The Top Order Cricket Podcast

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 [email protected]. 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

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 [email protected]. 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

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 [email protected]. 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

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 [email protected]. 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

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 [email protected]. 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

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 [email protected]. 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

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 [email protected]. 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

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 [email protected]. 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

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 [email protected]. 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

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 [email protected]. 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

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 [email protected]. 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

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 [email protected]. 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

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 [email protected]. 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

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 [email protected]. 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

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 [email protected]. 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

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 [email protected]. 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

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 [email protected]. 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

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 [email protected]. 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

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 [email protected]. 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

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 [email protected]. 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

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 [email protected]. 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

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 [email protected]. 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

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 [email protected]. 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

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 [email protected]. 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

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 [email protected]. 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

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 [email protected]. 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

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 [email protected]. 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

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 [email protected]. 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

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 [email protected]. 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

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 [email protected]. 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

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 [email protected]. 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

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 [email protected]. 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

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 [email protected]. 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

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 [email protected]. 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

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 [email protected]. 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

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 [email protected]. 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

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 [email protected]. 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

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 [email protected]. 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

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 [email protected]. 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

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 [email protected]. 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

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 [email protected]. 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

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 [email protected]. 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

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 [email protected]. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 [email protected]. 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

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 [email protected]. 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

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 [email protected]. 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

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 [email protected]. 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

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 [email protected]. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 [email protected]. 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

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 [email protected]. 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