing world. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels ( @toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 1, 2021

It’s a new year but same Top Order Podcast, as we recap the final week of 2020. Baldy starts the show (0:45) with a deep dive into the BBL table and a few players who’ve caught the eye so far in that tournament, including Ollie Davies and Tanveer Sangha, before a quick review of the first South Africa/Sri Lanka Test, where injuries played a big part and Faf du Plessis’s 199 set up a big win for the Proteas. We ask whether NZ needs to push for longer Test series, and ask whether David Warner, Steve Smith and Shakib al Hasan deserved to be honoured in ICC Teams of the Decade. As we move to the Australia v India series (24:00), we discuss a stunning response from India at the MCG to level the series. Shubman Gill, Mohammed Siraj, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravi Ashwin and Ajinkya Rahane all receive praise, Binksy signals a momentum shift, Baldy comes off the long run about Australian team selection and Raj talks about himself in the third person. We wrap up the show with the thrilling Boxing Day Test at Bay Oval (47:20), where the Blackcaps beat Pakistan just before time expired on Day 5. Kane Williamson moves to #1 in the Test rankings, Neil Wagner has all of us glowing and Mitchell Santner has us discussing a spinner taking the final wicket for NZ in home conditions. Pakistan, with the likes of Mohammad Rizwan, Fawad Alam, Faheem Ashraf and ‘Charlie’ Shaheen Shah Afridi, played their part in an excellent Test, but do we give them any chance to level the series? A massive thanks to everyone who has listened to us so far - it really means a lot. If you're a new listener to the podcast, check out our back catalogue. There's plenty more great interviews with current players, legends, journalists and characters from all over the cricketing world. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels ( @toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 22, 2020

This episode of the show finds us still struggling to get our heads around the Australia v India Test in Adelaide, so we call in one of the best cricket writers in the business to help us make sense of it all. Formerly with the Indian Express and now with CricBuzz, Bharat Sundaresan is also a Penguin Random House author, publishing The Dhoni Touch in 2018. Bharat describes the mad scramble for pads on Day 3 as we process India's shocking collapse and discuss how they can move forward and still compete for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. With the departure of Virat Kohli and Mohammed Shami, plus journalists and fans alike calling for wholesale changes, we shine the spotlight on Prithvi Shaw, Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Rishabh Pant and other contenders, before an extended chat about 'Spin Scientist' Ravi Ashwin and the fascinating Cheteshwar Pujara v Nathan Lyon battle. There's breaking news about Rohit Sharma and Bharat reluctantly offers up his prediction for the remainder of the series. Before we finish the show, we dip into Bharat's back catalogue to ask what it was like to write a book about MS Dhoni, and what makes MS one of the most fascinating characters of the modern era. We also discuss Bharat's search for West Indian fast bowler Patrick Patterson, and how that mission became so much more than just another piece of copy. If you'd like to check out more of Bharat's work, you can find his archive at CricBuzz: https://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/author/bharat-sundaresan/235 His brilliant article about Patrick Patterson can be found here: https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/cricket/patrick-patterson-an-unquiet-mind-4762590/ And more info on The Dhoni Touch: Unravelling the Enigma That Is Mahendra Singh Dhoni is available at: https://penguin.co.in/book/the-dhoni-touch/ If you're a new listener to the podcast, check out our back catalogue. There's plenty more great interviews with current players, legends, journalists and characters from all over the cricketing world. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels ( @toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook & @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com .Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 16, 2020

In this jam-packed episode of the Top Order Podcast, we take a look at the past week, updating the goings on in the Ford Trophy, BBL10, the England squad to Sri Lanka and the burgeoning international schedule. As we move to the Black Caps v West Indies series, we discuss Henry Nicholls’ big score and what that means for Will Young and Devon Conway — how long will they have to wait for an extended opportunity? We gush over the incredible talents of Kyle Jamieson — will New Zealand ever play another spinner in home conditions? Neil Wagner receives praise for both bat and ball in his 50th Test, and in light of the West Indies’ disappointing performance, we ask whether they can take anything positive from the tour and debate the idea of tiers at Test level. After their demolition of the West Indies, the Black Caps move swiftly to the challenge of Pakistan. We discuss the omission of Ross Taylor from the T20 side, the return of Todd Astle and a potential debut for Jacob Duffy, before Raj gets excited about the prospect of New Zealand’s top 4 and Baldy gets excited about saying the name Shaheen Shah Afridi for the new few weeks. Injuries look set to play a big part in the series, however, as worrying news about Lockie Ferguson and a fractured thumb for Babar Azam wipe out two key players. We wrap up the show with our predictions for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy as concussion further disrupts the build up. The lads weigh in on the key selection debates — Pant v Saha, Shaw v Gill and the Australian top order — Lippy gives a shout out to Jasprit Bumrah’s skills with the willow, before asking whether India can truly challenge an Australian side that has been a juggernaut at home in recent times. If you're a new listener to the podcast, check out the back catalogue. There's plenty more timeless interviews with current players, legends and characters from all over the cricketing world. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com or @toporderpod on our social channels. With so much cricket going on right now, we'd love to hear what you'd most like us to focus on. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 8, 2020

There's a lot going on in the world of cricket right now, and the Top Order Podcast have a bumper episode to celebrate getting past the tricky 87. In our 88th episode of the show, the team cover: The cancellation of England's tour to South Africa, what that means for the Proteas, the impact for the BBL and whether the ICC needs to take charge. We then turn our attention to the Black Caps/West Indies series, where Kane Williamson is playing a different game than everyone else right now. The NZ attack of Southee, Boult, Wagner and Jamieson gets plenty of credit for a great all-round performance, and what can the West Indies do to bounce back? The India/Australia series is saved for last, but there's plenty to discuss. Concussions on both sides have caused shake-ups in team lineups, and we break down "like-for-like". Justin Langer and Virat Kohli are pumped up, Ajinkya Rahane is his usual self and Cameron Green has stood tall in the warm-ups, while Baldy has an unusual take on the Australian top order for the first Test. If you're a new listener to the podcast, check out the back catalogue. There's plenty more timeless interviews with current players, legends and characters from all over the cricketing world. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com or @toporderpod on our social channels. With so much cricket going on right now, we'd love to hear what you'd most like us to focus on. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 1, 2020

In this episode of the Top Order Podcast, we give a shout out to the Sydney Thunder for winning the WBBL, ponder the impact of Greg Barclay’s appointment as the ICC Chair, and encourage you all to check out NZC live streams of the Ford Trophy. We then dive into the international fixtures going on around the world, starting with the West Indies’ tour of New Zealand, including the coverage provided by Spark Sport. Devon Conway, Glenn Phillips and Lockie Ferguson get us excited about the Black Caps depth, but does a rain-interrupted T20 series against an under-strength West Indian side mean anything for the upcoming Tests? Speaking of the Test series, we talk the impact of Darren Bravo, debate the Black Caps’ XI without BJ Watling and whether the best line up includes a spinner or not. Moving across the Tasman, Baldy is all smiles after a strong start by Australia, as consecutive 62-ball hundreds from Steve Smith, excellent tactics and contributions everywhere have put India firmly on the back foot. But what impact will David Warner’s injury have? Will India adjust to the conditions and find a way to put the Australian batting line up under pressure? And will Raj’s dream about Virat Kohli come true? In the final segment of the show, we head to South Africa to try to make sense of this England batting order, discuss whether there’s a way back for the Proteas, wonder about Quinton de Kock’s skills in the kitchen and Lippy challenges Binksy about an outrageous Sam Curran claim. If you're a new listener to the podcast, check out the back catalogue. There's plenty more timeless interviews with current players, legends and characters from all over the cricketing world. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com or @toporderpod on our social channels. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 25, 2020

We start our This Week in Cricket by outlining the WBBL semi-finalists before Lippy wraps the first four rounds of the Plunket Shield, which sees Canterbury well on top at the halfway stage. Baldy and Raj explain the new BBL innovations - are they fun, or just confusing? - and Binksy runs the rule over Sam Billings' comment that the England limited-overs side is one of the hardest teams in the world to get into right now. In the second part of the show, we look ahead to the upcoming Black Caps/West Indies tour. How much rotation will we see during the T20 series? Which NZ fringe players will improve their stock? Why is the Test series so important? Has the emergence of Devon Conway made Will Young underrated? Can Kyle Jamieson unseat the incumbent pace trio? Plus Tom Blundell's role, pressure on Henry Nicholls, predictions, banter and more in this wide-ranging chat as we get excited about the start of the international summer. If you're a new listener to the podcast, check out the back catalogue. There's plenty more timeless interviews with current players, legends and characters from all over the cricketing world. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com or @toporderpod on our social channels. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 24, 2020

In this episode of the show, we're joined by award-winning author and ESPN Cricinfo Assistant Editor Daniel Brettig to discuss the Australian summer of cricket and the upcoming India tour. Are India favourites for the white-ball fixtures? Will Cameron Green and Will Pucovski get their chance? How excited should we be about their futures? Who holds the key for India once Virat Kohli heads home? And who will win the battle between David Warner, Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne and Jasprit Bumrah? All that plus predictions, BBL innovation chat and much more in this deep dive into one of the most anticipated series of the summer. You can find more of Daniel's work at https://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/story/author.html?author=367 And if you're a new listener to the podcast, check out the back catalogue. There's plenty more great interviews with current players, legends and characters from all over the cricketing world. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show. If you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com or @toporderpod on our social channels. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 22, 2020

In this episode of the show, we speak with current Melbourne Stars coach David Hussey about his recent experiences with KKR in the IPL, his outstanding career as a player and look ahead to BBL 10. Reflecting on his time as the Chief Mentor for the Kolkata Knight Riders, we talk T20 tactics, momentum, confidence, learning from the likes of Brendon McCullum and working with a diverse group that included Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Eoin Morgan and Varun Chakravarthy, just to name a few. As we move to David's playing days, we're introduced to 'Good David' and 'Bad David' as he speaks humbly about his impressive career both in Australia for the Victorian Bushrangers and the national side, and overseas, particularly for Nottinghamshire. We hear how, despite all this success, it took David many years before feeling like he truly belonged at that level. In the final part of the show, we take a close look at a Melbourne Stars squad stacked with high-profile international signings like Jonny Bairstow and Nicholas Pooran, rising star Will Pucovski and explosive all-rounders Marcus Stoinis and Glenn Maxwell. We hear about a few names to watch and explore the coffee habits of Adam Zampa as we look ahead to the upcoming BBL season. If you're a new listener to the podcast, check out the back catalogue. There's plenty more great interviews with current players, legends and characters from all over the cricketing world, including David's brother Mike, in which we first learned about the epic backyard battles at the Hussey household. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com or @toporderpod on our social channels. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 18, 2020

In this episode of the show we speak with Mumbai Indians bowling coach and Sydney Thunder coach Shane Bond. We take a look back at yet another championship season for Mumbai and the outstanding performances of the fast bowling unit, headlined by Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult. Reflecting on what was surely the strangest IPL season to date, Shane takes us behind the scenes and into the One Family that is the Mumbai Indians, from Jimmy Pamment, Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav's cake antics to the absolute care the owners and franchise has for its players and staff. Before we wrap up the show, we look forward to the BBL (24:00), with Shane outlining the challenging build up, the growth of players like Daniel Sams and Chris Green, the signings of Adam Milne and Sam Billings, plus a few players to watch in the Sydney Thunder squad - including a young legspinner, much to Baldy's delight. Quick note that the audio quality wasn't at it's best during this episode, but it's always great to chat with Shane, so hopefully it won't impact your listening experience too much. If you're a new listener to the show, check out the back catalogue. There's plenty more great interviews with current players, legends and characters from all over the cricketing world, including our first interview with Shane (Episode #17), in which we talked about his playing days from his start in the game right through to his impressive career with the Black Caps. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com or @toporderpod on our social channels. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 10, 2020

In this episode of the show, we welcome back Dr. Jamie Barker, Senior Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Psychology at Loughborough University, to talk about the impact of bubbles and lockdown from a sporting perspective. Recorded at the beginning of the IPL, Jamie helps us deep-dive into the impacts of isolation and life in a bubble. How do players cope? What are the potential physical and mental impacts of life in a bubble? And how does that affect our performance? Dr. Barker has some keen insights into how we can all manage our life in modern times, and how we can cope with lockdowns and still maximise our own performance and happiness. This is a great episode for everyone navigating our own lives and managing feelings of anxiety and stress. If you're a new listener, check out the back catalogue. There's plenty more great interviews with current players, legends and characters from all over the cricketing world, including our first interview with Jamie. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com or @toporderpod on our social channels. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 4, 2020

It's finals time in the 2020 edition of the Indian Premier League. Michael and Adam wrap up the last matches of the round-robin [0:55] as Delhi, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and the Royal Challengers Bangalore book themselves a ticket to the playoffs. Then we turn our attention to the finals, as [4:31] Mumbai and Delhi square off for the right to go straight into the final, and [8:10] David Warner and the Sunrisers look to keep their momentum going against Virat Kohli and the Royal Challengers Bangalore. Then it's prediction time [11:18] as the boys go separate ways in predicting the winners of finals games one and two. Who will be right, and who's prediction will end up as wrapping for Friday night's cod and chips? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 1, 2020

A huuuuuuuuge episode of the Top Order Cricket Podcast this week with plenty to talk about as the action ramps up all around the world. We begin by hitting as many topics as we can in This Week in Cricket. The board of Cricket South Africa steps down en masse just weeks before their summer international schedule kicks off - what does this mean for the game in the rainbow nation? A lot has been happening in the bubbles this week, we recap the latest from the players and tease our upcoming interview with Dr. Jamie Barker on mental health and life in the bubble. Stay tuned for that one. We talk about why the current Pakistan/Zimbabwe ODI series has implications for the 2023 World Cup, and debate whether cricket should be an Olympic sport. After the swish we launch into the shields, both Plunket (NZ) and Sheffield (Aus) as several fringe cricketers are putting their hands up for national selection early in the season. Is Kyle Jamieson a lock in the first NZ test side of the summer? When will Devon Conway get his chance? Should Will Pucovski open the battting for Australia? We get a little excited about the breakouts, but how many spots are actually up for debate in the Black Caps and Australian sides at the moment? Finally, in act three, it's climax of the round-robin matches in the IPL. Recorded Sunday night we run through (almost) all the permutations, and put our predictions on the line for how we think the playoffs will shape up. Will we be wrong? Almost certainly - in fact, some of us already will be by the time this podcast goes to air, but it's an enjoyable chat nonetheless. One thing we do know - Mumbai will take some beating this year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 29, 2020

In the fifth episode of our preview series shining a light on the NZ domestic circuit, we're joined by Wellington Firebirds fast bowler Hamish Bennett. Despite a challenging start to the Plunket Shield, good things are happening in the capital, and Hamish wasn't shy about giving us some of the best insights into his squad. From Frank the Tank's body hair, to Fraser Colson's banter, the incredible wrap on Tom Blundell's net skills and Hamish's career with the Black Caps, this one has it all! If you're a new listener, check out the back catalogue. There's plenty more great interviews with players from the NZ cricket scene, plus legends and characters from all over the cricketing world. Please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show. And if you'd like to reach out to us, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com or @toporderpod on our social channels. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 26, 2020

Lippy joins Baldy and Binksy on the IPL wrap show in episode 08 to cover matches 34 - 43 of IPL 2020. We covered some old ground from wrap show 7 in the first few minutes, but those super over games were too exciting not to talk about when we got together. In this episode, check out our quick fire summaries of each match, who the boys have missing the playoffs, who is peaking at the right time, and who is a shining light in an otherwise bleak season for the Super Kings. Can the Kings XI keep their winning streak going to keep their playoff hopes alive? Check it out here on episode 08 of the IPL wrap show for season 2020. Thanks for listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 23, 2020

What an absolute pleasure it was to be joined by Canterbury Magician and commentator Frankie Mackay for a wide-ranging chat about the women's game. We talk the White Ferns v Australia series to discuss what makes this Australian outfit so impressive, and the boys look for positives in defeat for the NZ side. This leads to a conversation about the wider game, both in NZ and around the world - the challenges and the way forward as women's cricket continues to gain in popularity and stature (14.00). We then get an update on the Canterbury Magicians squad to ask if anyone can take down the Wellington Blaze in the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield and Super Smash in 2020/21 (25.10), before talking to Frankie about a few ups and downs from her own career (38.50), both on the field and in the commentary box as part of the Sky Sports team (45.00). Keep an eye on our podcast feed in the coming weeks - we've got a packed schedule with interviews from all around the New Zealand domestic circuit, as well as our IPL coverage and This Week in Cricket shows. Remember to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show. If you're a new listener, check out the back catalogue. There's plenty more great interviews with legends and characters from all over the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 19, 2020

As we continue our trip around the New Zealand domestic provinces, we speak with Auckland Aces captain Robert O'Donnell. Plenty to talk about with Rob, including who's the boss between the O'Donnell brothers, the ins and outs for the Aces this summer, and who to watch out for as key players push for Black Caps honours. There's also lots of laughs in a great rundown of the characters within the squad as we look towards the Plunket Shield, Ford Trophy and Super Smash seasons. Keep an eye on our podcast feed in the coming weeks - we've got a packed month with interviews from all around the New Zealand domestic circuit, as well as our IPL wraps and This Week in Cricket shows. Remember to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show. If you're a new listener, check out the back catalogue. There's plenty more great interviews with legends and characters from all over the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 18, 2020

Episode 7 of the IPL wrap show and the games just keep getting better and better. Baldy back in the diary hot seat to review another 5 games over the weekend, climaxing on Sunday night with a triple super over double-header. [01:46] Lockie Ferguson announces himself with a bang as KKR beat the Sunrisers in super over number one. [5:09] and if one super over wasn't enough, Mumbai and Kings XI battle it out in a double super over thriller, and Kings came up trumps [09:56] Then we rewind to Friday night as Eoin Morgan's captaincy debut for KKR ended in a defeat to the Indians [11:58] The Royal Rumble in Dubai as AB de Villiers shows why he should bat in the top 4 as the Challengers beat the Royals [14:45] CSK and Delhi meet in Sharjah as Dhawan tons up for the Caps. Loving the show? Let us know by tweeting us @toporderpod, and please consider subscribing to help others find the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 17, 2020

As we continue our trip around the New Zealand domestic provinces, we travel south to speak with Otago Cricket white-ball captain and NZ A seamer, Jacob Duffy. We talk about seeing the sights during preseason, get an update on the status of Dean Foxcroft and discuss Otago's desire to build on an encouraging 2019/20 season. A common theme emerges as we take a closer look at the playing group and we do our best to throw fire on a domestic feud, before Jacob opens up about his international ambitions as we look ahead to the Plunket Shield, Ford Trophy and Super Smash seasons. Keep an eye on our podcast feed in the coming weeks - we've got a packed month with interviews from all around the New Zealand domestic circuit, as well as our IPL wraps and This Week in Cricket shows. Remember to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show. If you're a new listener, check out the back catalogue. There's plenty more great interviews with legends and characters from all over the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 15, 2020

Adam predicted an upset in the IPl this week, it just wasn't the one that we thought it would be! Baldy takes us through four games in this IPL wrap, quickfire style with 90 seconds on the clock to wrap up each match, and a bit of extra time to talk who's trending up and down in DreamXI fantasy cricket. [1:35] - RCB and AB flex big time in a huge win over KKR [4:35] - CSK change up the order and get their season back on track against Sunrisers [8:16] - Injury concerns for Delhi's batting, and more scrutiny for the Royals [11:21] - The return of the Universe Boss as KingsXI do it the hard way in the last over to deliver a banana skin for RCB as consistency concerns persist for the Challengers. Let us know what you think of the shorter format on twitter @toporderpod! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 14, 2020

In this episode, we're back around the table as a group to discuss the White Ferns tour of Australia, South African cricket and the T20 Blast in a quickfire This Week in Cricket. We then take a look at the IPL as a whole as we approach the halfway line of that competition: Are finishers coming in too late? Should we lock in a Mumbai/Delhi final already? Is Sharjah too small? Can we put a line through CSK's chances? Will anyone change their original predictions? Answers to all that and much more in this free-flowing chat about the game we love. Keep your eyes on the podcast feed this month - we've got content galore with interviews from all six NZ major associations to preview the home summer, starting with the Plunket Shield on 19 October. You'll find regular IPL wrap shows, as well as more banter-based episodes right throughout October and into November. Please remember to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really is the best way to help the show, support what we're doing and to help others find our episodes. If you're a new listener, make sure you check out the back catalogue. There's plenty more great interviews with legends and characters from all over the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us, we're always keen to hear your suggestions, requests, guest ideas, corrections or anything else at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 13, 2020

In the second instalment of our journey around the New Zealand domestic provinces we're joined by Canterbury Cricket captain and NZ A all-rounder, Cole McConchie. With Cole we look ahead to the Plunket Shield, Ford Trophy and Super Smash seasons. We discuss the return of Peter Fulton as a coach at Canterbury, the arrival of Daryl Mitchell, and a young player to watch. Then we deep-dive to the important questions: Which bowler bowls off 18-yards in the nets? Does anyone spend more time in the weights room than Cam Fletcher? What's the best sledge you've heard at the domestic level? Our attention then turns to Hagley Oval, Lippy gets in his standard mention of Riccarton Cricket Club and we talk individual and team goals and ambitions for the upcoming season. Keep an eye on our podcast feed in the coming weeks - we've got a packed month with interviews from all around the New Zealand domestic circuit, as well as our IPL wraps and This Week in Cricket shows. Remember to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show. If you're a new listener, check out the back catalogue. There's plenty more great interviews with legends and characters from all over the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 11, 2020

We've maxxed our overseas contingent today on the Top Order Podcast with both Binksy and Baldy teaming up to cover a huge week in the IPL. It was a week of teams starting to assert themselves on the competition: [01:40] - Mumbai topple Delhi in a top of the table clash [05:06] - RR bounce back against Sunrisers to keep the Royals in touch with the top four. Then we go back in time to cover the last week of IPL clashes [10:46] - Delhi dominate the Royal Challengers Bangalore [12:58] - The Mumbai juggernaut rolls on as problems emerge for Rajasthan [15:17] - KKR take care of teams below them on the table as trouble emerges for CSK. [16:50] - Kings XI final themselves staring at the crest of a slump as Sunrisers rack up a massive score batting first in Abu Dhabi [19:05] - Fast bowlers keep it tight in Sharjah as Delhi take care of the Royals [22:51] - Kings XI come within a gnat's whisker of knocking off KKR, and where to from here for Kings. [29:00] - Leaks start to appear in the ship for CSK as their batters come under fire from MS Dhoni himself. [33:09] Finally, we preview the four upcoming games in the IPL Monday through Thursday as some telling encounters loom for the Royal Challengers Bangalore at the ramekin in Sharjah. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 8, 2020

New Zealand's domestic and international schedules have been announced, and the Top Order is deep-diving into a player-driven preview of our home summer. First cab off the rank is Northern Districts batsman Dean Brownlie. We cover preseason, the challenges of being spread out over multiple districts, players to watch, expectations for the Plunket Shield, Ford Trophy & Super Smash season ahead and find out which bowler bowls off 18 yards in the nets (there's always one - or two in this case). Then we take a quick dive into Dean's Black Caps career, including green wickets in Hobart and what it was like representing NZ after growing up in Australia. Keep an eye out on our podcast feed in the coming weeks - we've got a packed month with interviews from around the domestic circuit, as well as our IPL wraps and This Week in Cricket shows. Remember to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show. Also check out the back catalogue, there's plenty more great interviews with legends and characters from all over the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 4, 2020

We're back with another episode of the IPL wrap show. And what an incredible four days of IPL action we've seen: [1:30] Mumbai Indians and Rohit start to get the juggernaut rolling over the KingsXI. [4:27] Priyam Garg has a night out to as catching woes consign CSK to the bottom of the table. [7:34] We lean into the first of the double-headers as King Kohli and Devdutt Pandikkal defeat the Rajasthan Royals [10:13] Another day, another run-fest in Sharjah - Shreyas Iyer, take a bow! [12:33] Mumbai restrict the Sunrisers in Sharjah as Krunal Pandya helps himself to a strike-rate of 500! [15:19] Watson winds back the clock and he and Faf du Plessis chase down KXIP [17:35] Baldy breaks down trends from the first third of the tournament, and the importance of balance in your fantasy team, and some high quality encounters coming up in the next few days. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 1, 2020

In another attempt to strengthen our batting on the Top Order Podcast, we’re joined by recent CPL winner with the Trinbago Knight Riders, Colin Munro. We discuss that unbeaten campaign and the dynasty TKR are building with the likes of Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine, Dwayne Bravo and coach Brendon McCullum. We also take a wider look at T20 leagues around the world and the mindset and approach needed to succeed at the top in a format that moves at such a fast pace. It should also come as no surprise from someone with a 14-ball 50 for the Black Caps, but the quickfire round is a treat, including one of the funniest sledge stories we've heard to date. Remember to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show. Also check out the back catalogue, there's plenty more great interviews with legends and characters from all over the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 30, 2020

Well what a difference a couple of days can make to the IPL! Baldy back in the Top Order IPL diary room to wrap up another couple of days of IPL action as both undefeated teams experience their first loss: [01:14] Sunrisers upset the Delhi Capitals and fantasy strategy hints [08:08] Another upset! KKR take down Rajasthan Royals Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 28, 2020

In this IPL Wrap Show, Binksy chats through the KXIP v Rajasthan Royals clash, which saw 29 maximums! We also cover the Super Over showdown with RCB taking on the mighty Mumbai Indians. We give props to Zooter McGavin and remind you to change your skipper! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 26, 2020

Today, a special episode as we kick off our first IPL show for 2020. We wrap up the first 2020 edition of the IPL as: [01:20] CSK break their drought against the Mumbai Indians [06:04] Delhi Capitals and the Kings XI Punjab thrill us with a controversial super over [10:04 ] Sunrisers Hyderabad suffer an epic collapse in going down to Kings XI [13:10] Samson the hero as records tumble in Sharjah as the Royals surprise CSK [16:24] Mumbai break their UAE drought over KKR [18:47] Kings XI bully the Royal Challengers and steal their lunch [22:10] Delhi assert their dominance over a disappointing CSK, and [26:39] KKR eclipse the Sunrisers to leave them at the bottom of the table. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 23, 2020

In this episode of the Top Order Podcast, we start by discussing the England/Australia T20 and ODI series, before an overview of the women's game at the international level (8.40), crowds but not as we know them to watch the White Ferns tour of Australia (14.30), bat handles and bubble chat (17.40) in This Week in Cricket. In the second half of the show, we unpack the key themes from the first few days of the Indian Premier League (23.00), including umpiring controversy, pitches, super overs, pairs, huge sixes, overseas players and our fantasy league failures. Keep an eye on the feed for some bonus IPL content during the tournament, featuring game wraps and fantasy tips (use at your own risk!). We'll be dropping extra episodes every week, in addition to our regular weekly shows. There's still time to join our IPL Fantasy League - use the link below to sign up: https://fantasy.iplt20.com/season/league/join/801JP3WTLS0105. And, as always, remember to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@Toporderpod on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show. If you'd like to reach out to us, correct a mistake or give us some praise, we'd love to hear from you at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com, and we're now on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCo3GSknJELxxH4IDec2AjUA Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 18, 2020

This episode starts as it often does, with This Week In Cricket, where we congratulate the Trinbago Knight Riders on their unbeaten season, talk more turmoil in the ranks at Cricket South Africa, the value of a TV deal in Australia and the England/Australia limited-overs series. In the second half of the podcast (22.40), we turn our attention to another Cricketing Mt Rushmore, as we debate the best four Pakistan bowlers of all time. There's still time to join our IPL Fantasy League - use the link below to sign up: https://fantasy.iplt20.com/season/league/join/801JP3WTLS0105. And, as always, remember to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@Toporderpod on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show. If you'd like to reach out to us, correct a mistake or give us some praise, we'd love to hear from you at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com, and we're now on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCo3GSknJELxxH4IDec2AjUA Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 13, 2020

In the second part of our IPL 2020 preview, we put the remaining four teams under the microscope. After discussing the Mumbai Indians, Rajasthan Royals, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Sunrisers Hyderabad, we get off the fence and each select a tournament winner. Did we get it right? You be the judge! If you missed Part 1, you can find it in our back catalogue. There's also plenty more IPL content, including interviews with CSK batting coach Mike Hussey, KKR's Lockie Ferguson and Mumbai's Shane Bond and James Pamment, plus plenty more great interviews with legends and characters from all over the cricketing world. As always, remember to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show. If you'd like to reach out to us, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com, and we're now on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCo3GSknJELxxH4IDec2AjUA Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 10, 2020

This week on the show, we touch quickly on Gary Stead's contract extension, the unbeaten run of Raj's Trinbago Knight Riders, the first Australia v England T20 and Ian Bell's retirement. Then we talk all things IPL with Baldy running us through the logistics before we take a close look at the Chennai Super Kings, Delhi Capitals, Kings XI Punjab and the Kolkata Knight Riders in part one of our extended preview of the tournament. Keep an eye out on your podcast feed - part two will be available in a couple of days! As always, remember to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show. Check out the back catalogue: there's plenty more IPL content, including interviews with CSK batting coach Mike Hussey, KKR's Lockie Ferguson and Mumbai's Shane Bond and James Pamment, plus plenty more great interviews with legends and characters from all over the cricketing world. If you'd like to reach out to us, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com, and we're now on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCo3GSknJELxxH4IDec2AjUA Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 2, 2020

In this episode of the show, we speak with Australian Cricket legend and current CSK batting coach Mike Hussey. Mike takes us from his early days battling against David in the backyard, right through his outstanding career as a player and now coach and commentator. He takes us on an amazing journey: from being dropped by WA to winning the Ashes, the World Cup and the IPL, and finishing his playing days with a record that puts him right up there with the greats of the modern era. A brilliant storyteller, Mike talks about wearing the baggy green for the first time, rooming with Brad Hogg, his huge partnership with Jason Gillespie, the aura of MS Dhoni, the calmness of Stephen Fleming, Ricky Ponting's captaincy, singing the team song all around the world and many more great yarns, as well as sharing his insightful views about the state of the game today, including his recent work for SACA. Share this one widely - it's a cracker. Remember to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show. Also check out the back catalogue, there's plenty more great interviews with legends and characters from all over the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 29, 2020

In this episode of the Top Order Podcast, we talk Test Championship, Caribbean Premier League, NZ's home summer and Binksy compares Raj to MS Dhoni in This Week in Cricket (15.00). We then deep dive into the recently concluded England v Pakistan Test series, including tributes to Jimmy Anderson's 600th Test wicket, Jos Buttler's plus/minus, Mohammad Rizwan, Dom Bess, Yasir Shah's field placement, bad light, the English top 6 and more! If you enjoyed this episode, give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show. And if you'd like to reach out to us, get in touch with questions, comments, corrections or guest suggestions at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 23, 2020

In this episode, we speak with Black Caps speedster, Lockie Ferguson. We talk about Machineroad, the app he's developing with his brother that's designed to help aspiring cricketers as well as 'weekend wounders' measure their speeds and generate pitch maps. Then we move to Lockie's own career to discuss fast bowling, taking it easy on tailenders, injuries, the Black Caps fast bowling group, what Pat Cummins eats for breakfast and the amazing learning opportunity that the IPL provides. As always, if you enjoy the episode, remember to like, share and subscribe, as it really helps others discover the show. And check out Machineroad on your app store - it sounds superb! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 10, 2020

This week on the show we get some clarity on the scheduling of the Men's ICC T20 World Cups in 2021 and 2022, as well as the Women's 50-over World Cup. We discuss Ireland's win against England in the 3rd ODI, before unpacking the first England v Pakistan Test (12.10), which saw England sneak home courtesy of an outstanding partnership between Jos Buttler and the best beard-and-hair combo in the business, Chris Woakes. Finally, we each choose a team to support in the Caribbean Premier League (36.40) and Otago's Nick Kelly joins us from a Trinidad hotel room to take us through his whirlwind call up to the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots (43.20). If you enjoyed this episode, give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show. Thanks for listening. Quick note here to say that since we recorded this, Ben Stokes has been ruled out of the remainder of the England v Pakistan series for family reasons. And apologies for Lippy's audio in the chat with Nick Kelly - he says microphone malfunction, the rest of us think user error! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 5, 2020

The cricket calendar is filling up again and in this episode the panel discuss potential T20 league clashes for both the women and the men, the impact of Covid on the CPL and IPL, plus the first two England/Ireland ODIs in This Week in Cricket. We then wrap up the England/West Indies Test series (16.20) before looking forward to the Pakistan tour (33.50) and our predictions for the three Tests. If you enjoyed this episode, give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 29, 2020

With no guest this week, it's back to the banter, and finally there's plenty to talk about. We discuss the BBL, the IPL and the prospect of T20 cricket leagues all summer long. We ask what cricket has been like without fans, address reports about 'healthy conflict' between Gary Stead and Kane Williamson, Jofra Archer's bubble mistake and touch on a few highlights from the first two England v West Indies Tests and the 3T experience in South Africa. If you enjoyed this episode, give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 22, 2020

In this episode, we welcome another international spinner to the show, Canterbury Cricket’s leading wicket-taker and Black Cap in all formats of the game, Todd Astle. Todd speaks openly about his early days as an opening batsman, the U-19 World Cup, his emergence as a spinner, the challenges and highlights of his international career to date, breaking records, World Cup heartbreak, red-ball retirement, his new venture Innerspin, icecreams, sweaty hands, celebrations, bunnies, Aussie crowds and much more in this extended conversation about his life in cricket. If you enjoyed this episode, give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 14, 2020

In this episode of the show we speak with incumbent Black Caps Test spinner Ajaz Patel. You'll hear about his journey from Auckland age-group seamer to international spinner in a relatively short amount of time, the hard work he put in with Dipak Patel and others to make that happen, his move to Central Districts, his dream debut against Pakistan and how he navigates the variety of roles a spinner can play in different locations and even within a game. We knew Ajaz was a hard worker, but came away from this chat with an enormous amount of respect for what he's achieved and the way he goes about his business - it really is a must listen for fans of the Black Caps and spin bowling in general. If you like what you hear, give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 7, 2020

With the return of international cricket on the horizon, we discuss This Week in Cricket (24.00) before we're joined by ESPN Cricinfo's George Dobell to discuss the upcoming England v West Indies series. We talk the bubble, England's conservative selections, the West Indies pace attack and series predictions, plus we turn our attention to worrying times for county cricket despite the imminent return, managing sources as a journalist and take a speculative look at the upcoming international calendar, including the World T20 and IPL. If you like what you hear, give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider. It really helps others find the show. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 5, 2020

We celebrate a half-century of episodes with a real treat. Jeetan Patel played almost 80 matches for New Zealand across all formats during a 20-year first-class career for Wellington and Warwickshire. If that’s not impressive enough for you, he was the leading wicket-taker across the domestic and international game in the 2010s - spinning his way to a mammoth 1075 wickets at an average of 29 with 35 five-wicket bags. Has he played his final first-class game? We don’t yet know, but he’s already transitioned into the next phase of his career, taking up a role as a spin bowling consultant for England during their recent tours to NZ, South Africa and the aborted trip to Sri Lanka. This is a lively, open chat filled with the ups and downs of Jeetan's career, mixed in with plenty of laughs and a masterclass inside the mind of a quality spinner. Remember to like, share and subscribe to the podcast, and follow us @toporderpod on your social media of choice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 28, 2020

Dipak Patel had a first-class career spanning more than 20 years, including over a decade for Worcestershire before moving to NZ and playing 37 Tests and 75 ODIs for his adopted country. Perhaps best known for opening the bowling in the 1992 World Cup, Dipak repeated the dose in 1993 to help spin NZ to a rare Test victory against Australia. Since his playing days, Dipak stayed in the game as a coach, including stints with Central Districts, NZ U-19 and Papua New Guinea. We talk about coming through the grades predominantly as a batsman, England ambitions, the move to NZ, a tough introduction to international cricket against an incredible West Indies side, the NZ tour to Pakistan in 1990, cutting off Dean Jones and opening the bowling at the 1992 World Cup, plus plenty more. Note: We recorded this interview in two sessions, and unfortunately the audio quality drops for the final 15-20 minutes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 15, 2020

In this episode of the show, we speak with one of England's greatest batsmen of the modern era and current England assistant coach, Graham Thorpe. Graham talks about scoring 100 on debut, learning to be a better player of pace bowling by studying others, his double-hundred in Christchurch that also featured Nathan Astle's memorable innings, the challenges of performing on the field when things aren't going well off it, and where he was on Oval Monday in 2005. Recorded as the West Indies were about to board a plane to the UK for a biosecure tour, Graham also discusses his transition to coaching, the successful four-year campaign to win the 2019 World Cup, building relationships and earning trust as a coach at the international level, and the mindset of the England squad in the post-Covid environment. It's a fascinating discussion with one of the greats - enjoy. Please remember to subscribe, rate, review and share the podcast, and also check out our back catalogue of interviews with many others from around the cricketing world. If you've got any comments, guest suggestions, banter or you'd like to sponsor the show, reach out to us at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. We'd love to hear from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 11, 2020

In a short aside from the interviews, we discuss the upcoming biosecure West Indies tour to England and how it might be a test run for getting international cricket up and running again. Then we respond to a listener question about the potential for Australia to host the IPL. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 7, 2020

Neil Maxwell has had a life in cricket like no other. As a player, he represented Victoria, New South Wales, Canterbury, Australia A and his country of birth, Fiji. If that's not enough variety for you, off the field Neil has worked for New South Wales and New Zealand Cricket, he's a player agent for the likes of Brett Lee, Michael Hussey, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazelwood to name a few, and was the CEO of the Kings XI Punjab in the inaugural season of the IPL. This chat is an absolute ripper, and we could have talked to Neil for days. He's a forward-thinker and an excellent storyteller and it was an absolute pleasure to have him on the show. Enjoy. Please remember to subscribe, rate, review and share the podcast, and also check out our back catalogue of interviews with many others from around the cricketing world. If you've got any comments, guest suggestions, banter or you'd like to sponsor the show, reach out to us at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. We'd love to hear from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 31, 2020

This week on the podcast, we're all reunited in the same room once again and we celebrate with a wide-ranging chat about what international cricket might look like when it returns. We cover saliva, sweat, ball maintenance, Covid substitutes, the IPL, T20 World Cup and what it could mean for domestic cricket around the world. Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed the show, please remember to subscribe, rate, review and share the podcast, and get in touch with us through Facebook and Twitter (@toporderpod) or via email:: thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Remember to check out our back catalogue of interviews - there's plenty more great guests on the way. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 26, 2020

Rob Moody (aka robelinda2) is a hero to cricket fans all around the world. His archive entertains us at the best of times, but during the Covid-19 shutdowns, it has been an absolute lifesaver. We talk about Rob's favourite clips from his staggering collection, the recent Shane Warne/Steve Waugh controversy, recreating The 12th Man and dealing with trolls, before Rob makes Lippy's day by remembering some classic Richie Benaud commentary from the 93-94 World Series. Remember to give us a like, share and subscribe, and also find us @toporderpod on Twitter and Facebook. If you somehow haven't seen Rob's YouTube channel before, immediately visit https://www.youtube.com/user/robelinda2 Or find him on Twitter: @robelinda2 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 19, 2020

Shane Deitz joins the show to discuss his journey from the Sheffield Shield to Vanuatu Cricket, and what's next for one of the only live cricket destinations in the world during the Covid-19 pandemic. We chat about becoming an online sensation, the unique challenges faced by Vanuatu Cricket, cricket tourism, World Cup ambitions, seeing off the new ball for Darren Lehmann, keeping to Shaun Tait, his two first-class wickets and plenty more. For more information about Vanuatu Cricket or live-stream information for the T10 BetBarter Vanuatu Blast, head to: www.facebook.com/vanuatucricketassociation/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 14, 2020

In this episode, the panel speaks with current Black Caps' head coach Gary Stead. We chat about his impressive playing career, which included over 200 games for Canterbury and five Tests for New Zealand, plus Gary's love for Riccarton Cricket Club. We discuss the move into coaching from an early age, progressing to the highest level, first with the White Ferns and now in his current role with the Black Caps. To say that his first 18-months in the role have been eventful is something of an understatement. Starting with the first away Test series win against Pakistan in 49 years, to the most recent ODI game in Sydney without fans, with a few Super Overs in between, there’s been no shortage of talking points. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 10, 2020

This week on the show, the panel take a break from the interviews to discuss This Lockdown in Cricket, covering the NZ Cricket Awards, what international cricket might look like when it returns, the cancellation of The Hundred, Australia's contract list and Baldy's Sheffield Shield team of the year. (27.00)Then we return to a favourite segment: Cricketing Mt Rushmore, this time debating (heartily at times!) the four greatest Sri Lankan batsmen of all time. Did we get it right? Let us know at thetoporder@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 1, 2020

Wasim Khan’s cricketing career has taken a pathway of transitions. From being one of the first British-born Pakistanis to play professional county cricket in the UK (for Warwickshire), where he rubbed shoulders with the likes of Dermot Reeve, Brian Lara and Allan Donald, to name but a few, he then became CEO of the cricketing charity Chance to Shine. After taking up the reins as CEO of Leicestershire, then being linked with the ECB Director of Cricket role vacated by Andrew Strauss, Wasim moved his family from Leicester to Lahore, where he is now CEO of the Pakistan Cricket Board. In this wide-ranging and open interview, Wasim discusses the ups and downs of his playing career, phone calls with the Governor of the Bank of England, meetings with the Queen, the political nature of Pakistan Cricket and the potential impact of Covid-19 on the cricketing world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 26, 2020

In a golden era for Australian test cricket, Colin Miller was a standout in more ways than one. A stellar Shield career spanning more than a decade finally earned him an international breakthrough at the tender age of 34. But don’t worry, he more than made up for lost time, amassing 69 wickets in just 18 tests at a superb average of 26. Whether you’re a seamer or a spinner, that’s an impressive average right there. This guy was both - at test level no less. That’s quite an achievement in itself. We talk nicknames, blue hair, becoming test player of the year, smashing Curtly Ambrose all around the park and much more in this candid interview with Colin 'Funky' Miller. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 21, 2020

On this episode of The Top Order Podcast, we speak with Joe Scuderi. Formerly from Ingham, North Queensland, Joe was a member of the inaugural intake at the Australian cricket academy, making an immediate impact on Shield cricket. At one point on the verge of international selection in the green and gold, he went on to have a successful career at first class level both in Australia and England, before making his international debut for Italy, where he later became captain and coach. We spoke with Joe just prior to lockdown in the UK, where he now lives. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 10, 2020

In this bonus episode we speak with Andre Adams, Andre had a playing career that spanned almost 20 years. He took over 1000 wickets, represented the Black Caps in all three formats, played in the 2003 World Cup, joined the ICL and was a star of the English county cricket circuit. Once his playing days were over, Andre moved to coaching, where he spent time with Auckland before accepting his current role as bowling coach of New South Wales. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 6, 2020

In this bonus episode, if you listen very carefully you can hear the Top Order boys pinching themselves throughout this awesome trip down memory lane with Barry Richards, one of the finest batsmen to ever play the game. In an era when South Africa were unable to play test cricket, Barry Richards dominated first-class attacks for over 10 years in both his native South Africa and the UK, scoring nearly 29,000 first class runs at an average close to 55. After playing only 4 tests for South Africa (in which he averaged 70) prior to the apartheid international ban, Barry was once again able to test his skills against the best in Kerry Packer’s World Series Cricket. Despite being 34, he averaged nearly 80 with a top score of 207 in his 5 “Super Tests”. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 30, 2020

In this episode of the Top Order Podcast, we speak with former Black Cap Dion Nash. Across a 10-year international career, Dion took 150 international wickets for NZ in addition to a number of handy knocks with the bat. He captained his country in both Tests and ODIs, was involved in two World Cups and plenty of other memorable moments along the way. After his playing days ended, he served as a selector, before starting his own business Triumph and Disaster, who’s products a few of us around the table would benefit greatly from using more often. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 21, 2020

In this bonus episode of the Top Order Podcast, the Panel talk to James Pamment. Currently the fielding coach of the Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League, James gives us great insights into the inner workings of an IPL team and how he can be most effective in the short amount of time he has with the squad assembled. We look at what success looks like for a fielding coach and touch upon his time as head coach of Team USA Cricket. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 17, 2020

This week on this shortened episode of the Top Order Podcast, the panel discuss the Australia vs New Zealand ODI, the role of an opener in one day cricket, retro cricket and what should we do with sports seasons that are in mid-flight. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 14, 2020

Ever wondered what goes through the minds of elite cricketers in key moments that can decide games? How do players cope with stress on the field? Why did Jonathan Trott dig the Mariana Trench while at the crease? We wondered these things too! In this special episode we sit down with highly regarded sports psychologist and mental skills coach Dr. Jamie Barker. While we might not be able to hypnotise you into becoming the next Virat Kohli, Babar Azam or Trent Boult, we can entertain you with an insightful chat around developing mental skills, owning your space and managing stress(and sledging!)on and off the field. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 10, 2020

This week on the Top Order Podcast, the panel discuss reserve days at the ICC Women's World Cup, the Sri Lanka vs England test series and Australia's missing 5th bowling option. They then turn their attention to a review of New Zealand's Test summer in response to an email from The Busted Horse. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 3, 2020

In this episode of the Top Order Podcast, The panel talk to former White Fern & current Sky Sports commentator Lesley Murdoch. We take an in-depth look at her playing days, captaining the White Ferns in both tests and ODIs and also how she balanced an equally impressive hockey career that saw her attend the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. We also discuss her transition into the media across a range of sports and what life is like in the commentary box today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 25, 2020

This week on the Top Order Podcast, the panel discuss The Colonel, ICC scheduling, radio commentary rights & the Women's T20 World Cup. Then we're joined by Jono Boult (23:15), who talks about BYC battles, pillow fights, the Champions League T20 and his mad dash to the 2019 World Cup final, before the panel discuss the first test between NZ and India (46:00). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 20, 2020

In this episode of the Top Order Podcast, the panel discuss the Allan Border Medal, No-Balls & the Mankad. They also look at the England T20 series in South Africa and a short preview of the New Zealand vs India Test Series coming up shortly. Special Guests, Glen Memery & Lesley Murdoch join the panel to discuss the upcoming Womens T20 World Cup Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 17, 2020

In this episode of the Top Order Podcast, the panel are joined by former Zimbabwe captain Tatenda Taibu. Tatenda discusses growing up in Zimbabwe 2:45, the turmoil and death of democracy 34:44, and the dire outlook for the state of cricket in his home country 1:00:00. Tatenda Also discusses his relationships with Andy & Bill Flower, Heath Streak, kidnappings, exile from international cricket and his life being threatened. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 10, 2020

This week on The Top Order Podcast, the panel discuss the rain soaked Big Bash Final, the Aussie ODI & T20 squads recently announced and the T20 series & first two ODIs played between New Zealand & India. We finish this week’s episode by discussing an interview Vernon Philander recently gave to a South African newspaper. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 3, 2020

This week on the Top Order Podcast, The Panel talk about the BBL playoff structure, wrap up the South Africa vs England Test series, an Australian Under-19 star being sent home after a monkey attack & the New Zealand vs India T20 series. Then, special guest Glenn Memery joins the panel to give us an insight into running match days at an elite level as well as great insights into the Australian dressing room. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 29, 2020

In this bonus episode, the panel discuss the best English bowlers of all time, debating which faces should be etched into England's cricketing Mt Rushmore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 25, 2020

This week on the Top Order Podcast, the panel discuss Ben Stokes’ tirade on the South African public, Concussion in the BBL, The Goldfield Ashes & the South Africa vs England series. The panel also wrap up the first New Zealand vs India T20. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 20, 2020

This week on the Top Order Podcast, the panel discuss the Super Smash Final, AB de Villiers' potential return to the international game and the Black Clash. Carl Frauenstein, the Cricket Operations Co-Ordinator and the Team Services and Tour Logistics Manager at New Zealand Cricket, joins the panel to discuss his role at NZC and some stories from his cricketing career. Then the panel wrap things up by discussing the Blackcaps T20 squad named last week and the third test between South Africa & England currently in progress at Port Elizabeth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 16, 2020

In today's episode of the Top Order Podcast, the panel discuss their favourite celebrations, Shane Warne's baggy green, Matt Renshaw's catch, umpire Davidson changing his mind, as well as Stephanie Baldwin’s Australian Country Selection. The panel also discuss the main issues coming out of the New Zealand tour of Australia & England's tour of South Africa. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 1, 2020

In today's episode of the Top Order Podcast, the panel discuss James Anderson's 150th Test, retirees Vernon Philander & Peter Siddle, Anti-Corruption and the prospect of 4-day Test matches from 2023. The attention then turns to extended reviews of the Boxing Day tests at the MCG & Centurion Park. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 22, 2019

On this episode, the panel are joined by Worcestershire's Daryl Mitchell for a full-length interview about his long county cricket career, his role as Chairman of the Professional Cricketers' Association, the work of the PCA, The Hundred, mental health, life after cricket and Binksy's ability with both bat and gloves. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 19, 2019

In this episode of the Top Order Podcast, the panel discuss slow over rates, Neil Wagner vs Matthew Wade, Glenn Phillips' return to form and discuss whether New Zealand have figured out Steve Smith. The panel then pick apart the match at Perth and preview the Boxing Day Test, before Daryl Mitchell, chairman of the Professional Cricketers Association in England, stops by to help preview the South Africa vs England series. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 10, 2019

In this episode of the Top Order Podcast, the panel are joined by one of New Zealand's best-ever fast bowlers, Shane Bond. We discuss Shane's early years in the game, how he idolised Sir Richard Hadlee and how his confidence grew and his speed increased after joining the police. We hear about the influence of the Cricket Academy, how Steve Waugh sledged him during his Test debut, World Cups and what it was like to break the 150 kph barrier. As we work our way through his career, Shane candidly discusses battling injuries, his experience in the now defunct Indian Cricket League, his subsequent ban from the international game, and how that compares with the Indian Premier League today. We also talk retirement and the move to coaching, discussing stints with the Blackcaps, his current roles with Mumbai Indians and Sydney Thunder and an upcoming gig in The Hundred. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 5, 2019

In this episode of the Top Order Podcast, the panel discuss commentators, balls, South African Cricket and Rahkeem Cornwall during the segment This Week in Cricket. The team then wrap-up the Australia vs Pakistan & New Zealand vs England tests, before turning their attention to the upcoming Australia vs New Zealand series. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 27, 2019

In this episode of the Top Order Podcast, the panel bring you This Week In Cricket, which looks at George Bailey, Emily Smith & the pink ball. We also explore the first test between Australia and Pakistan and preview the pink ball test in Adelaide starting this week. The team also heap praise on the Blackcaps after their dominant display in Mt Maunganui and look forward to the second test against England. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 18, 2019

In this episode of the Top Order Podcast, the focus is on the New Zealand vs England test series. James 'The Badger' Buttler shines a light on some new faces in the England squad, as well as the omission of Jonny Bairstow. Then we discuss New Zealand's 15-man squad for the upcoming five tests, with question marks around the make up of the seam attack and the role that spin will play. To close off the show, This Week in Cricket takes us to Afghanistan vs West Indies and India vs Bangladesh, before a live weather report and preview from Baldy over in Brisbane. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 14, 2019

In this episode of The Top Order Podcast the panel talk to Paul Watson, a Level 4 Umpire in Auckland, about why he became an umpire, his pathway to the top and all the processes umpires go through to make a decision. Then the panel rip into each other discussing the Mt Rushmore of New Zealand batting. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 11, 2019

In this episode of the Top Order Podcast the panel relive the final moments of the NZ vs England T20 series, bring you their thoughts on this week in cricket, including IPL no-ball umpires and mental health, and talk to their first guest, 'The Cricket Badger' James Buttler. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 4, 2019

In this episode of the Top Order Podcast the panel discuss a busy week in cricket, covering the ICC ban for Shakib Al Hasan, the Drew Ginn/Mitchell Starc spat, the Australia/Sri Lanka T20 series, another Devon Conway update and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 28, 2019

In this episode of the Top Order Podcast the panel discuss the upcoming Australian summer of cricket, wrap up the first round of the Plunket Shield, look at who missed out in the Hundred draft and discuss whether legends should have the chance to call time on their own careers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 21, 2019

In this episode of the Top Order Podcast the panel discuss Women's cricket, the Mankad makes an appearance, the Australian Men's T20 side is discussed for the upcoming series against Sri Lanka and the team preview the upcoming New Zealand domestic season Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 13, 2019

In this episode of the Top Order Podcast, the panel discuss Spark Sport's successful broadcasting rights bid in New Zealand, Binksy takes us through the England Test and limited-overs squads, and the team pick apart the second Test between South Africa and India. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 6, 2019

In this episode of The Top Order Podcast, the panel explore the new short cricket format 'The Hundred', discuss who England's new coach may be, look at the possibility of multiple coaches in today's game and break down the first test between India and South Africa. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 29, 2019

In this episode of The Top Order Podcast, the panel look at the Blackcaps performance so far under Gary Stead, commission the first TTOP Mt Rushmore and keep you up to date with the World Test Championship Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 22, 2019

In this episode of The Top Order Podcast the panel wrap up the 2019 Ashes, relive the key moments of the series and look at the 'where to' for each side during their respective Summer and Winter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 11, 2019

In this episode of The Top Order Podcast the panel discuss the Aussies' massive Ashes win, Steve Smith by the numbers, Malinga's crushing performance vs New Zealand and preview the 5th Test at the Oval. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 4, 2019

In this episode of The Top Order podcast, Binksy & Baldy relive 'The Miracle at Headingley' while Lippy & Raj give the Blackcaps a glowing report from the 2nd test in Sri Lanka. The team also preview the 4th Ashes test and give their predictions on what's going to go down at Old Trafford. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 25, 2019

This episode of The Top Order podcast features a summary of the Ashes so far, as well as the Blackcaps tour of Sri Lanka. Binksy walks us through soft signals, Lippy and Baldy touch on bowling-action testing and Raj picks apart the concussion rule. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 16, 2019

In the first innings of The Top Order podcast, the lads chat through the heartbreak and ecstasy of the Cricket World Cup, discuss neutral umpires and preview the upcoming Blackcaps tour to Sri Lanka and The Ashes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices